Weekly Writing Assignments
Geog 366 - Historical Geography of North America
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#1 - Assigned
Tuesday, January 4: Read
the article "1491" - Article in
Atlantic Monthly, March 2002. (or, go to directly @
PSU
Library Online Journals - when you get top the monthly issue you
want, click on Academic Search Premier). Write a reflective essay
of about 500 words in which you clearly summarize the content - the
key points - and express your response to the material therein. For
example, you might comment on the academic debate over the statistics
related to the population of pre-contact America; you might reflect
on how this correlates with your prior knowledge (or lack of knowledge)
on this topic; you might also focus on the "pristine myth."
Regardless of your approach, be sure to consider:
Why should we care? |
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#2 - Assigned
Tuesday, January 11: Alfred Crosby,
in his classic book, The Columbian Exchange, suggests that the
.."trend toward biological homogeneity is one of the most important
aspects of the history of life on this planet since the retreat of the
continental glaciers." Explain what is meant by the
Columbian Exchange, search the web (or anywhere else) for examples,
and reflect on whether it has been a good thing in the long run. Note:
Be sure to reference the information you use in your essay. |
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#3 - Assigned
Tuesday, January 18: The
Spanish Borderlands represent a significant period in the historical
geography of North America; but the legacy of that era is of profound
significance today - especially in La Frontera, the border region between
the United States and Mexico. I would like you to peruse a wonderful
web page - Border
Crossings - prepared at the University of Iowa. Use any information
you choose from this portal to write an essay in which you reflect on
important contemporary aspects of La Frontera - cultural, political,
economic, whatever. Please use proper citations to reference your work.
Thanks! |
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#4 - Assigned
Tuesday, January 25: Between 1492 and
1870, approximately eleven million black slaves were carried from Africa
to the Americas to work on plantations, in mines, or as servants in
houses. It was a profound example of cultural diffusion
that forever changed the cultural landscape of North America. Please
look at the Map
of the North Atlantic Slave Trade, and consider the connections
that led to the slave trade in the British colonies in North America.
Using the Page
of Links (and/or any other resources you choose), write an essay
in which you summarize the geography of the slave trade in the Colonies,
the economic and cultural reasons for the trade, and the impact on colonial
society. Whew! . |
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#5 - Assigned
Tuesday, February 1: Trans-Appalachian
West: Read
and consider the material about the growth and development of the Trans-Appalachian
West (specifically, pages 154-164 in Ch. 7 and all of Ch. 8) and its integration
into the new nation. Prepare a detailed lecture outline (for
the lecture you won't have to give). As a unifying theme, tie everything
to connections with the physical geography of the eastern half
of the country, from the Atlantic to the Mississippi. We want to
avoid being accused of environmental determinism; nevertheless, this section
is infused with the influence of the physical environment on, for example:
migration patterns, roads, rivers, economy, agriculture, cultural patterns,
settlement patterns, and on and on.
NOTE: If you are really quite pleased with your outline, I would encourage you to submit it to me as a document file, so that it can be shared through the course webpage. Due In Class, Tuesday, February 8 |
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#6 - Assigned
Tuesday, February 8: The
great american journey is, indeed, the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery.
Of particular interest to us is the state of geographic knowledge
of the West (the new Louisiana Purchase) in 1803. Write a two-page
essay in which your summarize the state of knowledge on which Jefferson
based this expedition. In what ways was he correct; where was he
wrong? Please document your essay completely and properly.
You may use whatever sources you choose, but you might find the
attached useful: Geog
366 - Lewis and Clark.
Due In Class, Tuesday, February 15 |
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#7 - Assigned
Tuesday, February 15: As
you know, the New Nation, the United States, had to deal with the issue
of Native Americans and the land they occupied. As the nation expanded
over the next century, this was an issue that was always up front, always
controversial, and one that was almost always resolved to the detriment
of the Native Americans - whether it was removal, separation or assimilation.
Assignment: Below is a small selection of web sites that address
this topic; there are many more that can be found with a quick search.
Your assignment is to inform yourself about this era in our history. My
intention is not to raise your anger about the past, rather to raise your
awareness of our collective past. You may use any, some, or all of these
web sites and/or others of your choosing to do the following:
Native American Voices - a grrrreat site! Indian Removal Act of 1830 Indian Removal - Judgment Day Indian Land Cessions, 1784-1894 Removal - from Houghton Mifflin Fort Scott National Historic Site Thomas Hart Benton on Indian Removal History of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Final Note: Please restrict yourselves to the first century of the New Nation, through about the 1880s. And, don't everybody write about Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Due In Class, Tuesday, February 22 |
#8 - Assigned
Tuesday, February 22: The
first half of the the 19th century was a period during which the Lewis
and Clark Expedition was followed by rapid expansion of the United States
across the continent - with all the good, bad, and ugly that goes along
with that. Back in high school you learned about the concept of
Manifest Destiny. In this assignment you are asked to review that
concept (given the web sites below) and reflect on it. Spend some time
reviewing the PBS website, in particular Episode Two, which covers this
period of time, 1806-1848. This will give you a basic understanding
of the legendary "westward movement," the important events and
the sequence of territorial acquisitions that pieced together a continental
nation. Then, read and cogitate over the other two Manifest Destiny websites,
referring back to the PBS site for content.
Write a two-page, 500-word, reflective essay in which you restate the concept of Manifest Destiny in your own words. Site examples that illustrate the concept. Then, reflect on your feelings about this era in American History - moral and ethical issues, questions of ethnic diversity, the role of Native Americans, etc. etc. Be sure to keep in mind the advantage (or is it a disadvantage?) in passing judgement about episodes in our past. I remind you that this should not be pure emotion; your essay must be content-rich with material properly cited. PBS Website - The West Manifest Destiny Webpage - by KERA, PBS Online Manifest Destiny Statement - by John L.O'Sullivan Due In Class, Tuesday, March 8 |