Assessment Instructions:
Paper 2 Final Draft
Purpose of this Assessment
To assess your foundational knowledge of United States history (ELO)
To promote critical thinking
To give you more experience as critical readers & historically minded scholars (ELO)
To practice your written and analytical communication skills (an ELO)
Directions
OVERVIEW
Many Americans, especially abolitionists, found slave narratives, such as those by Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, and Solomon Northrup to be extremely insightful. Not only did they provide detailed, first-hand accounts of the peculiar institution, but they shattered the myth of paternalism and recounted the grim horrors of life in bondage.
WRITING PROMPT
would like you to write a 750-1000 word (3+ page) essay about the negative impacts of slavery on American society. Select one of the following three options to guide your essay:
Option A: Nowadays, we often take for granted that slavery was an immoral institution that had innumerable mal effects on the enslaved. However, as many of our readings have indicated, the peculiar institution often affected enslaved men and women differently. In a thoughtful and persuasive essay, compare and contrast the unique experiences of enslaved men and women.
Option B: The peculiar institution destroyed countless lives—both white and black. Provide a thoughtful overview of the various mal effects of slavery on ALL of American society, enslaved, slave owner, and/or non-slave owner. Then make a persuasive argument for what you think was the most detrimental aspect of slavery on American society.
• Option C: Utilize the readings to create your own persuasive argument about the mal effects of slavery on American society.
REQUIRED READINGS – PART 1
You MUST include evidence from AT LEAST 3 of the following 4 sources:
Frederick Douglass Excerpts
Henry Bibb, Narrative excerpts (GTTS, Chapter 10)
Solomon Northrup, Twelve Years a Slave, excerpts (GTTS, Chapter 10)
Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, excerpts (GTTS, Chapter 10))
