The Decades Paper

1. The Decades Paper AP US History Ms. Kovacic

2. Introduction Paragraph • Introduction • Introduce the decade chosen • Provide a thesis: how can you describe this decade with regards to economics, politics, society and culture. The 1860s was a period of turbulent change as the United States grappled with the issue of slavery, entered a Civil War and suffered the economic repercussions of doing so.

3. Body Paragraphs • Three or Four body paragraphs focused on: • Politics • Economics • Society & Culture • Body Paragraphs should: • Summarize a main theme for each area in your topic sentence. • The 1900s was a period of huge cultural and social change as new technology, like the airplane and automobile, were introduced. • Explain the artifacts, music, clothing, illustrations, etc. you are using in your presentation to capture this decade and the theme. • Provide an explanation for why you chose to include what you did.

4. Conclusion Paragraph • Conclusion should: • Summarize the decade • Reflect on the lasting impact of the decade. • Shed light on how your understanding of the decade increased doing this project The 1860s was a turning point in United States’ history. Within the course of ten years, the United States fought a war pitting brother against brother, ended slavery and entered a new period of defining what equality really means.Describe how your own understanding of the decade changed doing this project.

5. Bibliography • Include a proper MLA, works cited page. • Use parenthetical citations within the text of the body paragraphs. • Henry Ford’s introduction of the automobile created a new sense of independence for the average American, now able to hop in a car and drive anywhere from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean (Smith 450). OR • According to Smith, Henry Ford’s introduction of the automobile created a new sense of independence for the average American, now able to hop in a car and drive anywhere from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean (450).