The topic of your child’s social studies class may determine the books that they read and the topics that they are interested in. Since English is a requirement for most high schools we thought it may be helpful to provide some creative writing prompts that relate to the current events and historical figures that your class is studying.
African American History
Many people know that African Americans constitute the largest portion of the American jail population, however, few know that African American history is deeply entwined with the history of the American Revolution. The struggle for independence from Great Britain was largely led by men of African descent who contributed greatly in battle and who sought to create a better life for themselves and their families after the upheaval of the American War for Independence. Although slavery still existed, many African Americans saw the writing on the wall and sought to create a future for themselves as independent and enterprising citizens of the new United States of America. Writers such as William Shakespeare and Alexander Hamilton were prime examples of this and their work still resonates deeply with people of African descent even today.
The following are creative writing worksheet prompts that will engage your student in writing about William Shakespeare and Alexander Hamilton:
Make An Indent
This is an excellent task for students to practice their penmanship. They should be given a piece of paper and a pen and asked to make an indent in the paper to demonstrate their understanding of William Shakespeare’s words:
“Make an indent: Place your finger on the paper and lift your pen while writing. As you do this, a small indent will appear where you place your finger.”
The purpose of this exercise is to develop their fine motor skills as well as to allow them to practice writing the Roman alphabet. They should be asked to write several letters as part of their assignment.
A Letter From William Shakespeare To Alexander Hamilton
In one of his letters to Alexander Hamilton, William Shakespeare writes:
“You should look to enlarge the markets, to encourage industries, and to make Britain the happiest place on earth. Few men are blessed with such excellent sense of friendship as you. Count on me for anything and I will not fail you.”
This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to practice writing in a letter format complete with salutation, subjects, and closing. They should be provided with a piece of paper and a pen and asked to write a short letter to Alexander Hamilton. They should then seal the letter and sign it with their name.
Other topics that you can prompt your student to write about are:
African American Independence
Slavery was not abolished in the United States of America until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. With the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, slaves became emancipated men and women whose labor was no longer required. This also meant that African Americans were no longer considered property and thus could not be legally kidnapped and sold to another person. However, the struggle for equality was not over and in fact, would continue for several more generations. The Civil War had just begun and the subsequent Reconstruction Era saw the creation of what is now commonly known as the African American Civil Rights Movement. While there was certainly much celebration when slavery was abolished, there was also a great deal of pain as African Americans sought to create a society that was free from the prejudices that had so long plagued their community. The writer and journalist, W. E. B. DuBois would famously comment:
“It was not enough for them to abolish slavery. They had to go on and destroy every last vestige of racial inferiority that they could find.”
Your student will no doubt have a favourite American revolutionary figure that they would like to research; perhaps George Washington, the father of our country, or Samuel Adams, the founder of our nation’s independence. If you feel that your student is not ready to tackle the topic of American independence then perhaps the topic of slavery would be a more suitable beginning. Your student will no doubt find many more topics that they are interested in relating to their social studies curriculum.