Suffrage

Introduction

It is 1920 and the vote for women to gain the right to vote is on the ballot. The decades previous to this day have shown women gain the right to vote in many states; however, they do not have the right to vote in Federal elections. Throughout the years, many prominent figures, male and female, have spoken out to either support women's suffrage or contest it. 

Task

I have assigned you a role of either somebody who has been hired to campaign for or against women's suffrage. It is your duty to create a pamphlet arguing your side in order to persuade voters (it must be historically accurate, you are creating this as if it were 1920 and based on the beliefs/values we gain from the accounts we are presented with, not through our own views on women's suffrage).

A persuasive piece takes into account the other side of the issue and attempts to show its readers why that perspective may not be best. (i.e. Figure out what your oppositions argument is and provide information that counteracts it)

Process

Step One: Access all of the available resources and figure out how they can inform your argument (either for/against suffrage).

  • Use worksheet to create notes about all documents; how they can be used

Resources:

1. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1915janeadams-vote.html (focus on paragraphs 1, 6, 8, 10, 11 -- although you are encourage to read the entire piece)

2. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/senecafalls.asp (take note to the date of this source --- remember that it inspired many of the suffragists in this era)

3. https://sheg.stanford.edu/anti-suffragists (read all three documents, making note of the different anti-suffragists postions/views)

4. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=8&psid=4529&fi… note what this text says about the right to vote for women)

Step Two: Create an outline of your pamphlet, with separate headings, including an illustraton or something to catch the eye of your audience. (Examples: 'Why you should vote against suffrage', 'Women are citizens', etc.)

  • Your pamphlet must have at least three sections
  • You must use at least two quotes/citations from the resources provided (including one from the other side of the issue)

Step Three: Create a 'rough draft' of your pamphlet, including notes on what you believe is the strongest/weakest point

Step Four: Revise, submit final draft

Step Five: Complete Conclusion (Metacognitive exercise)

Evaluation

Below is a rubric for this assignment that will guide you in how you should complete this assignment and how you will be assessed. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Assessment Area 3 - Above Expectations 2 - Above Proficient 1 - Below Proficient 0 - Unsatisfactory
Following Guidelines: All steps are followed and submitted on-time All of the steps are followed and submitted on-time All of the steps are followed, one component not on-time A step is missed, or more than one component is not submitted on-time Multiple steps are missed and/or multiple parts not submitted on-time
Presentation and writing There are no grammatical errors; Pamphlet organized in logical way; includes good illustration and/or hook Few grammatical errors; Good organization; good illustration/hook Mutliple grammatical errors; organization is not logical; lacks an illustration or hook Pamphlet is poorly written and hard to understand; many grammatical errors; no sense of organization 
Historical Thinking Pamphlet is written in a way that is historically accurate, citations and quotes are provide, argument is persuasive There is a minor historical inaccuracy;  citations and quotes provides but not completely clear; argument is good, not fully persuasive Several minor historical inaccuracies present; citations and/or quotes are weak; argument is weak A major historical inaccuracy exists; citations and/or quotes missing or misused; argument is unclear or missing
Conclusion

After completing the final draft of your pamphlet, please submit answers to the following questions for the last five points of your WebQuest project:

1. After completing this assignment, did being placed into the role of being either pro or anti-suffrage effect the way you read the historical accounts? (If so, describe why you think it did and how)

2. What were some of the benefits of completing an assignment like this via WebQuest?

3. What did you learn about being a 'historian' from this project?