Topic: American Environmental History

Question: Argumentative essay on American Environmental History as it relates to commodification and industrialization.

Final Project Guidelines -

Overview - The final project for this course is the creation of an argumentative essay that addresses a particular topic in the history of the American environment, focusing on the concept of commodification.

The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three and Five. The final submission will occur in Module Seven.

In this assignment you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

• Demonstrate an intermediate-level knowledge of the general course of American environmental history and of the impact of critical transitions in that history
• Critically analyze ideas both from primary and secondary sources
• Develop arguments based upon primary and secondary sources and articulate those ideas in the written and spoken word

Prompt

This assignment proceeds from the premise that commodification (broadly understood to include both material and human resources) has been the single most transformative element of the American environment from the colonial period through the modern era. The argumentative essay thus must look at a particular topic (e.g., water usage, industrialization, slavery, maritime trade) through the lens of commodification, examining how the mindset that drove Americans to commodify their environment both altered and was altered by the particular issues surrounding that specific topic.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

Course of American Environmental History and Critical Transitions  Impact

• Identify a topic connected to the recurring theme of commodification.
• Assess the impact of that topic in the history of the American environment.

Sources

• Analyze appropriate primary source materials to support your paper's argument.
• Analyze appropriate secondary source materials to support your paper's argument.

Argument

• Develop a thesis on the chosen topic that supports the argument substantiated with evidence.

Milestone One: Bibliography

Milestones - In task 3-2, you will submit a bibliography. This bibliography will consist of at least 8 sources, a balanced mix of both primary and scholarly secondary sources.

Milestone Two: Book Review  

In task 5-2, you will submit a scholarly book review. This review will assess the merits of one of the books from the bibliography, examining its thesis, organization and use of evidence, effectiveness in communicating its message, and persuasiveness.

Final Submission: Argumentative Essay

In task 7-2, you will submit your argumentative essay. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course.