Public history project
| Style | APA |
| Number of words | 1186 |
| Number of sources | 0 |
| Spacing | Double |
| PowerPoint slides | 0 |
Question
History 1301
Public History Project (100 points):
For this major assignment, you will select one of the following options.
It is due on the last day of the semester, March 12 at noon – so start on it early!
As with any writing assignment, if you go to the Writing Center and work with a tutor I
will bump up your grade on this by 10 percent.
Local history paper:
Write a 4-5 page research paper about an event, person, or place in El Paso or the region
that is significant to U.S. history. Here’s a link providing a pretty good summary of El
Paso’s history https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hde01
You will need to make use of local newspapers and archives as well as any secondary
sources like books or articles (see the sources at the end of the link above for some ideas).
You must include at least five primary sources and three secondary sources. A primary
source is basically any material produced at the time of the event you are studying – so
newspapers, letters, photographs, and other such material. A secondary source is a book,
article, or film created long after the fact that describes the event.
You must have at least one photograph included within the text of your paper (including a
caption). If you cannot find a historical photo, you must take a current photo at the site
of the historical event.
The paper must be typed and double-spaced and follow the Chicago Manual of Style or a
similar style manual. You must cite your sources often and frequently in footnotes, as well
as your bibliography.
Oral History:
One of the greatest connections we have to the past comes through the memories and
stories of our elders or of those who actually took part in a particular historical event. In
short, the voice of the “common man and woman” provides an invaluable understanding of
the past.
As historians, it is important we document their insights for future researchers.
Often the people around us, especially those who are in their older years, can offer such insight, especially into our understanding of local history. Others may have taken part in World War II or some other major event. Either way, they help us see the past – if we are willing to ask and listen.
For this assignment, record and transcribe a 20-minute interview with someone with a
significant connection to history. This can be either an audio or video interview. You can
use the audio recorder on your smartphone, a stand-alone digital recorder, or an app. (see
the StoryCorps app on NPR’s website for examples https://storycorps.org/) You will
then transcribe the interview, following a basic style format.
You must:
• Interview someone who can speak about the historic past of El Paso or a local
area, so perhaps someone who has lived in the area at least 70 years and has
witnessed some sort of change over that time – however, you can interview
someone younger if they have a significant story to tell about the region’s past
• Interview a local person with a connection to a wider historical event, for example,
a veteran of war, or a person involved with farming or some other local industry or
organization (including athletics)
• Show me the questions you intend to ask prior to the interview
• After the interview is complete, transcribe it word-for-word, including your
questions and the full answers, with the goal to capture the voice of the
interviewee
• Turn in an audio file of the interview
• Provide any sources used in the development of this oral history
Genealogy
This is a three-part project designed to introduce you to one of the most commonly
practiced forms of history: genealogy. Though I’d prefer for your own sake that you
research your own family tree, you can research someone else but you must get approval
from me first.
Online genealogical databases like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.com have made the
process of compiling a family history much easier than ever before. You will make use of
some of these databases and other sources, including newspapers, photographs, and
family stories about the past.
For this project, you will do three things: compile a family tree going back at least three
generations, write a 3-5 page narrative of your family’s history and finally make two
additions to an entry on Find-a-Grave.
For the family tree portion (25 points):
• Use Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, MyHeritage.com, findagrave.com or
another online genealogical site to collect data (birth and death dates and
locations) on your ancestors
• Interview family members about what they remember about your family roots
• Trace your line back starting with your [parents, then their parents (so your
grandparents) and then their parents (so your great-grandparents)
For the family history narrative (25 points):
• Using the data you collect during your family tree research, as well as interviews of
your family members, compile a 3-5 page history of your family, tracing its origin as
far back as you can. The goal is to go at least as far back as your great-grandparents, or to re-discover people or names your family has forgotten
For the Find-A-Grave portion (25 points):
• Use the online database of gravesites, findagrave.com, to locate the gravesites of
your ancestors, and add an entry for a descendant you find
Historic architecture:
Historic preservation is a rising field of history, as communities seek to preserve and protect buildings, homes, or structures that have some kind of significance or that help to tell the story of a community’s history.
Some of you are majoring in architecture, so this one would be especially relevant to you.
Old buildings all contain some information about the past, though few buildings rise to
the level of true historical significance. You can see a list of many such buildings in El
Paso that is on the National Register of Historic Places here
http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/tx/el+paso/state.html
For this assignment – which is particularly aimed at those pursuing architecture, design,
or history – you will profile at least one but not more than three major local buildings of
historical importance. You will visit the site, take pictures of the exterior (and the interior
if possible), and record any observations regarding architectural style or design elements.
You must research the building to see if it is mentioned in newspapers or other historical
accounts and attempt to include at least one primary source in this report.
If possible, visit an archive to see original blueprints (there is a great one at the El Paso
Library downtown). Describe the purpose of the building, who had it built, how much it
cost, its total size and square footage, and any efforts to renovate or preserve the building.
You also must describe what makes this building historically significant. You should
consider in particular any buildings designed by Henry Trost, an important and prolific
architect (see a list of Trost properties here http://www.henrytrost.org/).
Ultimately, you will produce a 5-page report, complete with at least four images. All
sources used must be listed at the end of your report.
Historic Site Tour:
Go to a local historic site or museum and write a 5-page report following the standard
formal essay format. You may also do a presentation of your site visit.
Your 5-page report must include:
• A thorough physical description of the site and its location
• Analysis about historical concepts and practices
• At least three photographs of the site taken by you during your visit
• Analyze how history is presented at that site. For example does the site make use
of interpretive panels to describe the history of the site, and how helpful are those
panels? Do you get a feeling of the place as it once was in the past? Does actually
being at the site provide an insight you could not attain otherwise?
• Describe the historical background of the site and its significance to the broader
history. For example, if you visit a place where something historic occurred, you
must use primary sources and secondary sources to describe the history behind
that site.
If it is a museum, you must:
• Describe what is on display and a rundown of its current exhibits.
• Explain the physical layout of the place itself. Is it warm and welcoming? Distant
and cold? Is it well organized or does it mostly confuse and overwhelm?
• Describe the overall mission and focus of the museum. If the museum is focused
on airplanes, for example, how well does it accomplish that mission? How could it
expand its approach without abandoning its mission?
Museums and Historic Sites
El Paso Museum of History https://history.elpasotexas.gov/
War Eagles Museum in Santa Teresa https://www.wareaglesmuseum.org/
The Magoffin Home Museum http://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/magoffin-homestate-historic-site
Chamizal National Memorial https://www.nps.gov/cham/index.htm
El Paso Holocaust Museum http://www.elpasoholocaustmuseum.org/
Fort Bliss and Old Ironside’s museums http://www.bliss.army.mil/Museum/
White Sands Missile Range Museum http://www.wsmr-history.org/
New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum http://www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org/
History in the Movies:
One of the ways people most often experience or learn about history is through movies,
particularly those made in the studios of Hollywood. Far more often than not, and usually
unbeknownst to the average viewer, feature films mangle historical truth in favor of a
“better story.”
Yet some filmmakers take great pains to be as accurate as possible, from meticulously
adhering to period clothing to make a lot of effort to the historical facts correct.
Regardless, every filmmaker takes liberties with the historical record, generally for the
sake of telling a story. And that usually results in lots of criticism from critics, historians,
and experts who know the “true” history of these events and what these movies get wrong.
For this assignment, watch one of these selected films from the list and consider its
historical accuracy, using your own observations, knowledge from the readings, and
especially what other writers and historians may have said or written about the film you
watched.
You must connect this film in some way to the period we are studying. Cite any source
you use either in a footnote or in endnotes. You must use at least two outside sources
(beyond the class textbook and your own observations), which you should have no
problem finding with a simple Google search.
All of the movies on the list are well-covered, debated, and discussed. One source
that’s especially helpful is the web site History Versus Hollywood, here’s the
link http://www.historyvshollywood.com/
You must let me know by email what film you intend to watch. If you have a different
movie you’d like to watch that is not on the list, just clear it with me first. Just for the sake
of expanding knowledge, I urge you to watch a movie you have not seen before.
Then produce a 3-page, double-spaced essay reviewing the historical merits of the film
you watched.
This essay should include a solid description of the narrative of the movie, including the
basic plot and what year it was produced. Describe historical elements that are either
correct (or pretty close) as well as elements that are portrayed significantly incorrect or
contrary to the record. For example, sometimes characters are based on real people and
sometimes they are entirely fictionalized. Also try to indicate if you feel the movie “rings
true” in terms of capturing the spirit of a time period, and if you felt sufficiently
“transported” to another time period.
History in the Movies List
Amistad A gritty portrayal of a slave revolt aboard a Spanish slave ship in 1839. The case
was tried in the United States, and was one of the first major legal challenges to the
institution of slavery.
Glory This excellent Civil War movie captures the battle dynamics of 19th century
American warfare and the experience of African-American soldiers.
The Last of the Mohicans This romantic adventure drama is the most recent retelling of
the novel of the same name, and is set during the Seven Years War (also known as the
French and Indian War)
The Patriot This 2000 film starring Mel Gibson depicts a common man drawn into the
revolution by the brutal actions of British soldiers
The Scarlet Letter There are several adaptions of the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel by the
same name, probably the best being a four-hour-long version PBS produced in 1979. The
the version in 1995 starring Demi Moore may be easier to find, and though it does take many
liberties with the book, it does offer a depiction of colonial America and women’s roles
Birth of a Nation You may choose two starkly different films that only have the title in
common: either D.W. Griffith’s 1915 silent film presenting in very racist terms the “dark”
years of Reconstruction, or the 2016 film depicting the story of Nat Turner, who led a
famous slave revolt in 1831.
Geronimo: An American Legend: Released in 1993, this film starring Wes Studi and
Jason Patric offers a rare nuanced view of a Native American hero, in this case, the Apache
leader Geronimo
12 Years a Slave: This Academy award-winning film was released in 2013, and portrays a
free black man who is kidnapped under the Fugitive Slave Act and sold into slavery.
The Alamo There are several movie depictions of the famous battle of the Alamo during
Texas’ war of independence, but perhaps the most interesting are the 1960 version
starring John Wayne or the 2004 film with Billy Bob Thorton. Both speak to the times in
which they are released, in terms of how the Texans and the Mexicans are portrayed.
1492: Conquest of Paradise: This Ridley Scott-directed movie came out in 1992, and
stars French actor Gerard Depardieu as Columbus. It’s a long film with a few issues, but
it does capture a certain grittiness and realism concerning the voyage that changed the
world.
Lincoln Daniel Day-Lewis won an Academy Award for his depiction of Abraham
Lincoln in this sprawling, and meticulous movie about the great, bit ill-fated president.
Harriet A recent film about abolitionist icon Harriet Tubman and her role in helping
slaves escape through the Underground Railroad.
Image preview for”provide any sources used in the development of this oral history”
