For this monograph, write an essay of at least 500 words in response to the following prompts:
After reading the work, and using the website, https://plaintalkhistory.com/we-secede-archive/ answer the following questions:
Why did the Southern states secede? What reasons do the southern states give for taking such a drastic step? What was the role of the commissioners and delegates who fanned out across the South in late 1860 and early 1861? What ideas and principles was the Confederacy to be based upon? How crucial was the role of the delegates who fanned out across the South in bringing about the crisis of secession? Why does the author believe their role has been underappreciated? What sort of evidence does Dew use to support his conclusions? Do the sources on the website support Dew’s conclusions? After gathering all the evidence, what would you say was the fundamental cause of the American Civil War, and why is it so important we understand the answer to that question today? Make sure you use the sources from the website and the book in your answer.
Be sure to have a clear argument that you defend with relevant evidence from the monograph or other sources we have studied this semester. Organize your paper with a logical structure and use clear topic sentences and transitions to help your reader understand the logic of your organization. IMPORTANT: Edit your paper thoroughly to avoid errors and to improve readability. Take your essay to the writing center or ask me to help you with proofreading before you submit your essay!
Grading criteria:
• Argument: Does your paper have a clear, singular, specific argument that answers the question?
• Evidence: Do you use all of the relevant evidence to defend your argument? Relevant evidence includes not only references to the monograph, but also to at least one other document or source we have studied this semester
• Organization: Does your paper have a logical structure and use clear topic sentences and transitions?
• Clarity: Is your prose efficient, crisp and polished, free of excessive passive voice or distracting spelling or grammatical errors? Did you avoid use of the first person voice (I, we, our, us, me, my, mine)?
Formatting:
• 12-pt., Times New Roman font, double-spaced
• 500 words or more
Use MLA citation for quotes. Your paper is due no later than Sunday, December 5, 11:59PM. Late responses will receive credit, but will lose five points for every twelve hours overdue.
