How did geography create important differences in the way people lived in America from the colonial period to 1800?

Final Essay Questions

For your final essay, you are responsible for completing a 5-6 page essay based on ONE of the following questions. The best essays will be well-organized with a clear introduction and conclusion, well-written, and use specific references to the various readings, videos, and lectures we did this term.  Your paper is to be based on the reading, videos, and lectures we used in class.  Its goal is to demonstrate your familiarity with the work we have done over the term and your ability to synthesize ideas from the various modules.  

See the grading rubric for more specific details for the grading expectations.

1. How did the role (or roles) of women change from the beginning of the colonial period through to 1800?
2. How did geography create important differences in the way people lived in America from the colonial period to 1800?
3. Characterize the relationship between Native Americans and European American from the arrival of Columbus in 1492 to 1800.
4. How did the lives of African Americans change from seventeenth century to 1800?
5. To what extent did freedom or restraint characterize American history in the colonial AND early republic periods?
6. What were the four most important events or conditions from the colonial period that help to explain the character of American life at the time of the American Revolution and early Republic?

Rubric:

• “A” papers (18-20 points) will be well written with a clear argument.  The will use the various course materials (readings, case studies, lectures, and videos) effectively to support their argument and will have a clear organizational structure.
• “B” papers (16-17 points) will meet most of the criteria above.  They will have an argument (perhaps not fully developed) and use course materials, but may have some writing problems and the sources may not clearly support the argument.
• “C” Papers (14-16 points) will have problems in several areas (argument, writing and organization, use of course materials).
• “D” papers (12-13 points) have a weak argument, provide general description, not engage the course materials significantly, and have significant writing problems
• “F” papers (less than 12 points) are highly general, lack an argument, do not use course materials, have writing and grammar problems throughout, and lack any clear organizational structure.

Points for the Comparative Essay will be assigned on a similar basis to the case study papers:

• Clear argument and introduction (4 points)
• Clear organizational structure including strong, well-organized paragraphs supporting the central argument (4 points)
• Good use of the various course materials (readings, case studies, videos, lectures), appropriately quoted and cited, to support the argument (6 points)
• Well written, including grammar, style, spelling, and punctuation (6 points)