In this assignment you will write your essay. Important: This is the only traditional essay you will have in this class. This essay counts towards 15% of your total grade. Before you begin, take a look at the video below how to write an essay (at least for Mr. Moore’s class). This video is on a topic from AH 1, but pay attention to the technique.
In a 5-part (it can be more than 5 paragraphs if needed) essay address the following statement (remember to take a strong stance in your thesis statement):
To what extent did Imperialism, Progressivism, and the African-American struggle for equality during the late 19th and early 20th centuries influence the American journey towards the ideal that “all men are created equal”?
Important: Please pay special attention to the information below:
Don’t forget your background sentences. Background information provides your reader the context needed to understand the overall theme. Start with a hook to get your reader interested, address the historical period you will be discussing, and provide needed definitions. You only need approximately 3-4 sentences.
Your thesis statement should be the last sentence in your introduction. Your thesis statement could be something similar to this, “Imperialism, Progressivism, and the African-American struggle for equality during the late 19th and early 20th century did more to damage the concept that ‘all men are created equal’ than it did to further it” or, “Imperialism, Progressivism, and the African-American struggle for equality during the late 19th and early 20th century (with notable exceptions) moved America closer to the ideal that ‘all men are created equal’ than it had ever been before.”
Then, in your 3 body paragraphs, discuss each of the topics: Imperialism, Progressivism, and the African-American struggle for equality making sure to connect the information on each topic back to the thesis statement (your argument).
Your conclusion should restate your thesis in a fresh and interesting way and wrap up your argument. This should be no fewer than 4 sentences long.
Other things to keep in mind:
Your introduction will be worth a maximum of 15 points, each body paragraph will be worth a maximum of 25 points each, and your conclusion will be worth a maximum of 10 points.
Do not write in first or second person. (Don’t use “I”, “me”, “we”, “you”, etc.) For example, instead of saying, “I believe that there were major political, social, and economic ramifications of Progressivism” you would just say, “There were major political, social, and economic ramifications of Progressivism.”
This essay should largely be in your own words. Use direct quotations sparingly. If you do quote something directly, please make sure to place the quotation in quotation marks and to cite it parenthetically (in-text). No quotation should be over one sentence long. You should have no more than two quotations in your entire essay.
If you paraphrase another author, please also cite your work parenthetically.
Do not forget to include your full citation information at the end of your essay.
Two sources must be used in addition to the textbook (that means three sources). Parenthetical in-text documentation as well as a works cited page are required. This should be done in MLA format. MLA Formatting and Style Guide (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ )
Please complete this assignment in an MS Word document and upload it into the course. If you have questions about how to upload a file please take a look at How to Submit a Written Assignment in Blackboard.
Your essay should be approximately 750 words (please do not go over 1,000 words). Please include a word count at the bottom. This work should be double spaced.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzL8J5h5HSQ
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All work will be scrutinized for plagiarism.
