HIS 4399 – Twentieth Century World History

Final take-home exam

For the purposes of this exam, any information presented in class (i.e. what I presented in the lectures and what was seen/heard in the videos—at any point thus far in the semester) should be considered common knowledge. All additional information, whether taken from the scheduled online readings or the Watson text should be cited correctly using either MLA or Chicago style. (Failure to cite correctly in one of these styles will lower your exam grade.)

There is no need to use additional information in writing the essay. (Clarification: Do not use any additional sources in answering the question. If you do, expect your grade to suffer accordingly.)

Remember that good essays rely on source information in formulating arguments.

Your essay should be double-spaced, 12-point Times font, 1-inch margins all around with numbered pages. Essays will not be longer than 6 pages, exclusive of the works cited/Bibliography page. (Clarification: 6 pages and one line on page 7 is not acceptable. No shrinking fonts either!)

Essays must be turned in via Blackboard by 7pm on Tuesday, May 15. (Clarification: If you’re feeling out-of-sorts or a family member, child, friend or pet seems to be coming down with Swine Flu or you have an inkling that a sink hole is going to devour your house, get it turned in early—late exam essays will not be accepted.)

Grading: Essays will be marked following the standard History Essay/Research Paper Rubric.

Introduction to the question:

At the start of the semester students determined (and wrote about) what they considered the most significant event of the twentieth century.

Question:

Now that we have finished both the overview of major events in the century (lectures) as well as the intellectual currents of the century, you will do one of the following:

A) Argue that your original thesis/argument was incorrect/misguided and in light of your new-found wisdom (i.e. material from the class), make an argument for a different event as most significant. You will describe the event and its immediate implications and then use the Watson text to show a deeper (and possibly more enduring) intellectual significance.

B) You are brilliant and you nailed the event from the start of the term. You will describe the event and its immediate implications and then use the Watson text to show a deeper (and possibly more enduring) intellectual significance.