First Section Assignment: Comparing Spanish and British America
DIRECTIONS:
This assignment is intended as a building block toward the later Section Assignments that will require you to tackle larger questions using all of your primary document readings for the section of the course being assessed. The skills being assessed in this assignment include drawing meaning from, interpreting, and analyzing primary source evidence. You will use these skills throughout the semester and throughout your college career, so it is very important that you hone them early in the course.
Use the primary source reading documents to answer the two prompts below.
Each answer must be no more than 200 words in length and the total length of what you submit must not exceed 400 words. The wise student will use the maximum word count in developing her/his answers.
- A good format is to answer in about 4-5 sentences where the first sentence answers the question, making a claim/argument. The second sentence brings in a specific example from the source material (i.e. a short quote or good paraphrase). A third sentence then brings a second specific example from the source materials regarding the other colony. Finally, the fourth and fifth sentence explains/analyzes how those examples validates your claim and expounds its significance It addresses “why” things were the way they were.
- Answers must be typed and double spaced, have 1 inch margins, 12 point font, Times New Roman. Put your name, G-number, and page numbers on your
Late submissions will be penalized accordingly: For each day a section assignment is late, 1/3 of a letter grade will be deducted, including weekends.
Quotations
All quotes must be cited using footnotes, i.e. the following example:
The provisional governor of the Louisiana Territory, Claiborne believed Frenchmen to be unworthy of U.S. citizenship. Writing to President Madison he stated, “The more I become acquainted with the inhabitants of this Province, the more I am convinced of their unfitness for a representative Government.’”[1]
(to create a footnote in Word or Google Docs, at the end of the sentence, click Insert, then click Footnote). The format is outlined below at the bottom of the page
Do not quote the textbook or summarize lecture! That is not the point of the assignment. All work must be your own. Plagiarism will be dealt with sternly.
Completion of this assignment requires no additional sources. You must not use Wikipedia or any other Internet source.
You must submit your paper to the Turnitin.com link on the course Blackboard page.
Prompts: (you must answer both)
QUESTION ONE:
Choose two (2) of the three colonies discussed and write an analytical paragraph that compares the two colonies you chose in terms of the role of Native Americans
QUESTION TWO:
Choose two (2) of the three colonies discussed and write an analytical paragraph that compares the two colonies you chose in terms of the settlement’s purpose and leadership
Note: The three colonies discussed in the readings you can choose from are the colonies of Hispaniola, Plymouth, and/or Jamestown.
Note 2: do not cite any quotes from the page entitled “Context for the Readings” since this page is not primary source material
GRADE RUBRIC:
- Uniformly excellent work will receive an “A.” Such work includes an original and
insightful argument, substantial and specific evidence derived from the assigned source, thoughtful organization, clear connections among the different points, and cleanly written prose.
- Work that is above average will receive a “B.” Such work includes all or most elements of “A” work but is not fully developed and perhaps has minor grammatical/stylistic errors. Students cannot earn Bs or As without substantive specific incorporation of the assigned primary document.
- Work that is average will receive a “C.” Such work includes a weak or inadequate main point, a summary of evidence without interpretation, and possibly significant errors of grammar and/or Work with simple summaries of the primary document that do not engage the meaning of the document will score C range.
- Work that is below average will receive a “D.” Such work includes weak generalizations in lieu of specific evidence, is off-topic, and possibly significant grammatical and/or mechanical problems. Work that does not engage the primary document will score D range only if it otherwise addresses the topic in a generalized
- Work that is failing will receive an “F.” Such work includes little or no understanding of the material and significant mechanical problems. “F” work typically does not make any mention of the primary
[1] “Claiborne to Madison, January 10, 1804,” The Evolution of American Citizenship: The Louisiana Purchase, 1803-1812, 112.
“Title of source,” speaker’s name, page (either of document or .pdf page number)
