Second Assignment

(If the following assignment does not grab you, feel free to devise one of your own.  It would have to deal with domestic US public policy in the 1960s, and I would have to approve it in advance.)

Pick one New Frontier or Great Society program (1961–1969) that passed Congress in one of these policy areas: crime, disability, education, environment, or infrastructure. Your essay should tackle three main issues:

1. Why did the president back it? Was it personal conviction? Coalition politics? Re-election strategy?

2. Why did Congress pass it? Which groups supported or opposed it? What deals or compromises led to its success?

3. Did it work?  How did observers judge it at the time? How do scholars see it now?

Final step: In your conclusion, connect the program to a current policy debate. Do not merely say  “history repeats itself.” Show how understanding the 1960s helps us think more clearly about today.

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Requirements

• Length: No more than four double-spaced pages (I will not read past page 4).

• Format: Word document only (no PDFs, no Google Docs).

• Sources:

  • At least 3 primary sources from the 1960s (e.g., congressional debates, presidential papers, court opinions, newspaper editorials).

  • At least 2 scholarly sources (journal articles or books). Consensus, JSTOR, and library databases are good starting points.

• Citations: Chicago/Turabian style endnotes (not footnotes). Be precise: page numbers, dates, or document IDs. Endnotes do not count against  the page limit.

• Style: Clear, polished writing counts. Grammar, spelling, diction, and punctuation all matter. Review Strunk & White and my writing lecture before you draft.

• AI:  It is appropriate to use AI to identify relevant articles, documents, and other sources. But misrepresenting AI-generated content as your own work is plagiarism.

• Deadline: Friday, October 17, 11:59 PM on Canvas. (Yes, you have a week more than the syllabus indicates.)  If Canvas gives you trouble, email me your Word file. I reserve the right to dock papers one grade point for one day's lateness, a full letter grade after that.

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Why this matters

This paper is not just about remembering legislation. It is also about seeing:

• how presidents build coalitions,

• how Congress bargains, and

• how policies succeed or fail — and why that matters now.

By linking the 1960s to today’s debates, you will get practice in connecting history to live political issues.

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Tip: Pick a topic that interests you or connects to something you already care about. You will enjoy the research more, and your essay will be stronger.