American Identity and Rights Research Paper
7th Grade Humanities 2014
As the new nation developed, Americans faced many challenges, problems
and opportunities. The formation of a dynamic American identity was the result of
the decisions that leaders and ordinary people made as they dealt with new
situations. In this research paper we will learn more about the foundation of that
American identity and the developing nation by studying historical events through
the lens of human rights. In addition, we will analyze those events, keeping in
mind the impact of power and prejudice on the actors in the event(s).
You have each chosen an event, movement, or historical figure to learn
about. You have started to learn the basic background information, but now you
will start to shift toward developing an argument about that information. You will
read, take notes, think, and come to a conclusion about the importance of your
topic in American history. These key questions will guide your research, note
taking, and writing: Did the people involved act responsibly? Did they take into
account human rights? Did they follow the ideals set forth in the Declaration of
Independence? How did the event contribute to the developing identity of the
American nation? Did the event(s) negatively or positively affect certain groups of
people? (You may choose to focus on ONE of these questions as you research and
write.)
One of the most important research skills you will learn during this process
is how to narrow your topic. The purpose of writing a research paper is to conduct
an in-depth study and analysis of a topic. If your topic is too broad, you will not be
able to ask and thoroughly answer appropriate and significant questions about one
key aspect of your subject. Also, you will probably discover that there is a lot of
information to read, and you may become overwhelmed by the number of sources
you need to sort through. On the other hand, if your topic is too narrow you may
not be able to find enough information. You could become frustrated with your
efforts to uncover a variety of viewpoints and to produce enough to say about your
topic. Finding the proper scope for your topic may require talking with your
teacher as you progress with your research.
The key focus of this paper is your position and argument. This means that
you have to gather evidence that will support your points. In gathering evidence,
you might find contradicting opinions. You will have to evaluate the opinions,
consider the point of view of the author, and come to your own judgment.
Whenever possible, you should try to use primary sources that you can interpret
yourself.
Writing a research paper is a valuable process that will help you to bring
together all of the different skills that we have worked on this year. Do not be
afraid to ask questions and to put in the time and effort to make your paper
excellent.
Good Luck!