Component 4: Research Poster | HIST 107 Group Project

Instructions

For Component 4, your group will present one conference-style research poster that synthesizes all of your research and integrates all four analytical lenses.

Your poster must include:

Commodity overview
Pre-imperial context
Empire and coercion
Global capitalism
Comparison to cotton (Beckert)
Consequences today
Central claim (2-3 sentences)
Selected sources from your archive

⚠️ This is a Planning Worksheet: Use this page to draft the content for each section of your poster. Your actual poster can be created using PowerPoint, Canva, Google Slides, or a physical poster board. This worksheet helps you organize your ideas before designing the visual layout.

💡 Poster Design Tips:

Use clear headings and subheadings for each section
Include visuals: maps, photos, charts, or diagrams
Keep text concise and readable from a distance
Use bullet points rather than long paragraphs
Color-code information from different analytical lenses
Make your central claim prominent and bold

Gallery Walk: This poster will be displayed for a class gallery walk. All group members should be prepared to explain any section of the poster and answer questions!

Poster Content Planning

📦 Commodity Overview

What is this commodity? Where does it come from? Why is it important?

This sets up your poster. Keep it engaging and informative - 3-4 sentences.

🌾 Pre-Imperial Context

How was this commodity produced and traded before large-scale imperial involvement?

Show what existed BEFORE the transformation into a global commodity

⚔️ Empire & Coercion

How did empires, states, or corporations take control? What forms of coercion or violence were used?

This is where all four lenses come together: production, labor, imperial power, and circulation

💰 Global Capitalism

How did this commodity become part of global capitalist systems?

Connect to themes of capitalism: markets, profit, exploitation, accumulation, commodification

📚 Comparison to Cotton (Beckert)

How does your commodity compare to Beckert's analysis of cotton?

Reference Beckert's concepts: war capitalism, state involvement, coerced labor, global integration

🌍 Consequences Today

What are the lasting consequences of this commodity's history? How does it affect the world today?

Connect the past to the present. What legacies remain?

🎯 Central Claim (2-3 Sentences)

What is your main argument? What should viewers understand about this commodity?

This is the MOST IMPORTANT part. Make it bold and prominent on your poster!

📑 Selected Sources

Which sources from your archive will you highlight on the poster? (3-5 key sources)

These should be your strongest, most illustrative sources. Include citations!

🎨 Visual Design Notes

What visuals, images, maps, or graphics will you include?

Think about: historical photos, trade route maps, production data charts, timeline graphics, etc.

📊 Component 4: Research Poster

Student Information