Assignment: Write a 500-1,000-word response in formal English that answers the following question, How did the “Jim Crow South” come to be?
You must use and explain at least three pieces of directly relevant evidence to prove your argument. At least one piece of evidence must come from a provided primary source. You must cite your evidence – any format is acceptable. Use only your textbook and the provided sources on Moodle.
What qualifies as a piece of evidence?
-Direct quote from a source
-Putting information or argument from a source into your own words
In forming your response, you may wish to consider:
•What defines the “Jim Crow South”?
•Was the “Jim Crow South” inevitable?
•Who fought for a different society in the “Jim Crow South”? Why were they successful or not successful?
•What arguments did people use to justify and maintain the “Jim Crow South”?
•What tools or resources did people use to create and maintain the “Jim Crow South”?
•Is the “Jim Crow South” the same in all Southern states? Why or why not?
DRAFT INSTRUCTIONS
You will submit a draft of your Unit Response first to help you learn the process of writing and be better prepared for the final submission. You will receive substantial feedback on the draft; USE THIS FEEDBACK to help you succeed on the final submission.
You may submit the Draft in any form (outline, bullet points, full sentences and paragraphs, etc.), but at minimum it must include:
-Proposed Thesis (Your answer to the prompt and what reasons you will give to prove it)
-At least three pieces of directly relevant evidence
-Attempt at explaining why each piece of evidence will help you prove your thesis – How you will organize your paper
Grammar, spelling, and citation errors will not count against you on the draft.
See the corresponding rubrics on Moodle for the breakdown of the criteria Dr. Peacock will use to evaluate your performance on both parts of this assignment.
Make sure to read the helpful additional directions on page two.
Writing Directions
1.The final response must be approximately 500-1,000 words. A submission under or significantly over the word count probably suggests not meeting the assignment’s criteria and will result in a penalty. (Citations/Footnotes do not count towards your word count.)
2.The essay must be organized clearly and logically and written in a formal manner using professional English grammar, spellings, and language. This means, for example, no run-on sentences or fragments, no passive voice, no contractions, no slang, no misspellings, and correct subject/verb agreement.
3.In formal writing, do not use the first person, including the first-person plural (“we” or “us”) that assumes commonalities between you and the reader.
4.As you are writing about the past, use past tense.
5.Include a clear and argumentative thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph. Your thesis statement is not an “I” statement, nor one framed as stating your personal feelings on the topic. It is grounded in evidence and should answer the question of the assignment and be specific about how you will answer the question in the body of the essay. Refer to the “Thesis Statement” reading on Moodle for help on writing a thesis statement.
Evidence/Sources & Citations
1.DO NOT use sources from beyond the textbook and those given to you on Moodle. This is extra and unnecessary work for you! Going beyond the textbook and provided sources often results in a greater chance for breaking the NSU Academic Honor Code, too.
2.Contextualize any direct quotes by providing items like their author and/or what document they are coming from. Do not just drop a quote into your writing, even if the quote is a complete sentence by itself.
3.Direct quotes from sources are not always necessary, nor do you need to use a complete sentence from a source when quoting. Think about what words, if any, are necessary to keep in the source author’s words. You should probably put into your own words any quotes over a phrase or sentence long.
4.When you quote or when you use a specific idea or example from one of the provided sources or textbook, include a footnote or parenthetical citation noting what source it is from, ex. (Textbook, pg. 595). Any format of citation is acceptable.
5.Direct quotes are not required, but must have quotation marks if used.
6.Errors in formatting or not including citations will result in a penalty as specified on the assignment’s rubric.
