Explain the characteristics of German nationalism

Overview
The project for this course should be centered on a historical argument that demonstrates an understanding of the consequences of World War I. You will construct a fully researched, thesis-driven narrative paper containing both primary and secondary sources. In addition to the Shapiro Library History Guide as a starting point for your research, click here or scroll to the last page of this document for specific source repositories that offer a variety of primary and secondary sources related to the possible topic choices. The project is supported by two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two and Five. The final project will be submitted in Module Seven.

Your task is to narrow your focus to a manageable question that can be answered in a coherent, thesis-driven fashion. Frequently, the assessment of World War I includes some suggestion that the seeds of World War II can clearly be found in how World War I ended. The Nazi rise to power in Germany was fueled in no small measure by deep-seated resentment at the reparation and war guilt clauses of the Versailles Treaty. Similarly, the geographic separation of Prussia from the rest of Germany stood as a stark reminder of the manner in which Germany was made to pay for the war. The establishment of the League of Nations without American involvement left that body comparatively weaker than it otherwise would have been. Yet, viewing World War I only through the lens of the causes of World War II shrouds its deeper, longer-lasting impacts.

Some possible topics include but are not limited to:

• The Failure of Diplomacy and the Arrival of War
• Characteristics of German Nationalism
• The Decline of the Romanovs and the Revolution in Russia
• Literary Expressions of the War in the Post-War Period
• Use of Propaganda in WWI
• American Isolationism
• Socialism and Dissent in the United States
• Americanization Campaigns/American Nationalism
• Technology and Modern, Industrial War
• The Soldiers’ Experience of War
• Ethnic Nationalism
• The Armenian Genocide
• The Versailles Peace Conference
• Medicine, Disease, and Death in WWI (also, the Spanish Flu)

Remember that the topic needs to address the consequences of the war broadly speaking, so topics need to move beyond simply describing events. You should NOT produce biographies or simple reconstructions of particular military campaigns.

You will strategically organize your paper to put together a highly effective response to the issue presented by your topic. Your paper will contain:

• A Compelling Introduction: Identify your topic clearly, outlining the structure of the argument, defining key terms and clearly stating the thesis.

• An Organized Body: Follow through your thesis in the body of your paper. Ensure you use effective transitions for every component of your argument. The body of your paper should flow logically, arguing the thesis from your introduction with highly effective examples and facts that support each element and claim in your thesis. The body will also include effective source evidence from your research in the form of highly relevant quotations and concise paraphrasing.

• A Powerful Conclusion: This is where you pull it all together. Your conclusion will not only effectively restate your thesis, but it will pull all your claims together. Your conclusion should clearly relate how the issue represented by the thesis is important, identify what bigger question it raises, and/or address possibilities and implications for additional research.

Review the grading rubric below to identify all aspects of the proficiencies that differentiate an exemplary paper.

Milestone 1: Final Project Proposal

Milestones

In Module Two, you will post a brief paragraph outlining your course project topic to the Final Project forum. Your instructor will provide feedback as needed so that you may begin your research to identify quality primary and secondary resources that will support your project topic. This milestone is graded as pass/fail.

Milestone 2: Rough Draft
In Module Five, you will submit a copy of a complete final project rough draft. This information will assist your instructor in providing you appropriate feedback on the direction you are taking. Each critical element should be represented in this version of your final project, but it does not need to be fully fleshed out. It is understood that this paper is just taking shape. Keep in mind that this rough draft will be reviewed by your classmates in the next module. To prepare for peer review, also post your rough draft to the Module Six Peer Workshop forum. This milestone is graded with the Rough Draft Rubric.

Final Submission: Final Paper
In Module Seven, you will submit your final paper. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the main elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded using the Final Paper Rubric.

Final Paper Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your final paper should be a minimum of 6–8 pages (not including cover page or resources) and properly footnoted with a minimum of six quality resources (3 primary, 3 secondary) in the Turabian style, guidelines for which can be found as a resource in the resources area of the course, following these formatting guidelines: double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and citations in Turabian format. A helpful guide to assist you in conducting your research can be found here.

This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information, review these instructions.
Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Introduction Identifies the topic, clearly outlining the structure of the argument, defining key terms and clearly stating the thesis Identifies the topic and outlines the structure of the argument, stating a thesis Identifies the topic and states a thesis, but the structure of the argument is not clearly defined Does not clearly identify topic, thesis, and/or structure of argument 25
Body Body of paper flows logically, arguing thesis with highly effective examples and facts that support thesis claims Body of paper flows logically, arguing thesis with relevant examples and facts that support thesis claims Body of paper argues thesis with examples and facts that support claims but with gaps in logic that can be addressed with more effective organization and evidence to support thesis claims Body of paper requires additional organization and/or additional relevant examples and facts to support thesis claims 25
Integration and Application of Citation/Sources Concisely paraphrases and quotes, integrating source evidence effectively at appropriate points in paper with all citations in accurate format Integrates source evidence with effective paraphrasing and quotations at appropriate points in paper with all citations in accurate format Integrates source evidence including paraphrasing and quotations at many appropriate points in paper, with most citations in accurate format Requires more selective use of source evidence such as concise paraphrasing or quotes at additional points in paper, and/or many citations are not in accurate format, or does not meet minimum source requirement 20
Conclusion Effective conclusion restates thesis and not only pulls all claims together but clearly relates how the issue represented by the thesis is important and raises a greater question or identifies implications for additional research Cohesive conclusion not only restates thesis and supports claims but clearly relates how the issue represented by the thesis is important and raises a greater question or identifies implications for additional research Conclusion restates thesis and supports claims but needs to more clearly relate how the issue represented by the thesis is important and raises a greater question or identifies implications for additional research Conclusion needs stronger restatement of thesis to support claims and/or needs to clearly relate how the issue represented by the thesis is important and raises a greater question or identifies implications for additional research 20

Writing Mechanics No errors related to grammar, style, and flow Errors of grammar and style are marginal and rarely interrupt the flow Errors of grammar and style are limited enough that the paper is still able to be understood Errors of grammar and style make the paper difficult to understand 10
Earned Total 100%
Internet Links to Archives, Documents, and Multimedia Resources
AMDOCS: Documents for the Study of American History: http://www.vlib.us/amdocs/index.html#1910 World War I Document Archive: http://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Main_Page
UK National Archives: The First World War: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/firstworldwar/ WWI Resource Centre: http://www.vlib.us/wwi/resources/
The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum: http://www.woodrowwilson.org
The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/influenza-epidemic/
U.S. National Archives: http://www.archives.gov
First World War: A Multimedia History of World War I: http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/index.htm
World War I: Documenting the First Total War of the 20th Century: http://www.library.yale.edu/rsc/WWI/primary.html BBC: World War One: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/
Robert Lindsay Mackay’s First World War Diary: http://lu.softxs.ch/mackay/RLM_Diary.html Rupert Brooke: The War Sonnets: http://www.emory.edu/ENGLISH/LostPoets/Sonnets.html
The She-Soldiers of World War One: http://ww1centenary.oucs.ox.ac.uk/unconventionalsoldiers/the-she-soldiers-of-world-war-one/ Library of Congress: World War I Posters: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wwipos/
Alan Seeger: Poetry http://www.emory.edu/ENGLISH/LostPoets/Seeger.html British Trench Warfare 1917–1918: http://www.worldwar1.com/tlbtw.htm Photos of the Great War: http://www.gwpda.org/photos/greatwar.htm
Georgetown: World War I Posters: http://gulib.lausun.georgetown.edu/dept/speccoll/britpost/posters.htm Propaganda Postcards of the Great War: http://www.ww1-propaganda-cards.com/
World War I: Propaganda Leaflets: http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/1915/propleaf.html
Charles Sturt University: Primary Sources for World War I: http://hsc.csu.edu.au/modern_history/core_study/ww1/poetry/page133.htm


Last Completed Projects

# topic title discipline academic level pages delivered
6
Writer's choice
Business
University
2
1 hour 32 min
7
Wise Approach to
Philosophy
College
2
2 hours 19 min
8
1980's and 1990
History
College
3
2 hours 20 min
9
pick the best topic
Finance
School
2
2 hours 27 min
10
finance for leisure
Finance
University
12
2 hours 36 min