INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLONIALISM AND CAPITALISM INTEGRATIVE ESSAY
Central question to which your essay should respond:
How have colonialism and capitalism shaped the world since circa 1500 CE?
Your essay should accomplish/provide the following:
1. A thesis statement that includes both a central argument (concise answer to the question posed) and describes briefly how you intend to "prove" that argument, thus offering an organizational framework for your essay.
2. Concrete historical evidence drawn from assigned readings and from notes on videos, lectures, and discussions we have engaged in to support your argument. Essays should reflect an understanding of change over time and across geography. Evidence should speak directly to your main argument. You should be comprehensive in your analysis of the content we've covered throughout the course of the issue. Do not conduct outside research for this assignment.
3. A clear chronological organization and that presents historical evidence in a clear narrative format. Essays should convey an understanding of the relationship between the main argument, major sub-points, and supporting details.
4. Proper Chicago-style footnoting for all sources. Material from class lecture and discussion should appear as follows: "Title of Lesson," Date. A guide for Chicago Manual footnote citations can be found at (use the note format, the one listed with numbers in front of the citation, for footnotes): https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
While I recommend a minimum of 1200 words, you should strive for broad historical coverage and analysis. Those constitute the two most important elements of a successful essay.
Essays that rely on a narrow range of sources, are disorganized, do not cite sources or cite them improperly, or employ incorrect grammar or sentence structure will not receive high marks.
Consult the grading rubric for specific criteria and score levels.