This week we will begin our study of the race in the United States, focusing on the colonial era and the Early Republic. We will also consider the concept of the construction of race.
Learning Outcomes for Week 2
Gather, interpret, and assess information from a variety of sources and points of view.
Evaluate evidence and arguments critically or analytically.
Produce well-reasoned written or oral arguments using evidence to support conclusions.
Analyze and explain one or more major themes of U.S. history from more than one informed perspective.
Evaluate how indigenous populations, slavery, or immigration have shaped the development of the United States.
Tasks to Complete
Read all secondary sources
Read the primary sources from 17th and 18th centuries.
Submit Race Essay 1.
Secondary and Primary Source Readings
Attached Files:
File Race as a Social Construction.pdf (1.174 MB)
File Slavery by Walter Johnson.pdf (300.895 KB)
Secondary Sources (Read all).
Hodson, G. (2016). Race as a social construction. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/without-prejudice/201612/race-social-construction (Article also available as PDF attachment under Secondary and Primary Source Readings).
Johnson, W. (2014). Slavery. In Burgett, B. and Hendler, G. (Eds.) Keywords in American cultural studies. New York: New York University Press. (Article available as PDF under Secondary and Primary Source Readings and on Baruch Library electronic reserve.)
"Jamestown," "New England," "Slavery and the making of American race," and "Slavery, anti-slavery, and the Atlantic exchange," from the American Yawp. Locke, (Citation: J. and Wright, B. (2017). The American yawp. Retrieved from http://www.americanyawp.com/index.html.)
Primary Sources (Select One):
Morton, Thomas. (1637) Thomas Morton reflects on Indians in New England,. 1637. Retrieved from http://www.americanyawp.com/reader/the-new-world/thomas-morton-reflects-on-indians-in-new-england-1637/.
Mingo, Alibamo. Alibamo Mingo, Choctaw leader, reflects on the British and French, 1765. Retrieved from http://www.americanyawp.com/reader/colonial-society/alibamo-mingo-choctaw-leader-reflects-on-the-british-and-french-1765/
1662-1669. Virginia slave laws. [Laws]. Retrieved from https://bcc-cuny.digication.com/ushistoryreader/Virginia_Slave_Laws
Wheatly, Phyllis. (1773). On being brought from Africa. Retrieved from https://bcc-cuny.digication.com/ushistoryreader/Phillis_Wheatley_s_On_Being_Brought_From_Africa_to
Jaminson, Mary. Captured by Indians: Mary Jamison becomes an Indian. Retrieved from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5794/.
Race Essay 1
Race in 17th & 18th Century America/Construction of Race
Essay Assignment: Read all of the secondary sources and one of the primary documents assigned for the week. Write an essay in which you develop an argument about what your analysis of the document allows you to understand about race in the 17th and 18th centuries in the colonies and the Early Republic. As part of your argument, explain how your analysis of the document adds to or challenges the information and ideas about race in the secondary sources. Cite all your sources (primary and secondary) using APA style at the end of the essay. (250-350 words).
Essay Structure and Checklist:
Introduction (1 paragraph. 50-75 words). Your introduction should clearly state your thesis and provide an overview of the main points you will make in your essay. Underline or highlight your thesis.
Body. (2-3 paragraphs. 200-250 words [total]). The main body of your essay should include the evidence and analysis that supports your thesis. Each paragraph should develop one main point and open with a topic sentence that clearly states that main point. Provide specific evidence from the primary source you selected and explain how the evidence supports your thesis. Also incorporate evidence from the secondary sources, explaining how it supports or challenges your thesis; if you are arguing the secondary source challenges your thesis, make a case for your interpretation.
Conclusion (1 paragraph. 50-75 words). Provide an overview of the main points you have made and identify briefly larger questions your analysis might raise or another context in which the issues could be examined.
Have you:
Clearly stated your thesis?
Highlighted or underlined your thesis?
Used evidence from primary sources to support your thesis? Explained how that evidence supports your thesis?
Explained how the secondary sources support or challenge your thesis?
Put all quoted material in quotation marks?
Included a list of works you used, cited using APA style?
Proofread your assignment?
Checked that the assignment is within the word count?