Writing A Thesis
Over the course of the semester we will do 3 short writing assignments which will prepare you to write a final 2 page essay for the course. Each writing assignment will ask you to create a thesis and support it with a sources from the Primary Source Boards.
Your thesis should talk about why and how an event or trend occurred in U.S. History, within the era we’ve been studying. It must have a point of view and be arguable (that is, someone else could argue it’s not true). An interpretive thesis takes a stand, and uses the primary sources as evidence to prove it.
For example:
X happened because Y happened.
Although most people believe X, closer examination of the evidence indicates Y.
During this era people experience X, because of Y.
If you like some additional information on theses, you can look at the ATTACHED FILE.
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Writing Assignment (40 points, 35 points for your original post & 5 points for your reply):
Please create a few short paragraphs that include:
· An interpretive thesis about one or more of the eras we’ve studied so far, in bold text
· 2 primary sources from the first Primary Sources Board in chronological order, with each source related to the thesis through your own explanation
· each source named and fully cited (author/artist, title, date, live link to a page where it is featured)
· a one-sentence conclusion
Don’t have the sources you need? You may add any source to the first board at any time, so long as it is fully cited and available for all to use.
Here is a sample of an A/A+ assignment from a previous class (yours would use sources from our Primary Sources Board)
The Reconstruction Era and Black Suffrage
Sectional division played an active role in U.S. politics dating as far back as the colonization of the British in America.Due to different climates and geographic location, varying economies were developed between the North and South. The South was more agriculturally motivated and relied on the export of farmed goods to generate revenue, where the North was motivated through trade export and fishing. The South used slaves to work and even run plantations and farms, where the North did not need nor truly agree in having a slave. The differences between the North and South influenced their attitude on several issues involving the nation’s well-being, including slavery. As the sectional differences grew between the North and South, tension increased to the point that individual states could no longer create solutions, leading to the Civil War.As a result of the Civil War, Society had mixed views on the role of the federal government with respect to black suffrage and race relations during the Reconstruction Era, lending to a long road of Civil Rights for African Americans.
Congress, political parties, whites, blacks, and even the President had conflicting views on race relations, creating controversy and problems within the states. “The Freedman’s Bureau!” (1866, artist unknown, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Freedman%27s_bureau.jpg#file (Links to an external site.)), which states, “An agency to keep the Negro in idleness at the expense of the white man. Twice vetoed by the President, and made a law by Congress. Support Congress & you support the Negro Sustain the President & you protect the white man,”is one of a series of racist posters against Radical Republicans, on the topic of black suffrage. In particular, this was published during the election of a governor running on a white supremacy platform supporting Andrew Johnson, due to President Johnson vetoing the Civil Rights Bill that was enforced by Congress. There is so much going on in this poster; the white men working while the black man lounges, support congress and you are not in support of the white man, the white man must work to keep his children and pay his taxes, the list goes on and on. Basically, many felt that if you supported the “freedman” you were against the whites, that the roles were now reversed from the black slaves supporting the wealth and freedom of the white man, and that now whites were working on behalf of the blacks freedom. This poster portrays how different the views were between the government and Society as a whole with regard African American rights during the Reconstruction Era.
Despite Amendments and new laws passed by the federal government, Southern whites in society looked for any means possible to effectively eliminate the new freedoms of African Americans. The 15th Amendment to the Constitution gave African American men the right to vote stating that the, “right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” In the cartoon, “Everything Points to a Democratic Victory This Fall,” also referred to as, “White Citizen league barring Black voters,” featured in Harper’s Weekly (October 31, 1874, Jim Crown in America (Links to an external site.)), two voting lines are portrayed, one for colored people and one for whites. There is also a sign that reads “ Notice No N**** Votes here”, despite the 15th amendment and being freed from slavery, white’s did whatever they could to keep the two races separate. After the Civil War, Southern States passed discriminatory legislation known as The Black Codes of 1866 allowing for the civil rights of black citizens to be compromised.
Throughout the Reconstruction era, society had mixed views on race relations and the role of the federal government after the Civil War, as shown in “The Freedman’s Bureau,” (1866) and “Everything Points to a Democratic Victory This Fall,” (1874). However, constitutional amendments; 13 which abolished slavery, 14 which defines citizenship and protects a persons political and civil rights from being “abridged or denied by any state”, and 15 giving African Americans the right to vote, all played an integral role in pursuing African American Civil Rights.
Here are some tips:
· Make the thesis interpretive and arguable
· Avoid troublesome sources (if the citation information isn’t complete, don’t use it)
· Discuss each source so it proves the thesis instead of illustrating it
What is a HISTORICAL Thesis?
When studying history, one must quickly and easily be able to a) recognize a thesis and b) create a thesis. Historical thesis statements might be a little different than anything you’ve written before. Over the course of the semester, you will practice and become experts at writing historical thesis statements.
A thesis statement is not a fact; it is an informed interpretation of the facts. Neither is the thesis statement just an opinion. It is the reasoned judgment of the student. Most questions require a response that is not black and white, but some shade of gray. Students always need to carefully weight all of the historical evidence and then craft a response that best articulates their understanding of the historical record.
Examples of thesis statements:
Weak: The Revolutionary War brought about change in American society. This is,
technically, a position. But, it is vague and not really debatable.
Strong: The Revolutionary War ushered in a slew of wide-ranging and permanent
social changes in American society. This is a clear, strong, and debatable thesis.
Bad: George Washington set many important precedents as president. This is a fact; not a
position.
Good: The precedents that Washington set as America’s first president greatly benefited
the American political system. This is a clear position that can be supported or opposed.
Best: The precedents that Washington set as America’s first president greatly benefited
the American political system, because his stature helped offset the uncertainty of the new government. This is not only a clear position that can be supported or opposed but also contains an element of causality in it.
HELPFUL TIPS:
· A FACT IS NOT A THESIS . Facts would be used to support your argument.
· Good thesis statements are an argument that you would be able to prove. It should be a little “risky,” and involve some kind of opinion that you believe you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.
· Avoid the words “was,” “many,” “is,” or any other passive verbs and generic descriptions. BE SPECIFIC.
· Avoid value judgments, it is not about whether you think something is good or bad.
· Good thesis statements recognize there are multiple sides to your argument. However, it shows that you can PROVE your side is RIGHT.
Sites for U.S. History 1 Primary Sources
· Digital Collections | Library of Congress (Links to an external site.)
· Smithsonian’s History Explorer (Links to an external site.)
· Docs Teach, from the National Archives (Links to an external site.)
· Smithsonian Source, from the Smithsonian Institute (Links to an external site.)
· The John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library (Links to an external site.)
· Colonial Williamsburg (Links to an external site.)
· Civil War Primary Source Documents (Links to an external site.)
· The Gilder Lehrman Collection | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (Links to an external site.)
· Browse The NYPL Digital Picture Collection(P) (Links to an external site.)
· Primary Source Sets | Teacher Resources – Library of Congress (Links to an external site.)
· Edison Motion Pictures Collection Part One 1891-1898 : The Edison Manufacturing Co. and Thomas A. Edison, Inc. : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive (Links to an external site.)
· About this Collection – Inventing Entertainment: The Early Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings of the Edison Companies | Collections | Library of Congress (Links to an external site.)
· Photogrammar (Links to an external site.)
· Flickr: Internet Archive Book Images’ Photostream (Links to an external site.)
· Family Limitation | South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) (Links to an external site.)
· Welcome · Digital Public Library of America (Links to an external site.)
· Periods | Collection of Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (Links to an external site.)
· American Memory from the Library of Congress – Home Page (Links to an external site.)
· National Archives: Online Public Access (Links to an external site.)
· New York Times Article Archive – NYTimes.com (Links to an external site.)
· National Jukebox LOC.gov (Links to an external site.)
· Shorpy Historical Photo Archive | Vintage Fine Art Prints (Links to an external site.)
· Prelinger Archives : Free Movies : Download & Streaming : Internet Archive (Links to an external site.)
· Social and Cultural History: Letters and Diaries Online (Links to an external site.)
· American History In Video: Browse Newsreels (Links to an external site.)
· Collection | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1
New Spain, New France & R k& Roanoke
Early Colonies in North America
I. What kind of an empire did the Spanish create in the New World, and why did it extend into North America?
II. What was the French role in the beginnings of the North
Key Topics
g g American fur trade?
III. Why did England enter the race for the colonies?
IV. In what ways were the Spanish, French, and English colonies in North America similar? In what ways were they different?y
V. What growing pains did the Spanish, French and English colonies experience around 1680?
The Colonization of the Americas I. By 1520, early Spanish exploration had turned to
conquest in the Caribbean and was beginning in Mesoamerica
The Invasion of America In the sixteenth century, the Spanish first invaded the Caribbean and used it to stage their
successive wars of conquest in North and South America. In the seventeenth century, the French, English, and Dutch invaded the Atlantic coast. The Russians, sailing across the northern Pacific,
mounted the last of the colonial invasions in the eighteenth century.
2
The Colonization of the Americas I. By 1520, early Spanish exploration had turned to
conquest in the Caribbean and was beginning in Mesoamerica
II. As Spain was beginning to found its colonies in central and south they also began to explore North America
The First Europeans in North America
In 1539, Hernan DeSoto traveled throughout South, di di h d l d d k d spreading disease that depopulated and weakened
Indian societies. Europeans were searching for slaves and the rumored cities of wealth.
In 1539, Francisco de Coronado searched for lost cities of gold in Southwest.g
Explorers failed to find great cities and turned back. This failure would sour the Spanish on North America (outside of Florida) for almost 50 years.
European Exploration, 1492-1591
By the mid-sixteenth century, Europeans had
explored most of the Atlantic coast of North
America and penetrated into the interior in the
disastrous expeditions of de Soto and Coronado.
The Colonization of the Americas I. By 1520, early Spanish exploration had turned to
conquest in the Caribbean and was beginning in Mesoamerica
II. As Spain was beginning to found its colonies in central and south they also began to explore North America
III. Spain’s colonies would be the largest, wealthiest and most sophisticated for centuries to come.
3
The Spanish New World Empire I
By late sixteenth century, the Spanish had a powerful American empire It was comprised of a number of colonies lead by New empire. It was comprised of a number of colonies lead by New Spain (based around the former Aztec empire)
250,000 Europeans and 125,000 Africans lived in Spanish colonies.
The Population under their control was large (probably 4 million in New Spain alone) and was racially mixed.
B th S i h b d ‘f ti f i l i ’ d t Because the Spanish embraced a ‘frontier of inclusion’ does not mean they were not racially biased. They created very clear distinctions on how much
Council of the Indies governed out of Spain, but local military governors appointed by the King generally had autonomy.
European Voyages of Discovery and the Colonial Claims of Spain and Portugal in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. Notice Columbus never reaches the North American
Continent during any of his 4 voyages, but rather only the Caribbean.
The Colonization of the Americas I. By 1520, early Spanish exploration had turned to
conquest in the Caribbean and was beginning in Mesoamerica
II. As Spain was beginning to found its colonies in central and south they also began to explore North America
III. Spain’s colonies would be the largest, wealthiest and most sophisticated for centuries to come.
IV. But other European countries, especially France, were p , p y , beginning to explore North America by the middle of the 16th century.
Fish and Furs
Abundant fish in Grand Banks of North Atlantic led Abundant fish in Grand Banks of North Atlantic led Europeans to explore North American coastal waters.
French were first to explore eastern North American and established claims to lands of Canada.
European‐Indian relations based on trade, especially furs.
Disease and wars over hunting grounds reduced Indian populations.
Indians became dependent on European manufactured goods.
4
A Mikmaq Indian petroglyph or rock carving depicting a European vessel and crew, photographed in 1946 at Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia, by Arthur and Olive Kelsall, who traced the lines of the image with white ink to enhance the contrast. The vessel appears to be a small pinnace with lanteen sails, similar to those used by French merchants and explorers in the early seventeenth century. Living along the southern shore of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the Acadian peninsula, the Mikmaqs were among the first natives in North America to establish contact with European traders, and understanding immediately the value of iron and textiles, they soon developed a
system of coastal barter.
The Colonization of the Americas I. By 1520, early Spanish exploration had turned to
conquest in the Caribbean and was beginning in Mesoamerica
II. As Spain was beginning to found its colonies in central and south they also began to explore North America
III. Spain’s colonies would be the largest, wealthiest and most sophisticated for centuries to come.
IV. But other European countries, especially France, were p , p y , beginning to explore North America by the middle of the 16th century. A. North America was seen as far enough away from Spain to
possibly be safe from Spanish attacks
The Protestant Reformation and the First French Colonies
Protestant John Calvin followers in France were called Huguenots.g
Huguenots were largely merchants and members of the middle class. Huguenots planted first French colonies in South Carolina and Florida in an effort to find religious refuge.
French enjoyed good relations with Indians.
Spanish destroyed French colony in Florida.
This made it clear to other European powers that in the future if they wanted to found colonies in the new world it would have to be farther north
This watercolor, painted in 1564, depicts the friendly relations between the Timucuas of coastal Florida and the colonists of the short-lived French colony of Fort Caroline. The
Timucuas hoped that the French would help defend them against the Spanish, who plundered the coast in pursuit of Indian slaves.
.
5
The Colonization of the Americas I. By 1520, early Spanish exploration had turned to conquest in
the Caribbean and was beginning in Mesoamerica
II. As Spain was beginning to found its colonies in central and south they also began to explore North Americasouth they also began to explore North America
III. Spain’s colonies would be the largest, wealthiest and most sophisticated for centuries to come.
IV. But other European countries, especially France, were beginning to explore North America by the middle of the 16th century.
A N th A i f h f S i t A. North America was seen as far enough away from Spain to possibly be safe from Spanish attacks
V. The English, who had also been exploring the coastline of North America, began to try and found colonies in the late 16th century
The Invasion of America In the sixteenth century, the Spanish first invaded the Caribbean and used it to stage their
successive wars of conquest in North and South America. In the seventeenth century, the French, English, and Dutch invaded the Atlantic coast. The Russians, sailing across the northern Pacific,
mounted the last of the colonial invasions in the eighteenth century.
The Roanoke Colony
Colony off the North Carolina coast founded by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585
It was conceived by both Raleigh and the English It was conceived by both Raleigh and the English government as a money making enterprise
Goal was to find wealth: furs, gold or silver, and plantation agriculture and Indians were seen as laborers.
Very inappropriate people were sent, almost no farmers. But there was a goldsmith, a perfumer, and a jeweler.
C fli i h Al i hi h l i d i h h Conflict with Algonquians, which culminated with the local tribal leader, Wigina, being beheaded, led to abandonment of colony by English less than a year later.
European Colonies of the Atlantic Coast, 1607–39
Virginia, on Chesapeake Bay, was the first English colony in
North America, but by the mid-seventeenth century,
Virginia was joined by settlements of Scandinavianssettlements of Scandinavians
on the Delaware River and Dutch on the Hudson River, as well as English religious dissenters in New England.
The territories indicated here reflect the vague boundaries
of the early colonies.
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