Write a 6-8 page paper on a topic of your choosing from American history prior to 1870. This week, you will prepare for your Week 5 project by brainstorming your topic and completing an introduction and outline.
Part 1: Topic
Be very specific and very narrow. For example, the US Civil War is too broad, while the Gettysburg Battle is appropriately narrow. You can select a person, an event, a cultural phenomenon, an invention, etc. For example, you might write on the religion or musical traditions of enslaved persons or the influence of the Caribbean Islands on slavery in the South. You could also choose to do a biography, such as a study of Hamilton, Franklin, Jefferson, Sojourner Truth, or Frederick Douglas. The invention of the cotton gin, steam power, the railroad, and the McCormick reaper are good examples of inventions you might discuss in your final project. Submit a brief summary of your topic for approval that adheres to the following format:
Paragraph 1: State your topic (person, place, thing, or event that happened before 1870) and explain why you’ve selected this topic.
Paragraphs 2–3: Write two paragraphs describing the historical period during which your topic arises.
Paragraph 4: Explain why your topic is of interest to the larger study of history. Title your paper: Lastname_Firstname_W3_FinalProjectTopic and submit it to dropbox.