Drawing on the assigned course readings, reaction
papers (2-3 typed pages) should examine contrasting historical points of
view. Using the first or
third person, explore the ways in which an historical figure would
challenge an opposing perspective on American culture and society, trying
to convince the reader of the rightness of their cause.
Use Frederick Douglass's 1852 “What to the Slave is the 4th
of July?” as a model reaction paper.
Douglass examines how a slave would respond to July Fourth
Independence Day celebrations.
You have the option to create your own reaction paper assignments.
Choose any two opposing perspectives on a cultural or political issue from
the readings and determine how one side would respond to the other's
arguments. Feel free to be
creative and write on issues that interest you.
If you choose this option, you need to ask me when your reaction
paper is due.
Don't feel you need to consult outside sources.
However, you might find it helpful to draw on class discussions and
course readings to understand the historical context and the critical
issues raised by the readings. If
you quote someone, put the page number in parentheses after the quotation,
for example, (Douglass, 116).
Before the reaction paper is officially due, you can turn in rough
drafts for my review. As long
as you turned in reaction papers when they were due, you can revise and
rewrite them for a higher grade throughout the rest of the semester. However: You are required to write at least one reaction
paper before the midterm is due (Nov. 2).
1.
Drawing on Frederick Douglass "What to the Slave is the 4th
of July" and the
“Dredd Scott Decision” (Bibliobase readings, 38-40, 43-46): how would
Douglass respond to the Supreme Court's Dred Scott v. Sanford decision
that slavery is legal in the United States? (Due Sept. 28)
2. Drawing on
Frederick Douglass "What to the Slave is the 4th of
July” and
Thomas
Dew
“The Pro-Slavery Argument” (Bibliobase pp. 22-24, 38-40): how would
Douglass respond to Dew’s argument for slavery? (Due Sept. 28)
3.
Drawing on Luther Standing Bear "What the Indian Means to
America” handout, John Winthrop "Reasons to be Considered”
handout, and President Jackson "Second Annual Message" (Bibliobase
pp. 15-18): how would Standing Bear respond to President Jackson's
argument that it was right and just to remove Indians from their land?
(Due Oct. 8)
4.
Drawing on Chief Joseph's "The Takeover of Indian Land: An
Indian's View" handout and Brackenridge’s “Against the Indians”
(Bibliobase pp. 8-10): how would Chief Joseph respond to Brackenrige’s'
argument it was right for White civilization to take over Indian land.
(Due Oct. 8)
5.
Drawing on President Jackson “Second Annual Message to
Congress” and the General Council of the Cherokee Nation “To the
People of the United States” (Bibliobase
pp. 15-22): how would
the General Council of the Cherokee Nation respond to President
Jackson’s argument that it is right to remove the Cherokee from their
lands in Georgia? (Due Oct. 8)
6.
Drawing on Richard Lamm’s “Truth, Like Roses, Often Comes With
Thorns” and Reed Ueda’s “The Permanently Unfinished Country”
(Taking Sides pp. 336-348): how would Lamm respond to Ueda’s argument
for allowing increasing numbers of immigrants to come to America? (Due
Oct. 12)
7.
Drawing on the "Laura Curtis Bullard on the Enslavement of
Women" handout and the "Orestes Brownson Defines Woman's
Sphere" handout: how would Bullard respond to Brownson's argument
that women need to be ruled by men? (Due Oct. 19)
8.
Drawing on Ida Wells “A Red Record” and Benjamin Tillman
“Lynch Law” (Bibliobase, pp. 62-69, 81-87 : how would Wells respond to
Tilman’s argument supporting lynching? (Due
Oct. 26 )
9.
Drawing on Ernest Griffith “The Cancer of Corruption,” Jon
Teaford “Trumpeted Failures and Unheralded Triumphs,”
(Taking Sides pp. 98-115), and William Riordon “Plunkitt of
Tammany Hall” (Bibliobase pp. 75-81): how would Griffith respond to
Teaford’s argument that political corruption didn’t undermine the
effectiveness of city government? (Due
Nov. 9)
10.
Drawing on Roger Biles “A New Deal for the American People” and
Gary Dean Best “Pride, Prejudice, and Politics” (Taking Sides, pp.
218-235) : how would Biles respond to Best’s argument that the New Deal
helped make the Depression worse? (Due Nov. 16 )
11.
Drawing on Thomas Paterson “Harry Truman, American Power, and the
Soviet Threat” and John Lewis Gaddis “The Origins of the Cold War”
(Taking Sides pp. 268-286): how would Paterson respond to Gaddis’s
argument that the Soviet Communists started the Cold War?
(Due Nov. 26)
12.
Drawing on King's
"American Dream" Speech handout, King’s “I have a Dream”
handout, and "FBI Cointelpro against Black Nationalists"
handout: how would King respond to the FBI's plan to neutralize the Black
civil rights movement? (Due Nov. 30)
13.
Drawing on the SDS's "Port Huron Statement" handout; the
"FBI Cointelpro-New Left" handout, and the
"Senate Committee Probes the FBI's Secret Campaign"
handout: how would the Students for a Democratic Society respond to the
FBI's plan to neutralize the student and anti-war movements in the 1960s?
(Due Dec. 3)
14.
Drawing on “Vietnam Veterans against the War” (Bibliobase pp.
148-152) and
President Johnson’s “Why we are in Vietnam”
handout: how would John Kerry respond to President Johnson's speech
justifying United States' involvement in Vietnam? (Due Dec. 10)
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