Assignment:
Discussion
As noted in your readings for this week, the study of African American history has advanced a long way since the mid 20th century. From this time period until the present, one popular area of study and inquiry in this field has been the origins of slavery. When exploring the beginnings of American slavery, scholars have often argued back and forth over the role of race and economics in creating American slavery.
Some scholars have favored race over economics, and others have argued the opposite. Based upon your examination of the timeline of African American history from 1619 to 1803, what would be your argument on what created the American institution of slavery? Was race the main driving force in creating American slavery? Was economics the main driving force? Was it something else? What facts would you draw from the timeline to support your argument? Feel free to bring in other historical material that you may have read in another course or during your leisure time.
Your task for each week's discussion is to read all required resources. You must then respond to ONE of the questions below. This is called your INITIAL POST. Click the blue Start a New Thread button to post your response. Your Initial Post is worth 30 points and should be 300 to 500 words in length, writing in Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman 12 point font in a Word document.
Learning Resources
Show data table for This chart displays the number of completed topics versus the total number of topics within module Week One Learning Resources..
List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week One Learning Resources
• Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: "Black Studies at the Crossroads"
In Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s article "Black Studies at the Crossroads", published spring 2007, we learn that two Ivy League schools, Princeton and Harvard, have strong African American studies programs. Gates believes that many colleges and universities in the United States do not have a strong commitment to setting up full departments of African American studies because the administrators do not feel that this subject constitutes an actual field of studies.
• Timeline of African-American History - "Slavery and the Making of America"
At this website, please explore the information provided at the dates from 1619 to 1803. Look specifically at 1662 as a year that severely restricted the status of African Americans. Find the publication date of the first slave narrative. Examine the way white churches treated African Americans and find out when and how African Americans set up their own Protestant Christian denomination.
• Handout on history and how to write about history.
For more information on history and how to write about it, please read this handout from the Writing Center of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Take notes on what the handout says and use them for your own writing in this course.
What questions do you have about historical writing and research?