FINAL ESSAY PROMPT

History 2501

ESSAY 2- The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

1st Draft Due- Peer Review, Friday, April 29th

Final Due Date- MAY 6, 8 am

In an 8-10 page essay, you will engage with, and/or challenge, an existing interpretation of the economic, political, or moral issues that have surrounded the history of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. 

By examining the historical arguments that are presented in both Robert O. Collins Problems in Precolonial Africa and the David Northrup's Atlantic Slave Trade collection your argument should engage with differing ideas about the rise and fall of the Atlantic Slave Trade and how this mode of production affected both African and European peoples socially, culturally and economically (you do not necessarily need to include all three).  

You should analyze how your argument relates to an existing thread of scholarship and use no less than four sources, including at least ONE primary source, as well as the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database as your evidence. Please provide foot notes as well as a bibliography. 

All essays must be turned in on 8 ½ x 11” paper and use 12 point font. All titles need to be centered. All drafts must be double-spaced and have 1” margins. Pages should be numbered and stapled together. First/second drafts and AST 1 must be included and may contain corrections and comments in pencil or ink, but final drafts should be as free from error as possible.  Any papers that do not conform to these standards will not be accepted.

Questions

Do you need me to respond to a very specific question you have? Explain to me in a few words your question and I will try and get you an answer in a timely fashion. Good luck!

Wednesday, April 13/15th- What are you doing?

We should be focusing on this two page assignment as a proposal of sorts. Follow this guideline for your papers. From this investigation and short description of your project, you can make an outline for your larger paper.  Use this space to let me know how you are going to address the issues below. You just need to tell me in a sentence or two.  I will respond when I can. Use both today and Friday to come up with something good. Cheers!

Assignment #1: Proposal- use this as the model for your 500 word analysis of the AST data


I have noticed that you guys are attempting to move into good theoretical territory. This is a good way to structure your paper:

1. Figure out what argument you like from the specific historian you are focusing on. Then parse down their argument to one paragraph.

2. You are now engaging with their theoretical model, or methodology. This means that you are going to try to use their model to prove or disprove your own argument, based on very specific data from your AST project. Write a paragraph on what you are going to do and how.

3. Now is the time to provide an analysis. This is the point where you have left their argument and the way they constructed their theoretical model and now you are on your own. You have made your own argument, you are using your own evidence, and you are developing your own analysis. This is the bulk of your essay.

4. Conclude, but don't act like you have figured out some gospel truth. Make room for further analysis, or future research, stuff like that., so that you can use it as the base for your larger paper

Monday, April 11th- What are you doing?

Please let me know what you have been doing for your AST project.

What are you doing?

Please post a few lines about what arguments from the readings you are engaging with and the information that you are attempting to uncover from the Atlantic Slave Trade Database. Use this space to draft out your ideas.  Here is the url for the books that I have on reserve at the library. http://tinyurl.com/hbxe4rk

I will offer you some feedback as well as three points on your last test grade if you have your post up before 10 pm Thursday night.

Atlantic Slave Trade Assignment

History 2501

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Project 

Assignment #1 Due: Friday, April 8

Assignment #2 Due: Friday, May 6

Overview

In this two-part project,   The first assignment will be an elementary exploration of voyages.  The second assignment will require you to present your findings to the class.  

Assignment #1- April 8

1. Identify ONE of the historical arguments from the weekly readings that you thought was particularly strong or weak.

 2. Explore the search tools in the Voyages database - like the flag, place of embarkation and/or debarkation, sex ratios, and other variables - to pin-point specific evidence that will either bolster or undermine the argument you picked, or create your own argument based on the readings and the sources.

Write a 500 word analysis AND bring a hard copy with you to Friday discussion

Assignment #2 May 6

Based on  your essay, prepare a five-minute  presentation that highlights the argument you are engaging with, identifies exactly where you found your evidence, and visually explains how you came to your conclusions.  You can use images, maps, Art, music, or digital media to help you set the stage. This is your project, so you can do what you want; however, you need to have specific information either written or displayed that represents your scholarly interpretation of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.  Please include a bibliography with all of the sources that you have used at the end of the presentation.  

Grade Breakdown = 20%

2% - Assignment #1

5%- Strength of evidence through effective use of the database

5%- Engagement with and understanding of the existing historical arguments

5% - Creativity of Presentation

3% - Presentation (Note: If you go over 5 minutes, I will ask you to stop and lower your grade by 1 point, so you need to practice prior to class!)

Women and Slavery (183-212)

Hello All:  Please read pgs 183-212 in Collins for this week. You will read the rest next week.

1- Explain the different demographic arguments that are being presented by Thornton, Meillassoux, and Kline. Is there one that you agree with more than the others? Why?

2- According to Thornton, what does polygyny have to do with population growth? What historian is he arguing with and do you think he has enough evidence to support his hypothesis? How does he come up with his sources?

3- According to Meillassoux, what does fertility have to do with price of enslaved women? From what sources is he able to make his analysis?

4- According to Kline, what is the difference between the 'household mode of production' and the 'slave mode of production'? How do these modes of production affect the costs of enslaved workers? What sources does he use to make his claims?

5- Do enslaved people have any rights, and if so, what are they?