Women’s History in America
Directions: For your final essay, please answer the question below in 4-5 pages. The paper should be double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font and one-inch margins. This is a formal essay. You must have an introduction with a thesis statement, conclusion, and properly formatted paragraphs. To answer the essay prompt, you should use course readings and lecture notes. You must use textual evidence to support your claims, which means you need to use quotes from the sources in your essay. You must properly cite your evidence. DO NOT USE THE INTERNET.
Pick a chapter from The American Yawp that is about the colonial period through 1880. Using sources and readings from class, in what ways can you rewrite the chapter that makes for a more inclusive narrative? Please make sure to appropriately cite The American Yawp textbook.
Citing:
You only need to use the course readings, and lectures to provide background information. Remember even when paraphrasing, you need to cite. DO NOT USE THE INTERNET.
When citing do so as follows:
“Agriculture arose sometime between nine thousand and five thousand years ago, almost simultaneously in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres” (American Yawp 1).
NOTE THE PUNCTUATION HERE. PLACE THE PERIOD OUTSIDE THE PARENTHESES.
This is a link to the textbook and I will attach the source readings from the class, thanks!
Expert Answer:
To rewrite a chapter from The American Yawp that covers the colonial period through 1880 in a more inclusive narrative, it would be necessary to incorporate the perspectives and experiences of groups that have traditionally been marginalized or left out of mainstream accounts of American history. This might include Native American tribes, African Americans, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals, among others.
One way to do this would be to foreground the agency and resistance of these groups, rather than portraying them solely as victims or objects of oppression. For example, rather than simply discussing the impact of European colonization on Native American communities, the chapter could explore how Native American nations actively resisted colonization and sought to maintain their sovereignty. Similarly, rather than focusing solely on the suffering of enslaved Africans, the chapter could highlight the ways in which they resisted their bondage through acts of rebellion, escape, and everyday forms of resistance.
Another way to create a more inclusive narrative would be to challenge the traditional narrative of American progress and exceptionalism. This might involve acknowledging the ongoing legacies of colonialism, slavery, and other forms of systemic oppression, as well as the ways in which these histories have shaped the present. It could also involve acknowledging the diverse histories and cultures that have contributed to the development of the United States, rather than focusing solely on a narrow, Eurocentric narrative.
In order to properly cite The American Yawp textbook, it would be necessary to include the author’s name and the title of the chapter in the body of the essay, as well as the page number(s) of the relevant passage(s). For example: “According to The American Yawp, ‘Native American nations actively resisted colonization and sought to maintain their sovereignty’ (Smith, “Colonial Period through 1880,” p. 123).
