History 382 Mid-Term 

Due Feb 9  in a Google Doc through Moodle.

Write 1000-1250 word essay on the following topic.  Your essay will be graded on the knowledge it shows of course material and the quality of your argument.  You should not use any other materials than what we have used in this course. 

1.

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had very different visions for capitalism in the United States.  Describe their visions, briefly.  In what ways does the history of capitalism in the United States (including the role of government in supporting capitalism) between 1787 (the writing of the Constitution) and the Civil War reflect one of their visions (or their practices in their lives), a synthesis of their visions/practices,  or something else?  (Using class material up through Feb 8).  Can one say that Jefferson’s vision prevailed in the South, while Hamilton’s prevailed in the North?  (Pro tip 1:  When a professor makes a suggestion like this, agreeing with it completely is not likely to be the best response.  Pro tip 2 Your paper should say something about slavery.)

Some guidelines for this paper:

This assignment has two parts.  1. Briefly describing Jefferson’s and Hamilton’s visions and 2. Examining the ways in which the pre-Civil War United States developed in relation to these visions.  The second part of the assignment is in some ways the more important part.  You should devote between 1/2 and 2/3 of your essay to the second part.

One way to start on this assignment is to go through the course material and survey the material relevant to answering the question.  Although you don’t have to refer to each bit of relevant course material, if you don’t cite course material or fail to cite important course material, your grade will suffer.  You should have several specific examples in each part.  (There is still the question of the significance/relevance of the points.)  

This is a short essay.  You need to be focused.  There is not space to talk about things extraneous to your main thesis.  Do not include references to capitalism today!  

You should have a thesis, which you support throughout the paper.  Underline your thesis.  Quotations from course material are important to demonstrating your argument.  If you quote cite the source of your quotation in parentheses, using a simple author, title format.  (Franklin, Autobiography, page) or (Lecture, Date)

If you have any questions, please contact  me.