Prompt: Over the course of this semester we have seen, time and again, instances where the American public questioned the role of Government in society, economics, and domestic and international affairs. Think back over the course of the semester and discuss: How has the American public’s perception of the role of government changed during the 20th century? Be sure to discuss the perceived role of government in global affairs, social issues, economic issues and moral reform.
HINT: You do not have to give all of these areas equal treatment, you can focus on one or two and briefly touch on the others to help build your argument. Consider things like presidential economic plans to address depressions and recessions, America’s role in global conflicts, in stopping the spread of Communism, the social angst of the 1960s and 1970s, the Civil Rights movement, growing distrust of politicians, and so on. Think about the big themes we have discussed and see what patterns emerge.
REQUIREMENTS
Must be in Rule of Three format with a introduction and strong thesis statement, minimum of 3 paragraphs of the body (each with their own thesis statement – one for each of the three key points of your overall thesis), and conclusion. So a minimum of 5 paragraphs.
This is a fact based essay, you must provide specific and detailed evidence for your hypotheses.
You must utilize a minimum of three primary sources from the assigned materials as evidence in your essay
Note: Many the speeches, commercials and songs assigned are all primary sources.
You must utilize a minimum of two secondary sources from the assigned materials as evidence in your essay
This includes all of the documentary videos you have watched.
DO NOT quote secondary sources
You may briefly quote a primary source (a phrase or a sentence) before immediately analyzing the relevance of the quote – a quote cannot stand alone as explanation or evidence
You must consider change over time in this essay
You must consider geography in this essay (where something takes place matters)
You must use Turabian citation style in this essay; all citations must be footnote style citations (no parenthetical cites allowed, no endnotes/works cited at the end, you need footnotes). Be sure to review how to properly cite a primary source that may be contained in another work and be sure to use page numbers where possible.
12 pt type, 1 inch margins, double-spaced