Use different historical methods you have learned about during this course to complete a historical research project

The purpose of this assignment is to use different historical methods you have learned about during this course to complete a historical research project.  Your research project should start with your developing a historical question, that you then research, and then attempt to answer using both primary and secondary sources to support your research.

Use different historical methods you have learned about during this course to complete a historical research project

History 1301 Essay Assessment Assignment

General Information and Instructions:

The purpose of this assignment is to use different historical methods you have learned about during this course to complete a historical research project.  Your research project should start with your developing a historical question, that you then research, and then attempt to answer using both primary and secondary sources to support your research.

Impacts of Colonization

General Overview: This research project will examine the impact of exploration, movement, and colonization in the Atlantic world from a social, economic, technological, and/or political perspective.  One aspect of the impact should be evaluated and traced over at least a century of activity.  In conclusion, this research project will analyze the remnant of that impact that can still be evidenced today in the Americas, Africa, Caribbean, and/or Europe.

Examples: The development of new international law in relation to discoveries of European nations; The environmental or cultural impact of European or American commodities moved across the Atlantic (potatoes, sugar, grain crops, etc); The migration of different groups in the New World in specific places of settlement and their cultural legacy (which can include voluntary and involuntary migrants, ie: slaves, colonizers from differing nations, etc).

Research Objectives & Questions to be Discussed in Your Essay:

What were the short- and long-term effects of the impact on various groups of people affected by your chosen topic?
How did groups of people and/or societies behave prior to the impact?
How were people and/or societies benefited and harmed by the impact (negative and positive outcomes)
What are evidences of the legacy of this impact that can still be seen today?
How do you feel is the best way we can both acknowledge/honor the history of these colonial impacts in our modern society?

Research Requirements:

You will need to use at least two (2) primary sources for your research topic.  (See below for definitions of a primary source)
You will need to use at least three (3) secondary sources for your research topic.  (See below for definitions of a secondary source).

Your textbook cannot be used as a source, as it is a tertiary source.

You will also need to find at least one image that is relevant to your research topic.  This image can be either a primary or secondary source, although a primary source image is preferred.

If you are using a secondary source image, it should be an image that is created for academic purposes to help support your research (a modern map, etc).

Writing Requirements:

Your essay should be a minimum of 1000 words.  This word count does not include any cover sheet wording, your footnotes/endnotes, or your works cited/bibliography page.

Please do not include any headers (your name, course, date, paper title) on any written pages of your essay.

Your research essay should be accompanied by a cover sheet that states your paper title, your name, your course, and date.

You must cite your sources using either footnotes or endnotes formatted in the Chicago/Turabian citation method.  Please select either footnotes or endnotes based upon personal preference, just remember to be consistent throughout your essay with your citation method.

If possible, you will want to try to incorporate your image into your essay by embedding it into the text. Your image should include a caption that describes the image and its relevance to your topic, this caption to your image should be at least 150 words.  This word count does not count toward the overall word count of your essay.

You must include a Works Cited/Bibliography page at the end of the document.  Be sure you are documenting all sources used for your research paper, including your image source in this section.  There should be agreement between the sources you document in this section and the sources you cite in your footnotes/endnotes.

drawing produced by an indigenous person, a speech given by an individual, a painting of a street scene).

Secondary Sources: Generally, written materials, images, and artifacts that are produce by individuals after the time period of your research.  Most secondary sources are based upon primary sources.

Internet Sources: Any use of internet sources, should be pre-approved by your instructor before using them in your research.  If selecting option #4, internet news sources are appropriate, however try to select articles from mainstream sources.  In all other essay options, select internet sources that come from government entities, library archives, universities, and other online primary source repositories.

Internet Sources to avoid:

History.com
Wikipedia.com
Khanacademy.com
Britannia.com