Tennessee History

Your first paper will be on Nathan Bedford Forrest. Per the syllabus, this essay should be three (3) pages in length, typed on a computer, double spaced, have one (1) inch margins on all side, and font should be set to Times New Roman twelve (12) point. Check the class schedule for the due date. I’ve included a Word document (below) that explains the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarizing while also explaining the components of a good paper. Please review that document.

Civil War Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest is very much a controversial character in American history. He was known as one of the most successful career soldiers and leaders of his time, but he was equally known for his often brutal tactics, both on and off the battlefield, in order to gain the upper hand from his enemy. In local Tennessee history, he is remembered for reportedly saving roughly 150 “innocent” civilians captured by the Union Army and scheduled to be executed in Murfreesboro. But he is more widely remembered for the “Fort Pillow Massacre” during the war and helping to start the notorious Ku Klux Klan after the war.

Two of the most important skills you are supposed to learn this semester are the ability to analyze historical facts and interpretations while also being able to draw on historical perspectives to evaluate contemporary problems. Therefore, using ONLY the sources linked below, answer this question: Was Nathan Bedford Forrest a hero, a villain, or something in between? You must use ALL of the sources below and ONLY those sources. You must use EVIDENCE from those sources to support your argument. Use the Chicago Manual of Style Notes-Bibliography Format to create your footnotes. Here is a quick guide. Include a bibliography page at the end. The bibliography will be the last page of your essay and DOES NOT count as part of the three pages required for this essay. PS: The video questions are there to help you take notes on the documentary; you will not need to turn them in.