I'm in a Civil War history class and had to write a paper about Reconstruction. The question goes:

Make an argument in response to this question: Was Reconstruction a failure? Be sure that your essay makes clear how you define success or failure and that you draw from specific material used in this course. A good essay – as with any good argument – will acknowledge ways that one might answer in the alternative. (1200-1300 words)

My teacher doesn't really like me much (for reasons I won't get into) and so I was wondering if my failing grade was because of her bias or because it is actually a bad paper. I would like anyone who is familiar with grading papers or with Civil War history to read over it and give me an honest review. I would also like to know if my teacher was right and what I should work on to do better in the future.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AlLQUHvmpxBSFt4zbXx-o0-h-6MmzHyVoH3yxCg41vU/edit?usp=sharing

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Originally Posted by Nickthe6

I'm in a Civil War history class and had to write a paper about Reconstruction. The question goes:

Make an argument in response to this question: Was Reconstruction a failure? Be sure that your essay makes clear how you define success or failure and that you draw from specific material used in this course. A good essay – as with any good argument – will acknowledge ways that one might answer in the alternative. (1200-1300 words)

My teacher doesn't really like me much (for reasons I won't get into) and so I was wondering if my failing grade was because of her bias or because it is actually a bad paper. I would like anyone who is familiar with grading papers or with Civil War history to read over it and give me an honest review. I would also like to know if my teacher was right and what I should work on to do better in the future.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

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I was a teacher and librarian, and am, in my retirement, a counselor. I'll read it and tell you what I think as per your questions. :)

You're in high school? or what grade?

I'm in high school and a Jr. I just want to see if it's as bad as my teacher says it is.

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Originally Posted by Nickthe6

I'm in high school and a Jr. I just want to see if it's as bad as my teacher says it is.

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I just finished reading it for the first time. What did she say was bad?

I had my son, a history buff, read it, and then he and I discussed it. Again, what was her take on it?

I think I have submitted the pictures but am not sure if you can see them.

I have received a grade of 1 out of 4.

Yes, the photos came through. Will read her comments and show my son. Sit tight and stay tuned!

I read your teacher's comments.

The assignment was:
Make an argument in response to this question: Was Reconstruction a failure? Be sure that your essay makes clear how you define success or failure and that you draw from specific material used in this course. A good essay – as with any good argument – will acknowledge ways that one might answer in the alternative. (1200-1300 words)

Your conclusion:
My teacher doesn't really like me much (for reasons I won't get into) and so I was wondering if my failing grade was because of her bias or because it is actually a bad paper. I would like anyone who is familiar with grading papers or with Civil War history to read over it and give me an honest review. I would also like to know if my teacher was right and what I should work on to do better in the future.

My opinion:
Your teacher liking you or not isn't the issue. She is correct about this paper. It would have greatly helped your discussion if you would have started each paragraph with a topic sentence. Since you didn't, your arguments are a jumble of information. Apparently, you were supposed to quote from sources and have a bibliography at the end of your paper. You didn't mention the KKK, carpetbaggers, and scalawags, and you didn't explain the political climate. The word count was under the minimum required. All in all, you didn't support your conclusion that Reconstruction was a success (why was it and for whom?).

Would your teacher allow you to redo the paper? I'm willing to help you get your ducks in a row on this paper if that's okay. (And no, I won't rewrite it for you.)

I don't think my teacher will allow me to redo my paper but I will ask her next time I see her. I want to thank you for helping me, I will definitely remember this the next time I'm writing a paper on something similar. One last thing I'd like to ask, Could you perhaps show me an example of how a topic sentence is structured using one of the examples listed above(KKK, Scalawags, Carpetbaggers). I would really appreciate it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nickthe6

I don't think my teacher will allow me to redo my paper but I will ask her next time I see her. I want to thank you for helping me, I will definitely remember this the next time I'm writing a paper on something similar. One last thing I'd like to ask, Could you perhaps show me an example of how a topic sentence is structured using one of the examples listed above(KKK, Scalawags, Carpetbaggers). I would really appreciate it.

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Following the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), formed by six former officers of the Confederate army, was transformed into groups throughout the South, victimizing newly freed slaves and attempting to restore white supremacy in the South.