INSTRUCTIONS: In this assignment, you will write an original essay that interprets two related primary sources from Module 5 or 6. You may choose from primary source pairs 1 through 4. Before beginning your essay, please review the three checklists below, as well as the “Essay Ideas/Questions to Consider” section at the end of the document. 

1. King (1963) and SNCC (1966) (link)
2. Kennan (1946) and Novikov (1946) (link)
3. Huerta (1969) and Chavez (1997) (link)
4. Friedan (1963) and King/Hayden (1965) (link)

Content Checklist: Your essay meets the following content criteria…

• My essay has a thesis statement that is located in my first paragraph.
• My analysis of each source addresses the following…
• Who wrote it
• What it is (in other words, what kind of source is it)
• When it was written (and what was going on at that time. In other words, the historical context)
• Where it was written 
• Why it was written (what did the author aim to achieve by writing it)
• My analysis of the sources supports my thesis statement

Formatting Checklist: Your essay meets the following criteria…

• 12-point font
• Times New Roman
• Double-spaced
• One-inch margins
• 2-pages long
• .doc, .docx, or .pdf file extensions only 

Anti-Plagiarism Checklist: You accept the following…

• I will receive a failing grade if I plagiarize.
• I wrote in my own words unless I was quoting from assigned sources.
• I used quotations to support my interpretation, but avoided excessively long quotes of more than a sentence. 
• I only incorporated sources that were assigned as part of this course.

ESSAY IDEAS/ QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

For tips on writing thesis statements, consider visiting the following websites: 1) Mary Washington University’s history department website explains the difference between a topic and a thesis, and 2) University of Iowa’s history department website explains what makes a good thesis statement while providing examples.

1. King (1963) and SNCC (1966) 

• How did SNCC’s goals and methods differ from King’s? Consider the bigger picture. What happened between the writing of King’s letter and the publication of SNCC’s new platform?

2. Kennan (1946) and Novikov (1946) 

• What can the two sources tell us about the causes of the Cold War (i.e. why it began)? 
• What did Kennan think the Soviet Union wanted? What were its leaders’ goals, in his view? 
• What did Novikov think the U.S. wanted? What were its leaders’ goals, in his view? 

3. Huerta (1969) and Chavez (1997) 

• What were the United Farm Workers’ goals, and how did they aim to achieve them? 
• What challenges did they face? What hindered their struggle? 

4. Friedan (1963) and King/Hayden (1965)

• What were the key differences between Friedan’s vision for women in American society and Hayden and King’s? 
• Were they speaking about all women, or did speak to the concerns of a particular class or group of women?