Reference no: EM132262305

Assignment : Dealing with Diversity in America from Reconstruction through the 1920s

For History 105: Dr. Stansbury's classes (6 pages here)

[NOTE ON ECREE: The university is adopting a tool, called ecree for doing writing assignments in many classes. We will be using the ecree program for doing our papers in this class. More instructions on this tool will be posted.

You are welcome to type your paper in MS-Word as traditionally done-and then to upload that file to ecree to revise and finish it up. Or, as we suggest, you may type your paper directly into ecree. When using ecree, you should use CHROME as your browser. As posted: "Please note that ecree works best in Firefox and Chrome. Please do not use Internet Explorer or mobile devices when using ecree."]

BACKGROUND FOR THE PAPER: After the Civil War, the United States had to recover from war, handle western expansion, and grapple with very new economic forms. However, its greatest issues would revolve around the legacies of slavery and increasing diversity in the decades after the Civil War. In the South, former slaves now had freedom and new opportunities but, despite the Reconstruction period, faced old prejudices and rapidly forming new barriers.

Immigrants from Europe and Asia came in large numbers but then faced political and social restrictions. Women continued to seek rights. Yet, on the whole, America became increasingly diverse by the 1920s. Consider developments, policies, and laws in that period from 1865 to the 1920s. Examine the statement below and drawing from provided sources, present a paper with specific examples and arguments to demonstrate the validity of your position.

Topic and Thesis Statement-in which you can take a pro or con position:

Political policies and movements in the period from 1865 to the 1920s generally promoted diversity and "the melting pot" despite the strong prejudices of a few. (or you can take the position that they did not). Use specific examples of policies or movements from different decades to support your position.

After giving general consideration to your readings so far and any general research, select one of the positions above as your position-your thesis. (Sometimes after doing more thorough research, you might choose the reverse position. This happens with critical thinking and inquiry.

Your final paper might end up taking a different position than you originally envisioned.) Organize your paper as follows with the four parts below (see TIPS sheet and TEMPLATE also), handling these issues:

1. The position you choose -or something close to it-will be the thesis statement in your opening paragraph. [usually this is one paragraph with thesis statement being the last sentence of the paragraph.]

2. To support your position, use three (3) specific examples from different decades between 1865 and 1930. You may narrowly focus on race or gender or immigrant status, or you may use examples relevant to all categories. [This typically takes one paragraphs; and probably will need to have in-text citations in the body of this paper. Note-examples from different decades between 1865-1930.]

3. Explain why the opposing view is weak in comparison to yours. [No new research needed; just one paragraph of critical thinking suggesting why your thesis/position is stronger than a different view.]

4. Consider your life today: In what way does the history you have shown shape or impact issues in your workplace or desired profession? [This will work as the conclusion paragraph. Be succinct-note on how these diversity issues covered in your paper impacted later laws and regulations and hiring rules-and yet some of the problem issues keep resurfacing in different ways.]

After the fourth part concluding the paper, be sure you have the numbered list of sources at the end.

Length: The paper should be 500-to-750 words in length. [This word-count does not include any title page or sources list.]

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Identify and discuss the different ways that the heritage of slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and segregation have shaped America's history.

Specify ways that women and minorities have responded to challenges and made contributions to American culture.

Summarize and discuss the ways that formal policies of government have influenced the direction of historical and social development in the United States.

Recognize the major turning points in American history since the Civil War.

Use technology and information resources to research issues in contemporary U.S. history.

Write clearly and concisely about contemporary U.S. history using proper writing mechanics.