Assignment 1: from first contact to the civil war

Assignment 1: From First Contact to the Civil War

Due Week 5 and worth 180 points

According to the textbook, from West Africa to Appomattox, the journey of the African living in America has been fraught with disappointment and misery. However, there has always been a glimmer of hope that America and its citizens would live up to the principles upon which the nation was founded.

Use the Internet or Strayer databases to research events between 1619−1860 that relate to the legal limitations of both enslaved and free Africans on American soil.

Write a five to six (5-6) page paper in which you:

1. Explain the principal manner in which the survival of African-Americans from colonial through Civil War times is inextricably rooted in West African traditions. Support your response with at least two (2) aspects of African culture that had survived and manifested themselves in the daily lives of both free and enslaved African-Americans.
2. Investigate at least two (2) events between 1619‒1860 that demonstrate the ability of enslaved and free African-Americans to overcome the legal limitations on their claims to dignity and self-respect. Provide your rationale for selecting the two (2) events in question.
3. Examine the manner in which your two (2) chosen events showcase the ability of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence to live up to their promises. Include specific examples from both documents that reinforce your argument.
4. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.