The Discussion Posts in the course are designed to create a community in which ideas can be shared in the class and to provide a way — in an online class — to learn from each other about history and its ongoing impact on our lives. During the discussions, another goal is to bring into view various perspectives and interpretations, using the historical evidence in the assigned reading. With that in mind, it is fine to disagree with someone else’s interpretation, but we need to do so in a respectful way (and part of your grade will be based on that). The Discussions will also help students to: keep up with the reading, prepare for the exams, practice writing about history, and examine the impact of the past on present-day issues in terms of both change and continuity. Grading of Discussion posts is based on the requirements in the Syllabus, p. 2 and p. 3 (and see the Syllabus page for this course). I look forward to reading your discussion posts and seeing your ideas as you share with each other.
THERE ARE 2 PARTS TO THIS DISCUSSION: (worth 10 points total)
First post — (worth 7 points out of 10)
Second post — (a reply post) — (worth 3 points out of 10)
IMPORTANT: You must base your Discussion posts on information in the assigned reading(s) and the assigned film(s), according to the instructions for this assignment. However, . . .
— Do NOT just copy the language from the assigned reading(s) or a website or another student or any other source. Instead, put the assigned source language into YOUR OWN WORDS, to show your understanding of the material and to receive credit for this assignment.
— PLAGIARISM — any amount of copyingfrom another source or another person — will result in a 0 / F on the assignment, as per the academic integrity policy of De Anza College.
— NO Links! — You must type a direct post on this Discussion page in Canvas.
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DISCUSSION #7 — HERE IS THE SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT:
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— FIRST POST — by you is due by the Due Date above — (worth 7 points out of 10). — You won’t be able to see any one else’s first post until after you write your own first post. — This is to ensure originality and to make sure everyone is doing their own work. — If you do not post first before viewing others’ posts, then you will receive a zero (0) on the assignment.
TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT:
In this first post: Answer the questions, below.
Do NOT copy the Questions into the Discussion. — ONLY put your Answers in the Discussion.
Write answers in complete sentences and use college-level analytical writing.
Limit EACH of your answers to ONLY 2 sentences to stay focused while answering the specific question.
Do NOT write more than 2 sentences for EACH answer.
This policy is to avoid rambling and help students focus, and also to save you time with shorter answers.
If there are 2 examples requested for a question, then you can write 2 sentences for EACH example.
The quality of specific focused analysis in your answer is more important than how long your answer is.
However, your answer must also be complete and fully answer the assignment.
Number your answers (for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and A, B, etc.) to receive full credit.
Skip a line (or space) between each of your numbered answers.
Bold the names of terms and whatever else the assignment requests to bold, so your answer is clear.
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1. FILMS:
A. Film — “Ben Franklin” (in the later part of the film). — Only write one sentence with focused specific analysis. — Name one important contribution by Ben Franklin to supporting the American Revolution and state how many minutes into the Ben Franklin film such a contribution of his to the revolution is mentioned. Only write one sentence. NO more than that.
B. Film — “America: The Story of Us — Rebels”: — Only write one sentence with focused specific analysis. — Name one important grievance or complaint of Americans against the British in the early years of the American Revolution and state how many minutes into the short film, “America: The Story of Us,” this grievance or complaint is mentioned. ONLY write one sentence. No more than that. — Make sure to select an event different from what you mentioned for the Ben Franklin film.
C. Film — “Tea, Taxes, and the American Revolution”: — Only write one sentence with focused specific analysis. — Name one important specific reason why the American Revolution was revolutionary in the brief film (11 minutes) “Tea, Taxes, and the American Revolution.” Only write one sentence. No more than that. — State how many minutes into the film the reason was mentioned.
D. Film — “Tea, Taxes, and the American Revolution” (2nd example): — Only write one sentence with focused specific analysis. — Also name one important specific reason why the American Revolution was NOTrevolutionary, in the same film, above. — Only write one sentence. No more than that. — State how many minutes into the film the reason was mentioned
DOCUMENTS:
2. Declaration of Independence –– (July 4, 1776) (by Thomas Jefferson, and others, in the back of The American Promise textbook, on p. A1 – A4, in the Appendix): — Also see the last film (only 13 minutes) in the film module this week which provides a very helpful explanation of the Declaration of Independence. — But use page numbers from the Declaration of Independence in the back of your textbook to show that you have alsolooked at the actual document for your answers.
A. What are the most famous words or phrases (two different brief phrases) in the Declaration of Independence, in the 2nd paragraph? ONLY write one sentence, or less, for each phrase. — Provide a page number for your answer.
B. What is the overall main point of the Declaration regarding the people’s right and the issue of government? (also in the 2nd paragraph). Specifically, if the government no longer protects the people’s rights, and acts like a dictatorship, then the people have a right to do what? (according to the Declaration). Only write one sentence. — Provide a page number for your answer.
C. In the long list of complaints in the Declaration on p. A-2, starting with either “He has,” or “For,” (referring to actions by the King of Great Britain, but also technically to the British Parliament), briefly state 2 specific and different grievances, or complaints, by Americans against the British. Look for some of the most famous grievances. — Use one sentence only for each answer. — Provide page numbers for your answers.
3. Common Sense — (January 1776) (by Thomas Paine, in Reading the American Past p. 119-123):
A and B. — USE ONLY ONE SENTENCE for each answer: — What are 2 specific and differentexamples of reasons why Paine states in “Common Sense” that America should separate from Britain? — Look for political, economic, ethnic, and geographic types of arguments that Paine makes, but you need to state how Paine specifically criticizes British political systems or other actions in at least 2 of those areas, and therefore why Paine says that Americans should become independent from Britain. – Use page numbers in Reading the American Past for your 2 examples from Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.”
TEXTBOOK:
4. Terms in Textbook — Ch. 6, from Week 7 on the syllabus, in The American Promise textbook:
A. Use a 1st term on the syllabus Week 7 that is also Chapter 6 of The American Promise textbook, to name a British law that Americans protested against and state why Americans protested against the law. Use a page number from The American Promise textbook. — Only write one sentence.
B. Then use a 2nd term from Chapter 6 in the textbook that is also on the syllabus for Week 7 to show a specific form of rebellion that Americans participated in, and in one short phrase, or in one sentence ONLY, state why Americans were rebelling and against which type of British action, and use a page number from the The American Promise textbook. — The 2nd term must be a different issue than the 1st term.
5. “What is Historical Thinking?: — This section will help you in thinking about how to write the final paper. — To complete Question #5: — Please see the assignment that is posted in the module for this week called “What is Historical Thinking?” — This part of the assignment involves brief answers to 3 short questions on that page. — Use only one sentence for each answer, so that will be only 3 sentences total (or max).
6. Practice Main Argument for the Final Exam/Paper: — Use only 3 or 4 sentences for this answer! — This question will help you start thinking about your final paper, and students will be replying to each other with friendly feedback on their ideas in the reply post. — The full assignment for the final paper will be distributed later in the quarter, but it will be on the topic, below. — Of course you can change your main argument later in your final paper if you change your mind, based on interpretations of the evidence. — There is no one “correct” answer to this question, and historians still disagree today about these issues. — Importantly, though, we can learn from each other’s different perspectives on the historical issues, in shaping public policy today: — Make an argument about to what extent the American Revolution was revolutionary, or not, or only partially, and why that was the case. — Use a specific example from the Declaration of Independence OR Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to support your argument. — In addition, explain why the history is still relevant today, with regard to a specific issue having to do with America’s representative government (a government elected to represent the people) in the U.S., in contrast to the monarchy of Britain (England) or dictatorship in other countries. — Use only 3 or 4 sentences for this answer.
— SECOND POST — (a Reply post) — by you is due by the Due Date above — (worth 3 points out of 10) — Write only 2 or 3 sentences for your Reply post. — Answer with complete sentences and use specifics, focused, college-level analytical writing. — Reply to another student’s post, and use specific analysis about why you agree or disagree with the other student’s argument about to what extent the American Revolution was revolutionary, or not, or only partially, and why that was the case. — Use a specific example from the Declaration of Independence OR Paine’s Common Sense to support your argument. — In addition, explain why the history is still relevant today, with regard to a specific issue having to do with representative government. — Use a page number from the document that you are using, either the Declaration of Independence OR Paine’s Common Sense .
1. In your Reply Post, say hello to another student using their first name. — And you alsoneed to do one of the following: — Expand on what the other student has said with more specifics, offer a different interpretation or perspective, provide a new insight, or agree with the student, but whichever approach that you choose, you need to provide more information about WHY you agree or disagree, based on the historical evidence. Please follow syllabus policies and use respectful and non-discriminatory language in your reply, which is part of your grade.
2. To do the Reply post, above: — Here is further explanation: — Provide the page number, from the Declaration of Independence OR Paine’s Common Sense, for a specific example that you are using to support your point in your Reply post. — Use specific analysis about why you agree or disagree with the other student’s argument about to what extent the American Revolution was revolutionary, or not, or only partially, and why that was the case. — Use a specific example from the Declaration of Independence OR Paine’s Common Sense to support your argument. — In addition, explain why the history is still relevant today, with regard to a specific issue having to do with representative government (a government elected to represent the people) in the U.S., as opposed to a monarchy or dictatorship. — Write ONLY 2 or 3 sentences for the Reply post.