RE: Problems, Questions and Requests

HIST 201: US History to 1815
Essay 2: Historiography of King Philip’s War
In this essay, you will make an historiographic analysis of King Philip’s War. Proceed along the lines I asked you to in the first essay.
Describe and discuss the following:
• What topics about the war do the authors choose to focus on? What topics do they ignore? • How much prominence do the authors give the war in their chapters? If the war is not the main topic, then what is and how does he fit the war into that topic?
• What types of people involved in the war do they discuss? Do they focus on prominent people, average people, men, Indians, or some other group?
• Do the authors make some sort of political or moral judgement about the war? Do they celebrate one side or the other? Or are they critical of side or the other?
• How do they see the war as fitting into broader American history? Or broader world history? Or don’t they?
• What types of evidence or sources do they use? Do some use sources that the others do not? Can you even tell what sources they’re using?
• Most importantly: What does each author say is the meaning of the war for American history or culture? Or what new thing are we supposed to know about the war or its consequences? Sources
Mather, Increase. “A Brief History of the War with the Indians in New England.” In The
History of King Philip’s War, edited by Samuel G. Drake. 1676. Reprint, Albany: J.
Munsell, 1862.
Ellis, George W. and John E. Morris. King Philip’s War. 1906. Reprint, New York: AMS
Press, 1980.
Leach, Douglas Edward. Flintlock and Tomahawk: New England in King Philip’s War.
New York: Macmillan, 1958.
Lepore, Jill. The Name of War: King Philip’s War and the Origins of American Identity.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1998.
Format
Double-spaced, 12-point font
1000 or more words. Include word count.
Stapled – not clipped or loose. Include page numbers.
Name, assignment, course information (no cover page necessary)
Structure and Argument
Write formally. This means having a clear introductory paragraph and a thesis statement that states your position. Then develop an argument to support your position. Use examples and illustrations that you can think of.

After writing your essay – revise it. Your ideas may have developed in the process of writing this essay. Make sure that your conclusions match your thesis statement and that you structured your argument in a logical manner leading up to your conclusion.
Evaluation of Essays
Yes, it is my job to teach you how to write. Teaching and expecting good writing is not something appropriate to just English courses; professors of every discipline must teach writing. Moreover, by teaching writing, I am teaching thinking. If your writing is not clear, it probably indicates that your thinking isn’t yet clear.
Grading Rubric Elements
Historiography
A: Explicitly addresses the essay topic. Does so in an interesting and thoughtful way.
Shows extraordinary insight.
B: Explicitly addresses the essay topic. Does so in an interesting and thoughtful way.
C: Addresses the essay topic, but only in a general way.
D: Addresses the essay topic, but only implicitly and incompletely.
F: Does not address the essay topic at all.
Argumentation
A: Provides a clear thesis statement that enunciates a position. Well-organized argument that leads up to a conclusion that matches the thesis statement. Strong use of evidence.
B: Provides a clear thesis statement. Argument may have some problems, but leads up to a conclusion that matches the thesis statement. Uses evidence to support the argument. C: A weak thesis statement, position, and/or argument. Needs to use more or better evidence. D: Takes a position, but does not provide a relevant thesis statement or argument. Little use of evidence.
F: Provides no thesis, position, or argument. No use of evidence.
Format
I may reduce your grade for failure to do any of the following:
• Include all formatting elements
• Proofread
• Submit on time