I’m working on a history test / quiz prep and need an explanation to help me study.

Overview

You will write an original essay over one of the questions listed at the end of these instructions. This essay will basically be an expanded and highly polished version of those found in the Reading Responses. You must use Revolutionary Mothers as the main textual evidence of your argumentative essay. I expect the essay to be free of grammatical errors. Punctuation will be considered as well. You must use the correct format given below. Papers that go below the minimum required length will lose substantial points or result in a failing grade. Late papers will not be accepted. The assignment is due no later than Sunday March 14th, at 11:30 PM.

Specifics

The paper must be typed using 12pt. font using Times New Roman with 1” margins. The margins (the spacing that borders the text of your paper) must look exactly like the margins of these instructions. The paper should also be double spaced and reach the minimum required length of two full pages. The paper should not exceed three pages in length. The title of the paper should be the reading question you are responding to. Be sure to indent at the beginning of each paragraph. Do not put extra spaces between the heading, title, or paragraphs. Save the essay using docx. Tip: Be sure that the conclusion of your paper spills onto the third page of your essay to ensure you have reached the minimum required length.

Heading

The heading should be single spaced and placed in the “Header” section of your paper. Put your name at the top left corner of the page. Put the name of the class under your name. Put the date under your class name. It should look like what you see at the top of the page. Do not simply type your heading at the top of the page. You must place it in the header section of the paper. Google how to do so or email me if you are unsure.

Title

The title of the essay is the question that you answer.

Introduction

The introduction should be a small paragraph (around 3-5 sentences). The first sentence should reiterate the reading response question do not simply rewrite the question at the beginning of the introduction. The following sentences should convey your stance on the argument, followed by a brief sentence or two that cover the main points of your body. The introduction is arguably the most important part of the essay. You must set the introduction up correctly in order for the rest of the essay to make sense. Feel free to email me your introduction so that I can provide feedback well before the essay is due.

Body

The body of your paper should consist of 2-3 specific examples from the text that directly bolster your argument. Expand on each idea carefully. I do not want a summary of what Berkin has written. Instead, state the example, and analyze the importance of this example and how it relates directly to your argument. Remember that you are writing an argumentative essay, and as such you should pick examples and statements from the text that make your point clear. Be sure to use quotes but stay away from any that are longer than two sentences. 1-2 quotes per each specific example is the most you should have. Make sure each sentence naturally flows from the previous one to make a coherent paper.

Quotes

Be sure to use a proper quoting format. An example would be:

Berkin states, “Quote text” (Berkin 3). You must follow this style.

Conclusion

The conclusion should be no longer than the introduction (around 3-5 sentences). The conclusion should reiterate the reading response question, as well as the points you made in the body. The conclusion should be a brief summary of what you wrote about in your paper.

Works Cited

Be sure to include a Works Cited page with the book’s information. I prefer Turabian or the Chicago Manual of Style, but you can use any official citation guide you choose.

Submission

Save your paper in .docx format. Save as: Last Name, First Name Argumentative Essay 1. Submit your argumentative essay to the proper Dropbox in D2L.

Essay Questions:

1. Were women taking autonomous political action through the boycott of British goods OR were women simply acting as good wives to their politically-charged husbands?

2. Were women like Martha Washington and Cady Greene (as well as their loyalist counterparts) fulfilling their societal roles as married women in the eighteenth-century OR did the American Revolution compel them to action beyond traditional bounds?

3. Were Indian and African American women bound by similar constraints to that of officer wives and loyalists women?

4. After reading this text, what was the legacy of the Revolution for American women? Did the roles of women forever change due to the war?

Grading Rubric

5=25

4=20

3=15

2=10

1=0