Extra Credit Assignments

Extra Credit Primary Source Assignment

Pick one of the online primary sources assigned from the past two modules (Growing Pains: The New Republic, 1790-1820 and Industrial Transformation in the North: 1800-1850). Remember, primary sources are sources from the time we are studying — not stuff written about it later.

Answer the question about it, following the procedure provided, and using quoted evidence from the source. You may supplement your answer with evidence from other primary sources, or with information from our textbook.

Write a long paragraph/short page about your source (250 words):

Question: What does your chosen source demonstrate about the time period when it was produced?

In order to answer this question, you will probably want to do the following:

  • Explain and analyze what you can determine about the author, the author’s point of view.
  • Explain and analyze what you can determine about document’s likely audience, and their point of view.
  • Summarize and explain the author’s message.  What do they want to convince their audience to do or think?  How do they go about this?
  • Explain and analyze what you can determine about the context in which the document was produced.

If you wish to do this assignment more than once, you may.  (Email me for details.)

Points from this assignment will be added to your final grade.

Extra Credit Movie Assignment

Pick one of the following films relevant to the past few weeks’ material:

  • One or more episodes of the John Adams TV series from HBO (2008)
  • Amistad (1997)
  • Twelve Years a Slave (2013)

You’ll need to obtain them yourself (Netflix or a library, or something).

Watch the film. In a long paragraph/short page (250 words) consider how the film-maker depicted the past and what decisions he or she made.

In order to answer this question, you will probably want to do the following:

  • Explain and analyze what you can determine about the film’s creator and the film-maker’s point of view.
  • Explain and analyze what you can determine about film’s likely audience, and their point of view.
  • Summarize and explain the film-maker’s message.  What do they want to convince their audience to do or think?  How do they go about this?
  • Explain and analyze what you can determine about the context in which the objects were produced.

You may do this assignment more than once.  Email me for further details.

Points from this assignment will be added to your final grade.