Final Exam Instructions- Manifesto

INSTRUCTIONS

Your Final Exam is to write your personal manifesto.  A personal manifesto is historical writing that reflects on the person that writes it, that person’s history, and that person’s goals and dreams. This should be a total of THREE PAGES and a Works Cited Page. Make sure you use MLA format for your opening heading and Works cited page. The core idea here is that you are part of American society and your own personal history exists in conjunction with our national history. The events of this week are YOUR history as are the solutions. Whatever happens going forward is ALL of our concern. YOU are American history.

For this assignment, consider the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, as well as the links posted, and use them as the historical underpinning of your writing.  Everything we have read and encountered throughout the semester is open to use here. You can bring in any outside resources as long as you document them.  Obviously the chapters that cover the American Revolution is very relevant here.  This is not a traditional academic essay, you can see it more like a report or listing, but it is the same as an academic in that you need to CITE sources.

Break down your writing into THREE SECTIONS.

Section One- This section is for you to contemplate yourself. Minimum one page.

Who are you? What is your history? Your family background and origins. What are the things that make you who you are as a unique person in this world? This section is for you to explore your personal history. What are your historical origins? Your hobbies, your pastimes, your passions. What are the things that you cannot live with? Detail the important things in your life. You might look back on this years later and be amazed who you are right now.

Section Two- This section is for you to form an opinion on American history through documentation. This is the most traditional historical section. Minimum one page, but you can go over.

What do you think is wrong with race relationships in America today? Are we all treated equally in society? If you say yes, then give your reasons why. If your answer is no, then give your reasons as well. This is the historical part. Based on your answer use the historical documents to back up your argument. In other words, how does the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights impact race relations today.  Of course, just because a law exists it doesnt mean you are protected by it.  Pick language from the Declaration and analyze it to make a point if it protects people or not today. Pick at least three of the  10 constitutional amendments that make up the Bill of Rights to also discuss how they protect people today and whether or not they are being respected today.  The point is to show change across time for different people. How much have times changed and how does this impact different segments of society today.    

After discussing national history, get into personal history.  How do you see the society you live in?  In what ways might  America be the best place to be on Earth right now and why or why not. How do you disagree with or agree with some of the documents (manifestos) posted? This is where you historicize and use the documents in your personal writing.

Section Three– This section is for you to contemplate changes for the historical problems and to meditate on where you see yourself in the future. One page minimum.

This is where you offer solutions to the historical issue in Section Two. You don’t have to cite the writings in this section.  This is where you contemplate not only the future of America but your own future as well. Write out which direction you feel the nation should steer towards.  What kind of America do you envision in five years? 

Then comes the personal.  How do you see yourself in your vision of the future nation? What are your own personal goals and how do you plan to employ them as a member of American society. Do you plan on helping others, changing society, making tons of money or something else? In many ways this is you manifesting the future you want for yourself through writing.

A separate WORKS CITED page should be added. MLA format. Should include the documents, the Foner book and any other resources that you have brought in.

Link (Links to an external site.) 4 ways to write a manifesto  https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Manifesto#Preparing-to-Write-Your-Manifesto 

Link (Links to an external site.) How to write a manifesto http://www.alexandrafranzen.com/2015/12/31/manifesto/