Your Term Paper should clearly present the America’s History or Taking Sides topic you have chosen to explore, explain the viewpoints of the America’s History or Taking Sides authors who debate/discuss this topic, analyze the evidence both authors use to support their position, explain the issue’s impact on the historical time period and then present and defend your point of view regarding the question posed.
Your essay should be composed of three main parts:
1. The introduction or opening paragraph of your essay should clearly convey to the reader that the debate/discussion takes place in either America’s History or Taking Sides, the topic of the debate, and the importance of the issue in regard to the historical time period in which the debate is centered. In addition, your introduction should summarize the varying viewpoints of the historians (by name) debating this topic. It is also important that you declare your thesis or your point of view concerning the issue being discussed in the introduction. You must pick a side, or present a new perspective/thesis to answer the question presented in the debate.
2. The body of your paper should consist of several paragraphs. Begin with two paragraphs that explain each author’s position and evidence (at least one paragraph explaining each author’s position). Follow with at least one paragraph that explains your analysis of the authors’ evidence and ability to persuade the reader. Next present your thesis/point of view. Your point of view should be accompanied by an explanation of how you came to your conclusion. Be sure to offer a thorough explanation of your position, how you came to your conclusions and the evidence to support your position. Your evidence may include key points made by the authors in America’s History, Taking Sides or your other two sources. Outside sources are required. You must have two additional sources in addition to America’s History or Taking Sides. If you use both America’s History and Taking Sides in your Works Cited, you still need two additional sources.
3. In the final paragraph, or the conclusion, you must restate the issue being debated, the impact or importance of this issue in regard to the historical time period, the varying America’s History or Taking Sides perspectives concerning this topic, as well as your position. The conclusion should be used to remind the reader of all that has been written in the essay, and then it should end with a final statement of significance or thought concerning the issue you have chosen to discuss.
You must use proper MLA citations throughout your paper and you MUST have a proper MLA formatted Works Cited.
Using this book (America’s History: Concise Edition , Henretta, et. al., Volume 1, 10th edition ISBN-13: 978-1319275884) is mandatory as a source! Make sure you are using authors names (Last names)
Here are the author sources as well incase you aren’t able to acess the book:
Source: Robert V. Remini, Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Freedom, 1822–1832 (New York: Harper & Row, 1981), 2: 221–222, 228.
Source: Anthony F. C. Wallace, The Long Bitter Trail: Andrew Jackson and the Indians (New York: Hill & Wang,1993), 5–6, 56.Source:
The other two sources are of yout choosing but here are two suggestions
PBS SoCal Indian removal (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html)
History State Office of the Historian Milestones: 1830-1860. Indian Treaties and the Removal Act of 1830. (https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/indian-treaties)
The debate topic I chose was “Was Indian Removal Humanitarian or Racist”. This topic debate can be found in our book “American History”, I chose it being a racist act. If the Indian Removal had not been based on a racist action and had been humanitarian then why did so many Indians die by this removal? If it were a humanitarian act the Indians would have been protected but this is not the case. Indians were in fact forced to leave their home lands even if they didn’t want to “voluntarily”, this was all a racist act on Jackson’s part as well as everyone who passed this act/law. So many Indians died because of this removal policy, many dying on the Trail of Tears because of their removal.
Heres some information I already found that you can use! (Just make sure to address author by last name I did the first name on accident) You can of course choose different facts/information to support our side etc…
The Indian Removal act was a racist move from Jackson. He didn’t actually care about helping the Indians and just wanted their land and to be rid of the Indians because of their “White man’s country”. Jackson technically didn’t give the Indians an option either he “negotiated” with them to move and then those who didn’t want to ended up having to because of the forced removal policy. Many Indians ended up dying on the Trail of Tears showing it was not humanitarian it was a racist act.
The two America’s History author’s are Robert V. Remini and Anthony F. C. Wallace. Robert’s position on this topic is that it was a humanitarian act on Jackson’s part; he claims that it was a “hard and cruel” yet “kind” and “necessary” action. He also states that Jackson was trying to help them because he “was trying to get the Indian to a place of safety which he fervently believed existed west of the Mississippi River.” Then we have Anthony’s position claiming that this topic is a racist act on Jackson’s part. He defends his side of the debate with information of Jackson’s actions as president. He also states “the sense of America as the redeemer nation destined for continental expansion, the open acceptance of racism as a justification not only for enslavement of blacks but also for the exploitation of Native Americans — these were popular, politically powerful themes that would have driven any Democratic President to press for a policy of Indian removal.” This also defends Anthony’s case.
The three facts I will be using to support my position is (be sure to connect each point to racism):
1. I will use statements from our books as well as other sources to explain how the Indians who didn’t want to leave were moved with force and although Jackson never admitted to just executing all of them publicly we are sure that the ones who didn’t “voluntarily” leave were moved with force in ways that caused them to die, for example the Trail of Tears.
2. I will also talk about Anthony’s examples such as the open acceptance of racism in America such as enslavements of blacks and the exploitation of Native Americans being a big factor on why Jackson’s actions and policies were acts of racism not humanitarian actions.
3. another fact I will use to support my position will be the fact that they were always taking their land and although Jackson never publicly announced to kill the Indians he sent them away which caused them to then die (Trail of Tears) and although they were “negotiating” with the Indians he really gave them no choice because in the end the Indians were still forced to move when in reality they should have had a choice if it were really “humanitarian”.
How it will be graded:
1) Has the America’s History or Taking Sides debate been clearly summarized in the introduction? (15 points)
2) Does the body of the essay contain analysis of both authors’ (by name) positions and evidence? (25 points)
3) Does the student show an understanding of how the topic is connected to the historical period? (20 points)
4) Does the student provide a clear thesis regarding the topic, with analysis and evidence to support his/her position? (25 points)
5) Has the student provided appropriate sources and a MLA formatted Works Cited?
6) Has the student followed all of the directions regarding formatting and submission of the assignment? Does the paper contain proper grammar (including citations), been properly proofread, and demonstrate college level work? (10 points)
Thank you! Please let me know if you have any questions!!
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|