Good evening, I have this midterm essay I need help with. I have two options to do one essay for 100 or two essays 50 each. I have decide to do option two and I did one but still need to do the second

Winter 2022 Midterm Essay Exam instructions

100 points, 20% of course grade

Due: Sunday Feb. 27

I hope this isn’t confusing, but I’m giving different options for the number of essays you can write for your midterm exam. Either you can choose to answer only #1 for 100 points; or you can choose to answer both #2 and #3 for 50 points each = 100 points. The essays should be typed and double spaced.

Note: I will run essays through the plagiarism detection program Turnitin.com, which is integrated with Canvas. See my note about plagiarism at the end of this document.

Late penalty: Late exams will receive a 10% reduction for each day they are late. I will not accept an essay more than 3 days late unless the student has a documented excuse and permission from me.

Essays:

100 points. (If you select this essay, it is the only essay you have to write for your midterm.)

The year is 1861, the battle of Fort Sumter has just occurred, and the Civil War has begun.

In an essay of 6 to 8 pages1(not including Works Cited), address these four components:

1) Describe the causes of the Civil War from a Republican’s point of view in 1861. 2) Describe the causes of the Civil War from a southern Democrat’s point of view in 1861. [we’ll leave aside northern Democrats for this essay] 3) Were Republicans or southern Democrats more at fault for causing the war, or neither? 4) Do you think the Civil War was inevitable?

Do not use a first-person voice like you did in Week 5’s discussion. Instead, write in a more scholarly detached tone like you did in Week 2’s discussion.
Consider ideologies/attitudes of northerners and southerners, as well as particular events/flashpoints that caused antagonism. Pay attention to chronology.
Draw on materials and ideas from the entire course so far, selecting evidence you find most pertinent.
Incorporate at least four of the assigned primary sources as evidence, drawn from the first six weeks of the course. [review the definition of a primary source]
A key to success in this “big” essay is organizing your ideas and evidence so that you can effectively convey a lot of information in a clear and concise manner. You can divide your essay into sections and use section sub-headings if you’d like.

**At the end of this sheet see guidelines for structure and citations.

OR write about both #2 and #3 (you can submit two separate files, or combined into one file)

50 points. (If you select this essay, you also have to answer essay #3.)

In an essay of 3 to 4 pages2 (not including Works Cited list) address this prompt:

In the antebellum era, contrast the perspectives of white southerners and anti-slavery northerners about the role of slavery in their society and the future of slavery in America.

For this essay I want you to concentrate more on ideologies/attitudes (defenses, critiques) about slavery rather than on specific political events. (don’t replicate essay 3 here)
You should demonstrate you understand the diversity in northerners’ stances on slavery.
Incorporate at least two of the assigned primary sources as evidence, drawn from the first six weeks of the course. (review the definition of a primary source)

AND

50 points. (If you select this essay, you also have to answer essay #2.)

In an essay of 3 to 4 pages3 (not including Works Cited list), address this prompt:

Looking at the years 1820 through 1859, identify and discuss at least four flashpoints that you think increased sectional tensions, and why. Do you think the Civil War was inevitable?

For this essay I want you to concentrate more on specific events or developments rather than on ideologies/attitudes. (don’t replicate essay 2 here, although of course you can’t ignore the context of ideologies)
Demonstrate you understand different political parties’ stances.
Demonstrate you understand chronology (change over time).
Incorporate at least two of the assigned primary sources as evidence, drawn from the first six weeks of the course.

Guidelines applying to all essays:

Each essay should begin with an introduction paragraph containing a thesis that addresses the entire essay prompt. (A thesis can be more than one sentence long.) The rest of the essay should consist of paragraphs that share evidence and reasons to support your thesis. The essay(s) should be well-written and clearly organized.
The tone should be fairly formal and analytical. Do not use first-person voice. It is not a personal reaction nor a role-playing paper.
You may use section headings.
This is not meant to be a research paper. Draw on materials and ideas from the entire course so far, selecting evidence you find most pertinent. I want to see that you’ve digested course readings and lecture materials. You may also draw on the recommended materials I’ve posted each week.

Like a traditional midterm exam, this essay(s) should demonstrate your mastery of material you have learned in the course. Thus, your essay should feature specific and accurate historical details gleaned from course materials, as well as a strong command of chronology, cause and effect, and historical context as you put the “facts” together in your analytical narrative.

Include in-text source citations when appropriate. Obviously you must provide citations for direct quotes, and you should also provide citations for specific information even if you have not directly quoted it. You may use whichever citation style you are most comfortable with, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago Style footnotes. (I am not going to be fussy about formatting; I simply want to see you’ve made an effort to cite your sources.)
Please include a Works Cited section at the end of each essay.
If the source was assigned on Canvas, simply indicate its author, title, date - and then simply write (Canvas) in parentheses. Don’t worry about a more formal citation format.

LINK HERE FOR EXTRA INFORMATION AND GUIDE FOR CITATIONS

Grading Rubric for Essays

Criteria	Essay 1 Points Possible	Essays 2 & 3 Points Possible
Introduction/Thesis: The Introduction paragraph appropriately frames the topic of the paper. The thesis conveys a main idea or claim related to the theme.	10
Accuracy & Analysis: Makes compelling and defensible points about the topic. Shows a command of the facts.	40	20
Evidence & Sources: Draws from the required number of primary sources as well as the course text and lectures. Uses specific, accurate, and appropriate evidence to support the main points.	20	10
Organization: Ideas flow logically, with good transitions from point to point. Pays attention to chronology. Paragraphs are well-organized, with solid topic sentences.	10
Quotation and citation practice: Quotations are well-selected to further a main point. Quotations as well as specific information from sources are cited correctly in the text. Also includes a Works Cited page.	10
Writing mechanics and style: Prose is clearly organized. Style is appropriate for a formal upper-level history paper. Writing demonstrates correct word usage, punctuation, sentence structure, grammar, and spelling.	10
Total points	100	50

Note: if the essay plagiarizes from any sources by using a string of the author’s exact words without quotation marks and/or by omitting source citations for quotations or specific facts, you will receive a 0 for the essay, and depending on the severity of the plagiarism, a 0 for the entire course.

1 You may write up to 10 pages.

2 You may write up to 6 pages.

3 You may write up to 6 pages.