Drinks, deceit, and death: The prohibition fueled a lawless society of black markets, gang violence…

Topic: Drinks, deceit, and death: The prohibition fueled a lawless society of black markets, gang violence, and a nationwide distrust of the government.

The core assignment of this course is a documented research paper (1500-2000 words in length = approx. 5 – 7 pages double spaced, 12-point font).

The essay should support a thesis statement with information gained from research or investigation.
The paper will not be just a report presenting information, but will be an essay that carefully examines and presents your own historical interpretation of the topic you have chosen and your interpretation of the information you have gathered.
The paper may include consideration of problems and solutions, define key terms, or refute arguments against your thesis statement.
It will be important to choose a topic of interest to you.

Approach this assignment with an open and skeptical mind, then form an opinion based on what you have discovered.
You must suspend belief while you are investigating and let the discoveries shape your opinion. (This is a thesis-finding approach.)
Once you have found your thesis, write the paper to support it.
You will use some of the following critical thinking skills in this process:

Gathering information, summarizing sources
Analyzing and evaluating sources
Defining key terms
Synthesizing information, comparing and contrasting sources
Testing a thesis, making an historical argument, using refutation
Amassing support for a position
Documenting sources
Because this may be a longer essay than you have written before and a complex process is involved, it is recommended that you complete this paper using the following steps:

Choose a topic related to U.S. History after 1877 (Chapters 16-28) that you would truly like to explore and that you are willing to spend some time on. Your chosen topic should be focused. Pose a question that you really want to answer. You may want to begin with more than one topic in mind.
Do some preliminary reading on the topic(s). You may begin with the textbook, then further explore the information available. Refine your topic. Summarize your topic, your interest in the topic, the questions you want to answer, and a hypothesis you want to test.
Gather information from a variety of sources. Use a minimum of four sources for your paper, and at least one must be a primary source.
They are sources that are contemporary to the times under investigation.
An example of a secondary source is our textbook, though the textbook also contains excerpts of primary sources, which you may use as a source in your essay.
Outline the results of your research and then plan for your essay (note you are not required to submit the outline).
Write the final draft and be sure to include a Works Cited List; be sure to use the correct MLA documentation style.
History Majors Only: Your paper must be written in Chicago/Turabian Manual of Style.
Grade Rubric

INTRODUCTION & THESIS: The essay makes a clear and effective statement (the thesis) about the chosen topic. /30

FOCUS AND DEVELOPMENT: Body of the essay focuses on this thesis and develops it fully, recognizing the complexity of issues. /60

SUPPORT AND SYNTHESIS: Uses sufficient and relevant evidence to support the thesis (and primary points), including facts, inferences, and judgments. Quotes, summarizes, and paraphrases accurately and effectively–appropriately introducing and explaining each quote. /60

CONVENTIONS: Uses MLA format correctly; includes a Works Cited list; is free of errors. /20

CORRECTNESS AND STYLE: Shows critical thinking and depth of understanding; uses appropriate tone; shows sophistication in language usage and sentence structure. /30

TOTAL: 200

SAMPLE SOLUTION

The overall effects of the prohibition promise were the exact opposite of the promise that had been advanced by the temperance activists. The coming into law the bill to ban manufacturing, importing, transporting and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States between 1920 and 1933 promised to usher a healthier, richer, moral and safer nation with reduced crime and violence (Comte 32). Indeed, one such proponent, Evangelist Billy Sunday is in record proclaiming that the “the reign of tears is over” and that slums will be a distant memory in the near future. He continued to preach that the prisons would be turned into factories and the jails into stores (Schaeffer 144). The overall belief was that alcohol was solely responsible for the high rates of crime with some towns…