Please note that this is a very broad topic that you can narrow in many ways. “Relations” can be defined in many ways to include political, religious, social, cultural, military, or economic. So, just as with a broad prompt for an analytical essay, you will have to do some brainstorming/concept mapping to come up with your narrowed focus.
Using information in the course textbook, or linked materials in the textbook/modules to other sites, you will research and develop your theme. Although not required, you are permitted to use ACADEMICALLY ACCEPTABLE (for college level research) WEBSITES to also gather information. You will search the Internet to find suitable images and maps to use in you project. When completed you will have an introduction and SIX LOCATIONS that are relevant to your narrowed topic relating to the theme of Foreign Relations.
create an historical analysis based upon geography that allows for rich imagery and mapping. The key components you will provide will be an introduction explaining your theme (just like an introductory paragraph to an essay) then the six locations that in some way relate to your theme. Each of these locations will have a one paragraph historical geography analysis (like a paragraph in an essay) answering the basic questions of “What happened where, why it happened there, and who cares?” discussed in the reading above. The Story Map will allow you to not only MAP the location, but also provide another image to show what you are talking about (for example, if you are talking about trade with Asia, you may want to provide an image of a political cartoon of “Dollar Diplomacy” to go along with your analysis). And, of course, you must provide footnote citations for the materials you consulted in your analysis of each location.
The other element in the project is your Reflective Essay, which is a 1-2 page discussion of the key points and findings of all six locations taken together and any patterns you are seeing based upon geography and chronology. This is not a restatement of the paragraphs of the Story Map, but is a critical thinking exercise in which you reflect upon what you have learned from the project, the “big picture.”
Don’t be daunted, think of the Story Map as an analytical essay broken up into chunks with maps and images. The Reflection is a shorter essay in which you will consider how all of the chunks fit together both geographically and chronologically, in which you discuss your “take-aways” from the project. Although this project will require some diligence and time management on your part, don’t make it harder by making it harder than it needs to be.