Essay Instructions
You will write a 800-1000 word historical essay covering the subject of your choice. This will be a historical analysis of the topic, not simply a retelling of what happened. Therefore, the most important step in writing your essay will be choosing an argument over your topic. This needs to be a historically defensible claim that takes a position and then defends it with historical evidence. The sources and evidence should be used to support and defend your historical argument, but should not be the main part of your essay.
Your essay must include 3-5 references or citations. Following either MLA or Chicago style formatting. Your essay must include a bibliography of all cited and referenced materials. Sources such as videos, wikipedia, textbooks, etc. can be helpful sources for background information, but your citations and references should be more reputable and scholarly in nature. If you are having trouble finding peer-reviewed or scholarly articles, please utilize the online library database found under the tools tab on blackboard.
If you are having trouble with citations, please look through these sources:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/ apa_style_introduction.html
chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.html
Federalists vs. Anti-federalists: What were the main arguments prior to ratification of the
Constitution? What was the outcome of the debate?
Thesis- The historical debate involving the federalists and anti-federalists remains to have
a major impact on the American political scene and the judicial system. The debate was
sparked by a group calling themselves anti-federalists who believed it was not good to
have a strong central government. They felt that having such a system of governance
would be difficult to put the government in check because it would undermine the powers
of the state governments. They felt that a strong central government would take the
country back into the British colonialists’ tyranny they had fought against. On the other
hand, the federalists insisted on having a strong central government with a strong
executive. The debate was resolved by adopting the bill of rights, which was to be used
alongside the Constitution to protect the American people’s liberties. Through the bill of
rights, a strong central government with a vibrant executive could be checked by the
courts on matters to do with rights violations.
Essay Rubric
| 14 | 10.5 | 7 | 3.5 | |
| Defensible thesis | The thesis makes a solid defensible claim or argument on a historical issue. | The thesis is identifiable, but does not provide an argument on the matter; rather it just states facts. | The thesis is identifiable, but lacks an argument and/or historical basis in fact | The thesis is nonexistent or unidentifiable |
| Use of evidence | The essay includes 3-5 citations/references that are relevant and support the argument | The essay includes 3-5 citations/references but all are not relevant to argument | The essay includes fewer than 3 sources for evidence but it attempts to support the argument. | The thesis is nonexistent or unidentifiable |
| Structure/ Organization | The essay is well structured and follows a coherent argument that flows throughout the essay and supports the arguments. | The essay is well structured but does not effectively support the argument. | The essay attempts to follow a coherent format, but is unsuccessful at supporting the argument. | The essay is disorganized and does not follow a coherent argument |
| Works Cited/ bibliography | All sources are accurately cited according to MLA or APA style formatting, and a proper bibliography is included | Sources and bibliography mostly follow MLA or APA style formatting, but there are a few errors | Sources are not properly cited OR a bibliography is not included | Sources are not properly cited and no bibliography is included |
| Grammar/ mechanics | No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. A few grammatical spelling, or punctuation errors. | Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors | Several grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. | The paper is full of grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. |