The midterm is worth 100 points and consists of two parts: essay and short answer. You must complete Part 1 and select and answer three (3) questions from Part 2.
For Part 1 you will write an essay (introduction with a clear thesis statement, body, and conclusion). Your essay must be typed double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12 font (no cute fonts, please). Your essay should be around 3-4 pages (that is a guideline, some people will write more, some will write less).
What I am looking for is your ability to think creatively about the question, and your ability to make and support an argument. You should explain your ideas and arguments clearly and fully and you should provide support for your arguments / conclusions. I prefer to have 3 or 4 main points explained well and supported rather than a superficial consideration of 10 different points.
You should cite your sources. I understand it may be challenging to cite your sources since we are using so many different materials but do your best. If you have a question of how to cite something that is on Canvas, please ask.
If you are using specific information (dates, figures, etc.) or quoting from one of the textbook chapters or an online source, an intext citation is fine (Keen page #). If you are using specific information from supplemental materials, you may simply reference the name (Code of Hammurabi), or indirectly reference the source (“The nature of the laws in the Code of Hammurabi suggest that …..”).
I prefer that you do not use outside sources. You should have adequate material with which to work. However, if you do consult outside sources, you will need to formally cite the source using Chicago Style.
You should include a Works Cited or a Works Consulted page at the end of your essay.
A word of caution: I am looking for your ideas and conclusions. If you simply restate what an article or web site says about the topic, even if you cite the source, you are telling me what someone else had to say about the topic. That will not earn you full credit. Please do not use AI such as ChatGPT to produce answers. The product that AI generates is someone else’s ideas, not yours, and often incorrect.
Submit your answers to the Midterm dropbox (Assignments under course menu) as a file. I prefer one attachment with all your answers together (I prefer Word docs, I can make comments on them in Canvas. I will also accept pdf files and Google docs, but you won’t receive as much feedback. No .pages, please. I cannot open them on my computer. Please remember, we are using plagiarism checking software on Canvas; plagiarism = ”0” and using AI could mean “0”.
No title page, please. In the upper left-hand corner of your first page:
Your Name
Professor
History 115B
Date
Part 1: Everyone answer this question (3-4 page essay). 55 points.
Explain why the United States accelerated ahead of Latin America in the period from the end of the U.S. Civil War up to the eve of World War I (economically, militarily, in global affairs, etc.). OR Explain why Latin America lagged behind the United States in the period from the end of the U.S. Civil War up to the eve of World War I.
I understand that generalizing about Latin America can be difficult and not entirely accurate. If you prefer, you may answer this question by comparing the U.S. with Mexico, Brazil, and one other Latin American nation.
PART 2: Short-answer questions. Select and answer one question for each category (1 from A, 1 from B, and 1 from C) for a total of three (3) answers. 15 points each
Each answer should be a strong paragraph (1/2 to 1 page in length), double-spaced. You should be sure to include a thesis statement (argument) at the beginning of your paragraph, and you should explain your ideas and arguments clearly and fully. Please follow the same citation instructions for the essay.
Select and answer ONE question from each of the following categories:
Category A
Select and answer one:
A1. What did the U.S. Civil War mean for the Americas?
A2. How did western expansion in Canada compare with western expansion in the United States?
Category B
Select and answer one:
B1. How did immigration into the U.S. compare with immigration into Latin America in the post-Civil War era?
B2. What was the cultural and economic importance of railroads in the post-Civil War era (the end of the U.S. Civil War up to WWI)? Be sure to give examples from different nations/regions.
B3. Was racism confined just to the United States in the post-Civil War era? (This is, of course, and academic question and you should give examples to support your answer.)
Category C
Select and answer one:
C1. What drove U.S. imperialism in the later part of the nineteenth and into the twentieth century?
C2. Explain what caused the Mexican Revolution and what it meant for Mexico.
I’m not looking for a play-by-play of events, what I’m asking is what were the larger forces that led to revolution? (For example, was it mainly economic forces, political forces, etc.).
