Topic: Jacob Riis,How the Other Half Lives (New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011) Length: Two to four double-spaced pages; Times New Roman, 12-point font, standard (one-inch) margins. Prompt: Describe late-nineteenth century New York as portrayed by Jacob Riis in How the Other Half Lives . Identify the problems he sought to reveal, as well as the forces on which he blamed those problems. What solutions to these problems does Riis offer? Do you believe his solutions are feasible? What do you believe would be the best way to handle these problems? Your arguments about Riis’s ideas and your own solutions must be rooted in a clear understanding of the historical realities of the Gilded Age and urban America at that time. Your paper should have a clear argument, which should be articulated in the introduction, supported throughout the body of the essay by evidence from the book, and then re-stated in the conclusion. Most of your evidence should come from the actual Riis writings, rather than the editor’s introduction; however, you should use the introduction to provide yourself with context. Citations may be parenthetical (Riis, 25). Or they may be short-form footnotes. 1 A few reminders: Past tense is usually preferred in historical writing. You should avoid first-person (I, we, my, etc.) or second-person (you, your, yourself) pronouns; third person (he, she, it, etc.) is preferred. Make sure your paragraphs contain complete thoughts and appropriately link to one another. You should avoid the passive voice, split infinitives, and similar issues.