Essay Instructions: Assigned Readings:
1. Twentieth Century by Howard Zinn: Intro and Chapter 1 ISBN 0
2. Give me liberty by Eric Foner: Chapter 15-17 ISBN 3
3. The Untold History of the United States by Stone/Kuznick: Intro to (to page xxxiii) ISBN 0
Hint: Textbooks can be found on Amazon.com. Search book title and click look inside.
Or, you can look for any e-books online, but it has to be the same book.
For the topic of the essay, there are four choices here, please read carefully-
Choose ONE of the following essay selections to answer as specifically as possible. Be sure to include factual support for thesis statements and opinions in your answers. You are not graded on your ideological positions but will be held accountable for factually supporting any statements. Write as much as you know and be very inclusive of lecture and text materials. Course texts (I have mentioned above) are required for use and consideration in the essays. Students can use external sources in addition to course sources, but cannot ignore course sources. The number of course text sources must be greater than the number of external sources.
All materials MUST be cited with footnotes or endnotes in the Chicago Style only.
Choose ONE of the following for your essay topic:
1. The West plays a major role in American mythology--The Frontier Thesis, Manifest Destiny, etc. Define these. How important was Western development in the Gilded Age (briefly include the roles of government and mining and railroad industries)? How did the West develop? Describe this phenomenon. How did Western expansion impact the Native populations and other groups like farmers, ranchers, cowboys and new Western immigrants? What did it mean, the Frontier "closed" by the 20th century, and what were the ramifications of this for American mythology of Manifest Destiny? In conclusion, how do authors Stone and Kuznick, in the beginning of their text Untold History, frame the problems of writing and the telling of history, and how do those concepts relate to these aforementioned issues above?
2. Post-Reconstruction America gave rise to an incredibly transformative society and culture. Modernism was beginning to sweep the land with the industrial revolution, urbanization and westward expansion. How did the underprivileged fare in this new America? What were the experiences and problems of the Native Americans, women, African Americans, and various immigrant groups at this time? Be specific. Was there a gap between the rhetoric of hope and democracy peddled by American institutions and leaders and the reality on the ground for the masses? What of the meanings of The New Colossus on one had, and the Chinese Exclusion Act on the other? What do these represent about historical development and issues of libery in the late 19th century US? In conclusion, how do authors Stone and Kuznick, in the beginning of their text Untold History, frame the problems of writing and the telling of history, and how do those concepts relate to these aforementioned issues above?
3. Discuss the rise of industrialization in the United States. What were the important components? Who were the major players or “robber barons” and in what industries did they thrive? How did technology tie into their developments? Describe the development of a new, indsutrial working class, and explain their circumstances and conditions? Discuss the rise and significance of the labor movement in its various phases. Who were the labor leaders and did they influence the coming 20th century? If so, how? Be sure to discuss the various intersections of classes in this rapidly emerging American capitalism. Do you see any parallels between the Gilded Age and today, of the myths of rags to riches and the notions of Social Darwinism? Explain. How do authors Stone and Kuznick, in the beginning of their text Untold History, frame the problems of writing and the telling of history, and how do those concepts relate to these aforementioned issues above?
4. Considering that history is a collection of narratives from diverse groups, how do various themes impact the way we as people see our past? More specifically, how do race, class, gender, geography, and technology impact the way people see history? Give three specific examples from the 1870s to 1900 in the US and think about how these themes may overlap in terms of historical development (if you are choosing this prompt, you should e mail or talk to the instructor about them). Why do things happen the way they do in the examples you cite? What are possible disagreements in interpretation and why? How might this shape perception in the present? How do authors Stone and Kuznick, in the beginning of their text Untold History, frame the problems of writing and the telling of history, and how do those concepts relate to the issues cited? Be sure to cite lecture notes and texts for support in your essay.
If you have any questions, please contact me as soon as possible, we can figure it out together. Thank you.
There are faxes for this order.
