CHOOSE A SIGNIFICANT PERSON, EVENT, OR ISSUE FROM MODERN U.S. HISTORY BEFORE THE YEAR 1991 [End of the Cold War] OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO YOU. THEN UNDERTAKE ORIGINAL RESEARCH, COMBINE YOUR RESEARCH WITH THE ASSIGNED CLASS READINGS & LECTURES, AND ANSWER THE QUESTION BELOW:

 

PROMPT: WHY IS THE HISTORICAL SUBJECT YOU HAVE CHOSEN IMPORTANT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF MODERN U.S. HISTORY?

 

Your analysis must be grounded on the assigned PDF documents provided for you on Canvas, including those in the Modules link entitled “Additional Sources for Essay #2,” as well as the research you have done.

 

After your introduction framing the analysis, I recommend that you tackle the body of this essay in at least two sections. Remember the last sentence in your first introductory paragraph must provide a THESIS statement telling the reader your answer to the core essay prompt above.

 

First, provide an overview of the person, event, or issue you have chosen within the broader historical context of the era(s) under consideration. This section should be primarily DESCRIPTIVE and answer any questions or doubts the reader may have concerning the topic under discussion. Basic historical facts from your research should be presented here.

 

Second, examine in detail why the person, event, or issue you have chosen is significant in historical terms. This section should be primarily ANALYTICAL. What is the long-term impact of this person, event, or issue on the United States? What historical pattern(s) does your person-event-issue represent or demonstrate?

 

By the time you submit this essay, our class will have covered U.S. history through the end of the Cold War in 1991. Again, it is recommended that you add to your analysis any PDF documentation from the eight prior sets of assigned readings which may be applicable to your chosen topic. Extra points will be awarded for doing so. The more knowledge you demonstrate about the actual history and the more primary source evidence you present, the higher your grade will be.