Please answer the following essay question below. It is a “letter to a
presidential candidate” type of question. In addition, please adhere to the following
specific guidelines:
a) Please type your essay in a double-spaced format.
b) Please do not use sources from outside the course. You are being tested on your
understanding of the assigned readings and, if you wish, class discussions and/or class
lectures.
c) Please both cite pages from the readings and the titles or dates of the class
discussions and/or lectures (if you use them) as sources for your essay. Please include
your citations within the text (parentheticals) or as footnotes at the bottom of each
page. Include a bibliography at the end of your essay in addition to your citations.
Essays with the highest scores will be those that evidence accurate use of assigned
sources. Essays without proper citations will be refused.
d) Your essay should be at least 2-3 full pages in length (you may write more than 2-3
pages if you wish).
Completed final essay is due on Wednesday, Apr. 20th by 11:59pm. Please submit
to the appropriate link on our course’s Canvas webpage in doc, docx, or pages formats
only. On time and well-written essays that evidence thought-out preparation and clear
interpretation of course materials will be rewarded generously!!! If you do not
understand something, please ask. Completed essays are worth up to 150 points each.
Essay Question: The year is 2024. Using the readings that you have been provided by
Jefferson, Franklin, Paine, the Federalist Papers authors, and De Tocqueville, please
write a letter to the presidential candidates (you needn’t reveal your own personal party
preference; rather, write a generic letter of which you would send a copy to all the
presidential candidates). In this letter, please discuss those things that a successful
president needs to know if he or she is going to properly lead the nation and why, in
particular things that must be known and done to protect and defend the necessary
rights of the people of the United States. Please make sure to quote important
passages from all of these readings in your letter as you explain your arguments — it is
important that the candidates know there is an historic American political precedent to
the advice and suggestions you are offering.
