ASSIGNMENT: Using only one document (you must choose) from any chapter in American Yawp that we have covered so far (see links below), write a 250-500 word (1-2 page) essay that addresses the myths and realities of European visions about the New World. More specifically, your essay should answer the following question (s): How did the author(s) of this document see America? What did it offer? What opportunities and/or challenges did it present?
Also, it might help to consider how, for Native Americans or Europeans, did the land or environment of North America shape their perceptions and assumptions? How, for Europeans especially, did the New World offer a chance to create an entirely new society? In your analysis think about the following questions and remember that you do not need to address all of them in your paper, just the ones that you think are most important to answer the question:
a.) Who is the author of this document? Who created it? What (if anything) do you know about their background? How might these affect the message of the documents?
b.) For whom was this document written? A single person? A particular group? The general public? What do the answers to these suggest about the point of view reflected in the document?
c.) When and where was the document written? What was the context?
d.) What subjects does the author address? Their life experiences? Political, social, or religious concerns?
Sources: You should not need to draw on any outside sources for this assignment, besides the document you chose. If you do use any other sources (again not recommended), be sure to cite your sources properly and in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style. Go here for instructions on how to cite sources: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. Please contact me if you want further clarification.
Submission Standards: This assignment is due as a Folio submission by 11:59 PM on Friday, August 27th. Late assignments will be penalized one-half of a letter grade for every day that they are late.
Your paper should be typed and double-spaced using Times New Roman font, size 12, with one-inch margins, and list the word count at the beginning or end of your paper.
Assessment: Generally speaking, I will look for the following in your papers:
a. Analysis: Does the paper make a convincing and coherent argument?
b. Evidence: Is the argument well supported by evidence or specific examples from the document or text? Is this evidence used effectively?
c. Organization: Is the paper structured in a logical way? Do the paragraphs indicate a coherent progression that supports the author’s continuity of thought from the introduction to the conclusion? e.g.) Each paragraph should not read as though they are part of a list.
d. Content and originality: Does the paper offer depth of insight and evidence of critical thinking? Does the author’s own opinion and voice come through?
e. Format: Is the paper formatted correctly? Does it contain the word count as specified?
f. Style: Is the paper grammatically correct, free from typos and spelling errors, and generally readable? Is it written in the past tense? Does the author avoid saying “I” “we,” “you,” etc?
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