AMH 3423 Florida Since 1845 (1860)

Spring 2012

Take Home Essay #1

To complete the essay, you are required to discuss (using third-person language only) in no more than five pages the history of Florida from 1860 to the 1920s. You must use eleven- or twelve-point font (Times New-Roman is the most economical with space), default margin settings (or 1"), and double-spaced lines (not 1.5 or 1.75 but 2 in the space setting). You will need to put a lot of thought not only into the content of the paper, but also into the presentation of your response. Your essay needs to be written in a single seamless narrative, without rephrasing the questions and without listing answers in bullets. Draw on assigned readings and classroom lectures only. Do not use any other sources.

Being successful at this task means that you will want to employ an economy of words in tightly constructed sentences and paragraphs. You should write in clear and concise language that conveys only information that is relevant to the subject. In other words, avoid becoming bogged down in minutiae, but provide the information necessary to show that you have a comprehensive understanding of the history. When you respond to the questions, always think in terms of historical significance and draw on the course readings that cover the period that you are asked to discuss. Organize your paragraphs thoughtfully, ensuring they introduce a main point and remain focused on that point.

(Remember to follow the rules in the Writing Mechanics Exercise. Retrieve it from your class notebook and put it on your desk next to your computer before your begin.) Write this paper as if you are writing to educate someone from Alaska, someone who knows little about Florida’s history. You do not need to footnote or endnote your sources, but you are advised to identify sources in your text to show that you have read beyond your class notes and a single source such as the Gannon book. In other words, you may write, “According to David Colburn, the Rosewood massacre . . . .” or “One can learn from Patrick D. Smith’s novel that homesteaders often faced . . . .” If you quote from a source, list the author’s name with the relevant page number in parenthesis at the end of the sentence. Example: Mormino and Pozzetta argue that “El Centro Asturiano proved visionary in its concept of cooperative medicine” (198).

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From the Civil War to the 1920s land boom and social reform, Florida underwent significant change. Using the course readings and the class lectures, discuss each of the following themes: political change, demographic change, the shift from a slavery society to a free society, the evolution of race relations in Florida, the immigrant experience, the role of nature in Florida’s history, and the rise of progressive reform. Do not rely solely on the class lectures and discussions; draw on the readings from Week I to Week VII (through Sally Vickers, “Ruth Bryan Owen”).

You must be comprehensive. For example, when talking about progressive reform, identify the various kinds of reform, even though you will want to focus your discussion on woman’s suffrage and conservation. When talking about demographic change, discuss the changing character of the Florida population. Who, in other words, were Floridians and where were they coming from? What forces and developments were contributing to population growth and its expansion down the peninsula? (These two questions are examples of how you should approach your response, which should not be limited to these two questions alone.)