Prompt: Following Fidel Castro’s 1959 Revolution, thousands of Cubans opposed to his rule flocked to the United States. For the most part, they were greeted with open arms, allowed to enter U.S. territory freely. But since then, a debate has raged: did the U.S. government grant the Cubans special treatment under U.S. immigration laws out of genuine humanitarian concern, or to make an example out of them for Cold War propaganda? Drawing on María Cristina García’s writing and the two short films assigned, formulate your own answer to this question. Consider the following variables. Who among the Cuban population fled, and what conditions provoked their departure? How were they treated in the United States? In information materials like the short films assigned, how was the plight of Cuban refugees depicted for the U.S. public? And what might that depiction suggest about the symbolism of the Cuban migrant in the politics of the Cold War?

The argument of your paper should be a detailed and specific answer to the above question, rooted in a close analysis of the primary sources and a clear explanation of the historical context drawn from the assigned secondary source readings.

Note that this question does not ask you to evaluate which of the primary sources you agree with, nor does it necessarily require you to formulate an either/or response. Your task is to assess the evidence provided to put forth a reasonable interpretation of why Cubans received the relatively welcoming treatment in U.S. society that they did.

Formatting Requirements

• Typed, double-spaced, 12 pt-font, 1″ margins
• 1200-1300 words; or about 4 double-spaced pages NOT including footnotes
• Include a header (single-spaced) that lists your name, your Panther ID, the course number, and the date
• Use footnote citations, including page numbers where possible (see Footnote FAQ handout for step-by-step instructions). You do NOT need to include a bibliography or works cited page!
• Review for errors of spelling and grammar—this is a formal written report! I recommend using the advanced spelling and grammar check functions in MS Word.
• Submit the paper online using the appropriate turnitin link on Blackboard; turnitin is plagiarism detection software.
• Use quote marks and correct footnote citations with page numbers (where possible) to protect yourself from being accused of plagiarism

Paper Organization

Your paper must include an introduction, several distinct body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Your introduction should not begin with broad, overly general statements, but instead should introduce the specific time, place, and topic you are writing about. Do not assume that your reader knows anything about the history you are describing. Your introduction should also include a) a thesis statement that interprets your primary sources within the historical context, and b) an overview of how the remainder of your paper will be organized (a “roadmap” for your reader).

Your body paragraphs should each be organized around a main idea, and should offer evidence to support that main idea. Be sure that your paragraphs each have a topic sentence. Check to be sure that all of the evidence you offer in the paragraph relates to and supports that topic sentence.

Your conclusion should summarize your ideas and suggest connections to course themes.

Getting Help on the Assignment

Unless you happen to live with a history professor or graduate student, you probably won’t be able to get good help at home. Your cousin, uncle, mom, or best friend might be able to tell you whether you have spelling and typographical errors. They may be able to help you pinpoint places where your organization could be improved. But in all likelihood they will not know what makes a good history paper. For that reason, your first stop should be the Teaching Assistant, Student Assistant, or Professor of this class.

Remember that a good history paper does not necessarily look like a good paper for an English, Criminology, Philosophy, or Psychology class. Every discipline has its own conventions. To succeed on this paper, you should re-familiarize yourself with what history papers are like. For descriptions of how to approach assignments like this, revisit Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, excerpts from Chapter 4 (posted on Blackboard under Writing Resources).

The History Department offers free tutoring for students working on history papers. This is available 5 days per week. Call 305-348-2328 or email histutor@fiu.edu

You may also visit the professor and teaching/student assistants during their drop-in office hours