U.S.

History I – First Quarter Assessment

CAPT Interdisciplinary Writing Test

The purpose of this interdisciplinary writing test is to determine how well you can write
to persuade others to think as you do about an issue. In the test, you will read two
articles about an important issue (Zinn and Bowden), take a position on the issue, and
write a first draft of a persuasive letter. You must support your position with information
from each of the source materials and your knowledge of the issue. Your response will
be read and scored by trained readers.

ABOUT THIS TEST

In this interdisciplinary writing test, you will think about and take a position on an
important issue: should the State of Connecticut continue to celebrate the Columbus
Day Holiday, or should we instead celebrate Native Peoples’ Day? While you are
working on this test, you will use skills and knowledge you learned in your language arts,
mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and other classes.

THE ISSUE

The State of Connecticut is reviewing the continued observance of the Columbus Day
Holiday. A controversy has arisen about whether to keep this celebration of Christopher
Columbus, considering the impact European settlement had on Native American
populations. Representative of the Mashantuckett Pequots are asking that this
holiday be renamed Native Peoples’ Day to honor the original Americans, who do
not have a state holiday of their own. South Dakota has already made this change.
On the other side New Haven’s Knights of Columbus are petitioning to keep
Columbus Day because it is the only state holiday honoring Italian-American
heritage, and it symbolizes the coming of Western culture that has improved the
lives of all Americans through better technology, diet, and medicine.

YOUR TASK

Write a persuasive letter to Governor Jodi Rell, indicating whether you believe the state
should continue to observe Columbus Day. Your prior knowledge of history should
accompany the evidence you analyze and incorporate into your letter, but don’t forget to
use both of the source materials in your essay.

Audience: Governor Jodi Rell

Columbus Holiday should be celebrated Native Peoples’ Day should be celebrated