Discussion Board 2 Introduction:
For this discussion board, you will use what you have learned in this course, as well as some “alternate (or counterfactual) history,” to explore the question — “Was the American Civil War inevitable?” Imagine you are a time traveler who has been sent on a mission to prevent the Civil War from starting. Maybe you are a member of Marvel Comics’ Time Variance Authority, one of Dr. Who’s companions, or even Marty McFly from Back to the Future! Regardless of your organization, your time traveling technology will only allow you to go back in time once from 1845-1860, so you must choose one specific event in which to intercede.
First, use your textbook or the timeline below to select an event from 1845-1860. Then, use the prompts below, as well as the textbook and other course materials, to make and explain your selection in a Primary Post. Your Primary Post must address all of the prompts in one single post. After you have submitted your Primary Post, you will be able to see other students’ posts. The last part of this assignment will be to reply to at least one other student’s Primary Post. For specific guidelines for your posts see the General Guidelines for Discussion Board Posts listed below the prompts.
Discussion Board 2 Required Reading and Timeline Links:
Chapter 13 in the textbook, Give Me Liberty!
Historical Timeline: Significant Events from 1845-1860 ( see attached )
Discussion Board 2 Prompts:
Remember to address ALL 6 PROMPTS in your one Primary Post.
Provide a short summary of the event you have chosen
Why do you think this event was significant in the lead up to the Civil War?
Now, as a time traveler, what would you do to change this event? (for example, would you stop the event or change the outcome of the event?)
How would your changes make the Civil War less likely?
Could those changes have stopped the Civil War, or would they have simply delayed it?
By the 1850s, do you think anything could have been done to avoid war, or do you think the Civil War was inevitable?
General Guidelines for Posts
After following the instructions above use the guidelines below to prepare your posts. Remember, this is a two-part activity (Primary Posts and Replies) with specific points for each part.
Part 1 – Primary Post Guidelines (40 points):
The Primary Post must address all of the Discussion Board Prompts listed above and should be written as an essay. This assignment does not require any outside sources. The Primary Post can be completed using only the article and the textbook. If you choose to use outside sources, make sure to cite them, both in the text of your post and in a Works Cited at the end. Grades for the Primary Post will be based on the content of the answer and must be more than 300 words in length. Direct quotes do not count toward the required word count.
To make your Primary Post, click on the Discussion Board 1 link located below these guidelines. Then, select Create Thread. In the subject line, write your name and your favorite snack food. Next, type or copy your answer into the large text box below. Finally, click submit.
