Your Final Paper will address the following module and course outcomes:
Module Outcome: Conduct research, write, and organize a paper addressing the differing experiences of Americans in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
Course Outcome 5/History Program Outcome 1: Objectively evaluate a variety of historical sources (primary & secondary) for their credibility, position, and perspective.
Course Outcome 6/General Education Outcome 4.2: Interpret and evaluate individual and group differences and similarities and explain how they may be influenced by factors such as race, gender, national origin sexual orientation, age, class, religion and/or disabilities.
In an essay of approximately 5-7 pages (1250-1750 words), excluding title page and references, address one of the following questions:
1. Consider some of the economic, social, and political changes from the end of Reconstruction through the Progressive Era (1870s-1920s). By the early twentieth century, how had these changes affected the lives of Americans? How had their opportunities for advancement changed for better or worse in relation to other Americans?
Consider at least two different groups in your response. The following groups are recommended for your topic: Northern middle-class whites, Southern whites, Southern blacks, Native Americans in the West, Jewish immigrants/Jewish Americans, East European immigrants, Chinese immigrants. Check with your professor if you have another group that you wish to discuss.
OR
2. The United States experienced significant political, social, and economic changes from the 1930s to the 1970s. By the late twentieth century, how had these changes affected the lives of Americans?
How had their opportunities for advancement changed for better or worse in relation to other Americans? Consider at least two different groups in your response.
The following groups are recommended for your topic: women (including any subgroups of women), African Americans, Jewish Americans, Japanese Americans, working-class whites, middle class whites, Native Americans, white Southerners, Mexican Americans, LGBT individuals. Check with your professor if you have another group that you wish to discuss.
As far as possible, your paper should make use of the ideas, sources, and themes that you covered in this course. Your paper should have at least 4-6 sources, including any relevant ones from your module papers. At least two of your sources should be primary sources. Sources should be cited and referenced in either APA or Chicago/ Turabian format.
For outside material, you can find scholarly secondary sources from the Excelsior College Library or a primary source from the Excelsior College Libraryor from this list of pre-approved primary source websites in US History . You should NOT use non-scholarly websites such as Wikipedia. If you have questions about appropriate sources, please contact your instructor.
You should save your paper as a Word file and submit it through the Module 7 dropbox. Your paper is due at the end of Module 7.
Your Final Paper should include:
An introduction paragraph with a clear thesis statement outlining your overall argument
Body paragraphs with specific evidence from primary and secondary sources from the course as well as any necessary outside research to support your points
In-text citations and references in APA or Chicago/Turabian style
A conclusion paragraph that synthesizes the information you present and summarizes your main points.