Before the U.S. Constitution was ratified, several of the Founding Fathers wrote papers arguing for certain provisions. These were published in newspapers as letters to the editor, and became known as the Federalist Papers. Your assignment is to write a modern day Federalist Paper. Imagine that there is a newly discovered paragraph in the Constitution that stipulates it must be re-ratified by July 4, 2019. You must pick a component of the American government that is specifically articulated in the Constitution (including amendments), and argue why it should continue to exist. You will draw on theoretical as well as practical reasons making sure to provide historical examples.
Functional Requirements:
- The paper must be 2-3 pages.
- It must have a 12-point font and be double-spaced.
- It must have parenthetical citations or foot/endnotes, in addition to a works cited page.
- It must be submitted to Canvas by the deadline.
Resource Requirements:
- You must cite at least four sources other than the textbooks.
- The works cited page does not count towards the page limit.
- One of these sources must be the U.S. Constitution
- You can cite the textbooks, but they cannot count towards your four sources.
- Each citation must be from a reputable source: books, scholarly journals, etc.
Additional Requirements:
- Your paper must have theoretical and practical arguments.
- You must have at least one major theoretical argument for keeping the component of the Constitution for which you are arguing.
- You must provide at least two historical examples for why the component of the Constitution is necessary.
Rubric
Some Rubric (1)Some Rubric (1)CriteriaRatingsPtsThis criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAppropriateness and Focus: Do you have a clear thesis that makes a specific, insightful claim concerning your chosen topic?15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStructure and Organization: Does the overall organization of the paper follow naturally from the controlling thesis?15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSupporting Evidence: Does the paper include full and specific evidence in support of the thesis? Does your analysis reflect an understanding of your topic, especially as concerns the materials weve covered in the course?25.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStyle and Clarity: Style, grammar, punctuation, etc.15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeResource Requirements: Do you cite at least four sources other than the textbook? Is one of these sources the U.S. Constitution? Does each citation come from a reputable source?15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFunctional Requirements: Is your paper 2-3 pages long? Has it been written in 12-point font and double-spaced? Did you include parenthetical citations or footnotes/endnotes, in addition to a works cited page?15.0 pts
Total Points: 100.0
