The Prompt
Historians turn to primary sources to tell us about life in a certain place and time. For this paper analysis, you will identify a TEXTUAL primary source from Chapter 18 (Life in Industrial America) of the assigned primary source reader (YAWP Reader).
Link: http://www.americanyawp.com/reader/18-industrial-america/ida-b-wells-barnett-lynch-law-in-america-1900/
The source that will analyzed is lynch law in America by Ida B wells.
Using your chosen source and notes from the primary source analysis worksheet, write an essay (2 [full]-3 pages) on the authors relationship to Life in Industrial America (the Gilded Age and Progressive Era) with the following sections:
1. An introduction that: A) describes what life in Industrial America entailed, noting three central or important components of Industrialization in the U.S. (Gilded Age and Progressive Era) and B) introduces the primary source, its author, and a little bit about them.
2. A section in which, based on your evaluation of the primary source, you indicate the authors understanding of living during the age of industrialization in the United States, supporting your assertions with specific paraphrases/quotes of the text.
Questions to Consider for This Section: how does your author view industrialization and its place in American society? Is it a good thing? A bad thing? A complex thing?
3. A section addressing the authors view of Industrialization within the larger historical context (of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era). Provide three clear and distinct comparisons (commonalities and/or disconnects) between the authors particular observation of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era and the reality of the Era in U.S. History that we have examined in class. Provide support from the primary source and course content to clarify why you arrived at each conclusion. Note: you will want to clearly point out your three examples of commonalities or disconnects by utilizing such words as first, also, last, etc. Although your three examples may be clear to you, they might not be clear to me.
Questions to Consider for This Section: what material from the Gilded Age/Industrialization lecture/textbook content does your author reassert/support? What content/problems/people from the Era are off your authors radar?
4. A section discussing what larger course theme[s] are prevalent in your primary source. These themes include but are not limited to: Power [who has it?]; Land and Property; Freedom and Liberty; the Power of Place/Region; Individual v. Community v. Nation; Race; Gender; Class; American Character; Rhetoric v. Reality. Strong papers will focus on one or two course themes rather than many. Support your assertion with specific paraphrases/quotes from the text.
5. A conclusion restating the author and source, the three components of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era/Industrialization in America from section 1 and introducing questions the primary source raised for you [Identifying questions for further investigation].
