Purpose: To write an adequate introductory paragraph with a thesis statement and to identify relevant primary source evidence that could be used in an essay developing that thesis.
Question: In the late spring of 1875, the United States government formed a commission to negotiate with Sioux tribal leaders for the re-acquisition of land in the Black Hills of Dakota that had been granted to the Sioux as part of the Great Sioux Reservation seven years earlier. These negotiations eventually broke down, resulting in the Great Sioux War of 1876. Based only on the textbook, class lectures, and assigned primary sources on Canvas, how did developments between March and June of 1875 influence the US government’s negotiating position as reflected in the instructions for the commission drafted in June and delivered in July?
Task: First, write an appropriate introductory paragraph and thesis statement in response to the question “How did developments between March and June of 1875 influence the US government’s negotiating position reflected in the instructions for the commission drafted in June?”. Underline your thesis statement for clarification. Second, identify three primary sources from Module Two on Canvas to support your argument (number each source). Make sure each source is identified by its proper citation. Then, write a paragraph explaining how each of your three sources could be used to contribute an argument you would make if you were writing an entire essay in support of your thesis (a total of three paragraphs, one for each source.)
The introduction (about 6-8 sentences) should briefly present the topic, provide necessary context, indicate the direction the essay will take, and most importantly, propose your argument (or thesis statement, 1 to 2 sentences in length) to the reader. In a historical essay, the introduction and more specifically the thesis statement, anticipates the structure and logic of all subsequent paragraphs. Please note that for this assignment you do not have to write the entire essay, only the introduction. Be sure to cite any secondary sources you consulted.
The remainder of your submission will consist of a list of three different primary sources, accompanied by a short explanation (several sentences) of how each one helps to prove a point you would make in the body of your essay. Make sure to articulate the bigger point you wish to make, describe the critical content of the source, and explain why it provides evidence for that point. Each primary source listed should reference the author, title, and date of the source using either embedded or traditional superscript and endnote formatting.
If you would like to see an example of how your submission should appear, you can view this Download thisexample based on a question regarding Reconstruction. Please remember, you will be writing your paragraph about the Black Hills crisis, not Reconstruction.