BACKGROUND FOR THE PAPER:  After the Civil War, the United States had to recover from war, handle western expansion, and grapple with very new economic forms. However, its greatest issues would revolve around the legacies of slavery and increasing diversity in the decades after the Civil War. In the South, former slaves now had freedom and new opportunities but, despite the Reconstruction period, faced old prejudices and rapidly forming new barriers. Immigrants from Europe and Asia came in large numbers but then faced political and social restrictions. Women continued to seek rights. Yet, on the whole, America became increasingly diverse by the 1920s. Consider developments, policies, and laws in that period from 1865 to the 1920s. Examine the statement below and drawing from provided sources, present a paper with specific examples and arguments to demonstrate the validity of your position.

Topic and Thesis Statement—in which you can take a pro or con position:

Political policies and movements in the period from 1865 to the 1920s generally promoted diversity and “the melting pot” despite the strong prejudices of a few. (or you can take the position that they did not).  Use specific examples of policies or movements from different decades to support your position.  

After giving general consideration to your readings so far and any general research, select one of the positions above as your position—your thesis. (Sometimes after doing more thorough research, you might choose the reverse position. This happens with critical thinking and inquiry. Your final paper might end up taking a different position than you originally envisioned.) Organize your paper as follows with the four parts below (see TIPS sheet and TEMPLATE also), handling these issues:  

The position you choose —or something close to it—will be the thesis statement in your opening paragraph. [usually this is one paragraph with thesis statement being the last sentence of the paragraph.]

To support your position, use three (3) specific examples from different decades between 1865 and 1930. You may narrowly focus on race or gender or immigrant status, or you may use examples relevant to all categories. [This typically takes one paragraphs; and probably will need to have in-text citations in the body of this paper. Note—examples from different decades between 1865-1930.]

Explain why the opposing view is weak in comparison to yours. [No new research needed; just one paragraph of critical thinking suggesting why your thesis/position is stronger than a different view.]

Consider your life today: In what way does the history you have shown shape or impact issues in your workplace or desired profession? [This will work as the conclusion paragraph.  Be succinct—note on how these diversity issues covered in your paper impacted later laws and regulations and hiring rules—and yet some of the problem issues keep resurfacing in different ways.]

After the fourth part concluding the paper, be sure you have the numbered list of sources at the end.  

Length: The paper should be 500-to-750 words in length. [This word-count does not include any title page or sources list.] 

Research and References: You must use a MINIMUM of three sources; the Schultz textbook must be one of them. Your other two sources should be drawn from the list provided below. This is guided research, not open-ended Googling. 

Source list for Assignment 1: Some sources listed below are “primary” sources from the time period being studied. Some sources below can be accessed via direct link or through the primary sources links on Blackboard. Each week has a different list of primary sources. For others, they are accessible through the permalink to the source in our online library:  Sources below having libdatab.strayer.edu as part of the URL have a permalink to that source in our university’s online library. 

SWS Form for the textbook: Kevin M. Schultz. 2018. HIST: Volume 2: U.S. History since 1865.  5th ed.

Choose sources relevant to the topic and position you are taking:

Y. Abu-Laban & V. Lamont. 1997. Crossing borders: Interdisciplinary, Immigration and the Melting Pot in the American Cultural Imaginary.  http://libdatab.strayer.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=392542&site=eds-live&scope=site

Black Testimony on the Aftermath of Enslavement. 1866. Report of the Joint Committee on Reconstruction. http://college.cengage.com/history/wadsworth_9781133309888/unprotected/ps/black_testimony.htm  

Chinese Exclusion Act. 1882. http://college.cengage.com/history/wadsworth_9781133309888/unprotected/ps/chinese_exclusion_act.htm

Civil War Journeys. n.d. The Lost Cause. http://civil-war-journeys.org/the_lost_cause.htm

J. C. Bancroft Davis. 1896. Plessy vs. Ferguson. http://college.cengage.com/history/wadsworth_9781133309888/unprotected/ps/plessy_ferguson_1896.htm  

Fitzgerald, M. W. January, 2018. Terrorism and Racial Coexistence in Alabama’s Reconstruction.  http://libdatab.strayer.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=127269628&site=eds-live&scope=site  

G. M. Foster. Feb. 24, 2002. The Lost Cause. http://www.civilwarhome.com/lostcause.html       

S. S. Harjo. 1996. Now and Then: Native Peoples in the United States. http://libdatab.strayer.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=507507152&site=eds-live&scope=site  

J. Meacham. 2017. Our Historical Ambivalence about Immigrants is a Great American Paradox. http://libdatab.strayer.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=121093561&site=eds-live&scope=site  

Mississippi Black Code. n.d. http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/122/recon/code.html  

W. G. Moody. 1883. Bonanza Farming and Its Impact.  http://college.cengage.com/history/wadsworth_9781133309888/unprotected/ps/bonanza_farming_impact.htm  

Katy Morris. March, 2017. “More reputation than she deserves”. Remembering Suffrage in Wyoming. http://libdatab.strayer.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=120948598&site=eds-live&scope=site

E. F. Parsons. Feb., 2011. Klan Skepticism and Denial in Reconstruction-Era Public Discourse. http://libdatab.strayer.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=57671212&site=eds-live&scope=site

Populist Party Platform. 1896. http://college.cengage.com/history/wadsworth_9781133309888/unprotected/ps/populist_partyplatform_1896.htm  

Kevin M. Schultz. 2018. HIST: Volume 2: U.S. History since 1865.  5th ed.

Upton Sinclair. 1906. Attack on the Meatpackers. http://college.cengage.com/history/wadsworth_9781133309888/unprotected/ps/attack_meatpackers.htm

J. D. Zahniser. Dec., 2015.  “How long must we wait?” Alice Paul Wanted Action on Votes for Women. http://libdatab.strayer.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=109513499&site=eds-live&scope=site

 Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements below.  However, when using the ecree tool, some of the layout issues below can be ignored:

This course requires use of new Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.

Be typed, double spaced between lines [single-spaced for ecree], using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; [font flexibility and margin flexibility with ecree.]    ] citations and references must follow SWS format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and [Title page and name info not needed for ecree.  You might make up a title—put it right at start of first paragraph—as part of first paragraph.]  the Sources page [is] are not included in the required assignment page length.

   The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Identify and discuss the different ways that the heritage of slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and segregation have shaped America’s history.

Specify ways that women and minorities have responded to challenges and made contributions to American culture.

Summarize and discuss the ways that formal policies of government have influenced the direction of historical and social development in the United States.

Recognize the major turning points in American history since the Civil War.

Use technology and information resources to research issues in contemporary U.S. history.

Write clearly and concisely about contemporary U.S. history using proper writing mechanics.

[Grading  Rubric on Next Pages] 

GRADING RUBRIC for Assignment 1:  Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.  When using the ecree tool, some layout issues like double-spacing can be ignored.