U.S. History

Select ONE of the primary source readings from those included below and write an essay on the selection. In writing this essay, integrate information from the textbook with the primary source reading. Write an introduction paragraph and present a thesis to the reader. Choose relevant and specific examples to support your arguments in an appropriate number of body paragraphs. Write a unified essay while answering each of the bulleted questions and organize the information by placing it in logical sequence. Come to a conclusion in a separate paragraph.Primary Source Selections and Topics (the readings are available directly below these instructions): 1. READ Sources: Middle Colonies Constitutions Using the text and primary source readings, write an essay on the foundation and development of the middle colonies, include discussions of ethnic and religious diversity, economic development, and constitutional development and answering the following questions: What led to the foundation of the English colonies of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania? What was the unique religious and ethnic character of these colonies? What major political, personal, and religious liberties are granted by the Frame of Government of Pennsylvania and the Charter of Government of New York? How are these documents similar or different from the U.S. Constitution? 2. OR READ: Source: Excerpts from Thomas Paine’s Common Sense Using the text and primary source reading, write an essay discussing the importance of the publication of Common Sense to the American Revolution. Analyze Paine’s argument and why he makes his various points by answering the following questions: This document is aimed at ordinary people. Why is that important? What is Paine arguing for? Why does he believe that this argument must be made? Paine utilizes several family references in his argument and comments on the “first emigrants.” What is the signficance of such assertions? Toward the end of the excerpt, Paine reviews two principles; why are they important to his overall theme? 3. OR READ: The Constitution of the United States, located in Appendix B of the textbook. Using the text and primary source readings, write an essay discussing the original structure of the federal government and the first ten amendments to the constitution, and answering the following questions. What was the basic structure of the United States government as set forth in the constitution? This copy of the Constitution italicizes the portions changed by amendments and explains each revision: italicized version. Choose one italicized portion and analyze why it was modified as well as evaluating the importance of being able to amend the document. In your opinion, what were the most important rights given by the first ten amendments to the constitution? What concerns and problems over the constitution were the amendments supposed to address? As described by the constitution, what was the relationship of the federal government to the states? How did this relationship as described by the constitution lead to the Civil War?