Some European settlers used the term “savage” to describe the indigenous peoples of North America. Choose three different American Indian peoples and show how this label is untrue and unju

Choosing an appropriate topic.

Gathering information, summarizing sources.
Analyzing and evaluating sources.
Defining key terms.
Synthesizing information, comparing and contrasting sources.
Making a historical argument, using refutation.
Amassing support for a position.
Documenting sources.

Because this may be a longer paper than you have written before and a complex process is involved, it is recommended that you complete this paper using the following steps:

Choose a topic related to chapters covered in The American Yawp, (Chapters 1-15) that you would truly like to explore and that you are willing to spend some time on. Your chosen topic should be focused. Pose a question that you really want to answer. You may want to begin with more than one topic in mind.

Do some preliminary reading on the topic(s). You may begin with the textbook, then further explore the information available. Refine your topic. Summarize your topic, your interest in the topic, the questions you want to answer, and a hypothesis you want to test.

Gather information from a variety of sources. Use a minimum of four sources for your paper, and at least one must be a primary source.

Primary sources are contemporary to the times under investigation.
An example of a secondary source is our textbook, though the textbook also contains excerpts of primary sources, which you may use as a source in your paper.