Enduring Issues in America

ENDURING ISSUES FINA

L PROJECT

–

UNITED S

TATES HISTORY FALL 2

019

What is an enduring issue?

• An enduring issue is a challenge or problem that a society has faced and debated or discussed across time. An

enduring issue is one that many societies have attempted to address with varying degrees of success.

• Enduring Issues are often nested, e.g.,

conflict (war, competition, armed struggle, resistance, invasions, threats to

balance of power) and human rights violations (injustice, inequality, discrimination, unfair treatment, persecution for

beliefs, threats to cultural identity, restrictions to mov

ement). These sets of issues show a range of possible issues a

student could identify when

preparing for the final enduring issues essay

. Issues can be expressed negatively as well

as positively.

• The concept of “Nested Issues” is one way to think about

Enduring Issues. When choosing the Enduring Issue to

write about, students may choose one of the Enduring Issues identified in this chart, a nested issue, or one of their

own issues. What presents itself as a “Nested Issue” in one set of documents could be

the Enduring Issue in another

set of documents depending on the documents provided and the student’s perspective.

DIRECTIONS

:

Students will collect a series of

FIVE

primary source documents from AT LEAST

THREE

DIFFERENT HISTORICAL ERAS (Pre

-

colonial, Co

lonial, Revolutionary, Early Republic, Civil War &

Reconstruction, and Industrialization & Urbanization). Each of the documents

MUST BE PRIMARY

(CREATED

DURING THE TIME PERIOD) AND MUST BE CONNECTED BY AN ENDURING ISSUE

.

IDEALLY, EACH

OF THE SOURCES SHOULD

ALSO REFLECT THE ENDURING ISSUE IN AT LEAST

TWO

AREAS:

POLITICAL, SOCIAL/CULTURAL, INTELLECTUAL (IDEOLOGICAL), RELIGIOUS, ECONOMIC,

ARTISTIC (LITERARY/MUSICAL/PERFORMANCE).

WHAT DO I DO?

1.

Identify an enduring issue, and the associated nested issues

, that

you find interesting by reviewing the

enduring issues chart in the final project folder.

COMPLETE THE FINAL PROJECT WORKSHEET.

2.

Find, and print out, AT LEAST

FIVE

primary sources

that illustrate the issue over the course of

American History from the colonia

l period through the turn of the 20

th

century (approximately 1613

-

1900).

a.

Sources MUST be primary

b.

Sources MUST be from AT LEAST THREE different historical eras

c.

Sources MUST be connected to the enduring issue you have selected

d.

Sources SHOULD look at the

issue through a number of lenses: politics, society, culture,

religion, economics, etc.

e.

Sources SHOULD be connected to AT LEAST THREE different historical events

3.

COMPLETE THE PRIMARY DOCUMENT ANALYSIS WORKSHEET FOR EACH SOURCE.

4.

Analyze the documents in the

context of the historical era and assess HOW the source shows things

staying the same over time and/or how things were changing with regards to your enduring issue.

5.

In class (on the last day of class), write a short essay to explain how and why things cha

nged over time,

or remained the same

,

with regards to your enduring issue.

a.

Your essay should have an opening paragraph explaining the enduring issue you have selected

and why it is important to examine.

b.

Your essay should have a THESIS STATEMENT at the end

of the opening paragraph explaining

how the enduring issue has changed and/or been consistent over the time periods you have

selected.

c.

Your THREE body paragraphs should be in chronological order and should each include AT

LEAST ONE source (two

-

three source

s per paragraph is ideal).

d.

Your essay should have a conclusion that restates the argument and line of reasoning and looks to

the future of the enduring understanding in the modern era.

ENDURING ISSUES FINAL PROJECT – UNITED STATES HISTORY FALL 2019

What is an enduring issue?

• An enduring issue is a challenge or problem that a society has faced and debated or discussed across time. An

enduring issue is one that many societies have attempted to address with varying degrees of success.

• Enduring Issues are often nested, e.g., conflict (war, competition, armed struggle, resistance, invasions, threats to

balance of power) and human rights violations (injustice, inequality, discrimination, unfair treatment, persecution for

beliefs, threats to cultural identity, restrictions to movement). These sets of issues show a range of possible issues a

student could identify when preparing for the final enduring issues essay. Issues can be expressed negatively as well

as positively.

• The concept of “Nested Issues” is one way to think about Enduring Issues. When choosing the Enduring Issue to

write about, students may choose one of the Enduring Issues identified in this chart, a nested issue, or one of their

own issues. What presents itself as a “Nested Issue” in one set of documents could be the Enduring Issue in another

set of documents depending on the documents provided and the student’s perspective.

DIRECTIONS: Students will collect a series of FIVE primary source documents from AT LEAST THREE

DIFFERENT HISTORICAL ERAS (Pre-colonial, Colonial, Revolutionary, Early Republic, Civil War &

Reconstruction, and Industrialization & Urbanization). Each of the documents MUST BE PRIMARY (CREATED

DURING THE TIME PERIOD) AND MUST BE CONNECTED BY AN ENDURING ISSUE. IDEALLY, EACH

OF THE SOURCES SHOULD ALSO REFLECT THE ENDURING ISSUE IN AT LEAST TWO AREAS:

POLITICAL, SOCIAL/CULTURAL, INTELLECTUAL (IDEOLOGICAL), RELIGIOUS, ECONOMIC,

ARTISTIC (LITERARY/MUSICAL/PERFORMANCE).

WHAT DO I DO?

1. Identify an enduring issue, and the associated nested issues, that you find interesting by reviewing the

enduring issues chart in the final project folder. COMPLETE THE FINAL PROJECT WORKSHEET.

2. Find, and print out, AT LEAST FIVE primary sources that illustrate the issue over the course of

American History from the colonial period through the turn of the 20

th

century (approximately 1613-

1900).

a. Sources MUST be primary

b. Sources MUST be from AT LEAST THREE different historical eras

c. Sources MUST be connected to the enduring issue you have selected

d. Sources SHOULD look at the issue through a number of lenses: politics, society, culture,

religion, economics, etc.

e. Sources SHOULD be connected to AT LEAST THREE different historical events

3. COMPLETE THE PRIMARY DOCUMENT ANALYSIS WORKSHEET FOR EACH SOURCE.

4. Analyze the documents in the context of the historical era and assess HOW the source shows things

staying the same over time and/or how things were changing with regards to your enduring issue.

5. In class (on the last day of class), write a short essay to explain how and why things changed over time,

or remained the same, with regards to your enduring issue.

a. Your essay should have an opening paragraph explaining the enduring issue you have selected

and why it is important to examine.

b. Your essay should have a THESIS STATEMENT at the end of the opening paragraph explaining

how the enduring issue has changed and/or been consistent over the time periods you have

selected.

c. Your THREE body paragraphs should be in chronological order and should each include AT

LEAST ONE source (two-three sources per paragraph is ideal).

d. Your essay should have a conclusion that restates the argument and line of reasoning and looks to

the future of the enduring understanding in the modern era.