Your paper must investigate an issue or question you have that pertains to the theme of the class (race, class, gender) in some way. Please check with me first before you settle on a topic and begin work.
Your paper must be at least 9 paragraphs in PBWorks.
Your paper must contain at least two quotes (in-text or drop) from articles we read in class.
Your paper must contain at least three quotes (in-text or drop) from articles you found through your own research.
Your paper must be grammatically correct.
Your paper must have an introduction, conclusion, and supporting paragraphs.
Your paper must have a “Works Cited” page (we will go over this in class).
This is the rubric for the essay. My research question is How has
gentrification affected low-income and minority communities in urban areas of
the United States?
Here are two quotes from articles that we’ve read in class
In the
article “The Problem: Discrimination” it says, “There is a classic cycle of
structural discrimination that reproduces itself… Discrimination in housing
confines minorities to school districts providing inferior education, closing
the cycle in a classic form” (276).
In the
article “How it Happens: Legal Constructions of Power and Privilege” it says, “Lawmakers have relied upon complex rhetorical and ideological maneuvers to
rationalize genocide, slavery, mass incarceration, and discrimination, while
also claiming “equality,” “justice,” and “freedom” as fundamental tenets”
(503).
You can use these quotes in the essay but also make sure to use three other quotes from outside sources. After you use the sources make sure to cite them in MLA format. Here is an example of my writing style. Please try your best to replicate it.
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all (except people of color, women,
and lower class individuals).” In the United States of America, it has been
historically proven that being a person of color puts you at a heavy
disadvantage, especially in court settings. We can see this happen time and time
again, especially when analyzing the cases of Dred Scott v. Sanford, Plessy v.
Ferguson, and Brown v. Board of Education. Although all of these were
different cases that occurred in different time periods, they all
addressed the same issue of African Americans being not seen as equals who are
protected under the Constitution.
Dred Scott v. Sanford was a heavily problematic case that
took place in the year of 1857. It questioned whether blacks, specifically
descendants of slaves, could be considered American citizens whose rights
would be protected under the constitution. At the time, many people believed
that colored people were inferior beings who were unfit to associate with whites. In the document it says, “But it is too clear for dispute, that the
enslaved African race was not intended to be included, and formed no part of
the people who framed and adopted this declaration;” (535). The people saw the
Declaration of independence as this perfect document which was written by the
great founding fathers. It had no flaws and since African Americans had no part
in the creation of it, the people believed that the document didn’t apply to
them. In the end, the Supreme Court ruled the case in favor of Sandford. They
claimed that since Scott wasn’t a citizen under the Constitution and therefore,
he did not have the right to sue in federal court.
