This essay will consist of two parts and will account for 25% of your entire semester one grade. You will also lose or receive credit for hitting particular benchmarks along the way, such as developing a claim, arguments, and an outline. Your response essay should reflect that you have done the required reading for this course. Papers that fail to discuss and interpret ideas and concepts shared across course texts will be marked down.
Part A: 70%
Select one of the following questions and respond in an essay, 5-6 pages essay.
How and why did the first American political party system evolve?
Required Sources:
Part B: 30%
Select one of the following questions and respond in a 3 - 4 page essay using "How Democratic is the American Constitution?" by Robert Dahl
4 -
Part A: 70%
Select one of the following questions and respond in an essay, 5-6 pages essay.
Did the Framers Intend to Create a Revolutionary and Democratic Government?
How did the original Constitution reflect attitudes about race, class, and gender in late 18th century America?
How and why did the first American political party system evolve?
Required Sources:
Declaration of Independence
United States Constitution
Dahl – How Democratic is the American Constitution?
Zinn – A Kind of Revolution
American Social History Project – Who Built America?
Cornell – The Antifederalists: The Other Founders of the American Tradition
Nash – Ordinary Americans and the Constitution
Horton – Race and the Constitution: A Struggle Toward National Ideals
Finkelman – The Monster of Monticello
Vidal – Inventing A Nation
Madison - Federalist #10
Hamilton - Federalist #51
Yates - Antifederalist #1
Other selected class handouts and readings, class notes on lectures and discussions (including any film clips)
Films/Clips: Shays’ Rebellion, Jefferson v Hamilton
Part B: 30%
Select one of the following questions and respond in a 3 - 4 page essay using "How Democratic is the American Constitution?" by Robert Dahl
How does the U.S. Constitution compare to constitutions of other advanced democracies?
In what ways has the U. S. Constitution become more
democratic?
In what ways could the Constitution be made more democratic?
Rubric
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
16 - Interprets a variety of course texts to demonstrate a clear, sophisticated, and nuanced understanding of the historical time period and the cause and effect relationship between significant events; accurately discusses relevant political conflicts rooted in the nation's founding and displays a clear, sophisticated, and nuanced understanding of how said conflicts have been resolved or persist.
12 - Demonstrates a clear understanding of the historical time period and the cause and effect relationship between significant events; discusses relevant political conflicts rooted in the nation's founding and displays a clear understanding of how said conflicts have been resolved or persist.
12 - Demonstrates a clear understanding of the historical time period and the cause and effect relationship between significant events; discusses relevant political conflicts rooted in the nation's founding and displays a clear understanding of how said conflicts have been resolved or persist.
8 - Demonstrates some, but limited understanding of the historical time period and the cause and effect relationship between significant events; attempts to discuss political conflicts rooted in the nation's founding and displays a vague understanding of how said conflicts have been resolved or persist.
4 -
ORGANIZATION
4 - Writer creates a well-organized essay. Arguments and analysis are sequenced logically to support the claim.
Writer makes effective use of transitions to link all parts of the essay.
3 - Writer creates an organized essay. Arguments and analysis are sequenced logically to support the claim.
Writer uses transitions to link all parts of the essay
2 - Writer creates a somewhat organized essay. Arguments and analysis are not always sequenced logically to support the claim. Writer attempts to use transitions to link parts of the essay.
1 - Writer provides very little to no organization. Writer does not use transitions to link any parts of the essay.
CLAIM AND CONTEXT
4 - Writer’s claim provides a precise, nuanced interpretation of the sources that is grounded in multiple perspectives, historical, political, and/or social scientific context.
- The introduction engages the reader and persuasively lays foundation for a passionate argument. It identifies topic of the essay and provides ample contextual information that builds the readers’ understanding of the claim.
- The conclusion continues and strengthens the claim. It highlights significance, expands insight and makes recommendations for future action.
3 - Writer’s claim provides a precise, interpretation of the sources that is grounded in multiple perspectives, historical, political, and/or social scientific context.
- The introduction identifies topic of the essay and provides ample contextual information that builds the readers’ understanding of the claim.
- The conclusion continues and strengthens the claim. It mentions significance and makes recommendations for future action.
2 - Writer’s claim provides a general interpretation of the sources OR a lack of clarity detracts from the claim.
- The introduction identifies topic of the essay and provides superficial contextual information that gives readers a partial understanding of the sources.
- The conclusion summarizes arguments and restates the claim.
1 - Writers claim only states a fact about the sources and offers no interpretation.
- The essay lacks a clear introduction.
- The essay lacks a coherent conclusion.
EVIDENCE, ANALYSIS, AND COUNTER-CLAIM
4 - Writer develops claim thoughtfully and persuasively using numerous relevant, convincing pieces of evidence from both secondary and primary sources (including direct quotation), and statistical/numerical data.
- Writer cities specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
- Writer includes statistical data as part of the evidence to bolster claims and/or devalue counterclaims
- Writer provides insightful, thorough analysis of the evidence to support the claim, using the following critical reading strategies:
Explanation of what the text says directly as well as analysis of meanings that are implied, hidden, hinted at, or left ambiguous in the text.
Analysis of how the authors’ word choices impact the biases of the sources. Writer considers and discusses bias of authors when analyzing evidence.
Evaluates the claims, premises, and evidence in both primary and secondary sources in order to challenge counter arguments and bolster initial claim.
3 - Writer develops claim using sufficient relevant, convincing pieces of evidence from both secondary and primary sources (including direct quotation), and statistical/numerical data.
- Writer cities textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
- Writer includes statistical data as part of the evidence to support claims and/or devalue counterclaims
- Writer provides thorough analysis of the evidence to support the claim, using one or more of the following critical reading strategies:
- Writer provides thorough analysis of the evidence to support the claim, using one or more of the following critical reading strategies:
Explanation of what the text says directly as well as analysis of meanings that are implied, hidden, hinted at, or left ambiguous in the text.
Analysis of how the authors’ word choices impact the biases of the sources. Writer considers and discusses bias of authors when analyzing evidence.
Evaluates the claims, premises, and evidence in both primary and secondary sources in order to challenge counter arguments and bolster initial claim.
2 - Writer develops claim using some relevant evidence from the texts, including direct quotations that support the claim.
- Writer provides a basic explanation of how the evidence supports the claim.
1 - Writer uses irrelevant or insufficient textual evidence to support analysis of text.
- Writer’s analysis of the evidence does not support the claim.
- Writer’s analysis of the evidence does not support the claim.
STYLE AND CONVENTIONS
4 - Writer uses a range of precise and varied vocabulary to elaborate or clarify ideas.
- Demonstrates command of the conventions of capitalization, punctuation (extends to hyphenation), and spelling consistently throughout the text.
- Mechanical and grammatical errors are rare or nonexistent.
- Writer follows accepted conventions for formatting text citations such as MLA standards, footnotes, and parenthetical notes.
- Mechanical and grammatical errors are rare or nonexistent.
- Writer follows accepted conventions for formatting text citations such as MLA standards, footnotes, and parenthetical notes.
3 - Writer uses a range of vocabulary to elaborate or clarify ideas.
- There are few mechanical or grammatical errors.
- Writer follows accepted conventions for formatting text citations and adheres to MLA standards.
- There are few mechanical or grammatical errors.
- Writer follows accepted conventions for formatting text citations and adheres to MLA standards.
2 - Writer uses basic vocabulary to elaborate or clarify ideas
- There are many mechanical or grammatical errors that do not generally interfere with the reader’s ability to understand the essay.
- Writer attempts to follow accepted conventions for text citations and works cited page.
- There are many mechanical or grammatical errors that do not generally interfere with the reader’s ability to understand the essay.
- Writer attempts to follow accepted conventions for text citations and works cited page.
1 - Abundant mechanical and grammatical errors interfere with the reader’s ability to understand the essay.
- In text citations and works cited page are missing from the essay
- In text citations and works cited page are missing from the essay
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