History 120 Course Project Options
In order to pass the class, you must pass all of the exams and complete at least one of the
following three projects. Completing the project is not a guarantee that you will pass the class
you must satisfy all requirements to earn a passing grade. You have the option to complete one
additional project, for a total of two (2) projects, but completing a project for extra credit should
not be considered a substitute for regular class attendance, participation and exams.
The three projects you have to choose from are as follows:
A. Discussion Panel
Participate in one of three panel discussions about a pivotal moment or time period in
US history. Each participant will play a historical figure and will give a brief 3-5
minute biography of his/her character, focusing on their contribution to US history.
Participants may be called upon to answer questions about their character, so be
prepared! At the conclusion of the panel, each participant will submit a 1-2 page
“obituary” for their character. The obituary should include basic biographical
information, such as: birth date and place, death date and place, cause of death,
family (marriage, children), and major accomplishments.
Panel Discussion Characters:
Panel #1
Panel #2
Panel #3
John Winthrop
John Jay
Stephen Austin
William Penn
Tecumseh
Clarissa Harlowe Barton
Pocahontas
Patrick Henry
William Lloyd Garrison
Metacom (King Philip)
Gouverneur Morris
John C Calhoun
George Whitefield
William Livingston
Daniel Webster
Israel Putnum
Rufus King
John L. O’Sullivan
Pontiac
George Mason
Susan B Anthony
Paul Revere
Charles Pinckney
David Wilmot
Joseph Brant
Robert Yates
Johann Augustus Sutter
Mercy Otis Warren
Elizabeth Freeman
Mariano Vallejo
John Witherspoon
Alexander Hamilton
Dred Scott
Abigail Adams
Henry Clay
Major Ridge
B. Article Collection
Submit a collection of ten (10) current articles from newspapers, magazines or
journals (including online versions) that pertain to the period of US history through
1877. You may include related articles but your collection must address at least three
to ten different issues, events, etc. Articles might discuss new discoveries or
scholarship about early US history, the Constitution (up through the 15th Amendment)
or early American culture and society, politics or foreign relations.
Each article must be accompanied by a one paragraph synopsis of the article in your
own words that discusses what the article is about and why it is important. Each
article also must include a bibliographical reference citing where the article was
published. Articles must be recent. You will not receive credit for articles over 5
years old.
Note: Encyclopedia articles (Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Britannica, World Book,
Compton’s, etc.), book reviews and dissertation abstracts are not acceptable. Make
sure you know the source! When in doubt, please ask the instructor if it is
acceptable.
C. Biographical Essay
Write a 3-4 page paper about a historical figure from US history from the list below.
Only one student will be allowed to write about each figure, so you must sign up for
your subject in advance. If you want to write a paper about a person who is not on the
list, you must get permission from the instructor. None of the discussion board
characters or US Presidents will be assigned. The essay should include basic
background information about the person in addition to a discussion of their
contributions to US history.
All sources must be properly cited in footnotes or endnotes and papers must include a
bibliography. In addition, if you use at least one primary source in your research, you
can earn up to 5 extra credit points.
Biographical Essay Subjects:
Davy Crockett
Jim Bowie
Brigham Young
Jedediah Smith
William T. Sherman
Robert E. Lee
Samuel Adams
William Walker
Sam Houston
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
John Hancock
Thomas Paine
Aaron Burr
Jefferson Davis
Comm. Matthew Perry
Pio Pico
Stephen Kearney
John C. Fremont
Benjamin Franklin
“Kit” Carson
Manuel Armijo
Jonathon Edwards Frederick Douglass Stephen Douglass
Louisa May Alcott