Order 1309174: Describe and asses the historical roles of Amerindian women, Mexicanas, o
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TopicExplorationsMAS-HIST141Examples.docxHistory/MAS 141, Topic Explorations and Thesis Statement Assignment with examples
1. Introduce your topic and focus on its historical significance.
Example: Emiliano Zapata became the major agrarian revolutionary hero in México in November of 1911 by writing the Plan of Ayala. Zapata’s rise to prominence was not accidental. He had witnessed how the poor people of his home state of Morelos had lost lands to sugar-growing haciendas at an alarming rate during the late nineteenth century under the rule of President Porfirio Díaz (Brunk 8).
2. Within the introduction, cite two secondary sources.
Example: Zapata, it should be stressed, tried to get back lands legally for the indigenous peasant villagers. He showed the Porfirian courts ample evidence of illegal land grabs in Villa de Ayala, his mother’s town, and in his own village, Anenecuilco, but the courts in Mexico City failed to recognize the town folks’ claims in 1909 (Inclán 111-114). Angered by recent events, and in defense of the villagers, the local council of Anenecuilco appointed Zapata as their new leader because he was a man “with pants on” (Womack, Jr. 7-9).
3. Within the introduction, ask a historically-significant question. The question should address the importance of your topic.
Example: By December of 1911, Zapata and his army of villagers had participated in the overthrow of a dictatorial regime, had opposed a new government led by Francisco Madero, and his movement, Zapatismo, had a strong presence in all central and southern México (Womack, Jr.75). What political and social factors at the local level in native and peasant villages facilitated Zapata’s rise to national leadership?
4. In your second paragraph, continue with commentary and analysis and then introduce a preliminary thesis.
Example: It has been argued that Zapata rose to prominence by joining the Liberating Army of Francisco Madero in early 1911 (Krauze 31). Samuel Brunk has argued that local villagers viewed Zapata as a nonindigenous macho Mexican charro and therefore lived vicariously through Zapata, to the point that he became a national icon (8). Zapata capitalized on joining Madero, who had promised that indigenous villagers would get their lands back, and villagers did view Zapata as a courageous charro leader. This essay will contend that what accounted for Zapatismo’s significant growth was neither calculated opportunity or personal trait, but his understanding of a peasant society longing for the restoration of justice in the countryside and the prompt return of lands.
5. When you have written the thesis statement back it up with the use of a primary source (more are always welcome). Analyze the primary source carefully and demonstrate an ability to use the document as support for the thesis statement.
Example: Federal military dispatches from late 1911 and early 1912 portrayed Zapatismo as a popular indigenous peasant movement spreading like wildfire throughout the south-central states of Morelos, Puebla, and Tlaxcala (Juvencio Robles to the War Department, Mexico City, February 1912).
6. Altogether you should use at least two secondary sources and a primary source in the Topic Explorations Assignment. I need to assess your ability to interrogate sources, therefore, analyze the sources carefully.
7. Include a works cited page in accordance to the Modern Language Arts standards.
Example of how this should look on text (double spaced):
Emiliano Zapata became the major agrarian revolutionary hero in México in November of 1911 by writing the Plan of Ayala. Zapata’s rise to prominence was not accidental. He had witnessed how the poor people of his home state of Morelos had lost lands to sugar-growing haciendas at an alarming rate during the late nineteenth century under the rule of President Porfirio Díaz (Brunk 8). Zapata, it should be stressed, tried to get back lands legally for the indigenous peasant villagers. He showed the Porfirian courts ample evidence of illegal land grabs in Villa de Ayala, his mother’s town, and in his own village, Anenecuilco, but the courts in Mexico City failed to recognize the town folks’ claims in 1909 (Inclán 111-114). Angered by recent events, and in defense of the villagers, the local council of Anenecuilco appointed Zapata as their new leader because he was a man “with pants on” (Womack, Jr. 7-9). By December of 1911, Zapata and his army of villagers had participated in the overthrow of a dictatorial regime, had opposed a new government led by Francisco Madero, and his movement, Zapatismo, had a strong presence in all central and southern México (Womack, Jr.75). What political and social factors at the local level in native and peasant villages facilitated Zapata’s rise to national leadership?
It has been argued that Zapata rose to prominence by joining the Liberating Army of Francisco Madero in early 1911 (Krauze 31). Samuel Brunk has argued that local villagers viewed Zapata as a nonindigenous macho Mexican charro and therefore lived vicariously through Zapata, to the point that he became a national icon (8). Zapata capitalized on joining Madero, who had promised that indigenous villagers would get their lands back, and villagers did view Zapata as a courageous charro leader. This essay will contend that what accounted for Zapatismo’s significant growth was neither calculated opportunity or personal trait, but his understanding of a peasant society longing for the restoration of justice in the countryside and the prompt return of lands. Federal military dispatches from late 1911 and early 1912 portrayed Zapatismo as a popular indigenous peasant movement spreading like wildfire throughout the south-central states of Morelos, Puebla, and Tlaxcala (Juvencio Robles to the War Department, Mexico City, February 1912).
