Historical Thesis on the Cuban Missile Crisis STEP 1A
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STEP #1A: Background Research
Cuban Missile Crisis
Directions: Complete background research by taking notes on the following questions: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE,
WHY, and HOW? Then, create 3 preliminary research questions to drive your project.
Sources: You must use at least four different secondary sources to complete this background research. After each bullet
point put a parenthetical citation to show from where you learned that information, i.e. (Musk 15). Then, put the sources in
MLA format at the end of the step.
1. What is your research topic? If you have a first draft of your research question, include it below as well.
2. Identify 5-10 major figures, terms, locations, or eras important to your research. Explain or define them as they
relate to your research.
3. What years will your time period cover? Be specific.
4. WHO: In the box below, include 5-15 bullet points answering each of the following questions:
● Who/which groups are the major players of your topic?
● Who/which group was in charge of the government at the time of your topic?
● Who/which groups supported the government during this time?
● Who/which groups didn’t support the government during this time?
5. WHAT: In the box below, include 5-15 bullet points answering each the following questions:
● What laws influenced your topic? (i.e. Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, Fugitive Slave Law, etc)
● Which groups of people supported your topic? What groups of people were against your topic? (i.e. Conservative
Republicans, African Americans, foreigners, Radical Republicans, etc)
● What are the major events of your topic?
● What was the economic climate at the time?
● What else was going on in the country and world at the time?
This Word Doc Link:
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6. WHEN: In the box below, include 2-3 bullet points answering each the following questions:
● When did your topic start and end?
● When did your topic become popular or a big deal? Why?
7. WHERE: In the box below, include 2-3 bullet points answering each the following questions:
● Where did your topic occur?
● Where did your topic have the most influence?
8. WHY: In the box below, include 2-3 bullet points answering each the following questions:
● Why was your topic such a big deal?
● Why did your topic occur?
9. HOW: In the box below, include 5-15 bullet points answering the most relevant of the following questions:
● How did your topic create change?
● How did economics influence your topic?
● How did politics influence your topic?
● How did other events going on in the country/world influence your topic?
● How did your topic influence the future?
● How was your topic started or initiated?
● How did various groups of people influence your topic?
○ politicians?
○ women? men?
○ political parties?
○ the media?
○ police?
○ immigrants?
○ unions?
○ academics?
This Word Doc Link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12h8ZoPGjOj8vmjecyiW-J-gVpB3iwA8TLWaEB68IqZs/edit?usp=sharing
10. Create a preliminary list of 3 research questions that you think may be deserving of focusing your project around.
These MUST start with “HOW” or “WHY” and will be the way that you focus your research going forward.
1.
2.
3.
Works Cited:
