The Role of Geography Before the Start of the Civil War

Essay Instructions:

Historical Geography Essay
DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS ASSIGNMENT UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED UNIT 4 Lesson 5
PROMPT
Describe and analyze the role geography played in dividing the nation in the years before the start of the Civil War (from the 1790s to 1861)
This is an analysis that requires you to consider geography as the tool of analysis in understanding the history of the period. You may consider roles geography played beyond the political in your analysis.
Note 1: Successful responses will consider a broad range of evidence in support of arguments and use a minimum of three primary and three secondary sources. Be sure to have a mixture of big/broad ideas and specific/detailed evidence in your argument. Don’t forget the basics of “what happened where and why it happened there” as you think about the key roles geography played.
If you are confused about how geography is used as a tool for historical analysis, go back to Unit 0 and read the information there. If you are still confused about the conceptualization of change over time, contact your coach.
Note 2: We DO NOT want summaries. Summaries will not earn a high grade. "A papers" utilize rule of three analysis (including strong rule of three thesis statements in the introduction and each paragraph of the body), specific and detailed historical facts as evidence, analysis instead of summary, consider change over time and historical geography (as necessary in response to the prompt), and properly cite both primary and secondary sources.
Note 3: Required length is 2-3 pages (introduction, 3 paragraphs of the body, conclusion).
Requirements
• Must be in Rule of Three format with an introduction and strong thesis statement, 3 paragraphs of the body (each with their own thesis statement - one for each of the three key points of your overall thesis), and conclusion. So, a minimum of 5 paragraphs. (2-3 pages)
• This is a fact-based essay; you must provide specific and detailed evidence for your hypotheses.
• You must utilize a minimum of three primary sources from the assigned materials (primary sources posted in the course module OR found under the primary source section of each chapter in American Yawp only; you may not utilize sources linked to in the reference section of American Yawp as evidence in your essay
• You must utilize a minimum of three secondary sources from the assigned materials as evidence in your essay
• You may only use materials assigned in this course for your essay (we have vetted all the materials utilized in this course, other materials may not be appropriate or accurate). If you use outside sources your grade will be docked.
• DO NOT QUOTE secondary sources, paraphrase in your own words and cite; do not make long block quotes of primary sources – this is not analysis.
• You must include analysis based upon historical geography, where something takes place matters and it is the most important part of your argument in this essay.
• You must use Turabian citation style in this essay; all citations must be footnote style citations (no parenthetical cites allowed, no endnotes/works cited at the end, you need footnotes). Be sure to review how to properly cite a primary source that may be contained in another work and be sure to use page numbers where possible.
• You must provide a proper citation for your primary sources. If they are from Yawp it would be name of author of document, title of document, date of document in Ameican Yawp (then citation for Yawp)
• 12 pt. type, 1-inch margins, double-spaced
REMINDER: Turabian/Chicago footnote citations are required for this essay. You will lose points if you use parenthetical cites or other citation styles. You must provide a specific page number or other location (chapter, section, etc.) where possible in your footnotes
You can use the American Yawp book for references.

Essay Sample Content Preview:

The Role of Geography Before the Start of the Civil War
Geography was a key factor in dividing the American nation in the years before the start of the Civil War (from the 1790s to 1861). Economy, culture, and slavery geographically split the nation into: the north and the south. This essay theorizes that: (1) The north and south were divided geographically by economy in that the north was largely industrialized while the south was reliant on an agrarian economy; (2) The north and south were divided geographically by culture in that the north was mostly built-up with a suburban culture while the south was rural and pastoral; and (3) The north and south were divided geographically by the issue of slavery in that the north was largely slave-free while the south relied on the institution to support agriculture. This essay argues that these three geographical differences existed before the civil war and actually promoted the sectionalism that founded the conflict.
The north and south were divided geographically by economy in that the north was largely industrialized while the south was reliant on an agrarian economy. The Northern economy was mostly tied to manufacturing and industry and therefore had most of the nation’s factories, canals, roads, and railroads. In order to protect Northern industries for foreign competition, high taxes were implemented on imported goods: the high tariffs were opposed by Southern states who believed that they would scare off foreign buyers of their agricultural goods. On the other hand, the south relied on cotton as the basis of the economy and therefore relied on the North as well as other foreign nations for manufactured goods. The geographical division between the North and South was further marked by poor infrastructure in the latter: the south lacked the same roads, railroads, and cities situated in the north.[Kimberly Smith, The Dominion of Voice: Riot, Reason and Romance in Antebellum American Political Thought (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1999).] [Eric Foner, Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Republican Party before the Civil War (Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 1995).]
The north and south were also divided geographically by culture in that the north was mostly built-up with a suburban culture while the south was rural and pastoral. Because of the metropolitan nature of the North, its people were more educated and less religious. The north was therefore the power base of various political groups such as the Republicans, the Whigs, and the Northern...

Updated on January 26, 2024

Get the Whole Paper!

Not exactly what you need?

Do you need a custom essay? Order right now:

Order

The Role of Geography Before the Start of the Civil War

You Might Also Like Other Topics Related to civil war: