This is an ongoing assignment. Students are to work at their own pace. The assignment is due the last day of class as indicated on the course syllabus.
This essay is based on the Frederick Douglass autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassLinks to an external site.. Students are to create their own thesis (or “prompt”). You should, of course, be discussing the life and times of the subject, Frederick Douglass, as a slave but I am also interested in Douglass’s life and actions as an abolitionist. Please look up “thesis statement
Actions
” for a sense of how this should be done. Students should present their essay in standard academic essay formatting using the MLA styleLinks to an external site.. The essay should be at least 4-5 pages in length. Please include in-text reference citations just as you have done in your discussion board responses, e.g., (Douglass, chapter 1, paragraph 4), (Collins, RM 6, pg. 13), (Corbett, 13.4), (Zinn, chapter 12), (BOA 12, 4 mins). etc. Please cite from the following sources:
I will grade your essays within 72 hours following the final due date. Your grade will include a rubric score (see Essay Grading Rubric below) and comments. You can go to the gradebook to see my comments.
Source Material:
Secondary Source Readings
Douglass, Frederick – Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassLinks to an external site.. This is your main source for this assignment. The Narrative of Frederick Douglass is available onlineLinks to an external site.. Please reference the relevant chapters in your term essay.
Collins, African American History – This is our main course text. There are several references to Douglass throughout the text, but you may find Reading Module 6 particularly helpful (especially with reference to his work as an abolitionist).
Corbett, US HistoryLinks to an external site.. You may also draw from this text for information on Frederick Douglass. You should reference Corbett for context. For example, if you refer to Douglass’s activities as an abolitionist, you will cite from Corbett when discussing this part of Douglass’s life.
Zinn, A People’s History of the United States Zinn is an excellent interpretive source. His People’s History is a secondary text for our course. You may find valuable insights in Professor Zinn’s analysis of Douglass’s importance as a key historical figure in American history. Frederick Douglass is referenced in each of the following chapters. You may choose to cite from some or all of these chapters depending on your thesis:
We Take Nothing by Conquest, Thank GodLinks to an external site.
Slavery Without Submission, Emancipation Without FreedomLinks to an external site.
Primary Source Readings
The University of Florida Frederick Douglass PapersLinks to an external site. This site includes many primary source documents, including the writings of Frederick Douglass that you may find useful as source material.
Films
A Biography of America 5: SlaveryLinks to an external site.: This particular episode may be of use in helping you frame-out the larger historical context of slavery. There is also a good section on slave culture and of Frederick Douglass himself.
Crash Course Black American History 17: Frederick DouglassLinks to an external site.: This episode is dedicated to the life and times of Frederick Douglass.
Frederick Douglass in Five Speeches: This documentary, based on primary source speeches of Frederick Douglass, is brought to life by African American actors.
https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/1-introduction
