Paper #1: War That Made America Interpretive Essay
Assignment: You will write an essay that responds to the following question:
Fred Anderson portrays the French and Indian War as a conflict between three empires that “made America.” How did interactions between the English, French, and Iroquois empires provoke the French and Indian War and produce its outcome? Is Anderson correct that the war “made America”? Why or why not?
Notes: This assignment is designed to give you practice using evidence to make an argument about American history. Your essay will consider this question over the course of 5-7 pages. The best papers will not merely repeat points made by Anderson or things said in class; rather, they will use evidence to make an original argument concerning Anderson’s work. Your paper should have an identifiable argument and use evidence from Anderson’s book (and other sources, if you choose) to support that argument.
As this question deals directly with Fred Anderson’s War That Made America, that source will likely be the primary work that you consult in the preparation of this paper. Whenever you quote material from Anderson directly, you must cite that material parenthetically following the quotation. For example:
“Despite having a perfectly serviceable casus belli in the murder of Ensign Jumonville, the French crown did not declare war on Britain in 1754.” (Anderson 55)
You are welcome to use additional sources if you like, and if you choose to do so you must cite these sources in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style, using footnotes or endnotes, whichever you prefer.
