Category: History

1. Write a film review on one of the films screened in class weeks 1-4. The review must summarize the plot and main subjects of the film and draw on the assigned readings to offer a critical analysis. The lectures and textbook will provide a framework and general context, but you are expected to include some textual citations from the readings and specific references to segments/scenes from the film to substantiate the analysis. Relevant independent research on your part is encouraged, but not necessary.  The critical essays should demonstrate a close and thoughtful analysis of the text,
offering a reading that goes beyond the facts to take stock of the emotional content of the
events related, how the author fashions him or herself to the reader, as well as what the
text tells us about society and the social context of the account so it is very important that
you locate the source within the historical conditions of the moment it was produced.
Also do consider primary sources in terms of how the social category of the narrator
shaped their experience of events.
The essays must include a clear argument as well as ample precise textual
citations to substantiate it and incorporate some critical commentary on a film as well as
a primary source. They must also have proper citations and be carefully proofread.
Writing well is one of the trademark features of the historical profession, and this class is
an opportunity to develop and polish your essay writing skills. There are many useful
materials on the website of the History Department’s History Writing Center which offers
writing guidance to history students with appointments. Use The Putumayo Atrocities as a source. 

Manuel Peláez Gorróchtegui is the character whose perspective you will be writing from. I need two separate papers. 
Paper 1: Paper Supporting Strong State Governments.  LENGTH 3 pages. TOPIC Although things were good for you under Díaz and you can profit under a strong
federal government, you have a lot more control over your state and its oil when the states have more
power. Using the ideas of positivism, your job is to convince people to give the states this power. Support your argument with examples. Cite your sources in the paper and refer to them in the speech.
Paper 2: Paper Supporting Foreign Investment.  LENGTH 3 pages.  TOPIC Using the ideas of positivism support foreign investment in Mexico, especially
the oil companies. Explain all the good they have done for Mexico and demonstrate how Veracruz will
suffer if anti-foreign investment policies are put into place. Support your argument with examples. Cite your sources
in the paper and refer to them in the speech.
When citing sources in the papers use footnotes and include a bibliography at the end of both papers. Make sure to only use the 4 sources I provided in the attached documents…do not use any others but those that I provided. 

This is a SHORT (250-300 word) essay. The goal is to improve your critical and analytical skills through CONCISE writing. This is not intended to SUMMARIZE. You will be given a short primary source document (1 page) and then have to answer a question.  

Use this book:
For the Record: A Documentary History of America, Volume 1 edition 8.
How to use the documents:
Part of the assignment is determining which documents fit the question. Obviously, documents from the nineteenth century will not answer a question about the seventeenth century. However, all documents from the appropriate time period may not be relevant to the question. As you read each document, ask yourself whether or not it fits the question. Also, make sure to consider the viewpoint of the author of the document. For example, a millworker and a factory owner are likely to have different perspectives on industrialization. Make sure you take these differences into account. 
How to write the paper:
In answering the question, you will be making an argument supported by the available evidence. This is how historians work. You should set out your general argument in the first paragraph. Each following paragraph should start with a thesis statement followed by the supporting evidence. Your concluding paragraph should recap your argument and present conclusions based on the evidence. In terms of style, avoid use of the first person and, in general, use the active rather than the passive voice. As you are only using one book, you will not need formal footnotes. Rather, after each direct quotation, paraphrase, or statement of fact that is not common knowledge, put the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
The purpose of this assignment is to introduce the student to the process of history, that is, evaluating evidence from contemporary sources and drawing conclusions. You will only be using the documents from For the Record. You will have a limited amount of available evidence, but the evidence in any historical study is rarely complete. The essays should be 1200 words long and the language should be formal. 
PROMPT: Compare the colonization efforts of the Spanish, French, and English. How did those nations differ in reasons for colonization, imperial structure, and relations with the Native Americans? What did those nations have in common? 

After watching Fog of War, develop a historical question that the film raises in your mind. Next read Robert McNamara’s “The Lessons of Vietnam.” Note that his lessons aren’t exactly the lessons that Erroll Morris used to organize the film. Next read the transcript of speech McNamara delivered in 1964 before the Armed Services Committee and a transcript of a news conference with McNamara in 1965. Then write a short essay of 500-750 words that makes an argument to address your question, using evidence from the primary sources.

Summarize and use some of the facts stated in the book, The Unfinished Nation Chapter 5 -6 by Alan Brinkley pp 126-142. To write a 2 1/2 page paper APA style on what were the Federalists arguments for the ratification of the new Constitution? And what were the Antifederalists arguments against the ratification for keeping The Articles of Confederation. State if you believe or do not believe that it is the Federalists views that are reflected in the Constitution of1787.

There are so many groups of women we discussed in this class, but there are many more we were not able to look into. Have you thought about a group we missed? This is your chance to look into that group and learn some more.
Choose any group of women from anywhere in the world between the dates 1500-present.
Take into consideration the following questionsWho were these women?
When and where did they live?
What roles do they embody? Political? Economical? Legal? Moral? Social? Intellectual? Creative? Go into detail.
Does it tell us anything about the period she lived in? What?
Why should they be included in our studies?
See the directions and rubric for more details
INSTRUCTIONSTHE POWERPOINT WILL BE 1250-1,700 WORDS.
You may use the notes section to go into detail so that the slides are not overwhelmed with information
Citation on each slide (or notes section for slide) and a bibliography slide must be included. 5 academic sources minimum required
Maximum of 2 encyclopedic sources allowed but not required
No Wiki’s or Blogs!
No First Person allowed!
Your submission will be sent to Turnitin for a similarity report. Over 20% similarity will be docked points.
Here are some ideas to consider when starting and when editingHave I added enough pictures? Do I have too much information on one slide?
Keep in mind “Is this something I would find interesting if I read it in class?”
What questions do I have going into this project? What are my conclusions or answers? (put in 3rd person).
The purpose of this report is to…
25 points for quality of presentation (pictures? interesting?)
25 points for quantity of information provided (1 aspect or many examples)
25 points for Bibliography; 5 sources minimum, citations within report, etc
25 points technical (present, did work, on time, editing, grammar, organization etc.)

As with the first assignment, there are three short essays to write, about 300 words each.
Unlike the first assignment, they are not all directly based on images, but also bring in some of the institutional history and art theory we have been discussing. All three of these subjects could (and have) take entire books to explore, so you should have plenty to say. Try to keep your essays concise and grounded in specific artworks and/or issues.
As before, you should have all the material you need from your class notes and the required readings, but you are welcome to explore the optional readings or other sources in writing your essays. (Of course, do not copy anyone else’s writing, even an AI bot. If you include any direct quotes, please cite your source.)

in 6 pages: The three scientists (Bohr, Heisenberg, and Oppenheimer), compare and contrast their experiences, and point out how their experiences indicated the shifting interactions between science and society (including politics) in the period since the start of World War II (no need to go to details about their experiences before WWII) to the present?
please also provide a bibliography 
sources: type in URL
Home – Heisenberg Web Exhibit (aip.org)
Documents – Niels Bohr Archive (ku.dk)
Einstein vs Bohr: Was Einstein Wrong About Quantum Physics? | The Secrets Of Quantum Physics | Spark (youtube.com)
Search for Reality DVD Auto CC (youtube.com)
Nazis and the Bomb | NOVA | PBS

Where does The President receive their powers? Explain at least one formal and informal power of the president. Do you think the Executive Branch is too powerful? Please explain your answer with examples from this class. Use the Presidential Signing Statements and Powers and Responsibilities of the President