essay

These short analysis papers will focus on both your understanding of particular problems in modern American history, and your development of formal, non-fiction writing skills. These papers will take a position on a pre-circulated question or topic prompt, you will create your own argument to answer the prompt, and you will support that argument with primary and secondary evidence taken from the class readings and additional posted videos.

High-quality papers should include:

• an introduction;
• be double-spaced and written in 12-point, Times New Roman font;
• a clear thesis statement;
• supporting evidence with proper MLA in-text (author-page style) (Links to an external site.) or Chicago Style footnote (notes-bibliography) (Links to an external site.) citations;
• and end with a solid conclusion.

Prompt

Choose to answer either Prompt #1 or Prompt #2 for this assignment.

Prompt 1:

How did black Americans encounter liberty and civil rights in the second half of the 19th century (1865-1900)? Did they receive the full rights of U.S. citizenship enjoyed by many white Americans at the time, or did black Americans experience unequal treatment and repression (particularly in the southern U.S.) in society?