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INTERACTIVE WEEK-BY-WEEK SYLLABUS

MIDTERM PAPER   

Write an essay exploring the relationship between the political, economic and cultural forces driving U.S. policies of expansion and racial superiority in the late nineteenth century.  Focus on the:  

• Spanish American War, particularly the Philippines.
• The World’s Fairs
• U.S.-Indian policy and westward expansion, 1870-1890
• The attempts to assimilate Indians in the “White Man’s Image.”

Develop your points by drawing on both:

Primary  sources (documents and images from the time period) :

·         The two photos

·         The Pears Soap ad

·         Some of the documents from the Two Photos assignment

(Click here and select from documents from History matter and the HIS 125 Web pages)

Secondary sources (texts and movies by historians about the period)

·         Who Built America

·         The Iron Horse v. the Buffalo

·         The video Savage Acts

·         The video In the White Man’s Image

·         The Viewers Guide for Savage Acts 

Here are the steps you should take to write the essay. 

Step One – Developing a thesis statement: 

You need to write a thesis paragraph (preferably four to five sentences) that states the main points you plan to demonstrate in the essay about:

·         The relationship between expansion and racism in the late 19^th century

·         The relationship between domestic and overseas expansion in the late 19^th century

·         The relationship between political, economic and cultural forces driving expansion and racism in the late 19^th century.

·         The historical context and changes that shaped these policies of race and expansion 

Step Two—Marshalling evidence to support your thesis: 

Develop your arguments, in four or five double-spaced pages, supporting your thesis statement by drawing on material from:

·         The secondary sources listed above:

o        Cite facts, use quotes and if applicable, draw on charts and images from the text reading in WBA, the Iron Horse v. Buffalo and the Viewers Guide for Savage Acts,

o        Cite information from the videos:

§         In the White Man’s Image

§         Savage Acts

·         The primary sources listed above

o        Provide analysis of relevant text documents, images and oral history that explain and develop your thesis statement

o        Quote (preferably short, pointed quotations) from the documents to buttress your argument

 Step Three—Conclusion 

Develop a brief concluding paragraph explaining how you have supported your thesis about “the relationship between the political, economic and cultural forces driving U.S. policies of expansion and racial superiority in the late nineteenth century.”

DUE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13