How to Write a Paper about the 1960s Riots

Solution Preview

I will explain how to organize and write your paper. I'll also give you lots of examples. Do not, however, use any of my wording; that would be plagarism. I've also included a list of possible sources at the bottom of this page.
1. First, you'll need to have a paragraph (or two) with a general explanation of your topic. For example, you might say, "The 1960s was a time of great changes in society. African Americans particularly struggled with these changes, as they strived to achieve greater equality in the areas of employment, education, housing, and social status. Sometimes, especially in northern cities, riots would break out when African Americans felt that they weren't being treated fairly. The inequalities became too much, and the crowd psychology took over. . . . (Include a few sentences about how these race riots had both many causes, and that they didn't occur much in the southern states.)
2. Then you'll need 2 paragraphs about what constitutes a riot and what kinds of triggers exist for riots in general. Since you're only writing 900 words, I think a paragraph would be enough. You might say that, "A riot is an uprising that occurs when a crowd (sometimes called a mob) becomes angry and violent over a real or perceived slight. The race riots of the 1960s were particularly serious because of their buildup: years and years of unfair treatment many African Americans faced. Often these riots were triggered by police brutality or blatantly racist language used by police or others in authority. Some argue that these riots were more a factor of the mob mentality (racial collective action, in this case), whereas others see these riots as an effect of years of being put down by authorities." Answer these ...