Discuss the motivations of the American patriots in establishing this nation, from the Revolutionary War to the framing of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, to the formation of the first political party system. Were the founders of our republic motivated more by noble, lofty ideals centering on notions of liberty for the common good of the people? Or were they chiefly driven by narrow materialistic interests related to their social class and/or personal fortunes? In other words, were they motivated more by liberalism and self-interest or a republican spirit of self-sacrifice and genuine concern for "the people"? Where you want the emphasis to lie is up to you, but you must argue persuasively utilizing examples from the reading material and lectures, being sure to provide at least three examples to support each side of the debate. This should not be difficult, as there are plenty of them in each of the four chapters (5-8). This is to help you avoid a one-dimensional treatment of the subject and to encourage you to appreciate the complexity of the situation they faced. It will thus allow you to assess shortcomings as well as acknowledge where credit is due.
Paper should be typed, double spaced, with page numbers bottom center. Do not skip lines other than your double spacing. If you include a title page, your page one will be the first page of actual text, though the page number should be omitted from the first page. Indent paragraphs. Spell check and proof read out loud before submitting paper. Avoid plagiarism! Use quotation marks and cite your source in a footnote. Word processing programs have a footnote feature accessible through the toolbar. 5-6 pages.
The following examples are based on the Chicago Manual of Style:
Footnote:
Eric Foner, Give me Liberty!: An American History, vol. 1, Second Seagull Edition (New York and London: W. W. Norton, 2009), 26.
Bibliography:
Foner, Eric. Give me Liberty!: An American History, vol. 1, Second Seagull Edition. New York and London, W. W. Norton, 2009.