Understanding history can be more difficult than many people imagine. Historians concern themselves not only with what happened but with why it happened. They analyze and assess a variety of sources, including primary sources and secondary sources, to create their own interpretations of the past. For the Final Paper, students will not only learn about the past, but also experiment with the interpretive, analytical methodologies of the historian.
Choose from one of the topics below and review its history from 1865 to the present. Select six specific events or developments that span the years covered by this course, based on their impact on the topic and write a thesis. Your thesis should summarize the main conclusions that you drew while researching your topic and that you will support by creating a logical argument based on evidence.In your paper, make sure to connect each of the events or developments you have chosen back to your main thesis
For example, a paper about African Americans might choose the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Power Movement as two of its events. In that case, the paper would provide basic information about the two movements. It would explain what each one revealed about the role of African Americans in broader American society in, respectively, the 1920s and the late 1960s, explain how and why the roles of African Americans in the 1920s differed from their roles in the late 1960s, and explain how events in the 1920s may have contributed to developments in the later decade.
Choose one of the following topics:
- Native Americans
- African Americans
- Immigrants
- Women
- Foreign affairs
- Civil liberties
- The economy
- The role and powers of the presidency
The paper must be eight to ten pages in length and formatted according to APA style. The paper must include an introduction, a thesis and a conclusion that synthesizes and summarizes the findings of the body paragraphs. You must use at least eight scholarly sources other than the textbook to support your claims. Of the eight scholarly sources, at least two must be primary sources and at least four must be from the Ashford Library. Many great sources have provided for you in the recommended readings section for each week; feel free to use those in your paper. Cite your sources within the text of your paper and on the reference page. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar, in your online course.