Research Project:  Antebellum Era                   assigned:  30 October 2007

                                                                                    Due:   9 November 2007

Topic List:

1. The peculiar institution:  Slavery and King Cotton(E,B,J)

2. The rise of the factory system:  Lowell and Cincinnati(E,A,E)

3. Applied technology: canal building, road building, steamships, railroads, telegraph, etc.(L,M,C)(M,P,G)

4. The Second Great Awakening, abolition, and women’s rights(K,C,E)(A,M,C,K)

5. Territorial Expansion, Westward Migration and Manifest Destiny(C,J,J)

6.  The Bank of the United States, Panics, and the economy(A,B,C,S)

7. Immigration(J,C,E)(A,B,J)

8. Native Americans(R,D,D)(D,A,C)

9. Politics:  Popular Elections, political debate and the rise of the two party system (N,A,A)

10.  Socioeconomics:  country v city, north v south, rich v poor, free v slave, yeoman v industrialist, etc.  How did people live back then?(L,G,S)

Pre- research activity:

As a base line, use the information on your topic contained in chapters 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 in your book.  Read them (the chapters) ASAP.   If, during your research (or reading of the text), you need to refresh you memory on previous events, by all means do so.

Task:

-You will need to become an expert on the topic you are dealing with. 

-Your work must include depth and breadth. 

-You will need to prepare an outline that deals with the time from the end of the -War of 1812 up to the outbreak of hostilities beginning the Civil War. 

-Your outline must be annotated and include visual references  (No larger than two poster sheets).

-you must prepare and distribute chronological notes to guide us through your story

-You must tell us the “story” of the topic you are dealing with- remember that stories have beginnings, middles and endings (intro, body, conclusions).

-You must reference primary source documents

-You must prepare a 5-10 minute documentary or news broadcast focusing upon key events associated with your topic.  A typewritten script is required on day of presentation

-Assessment:  was this a unifying or divisive factor in the antebellum era?

Presentation:

Begin with a very brief presentation of the contents of your annotated timeline; our chronological notes will allow us to follow along

Next, show us your video

Then, present the general truth (your assessment)

Finally, administer a check for learning.  This may be a crossword puzzle, a word search, or something of that nature.  Be creative.

Grading:

Since this is a group assignment, you are required to create a job list clearly indicating who is responsible for what.  The group will receive a grade; if there are shortcomings due to a particular group member not doing his or her part, the group will not be punished.  Expect everyone to do their part.  The group grade is half of your grade.  Make sure there is an equitable division of labor!

After the projects are presented, we will review and take an exam.  This will be the other half of your grade.