Create Your Own Story
Journalists during the Revolutionary War period did not hesitate when it came to expressing their opinion. In the final activity, you will get a chance to write your own editorial based on a modern-day issue or event that has to do with ensuring basic democratic rights.
Directions:
- Brainstorm topics you see in the news regularly or an event that happened recently that relates to an issue of ensuring basic democratic rights for those individuals or groups involved in the matter.
- Choose your topic and research two or three articles about it using reliable news sources that you have used in class or your teacher recommends.
- Write a short piece on how your topic relates to guaranteeing basic democratic rights to those involved and for all Americans.
- Review the images in the carousel and decide which image will best accompany your piece—be creative!
As you write your article, keep the following in mind:
- Length: 2–3 paragraphs.
- Include basic facts (who, what, where, when, why, how).
- State where you stand on the matter and why.
- Tie your argument back to a specific idea from one of the primary sources provided in the carousel below.
- Decide which news format you would like to use, newspaper or website.
- Give your article a title and add a headline (a good headline catches the reader’s attention in some way).
