Writing your Journal Entry on: How Westward Expansion changed women’s lives in the USA.

For third quarter– you will need to write your own thesis for a three, in order to get a four your thesis will need to be complex. By fourth quarter, you will need to write a complex thesis for a 4. A complex thesis has MORE THAN one point that can and is proven together in the same journal entry. If you write a complex thesis but fail to prove it, you will receive a 2, if you write a simple thesis that you can prove you get a 3, so make sure you are challenging yourself appropriately.

2 example thesis: The US citizens that chose to go west on the Oregon Trail had to be very brave because they risked a great deal by taking the trip. The US citizens that chose to go west on the Oregon Trail were both reckless and incredibly brave for their trip meant certain loss in exchange for the possibility of a better life.

Write your thesis You will be asked to write a thesis that you can prove with evidence from the texts we have read. In the last two days you have looked at four readings: African American Women and Westward Expansion (Green) Death and Women on the Oregon Trail (Purple) Elizabeth Smith Geer (Blue) Women and the Gold Mines (Yellow) Thinking about what you have read, create a thesis that you can prove using this material. Hint: If you need extra help, think ‘How did Westward Expansion affect the lives of women?’

If you write a simple thesis, you will need two pieces of evidence that prove that thesis: The US citizens that chose to go west on the Oregon Trail had to be very brave because they risked a great deal by taking the trip. Evidence # 1: According to Todd Underwood, cholera was a real problem for the people on the Oregon Trail; “Some wagon trains lost two-thirds of their people to this quick killing disease.” (2). Evidence # 2 “Because of the heavy loads, many were forced to walk the 2,170 mile journey instead of ride in the wagon.” (Underwood 1)

If you write a complex thesis, you will need two pieces of evidence that can each prove a part of your thesis: The US citizens that chose to go west on the Oregon Trail were both reckless and incredibly brave for their trip meant certain loss in exchange for the possibility of a better life. Evidence # 1: According to Todd Underwood, there were any number of things that could kill settlers on the Oregon Trail, from accidents to weather. One of the worst things was cholera, a disease which killed as many as two thirds of the people on the trip. Evidence # 2: “Once in Oregon and California, settlers would start a new life and build farms or set off to the gold mines. Whether crossing the county in this way was worth the trouble or not, only the early pioneers would know.” (Underwood 3).

ANALYSIS: This evidence by itself DOES NOT prove the thesis. As we talked about with the last journal entry, it is essential that your analysis explain the evidence in your own words and connect that evidence back to your thesis.

Explain evidence/connect to thesis: 3 thesis: The US citizens that chose to go west on the Oregon Trail had to be very brave because they risked a great deal by taking the trip. “Because of the heavy loads, many were forced to walk the 2,170 mile journey instead of ride in the wagon.” (Underwood 1) The travelers had to pack all their stuff into a small wagon, and the weight of all this stuff meant that they could not ride, but instead had to walk. Walking this far left the travelers weak, and meant they could not travel as fast, and put them at greater risk for the dangers on the trip.

Explain evidence/connect to thesis: 4 thesis: The US citizens that chose to go west on the Oregon Trail were both reckless and incredibly brave for their trip meant certain loss in exchange for the possibility of a better life. According to Todd Underwood, there were any number of things that could kill settlers on the Oregon Trail, from accidents to weather. One of the worst things was cholera, a disease which killed as many as two thirds of the people on the trip. [This evidence clearly shows] The settlers knew that there was a high chance they might not make it to the west, and certainly understood that even if they made it, others in their party/family would not. Death surrounded the Oregon Trail, and making the decision to go was a bit reckless.

Context/Transition In order to transition between each piece of evidence, it is important you give a little context so that your reader can understand the next piece of evidence. Your main context will give the who, what, when and where for the journal entry, but it is good to give a small amount of context to introduce each piece of evidence.

Example Context For this journal entry you want to tell me which of the people you are talking about. So if your first piece of evidence comes from Elizabeth Smith Geer, you will need intro with that: According to Elizabeth Smith Geer, a woman who came over on the Oregon Trail to settle in the Oregon Territory, “…” Then if your second piece comes from Mary Jane Megquier Another woman who came over on the Oregon Trail was Mary Jane Megquier, who went to San Fransisco and ran a hotel, “…” What you need to write is ONLY the information your reader will need to understand the quote!

Now its time to select your evidence: You have four readings to chose from, you need a piece of evidence from two different readings. I do not care which two you use, that is up to you. You may take whichever of the readings you like, but please do not write on them. Rather, find the evidence you want and write in on your paper. African American Women and Westward Expansion (Green) Death and Women on the Oregon Trail (Purple) Elizabeth Smith Geer (Blue) Women and the Gold Mines (Yellow)