MID-TERM FORMAT: You will be writing two essays. Choose TWO questions from the list of four possibilities below. Write a separate essay answer for each of those two questions. Your answers should be between 400-625 words. You may write more than 625 words but please do not turn your essay into a small book!
THIS IS A TEST, NOT ARESEARCH PAPER!!! I DO NOT WANT OUTSIDE SOURCES AND CITATIONS TO A BUNCH OF WEBSITES THAT ARE MOST LIKELY OFF TOPIC FROM ANYTHING I HAVE MENTIONED IN MY LECTURES. THINK OF THIS AS AN EXAM YOU WOULD TAKE IN CLASS. IT IS BASED ON LECTURE NOTES AND READINGS IN THE DIGITAL HISTORY TEXTBOOK. I DO WANT A BUNCH OF GARBAGE THAT YOU FOUND ON GOOGLE SEARCHES, WIKIPEDIA, or HISTORY.COM. IT IS A CLASS EXAM NOT A RESEARCH PAPER.
The list of Key Terms contains people/events/ideas that are connected to the essay questions. Each of your answers should include references to and details of at least FIVE (5) of the key terms related to the topic.
For instance, Essay #1 on European Colonization could include: Encomienda System, New Laws of 1542, Jacques Cartier, Samuel de Champlain, Fur trade, John Smith, Pocahontas, tobacco, John Rolfe, Pilgrims, Plymouth and several other terms depending on how you want to address the question.
The terms should be inserted into a narrative essay, not simply listed and defined. In other words, tell me how and why the English settled at Jamestown. Don’t write something like: “The Virginia Company started a colony. And then Pocahontas saved John Smith. And then they got tobacco.”
Those statements are factually correct. But they don’t explain the terms (Virginia Company, Pocahontas, tobacco) or put them in any kind of context. Context is important in your explanations because it shows me clearly that you know why the terms were significant. If you can explain, for instance, how tobacco was important within the story of Jamestown, then I can see that you understand what happened, not just that tobacco is some stuff that can be smoked.
ESSAY CHOICES:
1) Territories that now belong to the United States were colonized by Europeans from Spain, France, and England. These Colonization efforts happened in different areas, and different time periods and for different reasons. Explain how these different nations began colonization efforts and discuss how, and why their efforts differed from one another. Some of the ideas you might include are religious, economic, and governmental differences.
2) In the 1760s and early 1770s a series of British actions and Colonial responses strained the bonds that connected England with her North American Colonies. Beginning with the Proclamation Line of 1763 explain how England’s actions, and the colonist’s responses to those actions led to the events at Lexington and Concord in 1775.
3) English colonization in North America developed over a period of time and was affected by events in England. Describe the origins of at least three English Colonies and place them in the context of the English monarchy. How did the rulers and rules of England help create the different colonies that you describe?
4) From 1781 to 1789 the new states were organized under the Articles of Confederation. Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles and then detail some of the events and problems that led political leaders to organize a Constitutional Convention.
