Native Americans and Europeans cross-fertilization of cultures

Final Research Paper Project:
You will submit a final research paper that will include:
• A primary topic based on the chosen primary materials
• Specific examples and sub-themes for analyzing this chosen topic
• Turabian-style citations and complete bibliography on a separate page
• 5–7 pages
• At least 4 primary sources and 2 scholarly sources; other sources may be included if they are reliable and cited properly

The final project for this course is the creation of a research paper. Students will write a research paper that analyzes primary documents concerning the
relationships between Europeans and Native Americans. In the paper, students will describe how European and Native American groups influenced each other by selecting one or more specific categories of analysis. Categories of influence might include religion, technology, warfare, medicine, politics, gender roles, trade, alliances, treaties, laws, clothing, and food, for example. The final product represents an authentic demonstration of competency because students will engage in in-depth research of primary sources in order to unearth attitudes, perceptions, and interactions among different cultures in this period. These themes will help you to develop significant research and writing skills as you interact with key themes from the course.

Main Elements
The arrival of new peoples and cultures in any area can elicit a wide variety of responses. How did these responses allow for the cross-fertilization of cultures? Did groups on either side adopt traditions, rituals, religions, or concepts? How can we isolate the ways in which communities adopted the ideas of foreign cultures? You will select primary sources and construct a paper by organizing the information in these sources into themes. The end product will be a unique piece of research that reflects the myriad ways in which these apparently opposing groups influenced and shaped each other’s new sense of civilization in the New World. Please review the Additional Final Project Resources section at the end of this document.
Develop a research paper analyzing primary documents concerning the relationships between Europeans and Native Americans. The research paper will include the following sections:
Research Topic:
• You will submit a research topic based on four primary and two scholarly sources.
• The selected topic will be presented as an interpretation of the historical interaction between Native Americans and Europeans, then broken down into
sub-themes supported by your sources.
• You must submit a one-page paper explaining the primary research topic of how the cultures in your sources influenced each other and identifying three
sub-themes for investigation. You should expect to continue conducting research as the topic is identified and refined during and after this milestone.