HIST 1302 Assessment Assignment

Creating Lives Signature Assignment Project

HIST 1302

United States History II

Student Learning Objectives (ACGM) Assessed in this assignment:

1. Create an argument through the use of historical evidence. (SLO1)

2. Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources. (SLO2)

3. Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on this period of United States history. (SLO3)

Core Objectives (THECB) Assessed in this assignment:

1. Critical Thinking Skills (CT) – to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and the analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information.

2. Communication Skills (COM) – to include effective written, oral, and visual communication.

3. Social Responsibility (SR) – to include intercultural competency, civic knowledge, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

4. Personal Responsibility (PR) – to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.

Assignment Directions

1. You will prepare a six-part letter to any historical person. Your character is a fictional character who turned 18 years old in the time period of 1910-1960. (You are going to pick one historical event during the time period)

2. You may choose your characters place of birth within the United States (or perhaps as a young immigrant to the United States), gender, ethnicity, race, religion, class, occupation, and overall personality traits.

3. Your character cannot alter the course of history in any fundamental way.

4. Your assignment will consist of the following parts:

Part I (100 words minimum): Utilizing your course readings and materials, introduce your character in one paragraph. Provide historically- accurate and meaningful details regarding your characters name, date and place of birth, current place of residence,

race, ethnicity, sex, gender, class, and other relevant personal detail and information. Each of these personal characteristics must be identified and explained. In addition, create an avatar (or some other artistic representation) of your character and explain why you chose the characteristics depicted. (COM)

Example: Introduce your character to whom you are addressing in your letter.

Part II (300 words minimum): Analyze one of the major historic conflicts taking place in the time-period your character is living through (such as the Civil Rights movement, Vietnam War, Cold War, etc.) and is having a direct impact on the life of your character. Explain the historic antecedents or causes of such events. Be sure to identify the major historical figures and organizations that are associated with this event and the specific role(s) each played. Be sure to identify precise historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces that shaped the event or conflict you are describing. Last, explain how this historical event or conflict affected or, perhaps, divided, Americans living in this era. (SLO1; SLO2, SLO3; CT; COM)

Example: What is the problem going on and how can the person you are writing to help?

Part III (200 words minimum): Find and analyze one primary source document directly related to the historical event or conflict you described in Part II. Explain the historical issue or issues raised in the primary source document. In other words, what does the document tell us and what insights does it shed on the historical event you discussed in Part II? In your review of this primary source, explain the view or perspective of the author of the document. What is the overall purpose of the document? Last, provide at least one examples or quotes from your document that help you understand the perspective of the person(s) who produced it. Last, consider how the issues raised in the primary-source document you analyzed would have reinforced or challenged your characters worldview, ethical values, and/or historical perspective. Would your character agree or disagree with the view or perspective expressed by this document? Be sure you properly cite the source you use. (SLO2; CT; COM)

Example: quote one primary document in your letter that connects to the event you are talking about.

Part IV (200 words minimum): Identify one major historically relevant ethical dilemma or moral choice that your character is struggling with in regards to this historical conflict. What personal or unique impact is this historical event having on your character? Be sure to explain how this ethical issue relates to this historical event and how the event is directly affecting your character (i.e., impacting his or her everyday experiences and/or challenging your characters world and ethical view(s)). (SLO1; CT; COM)

Example: What is your dilemma? Tell your person you are writing to the issue you are facing.

Part V (100 words minimum): Explain how your character has decided to respond to the ethical dilemma at hand and why he or she responded in the way you identified. Explain how your characters cultural background and historical setting (i.e. the historical, social, political, economic, cultural and global forces), and the broader conceptions of ethical behavior embedded within, shaped your characters response. Consider at least one of the following: (1) your characters conception(s) of civic responsibility; (2) your characters understanding of the importance and role of the democratic process; (3) your characters respect for social justice, fairness, and difference; (4) your characters experiences with prejudice, racial or gender discrimination, and/or economic and social marginalization. (SLO3; SR; COM)

Example: How can you solve the issue or what have you done to solve the issue.

Part VI (100 words minimum): Last, explain how your characters understanding of self and his or her related personal values influenced their response to the ethical dilemma faced and/or was altered by the historical events of the era he or she experienced. (PR; COM)

Example: Plead for help or ask for forgiveness.

Assignment Requirements

Each Creating Lives Signature Assignment Project will meet the following requirements:

1. Your paper must be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font, and 600 words (minimum) in length*.

2. You must submit your essay into Canvas by the assignment due date set by the instructor.

3. Paper will count towards 20% of your final course grade*.

4. Your paper must draw from and cite a minimum of 1 secondary and 1 primary source document.* Individual instructors may elect to require specific or additional sources.

5. Use appropriate in-text citations and a complete bibliography, formatted according to the most recent edition of an academic citation style (i.e., MLA/APA/Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style).

6. Papers will be graded according to the essay rubric posted online and below.

The specific instructions regarding assignment due dates may vary according to individual instructor. Items marked with an asterisk (*) are set assignment parameters that cannot be changed by individual instructors.