Which is more important to you:
the 1 Amendment or the 14th Amendment?
st
Many people say, “The 1st Amendment to the constitution is most important, it is
listed first, after all.” Are they right? Is the 1st the most important because it is listed first?
In an essay of 2500-3500 words explain which amendment is the most important – the
first of the 14th. Remember, this essay must have a thesis, an attempt to prove your thesis,
proper introduction, conclusion, grammar … the works. It is a formal essay but you are
being asked to make it very personal. In other words, don’t be afraid to use the first
person. “I Believe,” can be a very prominent statement in this paper.
Be creative. Be forceful. Dare to be reasoned and eloquent. Show off your
extensive knowledge of the amendments and the U.S. constitution. Cite cases, precedents,
and concepts where necessary to support your reasoning. But remember, anything not of
your own creation – and not common knowledge by the lay person – must be cited.
Proper form counts.
The Essay should be an original piece of work that draws upon 5 sources from outside of
the textbook.
Requirements
The thesis must be evident, forceful, and proven.
* MLA formatting is required. This means 12-point font, double spaced, cited
sources, standard font.
• The length is to be 2500-3500 words. The effort must be scholarly, astute, and
impressive in its intelligence. Show that you learned something. Show that you are
knowledgeable about your topic.
• Include 5 citations from the constitution and/or 5 court cases.
• 5 sources outside of the text and constitution are required.
• In text citation and a work cited page are required.
Academic integrity demands high standards.
th
• The paper is due by 11:59pm, May 26 to TurnItIn.com. Do not email it to me –
unless you have written permission. No late work will be accepted.
•
Evaluation
• This paper is worth 80 points.
• It will be evaluated using the research essay rubric.
• Failure to meet any of the requirements will result in a score of 45.