Essay Assignment

The period of the Mexican Revolution was a time of profound shifts in attitudes toward the Indigenous peoples living in that country. It was also a time during which Indians assumed new roles in Mexican society. This led to the creation of new identities and a reconceptualization of what it mean to be Mexican. Your assignment is to write an essay examining changes in ethnic identities, the role Indians played in the process, and the effect revolutionary changes had on the Indigenous peoples of Mexico.

Base your interpretations for this essay on the assigned readings for this class. In particular, you are expected to use B. Traven's The Rebellion of the Hanged and José Vasconcelos' The Cosmic Race. You may also want to bring some insights from Guillermo Bonfil Batalla's México Profundo into the essay. Also feel free to use the film Juarez, Meyer and Sherman's The Course of Mexican History, other readings, films, lectures, and class discussions. You may also bring in other outside resources, although you are not required or expected to do so.

Your essay should be about 750 words (3 pages) long, typed, double-spaced, follow proper essay form, and include footnotes and a bibliography. Be sure to proofread the essay for spelling, grammatical, and typographical errors. Consult this guide on "The Writing of a Historical Essay or Research Paper" for additional assistance on the form of the paper. Essays are due in class on Monday, March 30 (note change in due date), and I will grade them based on content, organization, clarity of thought, and level of argument. Grades on all late papers will be penalized one-half of a letter grade for each day that they are late.