US History Discussion Board

Unit 4 Discussion Board Assignment

In 1908, playwright Israel Zangwill referred to America as a melting pot. Zangwill’s concept of the United States as a country where people of all cultures and nations are free to come and contribute to a common American culture remains a popular concept—even more than a century after its introduction.

More recently, the concept of the American mosaic asserts that American society consist not of melting pot in which people and cultures mix together to form a larger American culture, but as a mosaic in which ethnic groups come to the United States and coexist with other groups but maintain significant cultural and social distinctions among themselves. Post a discussion that explores these themes by demonstrating how various cultures and ethnicities have contributed to modern American history and culture.

Use the following outline to format your response:

Paragraph 1

• Select 1 ethnic group.
• Explain a specific contribution that this group made to American society or culture.

Paragraph 2

• Evaluate the concepts of the melting pot and the American mosaic.
• Which concept more accurately reflects the experiences of the ethnic group you chose? Support your assertion.

Respond to at least 2 or more of your classmates’ Discussion Board postings. Be sure to respond to your classmates’ postings with substantive and respectful responses.

Utilize proper grammar and university-level writing skills. Be sure to use correct APA citation format when citing sources.

 

Grading Criteria
35%	Select 1 ethnic group, and include the following in your discussion: Explain a specific contribution that this group made to American society or culture. Utilize proper grammar and university-level writing skills.
35%	Evaluate the concepts of the melting pot and the American mosaic. Which concept more accurately reflects the experiences of the ethnic group you chose? Support your assertion. Utilize proper grammar and university-level writing skills.
25%	Respond to classmates’ Discussion Board postings with substantive and respectful responses.
5%	Properly utilize the university’s citation standards for attribution and format.

 

In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.