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Rafael Bertelli

Professor Nakra

History 1700

22 July 2018

End of Semester Reflection

Why did you select ______ as your topic of choice for writing the historical essay?

I chose to write about hemp and marijuana’s history in the United States because it has been a
significant component of our nation since colonial times. Today it continues to be a topic worthy
of discussion – how it has been managed has greatly influenced aspects of our past and current
societies. I’m interested in researching how the plant has affected Americans, the economy,
politics, and modern medicine.

Make connections between history 1700 and some of the other courses that you might have
taken at the college? Make specific references to your work in this course and the other
courses?

The connection I’ve been able to make between this class and others I have taken in the past is
mainly the work I have completed in English 1010, specifically in rhetorical analysis. Being able
to effectively examine the intentions of a writer and associate it to coinciding events has been a
great lesson and crucial in this course and the work involving document analysis.

How has the final research paper, honed you as a learner? Be specific.

This course specifically has taught me that it’s not often a single event that instigates something
major in history, but typically a culmination of events and evolving intricacies that contribute to
an outcome. Understanding hemp and marijuana’s journey throughout America’s history has
lead me to examine various complexities surrounding its use. Therefore, it helps me to obtain a
better grasp on examining historical accounts by learning to expand my thoughts and also
looking at areas of economic, social, and political issues involving the subject.

Reflect upon how you thought about some of the topics before taking this course and how
you feel about the same topics after the completion of this course.

Prior to taking this course, my understanding on the discrepancy in wages for women in America
was limited. After completing a document analysis and doing further research on the topic, I was
able to develop a better understanding on some explanations of the matter. I am still puzzled at
the fact this inequality persists today considering all that American and immigrant women have
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contributed to the development of our country, its workforce, and laws. Another topic I’ve been
able to develop a better opinion on is the Civil War. My basic understanding was that it was
fought over the moral issues associated with slavery, and now understand it was much more than
just that. To the citizens of southern states, it meant changing their way of life and it greatly
affected their economy and traditions.

Are there any particular skills that you learned in this course? How are they reflected in
your final research paper and other assignments?

I’d have to say that looking at a timeline depicting various events that were occurring during a
period has helped me see the bigger picture when studying history. Politics, literature, art, music,
and technological advancements all have their respectful place on a timeline and play an
important role on how events transpired. In my final research papers, I will describe how hemp
and marijuana influenced the aforementioned subjects.