The 1938 San Antonio Pecan Shellers Strike, DBQ: Part B

Part B: Essay

Directions:В  Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several paragraphs, and a conclusion.В  Use evidence from at least six documents in the body of the essay.В  Support your response with relevant facts, examples, and details.В  Include additional outside information.

Historical Context:

In the depths of the Great Depression, Mexican and Mexican-American men and women went on strike in San Antonio in 1938 to oppose cuts in piece wages that threatened starvation. The city government sided with owners and managers of the shelling companies, repressing the strike by denying strikers the right to assemble or picket peacefully. Middle-class support and public exposure created pressure on the company management, and contributed to a compromise settlement.

Task:

Using information from the documents and your knowledge of United States history, write an essay in which you:

  • Discuss the causes and methods of the strike from the perspective of the diverse participants.

  • Explain why the strike was either successful or not successful.
 

Guidelines:

In your essay, be sure to:

  • Address all aspects of the Task by accurately analyzing and interpreting at least six documents.

  • Incorporate information from the documents in the body of the essay.

  • Incorporate relevant outside information.

  • Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details.

  • Use a logical and clear plan of organization.

  • Introduce the theme by establishing a framework that is beyond a simple restatement of the Task or Historical Context and conclude with a summation of the theme.
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