Advanced Placement United States History

American Identity (essay topic)

Thesis Question: What are the most important influences on American identity from the colonial period?

Sources: Class notes from student presentations (extra research only if needed), primary sources that were assigned.

• Magna Carts


• English Bill of Rights


• John Smith


• Indentured Agreement


• Iroquois Chief Speaks


• Puritan Death


• Mayflower Compact


• Penn’s Holy Experiment


• Ben Franklin


• Aboard a Slave Ship

Specifications:

• At least three influences


• Explain why these influences are the most important


• Explain how they contribute to American identity (which aspect of American identity)


• Integrate primary sources as evidence


• Use historical fact as evidence


• Works cited

What do we mean by “American Identity”?

• Identity: how the people of a country view themselves


• how people of other countries view them


• culture – how they live, their beliefs, art, music, literature, religion


• social structure


• Legacy


• government system – reasons for the government system

City on the Hill (Puritans) ( divine mandates, American exceptionalism, manifest destiny

posted by Jeffrey @ Wednesday, November 09, 2005