United States History 121 | Jeff Weir | Major Project | Northern Virginia Community College

The major project for this class painting called, the residence of david twining is intended to get you close to history, engaging you with the past in a way that you find fun and interesting. To that end, you are to choose from one of the four options below. All projects are to follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) format for writing scholarly papers, this includes MLA formats for citing sources (parenthetical, endnotes or footnotes), and bibliography. Go to the Citing References link on NOVA’s library site and choose one of the links referencing MLA. A good reference book is A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, sixth edition, by Kate L. Turabian (The University of Chicago Press, 1996). It might be a good idea to puchase one because you will use it throughout your college career. Another resource for you to use is NOVA's Writing Center. Personnel at the Writing Center will review your paper, checking spelling, grammar and making suggestions on how to improve it. You will need to make an appointment at the center in order to have them look at your work. Projects will be graded as follows: Clarity and presentation of your topic (50%). This means how you structured your paper, presented your information and how well you used your sources. Grammer, sentence structure and punctuation (25%). Use of sources -- did you use the minimum number of sources? (25%).

The first option is to visit two historic sites or museums. Taking advantage of the many historic sites and museums the Washington, DC area has to offer, you can elect to visit any two of the following places or offer a suggestions of your own: painting called the slave market Manassas Battlefield, Fort McHenry, Mount Vernon, Gunston Hall, the National Portrait Gallery, the U.S. Capitol, Old Town Alexandria, Georgetown, and others. Or, if more adventurous, you could go to Gettysburg, Independence Hall, or Monticello. If you choose this option, you must actually go to the sites for the class and prove to me you went (ticket stub, gift shop receipt, photo of you at the location), and then write a 8-10 page paper using information you obtained at these sites as well as using 5 secondary sources (books, articles in magazines or journals), two primary sources (a letter written by George Washington, for example) and two web-based resources (for example, Mount Vernon's web-site). You are to describe the history of the sites, the architectural styles (if buildings), what interested you about the sites, how the two compare (if at all), and what you learned from your visit.

A second option is a 8-10 page book review on two scholarly books related to class. Click here for a listing of books you may choose from. You may also suggest other books as well. Preferably these books will be on a similar subject (for example, witchcraft). You should identify the arguments of the books and discuss whether or not you think the historians Painting called the Jolley Flatboatmen defended their arguments. Also you should consider whether or not the historians had similar arguments, whether they agreed, or disagreed. Do you agree with their arguments?

A third option is a 8-10 page essay on a subject of your choosing that is related to class. You must use at least 3 secondary sources, one primary source and one web based resource. The topic must be broad enough in scope as to cover 8-10 pages, yet narrow enough that you cover the subject thoroughly. For example, a paper with the topic, The Women and the American Revolution, might be too broad; however, a paper such as The American Revolution and its Affects on the Women of Philadelphia, would be much more narrower and manageable.

A fourth option is for you to design a historical web-site. Essentially, painting called The Higher Law you would need to do research on a topic, as in the one of the first three options, and then design a web site to present your work. This option allows you to be much more creative, for example, adding pictures and sound to your project. You would need to actually post the site on the web. If you think this is a viable option, please make time to discuss it with me in depth. It will take a little more work than the other three alternatives.

You are free to choose the topic so long as it relates to the class and I approve it first. Approximately half-way through the semester, I will ask you to give me a one paragraph statement defining what option you plan to choose and what your topic will be. This will give me the opportunity to give you advice. Regardless of your format, the essay is intended to be as fun and thought provoking for you as possible as well as convey your knowledge, impressions and interpretations of your subject matter.

Painting in the header is, The County Election,1851, by George Caleb Bingham, as found at the St. Louis Art Museum. Paintings in the text are, from top to bottom: The Residence of David Twining, c. 1845-1846, by Edward Hicks, as found at the Carnegie Museum of Art. The Slave Market, 1850-1860, artist unknown, as found at the Carnegie Museum of Art. The Jolly Flatboatmen in Port, by Geroge Caleb Bingham, 1857, as found at the St. Louis Art Museum. The Higher Law (Southern Attack on Liberty), 1861, by David Gilmour Blythe, as found at the Carnegie Museum of Art..

Major Project for United States History 121