HAITI RESEARCH PROJECT 

OVERVIEW: 

For this project, you will be researching a ​specific​ topic on Haiti (it can be from 
ANY point in Haitian history) and making a website. You’ll ask a question about 
the topic that will frame the website and its pages. The question can either be 
about a debate/issue surrounding the topic, or a​ h ​ istoriography​ of your topic. 

Some topics will have clear debates- for example, for U.S. relations with Haiti: 
“to what extent was the United States involved in the overthrow of President 
Aristide?” Other topics, such as women’s rights, won’t necessarily have an 
argumentative question. In this case, you would ask: “how have women’s 
rights changed throughout Haiti’s history?” Whatever question you decide to 
ask, you will explore it on your website through primary and secondary 
sources-​here is a list of books in the library, PDFs, primary sources, and 
articles that have been compiled for you. 

An additional part of your project grade will be based on your SRQ of someone 
else’s website (more below). You’ll do this after you submit your website. 

Here are some possible topics, although you can ​choose your own as long as 
you confirm with me first: 

reparations, Aristide Era, 2004 coup, gangs/crime/drugs, women’s rights, worker's 

rights, culture (voodoo, art, religion, etc.), education, cholera outbreak, HIV/AIDS, 
deforestation, relationship with French government, U.S. occupation(s), U.S. 
interference in elections, fortification from natural disasters, NGOs in Haiti, Duvalier 
Era, earthquake 

PART 1: CREATE YOUR WEBSITE (​HERE’S AN EXAMPLE)​ and 

another​ and a
​ nother​ and ​one more​.  
 

WHAT YOU NEED: 

 ● WEBSITE TITLE: ​something catchy followed by a question (i.e. 
Overthrow: To what extent was the U.S. involved in the 2004 Haitian 
coup?) 
● HOMEPAGE WITH AN INTRODUCTION: A ​ t least one paragraph giving a 
background of your topic, and at least one paragraph introducing the 
question. 
● SUBSECTIONS: ​you will need at least FOUR subsections that fall under 
your topic. Each of these will be a ​page o​ n your website. Using the 
women’s rights example, each page could be a time period (18th century, 
19th century, 20th century, 21st century) 
○ TEXT​: 1-2 paragraph explanation/background (using B ​ OOKS​ (!!!!) 
and a
​ rticles​ as sources) 
○ PRIMARY SOURCES: e ​ very page will need at least TWO primary 
sources that add to your explanations. This can include anything 
from historical or legal documents, eyewitness accounts, data, 
emails, interviews, Wikileaks, audio and video recordings, etc. 
Primary sources are f​ actual​, whereas secondary sources are 
interpretive. 
○ REMEMBER TO USE CORRECTLY FORMATTED CHICAGO-STYLE 
FOOTNOTES! 
● CONCLUSION PAGE:​ 2-3 paragraph response that answers your main 
question. Think of this as a mini-essay. The response should be 
argumentative (not a summary). You need topic sentences and evidence 
(that you used on your website). 
● Work cited PAGE:​ Chicago format 
● Be creative! Add pictures, videos, maps, captions, etc. You’ll be sharing 
your website with the whole class. 

PART 2: SRQ​ Look through your classmates’ websites. Find one that 
interests you and write up an SRQ: 

● 1 paragraph S
​ UMMARY​ of the topic, based on what you read 
● 1 paragraph R​ EFLECTION​ on what you read (respond to their 
question-what do you think? 
● 3-5 Q
​ UESTIONS​ on what you read 

PROJECT TIMELINE 
DAY 1 
 ● Choose your topic. Read these to get you started…. 
○ General Haiti Wikipedia 
○ 2010 Haiti Earthquake Wikipedia 
○ Education in Haiti Wikipedia 
○ Economy of Haiti Wikipedia 
○ Health in Haiti Wikipedia 
○ Human Rights in Haiti Wikipedia 
● Choose your main question 
● Create your website 
○ You can choose which platform to create your website on. Here are 
some options that are definitely free:​ W
​ eebly​,​ B
​ logger​,​ ​Wordpress​, 
Wix 

DAY 2 

● Figure out your FOUR subsections and use this​ S

​ OURCES​ google doc to 
find evidence 
○ OUTLINE at least two of your subsections and choose the primary 
sources and evidence that you will be using 

DAY 3:​ Do the same with the last two subsections. 

DAY 4:​ Write up the four subsections. Write up intro and conclusion. 

Finally... by 1/23:​ ​Have one other group send you their website and link it to 
your own with an SRQ. 

Send me the link for your website via email by 1/27/2020 

  

For 2 points of EC on your overall grade: interview an expert, record it, add to 
your website