United States History Causation Paper

Question description

APA format, double spaced and no plagiarism

United States History
Causation Paper
Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to introduce you to the skill of historical causation. Historical causation
involves the ability to identify, analyze, and evaluate the relationships among multiple historical causes
and effects, distinguishing between those that are long-term and proximate, and among coincidence,
causation, and correlation.
Directions:
You will research and write a 1,000-word causation paper that identifies an important event in United
States history and analyzes its long-term causes OR consequences. You will begin with a question (What
were the long-term causes of American entry into World War I? What were the long-term consequences
of the New Deal?) and seek to determine the answer through the appropriate use of primary and
secondary sources.
Guidelines:
Topic – Your topic must be from the pre-Columbian period to the end of the Civil War
Length – 1,000 words (your paper must include a word count on the first page)
Format – 1-inch margins; double-spaced
Font – Times New Roman 12 point
Sources: 5 sources minimum (at least 3 must be primary)
Citations – Chicago/Turabian footnotes or endnotes; separate bibliography required
***I will not accept papers that do not meet these requirements***
Possible Topics:  American Revolution
 First Great Awakening
 Decline of the Puritan church
 Fall of Old Mexico
 Adoption of slavery in the English colonies  Creation of the Constitution
 Rise of political parties  War of 1812
 Market Revolution
 Transportation Revolution
 Civil War  Mexican War of 1846
 Enlightenment in colonies  Any other topic with my approval
A few tips:  This is a formal paper. Writing style and grammar will be evaluated. A few prohibitions include:
personal pronouns, contractions, over-the-top rhetoric, and informal language.  Do not start with an answer and seek to prove it. Start with a question and allow the evidence to
provide the answer.  Always consider the point-of-view, purpose, author, and context of your sources, especially
primary sources.  Pick a topic that interests you. It does not have to be listed above. For example, you might
research the consequences of 19th century textile factories on women’s rights. See me if you
need help finding an appropriate topic.  Do not procrastinate. This is a demanding project that requires many hours of reading and
research before you even begin writing.  Do not plagiarize. If you approach this project appropriately, it should not be a concern.
Additional Help:
I will host a series of paper workshops during CWP. They will focus on finding and evaluating sources,
taking proper research notes, effective writing, and proper citations.