History Essay

 Students are required to answer one of the following in a “two” page essay:

1. You are a young soldier who has lived through the D-Day Invasion. You saw horrendous things on that day. You are obsessed with finding answers to a number of questions. Why are we fighting this war? Who is to blame? Why did so many millions have to die? What will Europe look like after the war? Will it ever end and what will the rest of my life be like? 

2. You are a 19 year old person from Holland who is barely surviving in the death-camp of Auschwitz. It is early 1945 and you have heard rumors that the Allies are coming. However, for you it may be too late. Your job is to help move and burn the remains of people killed in the gas-chambers and you know that soon you may be the next victim. You remember life before the War living with Christian neighbors and friends, sharing holidays, going to the movies, even being invited to church celebrations. What happened to create the evil of the Holocaust?

The grading criteria for this 10 points essay are as follows:

• (3 points) A maximum of three      points will be given based on the use of imagination and creativity      when creating their essay.
• (3 points) A maximum of three      points will be given based on the correct use of historical facts,      persons and events in an accurate historical manner. For example, an essay dealing with the      Reconstruction period should include appropriate references to that time      period.
• (2 points) The student can      earn up to two points for properly addressing the question or      situation asked in the original essay assignment.
• (2 points) A final two      points will be awarded for the essay’s presentation. The body of the essay should meet the      following criteria:
• The essay should be at      least two complete pages of text using standard font and margin size. No references will be needed in terms of      footnoting etc. Obvious mistakes, such as misspelled words and incorrect      grammar should be avoided. The      essay should be proofed by the student to ensure that the question posed      has been addressed.