History of Colonial Mexico

HIST 3369
Professor Gharala

Assignment 3: Midterm essay due 10/9 by end of day and Writing Center consultation on or before 10/7.
Using course texts from the syllabus, both primary and secondary, students will write an essay of 3-4
pages (about 1,000 words) on the topic of labor in early colonial Mexico. The basic question to consider
is, “How did forced labor impact the economic and/or social structure of colonial Mexico prior to 1700?”
Use at least 2 primary and 2 secondary sources from the class. (Note that you can analyze a quote from a
primary source that appears in a textbook or article assigned for the course.) The main books you should
rely on are Townsend and Seijas, with support from Meyer, Sherman, and Deeds optional. Students may
also consult supporting materials from the Anderson Library Special Collections, such as codices.

RUBRIC CHECKLIST
Length
 Your paper should be at least 3 full pages or fewer than 5 pages long. Use 12-point font and 1-
inch margins.
Introduction
 This paragraph should contain a clear statement of your position on the question.
 You should also identify key themes or issues and briefly define important terms like “slavery,”
“encomienda,” or “repartimiento” for the purposes of your essay.
Position
 Your reasons for taking your position, or criteria for making that judgement, should be clear.
 Explain your position in the first or second paragraph of your paper. You may also decide to
reference this reasoning throughout the paper.
Knowledge
 In this category, you show that you truly understand the question and its stakes by using relevant
historical knowledge.
 Factual errors will detract from points in this category.
Evidence
 Carefully choose relevant passages from any primary source in the document reader The Mexico
Reader or the syllabus.
 Read your source(s) critically for bias and perspectives and relate those observations to your
discussion.
 Use direct quotations and paraphrasing to support your position with textual evidence.
 Place quotations around your evidence or paraphrase using your own words.
 Use Chicago Manual of Style (https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html)
to create footnotes and bibliography.
Writing
 Your essay should follow a logical progression and show attention to organization through the
use of topic sentences and developed paragraphs.
 Paragraphs should be between 3-6 sentences long.
Conclusion
 The concluding paragraph should restate your position, your criteria for taking this position, and
explain the main themes apparent in your essay.
 A sophisticated conclusion takes an extra step. This may be to suggest an additional idea or
question—still relevant to the topic—that you cannot prove in a short essay.
 SHORT PAPER ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Criteria Pts Outstanding Proficient Developing Beginning

10 8-9 6-7 1-5
Introduction 10 Superior context, Good context, Some context, Makes simple
frame & ID; frame & ID main attempt to frame statements about
states a themes; states a & ID some of the topic; does
sophisticated clear position main themes; not state a
position states a vague position or ID
position key terms
Position Establishes valid Establishes valid States an overall An overall
criteria for taking criteria for taking position but not position is
the stated the stated position the criteria for missing or
position and coming to this asserted without
evaluates their position criteria
significance
Knowledge Sufficient Sufficient Mostly accurate Some accurate
knowledge to knowledge to and relevant relevant
demonstrate a demonstrate knowledge, but knowledge, but it
nuanced understanding of lacks range or lacks range and
understanding of conceptual focus depth and does depth and does
the prompt and of the question not directly not directly
fully meet its and meet its address the address the
demands demands question question
Evidence Uses compelling Applies evidence Contains limited Lacks sufficient
evidence to to support claims; evidence to quotes and textual
support position; analyzes some substantiate the evidence to
critically reads quotes for bias position taken; support a
quotes for bias and historical some quotes are position; does not
and perspective significance in not shown to be connect these
and their relative connection with clearly related to quotes to the
significance in the period the question position
historical context
Writing Well organized Well organized Shows some Little attempt to
essay showing and logical, attempts at structure the
clear, logical though there may organization, but ideas; the writing
progression and be instances of most of the lacks coherence
position; free of incoherence; a answer is lacking and precision;
errors in spelling few errors in coherence and many errors in
and grammar spelling or clarity; many spelling and
grammar errors in spelling grammar detract
and grammar from the paper
Conclusion Summarizes main Summarizes main Does not restate Makes no
themes and themes and the position but conclusions or
articulates the articulates the does summarize states irrelevant
position while position as a some general ideas
posing an result of proof themes
additional presented in the
thought or essay
question