This week we begin our most significant writing, emphasizing theme

This week we begin our most significant writing, emphasizing
themes
. We have been practicing so we can get to this point, doing
more of what historians actually do.
As you know, historians do not memorize facts. They see trends
throughout time, and use these trends to understand both the
past and the present.
A historical theme is a trend, presented as an interpretive thesis,
but supported by evidence from several different eras instead of
just one or two.
A number of weeks throughout the semester, we have posted
evidence from one particular time-frame or era on a Primary
Sources Board, but our writing this week must include evidence
from multiple eras.
Yes - the work you do here may be considered as the outline for
your final essay, so long as you are happy with your subject!
Themes are narrow enough to have a point of view, even though
they are broad enough to cover several eras. They show
a repeating trend, rather than progress over time.
One way to begin a theme is to focus on a topic area, such as
fashion, sexuality, class differences, cloth-making technology,
the role of philosophy, ways in which literature reflects society,
sports, games, furniture design, domestic architecture, dancing,
political conflict, holiday celebrations, religious texts,
expressions of spirituality, mass communication - the
possibilities are endless.
Format

For this assignment we start with a theme (in bold text), and
use six sources in pairs with a topic sentence (in
italics
) that covers them both. The format will be like an essay, with
no numbers or letters:
I. Historical theme
II.
Topic sentence that supports the theme
A. Primary source #1 with explanation
B. Primary source #2 with explanation
III.
IV.
V. Brief conclusion
Avoid problems with themes
Here's a list of common problems to avoid for themes:
• The progressive theme problem.

The theme features advancement or improvement over
time, when it needs to focus on a repeating trend.
•
The "throughout history" problem.
The theme should not use phrases like "throughout history" or
"across the ages".
•
The "and" problem.
The theme should not try to cover more bases by using "and",
unless everything in it is proven in every paragraph.
• The "or" problem.
The theme should not contain "or", which
encourages paragraphs that focus on only part of the theme.
•
The so broad it's obvious problem.
This is similar to the big, factual thesis problem.
Writing assignment instructions (70 points):
Create an outline with a theme and three topic sentences, each
supported by two fully-cited primary sources from various
Primary Sources Boards, with a brief explanation of how each
source supports the topic.
All sources must be from a Primary Sources Board
(you may add any fully cited sources to any Board at any time).

Here is an example of an A assignment:
Many of the ideas that influenced the revolutionary era and
which helped to lead ultimately to independence from Great
Britain can be traced back to the teachings of various ministers,
politicians, and philosophers during the 17th
and 18th
century.
The ideas of equality, natural rights, religious toleration, and
government can be seen in the many sermons, pamphlets, books,
and other means of communication of those two centuries.
Of the many philosophers of that time, John Locke would have
the greatest influence in that era.
His works, for example, the "Two Treatises on Government"
published in 1689 and his "A Letter Concerning Toleration"
published in that same year, both contained ideas that
influenced the revolutionary era and can be found in our
Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence
makes references to the Laws of Nature and Nature's God,
natural rights, social contract, and the purpose of government.
These ideas can be found In Locke's "Two Treatises on
Government (John Locke. Two Treatises of Government. 1689.
https://en.wikipedia.org/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an
external site.
wiki/ Two_ Treatises_of_Government). In his "A Letter
Concerning Toleration", like his "Two Treatises on
Government", Locke discusses the role of government and the
role of the Church. He calls for toleration among churches and
further spreads the ideas of liberty especially as it pertains to

the freedom of conscious. He believed liberty to be a natural
right, a right that the goverement or the church cannot violate
(John Locke. A Letter Concerning Toleration.1689.
https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ (Links to an external site.)Links
to an external site.
A_Letter_ Concerning _Toleration). These ideas of religious
freedom and religious toleration were dominate themes during
the revolution as seen in the "Virginia Stature for Religious
Freedom" and would be further actualized in our Bill of Rights,
the 1st
Amendment to our Constitution.
Jonathon Edwards and John Whitefield are among the ministers
whose ideas would come to influence the revolutionary era.
In a very famous sermon entitled, "Sinners in the Hands of an
Angry God", Reverend Jonathon taught that mans only hope was
to be born again. Man could be set free by God, without the
help of the authority or direction of the church. His message
taught that the common man was equal before God in that all
have sinned, and are in need of Christ (Edwards. Sinners in the
Hands of an Angry God. July 8, 1741.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinners (Links to an external
site.)Links to an external site.
_in_the_Hands_of_an _Angry_God). His message was one of
individual freedom and self-government. These ideas would
influence the common people to also demand ultimately
political freedom. Freedom against arbitrary rule, both from the
church and from the monarchy. These ideas would continue to
grow over time and help to ultimately lead the colonist to
declare their freedom from Great Britain. Later, it would also
help to disestablish the Anglican Church. Like Edwards, John
Whitefield would preach a message of individual freedom and

equality. In his sermons, He attacked the established church, the
Anglican Church. He taught that one did not need to be part of
an organized church to experience God. His message too was
one of rebirth, equality, and individual liberty (Thomas Walley.
George Whitefield Preaching in Bolton. June 1750.
https://artuk.org (Links to an external site.)Links to an external
site.
/discover/artworks/george-whitefield-preaching-in-bolton-june-
1750-163882). Like Locke, these two ministers spread ideas of
equality, individual freedom and self goverement, ideas that can
be found in the revolutionary era.
Of the politicians of that time, Thomas Paine would come to
influence the revolutionary era as well.
His two works, "Common Sense" published in 1776 and "The
American Crisis" published in 1776-1783, were among his
works that influenced Americans to declare independence
against Great Britain. In "Common Sense" He writes,
"Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation.
The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'tis
time to part" (Thomas Paine. Common Sense. January 10, 1776.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Sense (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site.
). Paine saw the revolution as a just war against tyrannical and
unjust rule. We see similar sentiments found in the Declaration
of Independence where Thomas Jefferson lays out the
grievances against Great Britain and explains why it is right
that the People of the Colonies declare Independence against
her. In the pamphlet "The American Crisis" Paine references
God and claims that the war is just and that God was on the side
of the colonists (Thomas Paine. 1776-1783.

https://en. wikipedia. org/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an
external site.
wiki/ The_American_Crisis). His pamphlet helped to boost the
morale of the American soldiers during the war. Similar
sentiments can be seen in the Declaration of Independence when
the colonies appeal "to the Supreme Judge of the world for the
rectitude of our intentions...And for the support of this
Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine
Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our
Fortunes, and our sacred Honor" (Thomas Jefferson. 1776.
Declaration of Independence). Like Paine, the Declaration
shows that the colonist felt they were doing the right and just
thing and that they firmly believed that God was on their side.
In conclusion, one can see in these sermons, books, pamphlets,
etc. ideas that influenced and were part of the revolutionary era.
Political philosophy and revelation were key in the ideas that
influenced the revolutionary era and independence.
This class is for US history. the time period has to be something
from the 1500 to 1876

This week we begin our most significant writing, emphasizing theme

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This week we begin our most significant writing, emphasizing theme