Category: American history

For this discussion, you will start by reading this letterLinks to an external site. from Richard Frethorne. Make sure you note who he (the author) was and when/where/why he wrote this letter. As you read, think about what you have learned about the Chesapeake Bay region and the founding of the Virginia colony (starting with Jamestown). What kind of culture and economy were set up in its early years? What were relations with Native Americans like? In what ways do you think the letter reflects the kind of society the English colonists initially established in this region?
For your initial post, describe some details (and/or quotes) from the letter that you think illustrate life in the Virginia colony in the early 1600s. Then use the readings from this module to provide context and help explain why Frethorne had these experiences. Based on what we have learned, how common do you think his experience was? How might life have changed for colonists in Virginia later in the 1600s? (10 points)
Note: There is no word count requirement for discussion posts, but they should be a good paragraph of several sentences that incorporates specific information from the assigned readings. Please use only the sources assigned in the module; do not consult outside sources unless you get them approved ahead of time.
Make sure you respond to at least one classmate. Can you spot any similarities between their observations about Frethorne and this song written by an English girlLinks to an external site. who was sent to Virginia? Can you think of any additional information about the colony that would help further our understanding of what these documents are discussing? (3 points)
Remember that the discussion is worth more than the other quizzes and activities in the module, so be as thorough as you can. The discussion will close after one week, and no late posts will be accepted after that date (unless you submit documentation of an emergency).
A few reminders:
Don’t forget to cite your sources! Put the author’s last name in parentheses after the section or sentence where you described or quoted them. If you are using a source where you don’t know the author’s last name, use the title.
Please note that discussion posts must describe and explain specific information from the assigned sources in your own words. Posts that use outside sources (unless you get approval ahead of time), posts that use AI-generated language, or posts that only provide a vague summary or description will not receive credit.

this essay is comprised of two components. The essay must be at least 1000 words overall. Please include a works cited page as well. Part One:
Begin by completing the following political ideology quizzes:
Advocates for Self Government a libertarian website: www.theadvocates.org/quizLinks to an external site.
Pew Research Center for People & the Press: www.people-press.org/typlogy/quizLinks to an external site.
Next, analyze the results. Do you believe that these quizzes accurately measured your ideological leanings to the right or the left? Why or why not?
Part Two:
Some people argue that there are no significant differences between the two major parties. Backing up your perspective with appropriate sources, what are the major differences and similarities in the views of the Democratic and Republican parties (e.g., this review of party platforms, 1856-2016 www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/2016-election/conventions/party-platform-evolution/Links to an external site.)? What are the primary areas of difference between contemporary Democrats and Republicans? How are the two parties similar? What are the consequences of these patterns for voters and election outcomes? For policy outcomes?

turabian format, minimum of 5 scholarly sources, each source cited with footnotes and in bibliography. Book given is “Modern American Military History: 5th edition” authors: Robert F. Ritchie IV & Herbert S. Pieper

The
question is as follows:
Theodore Geisel wrote children’s books
for adults. Eric Foner wrote a text designed to challenge student ideas about
America’s progression toward a more inclusive society.  Professor Jamieson
picked books and movies designed to encourage you consider the theme of the
class–what is liberty and who has it?  In a real sense the Sneetches, the
Lorax and the Yooks and the Zooks (The Butter
Battle) all have the question of liberty at their core. Are the
plain-bellied Sneetches free to have picnics on the beaches?  Can the
Lorax freely enjoy his home and all its creatures? Are the Yooks and the Zooks
free to live without fear?
Using all the sources you’ve considered (Foner, Alger, Crane and Baldwin,
“Shane,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” “Guess Who’s Coming to
Dinner,”  “Do the Right Thing” and
Casualties of War), address these three questions in a paper (minimum four to
six pages).  To have a comprehensive response, you must consider at least
one of the Foner Guiding Questions from each of the six Modules in the syllabus
as well as a movie or monograph question. 
You cannot, for example, fail to include “Do the Right Thing” or James
Baldwin, The Fire Next Time even though you have considered the tragic
successes of Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon or the responsibility of the
United States and the Soviet Union for the Cold War .
Guiding Questions
Along with Dr. Seuss,
The Guiding Questions make up the questions for the final exam.  At the conclusion of the course the
successful student will be able to address these in a clear and succinct
fashion. Guiding questions are divided into three separate and distinct categories:
plain text guiding
questions relate directly to the text by Foner;
bold face guiding questions are associated with
the supplemental readings;
italicized guiding questions connect to the
movies.
MODULE 1
RECONSTRUCTION
AND THE EXPANSION OF AMERICAN CIVILIZATION
1865-1890
Foner,
Chapters 15, 16
The Era of
Reconstruction and Expansion of American Civilization begins with the
conclusion of the Civil War and continues through 1890, when the Director of
the Census concludes there no longer exists a “frontier” in the
United States.  The reading beyond the text includes the Reconstruction
Amendments (13, 14, 15) to the Constitution.  Students will also watch the
classic western, “Shane.”
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1.      
Describe
the success of the Reconstruction Amendments over the course of American
history.
2.      
Compare
and contrast the kinds of resistance to the Reconstruction Amendments put
forward by white southerners and the responses by the federal government.
3.      
Examine
how the related events of the Election of 1876 and the Compromise of 1877
brought about the end of Reconstruction.
4.      
Review how “Shane’s” portrayal of the
west perhaps better represents American’s beliefs about the west rather than
the actual west itself.
5.      
Evaluate
how the United States transformed politically, economically and socially in
this period (1877-1900).
6.       Explain how American freedom was
transformed and to whom it extended.
MODULE
2
AMERICA’S
APPEARANCE ON THE WORLD STAGE
1890-1918
Foner, Chapters 17, 18, 19
America’s
appearance on the world stage begins with the closing of the frontier, at which
time the nation’s empire building begins, and continues through the successful
conclusion of the Great War for the Allies, brought about in part at least by
America’s entry into the war in 1917.  The reading beyond the text
includes Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick
and Stephen Crane’s Maggie.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1.       Compare
and contrast how the ways in which Horatio Alger and Stephen Crane explore life
in the late nineteenth century city.
2.      
Analyze
how Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson,
Progressives all, invited either federal government involvement (positive) or
intrusion (negative) in the lives of ordinary citizens, citing pieces of legislation
which point to such government action.
3.      
Describe
the events that changed Woodrow Wilson’s perspective from that of neutrality in
thought, word and deed in 1914 to a declaration of war in 1917.
MODULE 3
THE INTERWAR YEARS
1918-1941
Foner, Chapters 20, 21,
22
Following a
brief recession, the Roaring Twenties marked almost a decade of seemingly
unprecedented growth followed by a devastating depression that did not end
until the United States entered World War Two, ending almost two decades
largely devoted to isolationism.  The era also witnessed a dramatic
expansion of federal power as FDR dealt with the collapsing economy. 
Beyond the textbook students will watch “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “The
Grapes of Wrath.”
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1.      
Critique
the ways in which the arrests, trials, convictions and executions of Nicola
Sacco and Bartolommeo Vanzetti indicate a retreat from both the spirit of the
Declaration of Independence and the goals of the Progressive Movement.
2.      
Examine
the idea that the unbalanced economy of the 1920s led to a severe economic
slowdown in the mid-1920s which led to the stock market crash of 1929 and Great
Depression of the 1930s.
3.      
Critique
how successfully FDR’s nomination, election and presidency addressed the
problems of the Great Depression.
4.      
“To Kill a Mockingbird” presents two
views of 1930s society in the rural South. 
Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell represent the main characters on each side;
what are the differences in their views and how do they demonstrate them?
5.       Compare
and contrast the ways in which the New Deal failed as well as helped the
displaced migrants of the Dust Bowl, represented by the Joads in “The Grapes of
Wrath.”
MODULE
4
AMERICA’S
RISE TO WORLD LEADERSHIP
1941-1968
Foner, Chapters 23, 24, 25
World War Two
saw America emerge as the only major power which avoided war on its
shores.  While millions of American men and women participated in the war,
none of it was fought on our soil.  As a result, our infrastructure
emerged unscathed, offering the United States the opportunity to rebuild
Western Europe and Japan while it strengthened its own economy.  Economic
prosperity and a baby boom changed the face of the nation, while African
Americans sought their long denied civil rights.  The reading beyond the
text includes James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time. 
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1.      
Justify
America’s use of atomic weapons against Japan relative to the events leading to
the United States’ entry into World War Two.
2.      
Compare
and contrast the responsibility of the United States and the Soviet Union in
starting the Cold War.
3.      
Analyze
how the post war prosperity, the baby boom and the rapid expansion of suburbia
shaped American society after 1945.
4.       Compare and contrast the legal
frameworks of Plessy v Ferguson (1896) and Brown v Board of Education (1954)
vis a vis de jure and de facto segregation.
5.       Consider
and reflect on the role James Baldwin played in the Civil Rights Movement of
the 1950s and 60s.
MODULE 5:
MODERN AMERICA
1968-1989
Foner, Chapters 26, 27, 28
Richard
Nixon’s election as president marks the beginning of Modern America. 
Though major civil rights legislation passed, the plight of African Americans
did not improve as dramatically as some hoped.  Before the collapse of the
Soviet Union the Cold War occupied American foreign policy while domestically
environmental issues came to the fore.  The reading beyond the text
includes three activist books by Dr. Seuss: The Sneetches, The Lorax and
The Butter Battle.  Students will also watch “Guess Who’s Coming to
Dinner”/”Do the Right Thing.”
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1.       Explain
how the Prentices and the Draytons, in the movie “Guess Who’s Coming To
Dinner,” illustrate race relations at the conclusion of the Civil Rights Era.
2.       Identify
what Spike Lee means as “the right thing,” considering the activities of all
the characters in the movie.
3.       Critique in terms of tragic success
the presidencies of Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.
MODULE
SIX:
1989-Present
Foner,
Chapters 26, 28
Review the
section in Chapter 26 of Foner in which he discusses The Vietnam War, known in
Vietnam as the American War.  Either way
it was a quagmire caused by the Cold War belief that only two types of nations
existed in the world—those aligned with the United States or those aligned with
the Soviet Union.   The American foreign
policy of containment prohibited any expansion of communism anywhere in the
world.  When the Vietnamese pushed the
French out in the 1950s the fear was the communists would take control in
Southeast Asia.  Known as the Domino
Theory, if Vietnam fell, Southeast Asia might be lost.  “Casualties of War” in a brutal, gritty
antiwar movie based on an incident uncovered by an investigative reporter who
wrote an article for New Yorker which became the basis for the movie.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1.     
Who
are the “casualties”? Be as comprehensive as possible and be sure to defend
your choices.
2.     
Describe
Eriksson’s dilemma.
3.     
What
is the significance of Brownie’s character?
4.     
To
what extent, if any, does Eriksson suffer from PTSD?
5.     
Discuss
the proposition that both Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were victims of
political posturing rather than legitimate accusations of “high crimes and
misdemeanors.”
6.     
Analyze
how Foner sees the changes in the concept of liberty since 1865.
MODULE 7:
While
it may seem strange, the final exam is one of the first items you should
consider.  You will notice there are only
a couple of days at the conclusion of the seven weeks devoted to the course,
but the good student will start considering it immediately.  The question is as follows:
Theodore Geisel wrote children’s books
for adults. Eric Foner wrote a text designed to challenge student ideas about
America’s progression toward a more inclusive society.  Professor Jamieson
picked books and movies designed to encourage you consider the theme of the
class–what is liberty and who has it?  In a real sense the Sneetches, the
Lorax and the Yooks and the Zooks (The
Butter Battle) all have the question of liberty at their core. Are the
plain-bellied Sneetches free to have picnics on the beaches?  Can the
Lorax freely enjoy his home and all its creatures? Are the Yooks and the Zooks
free to live without fear?
Using all the sources you’ve considered (Foner, Alger, Crane and Baldwin,
“Shane,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” “Guess Who’s Coming to
Dinner,” “Do the Right Thing, and Casualties of War”), address these three
questions in a paper (four to six pages minimum).  To have a comprehensive
response, you must consider at least one of the Foner Guiding Questions from
each of the six Modules in the syllabus as well as a movie or monograph
question.  You cannot, for example, fail
to include “Do the Right Thing” or James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
even though you have considered the tragic successes of Lyndon Johnson and
Richard Nixon or the responsibility of the United States and the Soviet Union
for the Cold War.
Along with Dr. Seuss, The
Guiding Questions make up the questions for the final exam.  At the conclusion of the course the
successful student will be able to address these in a clear and succinct
fashion. Guiding questions are divided into three separate and distinct
categories:
plain text guiding
questions relate directly to the text by Foner;
bold face guiding questions are associated with
the supplemental readings;
italicized guiding questions connect to the
movies.

Explain how the United States government exercised control over the American economy during World War I. Give examples. Why were these controls accepted? What precedent did they establish? 250 words at least. 

I will provide two questions that you only have to CHOOSE one for the assignment. 1. Are Enlightenment ideals still relevant as a guiding force in current American society? How so? In your answer, please be sure to address current events and issues. 2. How did Enlightenment Era thought to influence the Declaration of Independence? In your answer, be sure to address how political thought evolved during the Enlightenment Era and how those shifts are represented within the Declaration of Independence. I attached both websites where you can get the info for the assignment https://www.ushistory.org/gov/2.asp
https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/

Answer each prompt in 100 words or more
4a Should probation and parole officers be required to carry a gun? Why
or why not? Should probation and parole officers have the power to arrest? Why
or why not? Should probation and parole officers complete home visits alone? In
pairs? With a police officer? Why?
5a What factors drove the European exploration of the Western
Hemisphere in the 1500s-1600s CE? What effects did it have on the Americas? 
6a Read over the excerpts from the Koran and Hadith. Based on these sources, how would you describe the Islamic
faith? What do you consider to be the most important concepts that Islam
emphasizes? Compare and contrast Islam to Judaism and Christianity: do you see
areas for building common ground, or are these religions incompatible?  
7A. As European civilization reached the height
of its power and industrialization, irrationalism enjoyed its greatest measure.
How do you account for this? Why did irrationalism seem to thrive during a
period in which science and industrialization had reached a new peak?
8B. Discuss post-World War I Europe as
determined by the Peace of Paris (1919-20). Did these treaties live up to the
ideals of Wilson’s Fourteen Points? How did the peace that ended World War I
set Europe up for another major war?

*NOTE – You have what looks like extensive reading for this module, but you can page through the chapters in Africa in World History rather quickly, skimming much of it and focusing on Ch. 14. Also, pay more careful attention to Chapter 2 in Boahen. That will lay the foundation for your next Analytical Response Paper. You may want to look at the essay prompt in Mod. 4.3 first so you can watch and read selectively with that in mind.
WATCH: Intro. to Mod 4 (26.58)  and view PDF Slides 
**This video is a little long but this is a very important module. You can break down the video along these lines and review them with each subsequent module:
Intro. 0 – 3.37
Mod 5.1: 3.37 – 15.17
Mod 5.2: 15.17 – 22.53
Mod 5.3: 22.53 – 26.58
READ: Africa in World History, Ch. 10, 12, 14, & pp. 210-216
*Skim Ch. 10, 12, & 210-216 because they are mostly review. Pay more time on Ch. 14 and Boahen (below)
READ: Boahen, African Perspectives on Colonialism, Chs. 1-2
READ: Primary Documents  (all are in the same file)
Royal Niger Company, Standard Treaty
Ndansi, Kumalo, His Story
Records of the Maji Maji Rebellion 
WATCH (review): Intro. to Mod 4 (26.58)  and view PDF Slides
For Mod 5.2, (re)watch 15.17 – 22.53
READ: Africa in World History, Chs. 15 & 16
READ: Boahen, African Perspectives on European Colonialism, Ch. 3.
READ: Primary Sources:
Lord Lugard, Indirect Rule in Tropical Africa (pp. 228-236 only)
Edgar Canisius, Rubber Collecting in the Congo
**for both of these docs, you may have to download them into pdf so you can rotate the view
WATCH: Colonialism in 10 Minutes: The Scramble For Africa (9.48) – from Uganda Rising (9.49)  This short excerpt, from a longer film, Uganda Rising, shows the nature of the Scramble for Africa, as well as of colonialism itself. It reflects the economic motivations, the justification of the Civilizing Mission and missionary movements, and the tactics of Divide and Conquer. It presents a continental view of differing European systems but does so largely from a closer look at the case of Uganda, looking at post-independence era problems in the context of colonial constructs (i.e., colonial legacies). 
The topic of neocolonialism (discussed in the last 3.5 minutes) is a topic that we take up next week and is one you should always consider when you think about problems in Africa today. You may have heard of Uganda in the context of the Lords Resistance Army. If you have not, check out the viral video, Kony 2012 and learn more about its associated organization, Invisible Children. Here’s a great NYT story about the movement ten years later.
(RE)WATCH: Intro. to Mod 4 view PDF Slides 
Mod 5.3: 22.53 – 26.58
WATCH: Culture and Colonialism with Wangari Mathai (7.35″) 
READ: Primary Sources (they are all in this same file)
Sir Frederick Guggisberg, The Education of the African
James Aggrey, The Parable of the Eagle
LéonDamas, Limbo
Léopold Senghor, A Prayer for Peace
SUBMIT: Analytical Response Paper (see below)
This is a much more formal writing assignment than the discussion posts. Please organize it accordingly, present a strong thesis, strong topic sentences, and ample evidence to support your arguments. The paper should be 600-900 words. Although you may want to write much more, please keep it to the maximum. It may take some revising and editing, but you will end up with a stronger paper in the end. 
DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO SUBMIT WORK THAT IS NOT ENTIRELY YOUR OWN. WHETHER IT’S ANOTHER PERSON’S WORK OR WRITTEN BY AI, IT IS PLAGIARISM. IF THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE OF YOU DOING SO, YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO AND YOU WILL FAIL THE COURSE. 
ADVICE: It would make sense to have 3-4 body paragraphs, in addition to an introduction and conclusion. Maybe a paragraph on overall European goals and then three more addressing each of the colonial structures(econ., political, socio-cultural) and their impact on African societies. Just a suggestion. There are other ways to organize this as well, as long as you discuss goals, structures, and impact in each of the three areas. Either way, you must build a strong topic sentence that sums up your argument for each paragraph and then add the evidence and examples (voices!) to support that argument. Always think about how each of those paragraphs support your larger thesis (from the introduction). What is the thread that will allow you to tie it all together? You can’t do it all. Identify the most prominent colonial structures (Boahen will help with that) and then tie them directly into a few examples of their impact on Africans. Utilize your primary sources to bring your stories to life and give them more weight. Avoid long quotes; paraphrase where possible.   
ESSAY PROMPT
Utilizing the primary and secondary documents and videos from Mods. 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3, discuss and analyze 1) the economic, political, and social structures of colonialism, 2) how each of those structures met European goals, and 3) the impact those colonial structures had on African societies. Be sure to include a discussion about the role that culture and education played in the colonial mission from materials in Mod. 4.3.
To support your arguments, be sure to provide specific evidence and examples from all sources and particularly from the primary documents, including those mentioned within the Boahen and Gilbert & Reynolds texts and the videos, where relevant.

Attached is the Unit 2 Exam document that includes all the instuctions to complete the assignment. I have also attached all the PowerPoints and Class Notes to complete the assignment. The assignment MUST be completed using the information provided and not information from other sources. 

The theme of freedom and its changing dimensions run throughout our study of US history this semester. Foner introduced his three dimensions of freedom in the preface of Give Me Liberty! The relevant excerpt is reprinted in this module. Please read it carefully and be ready to apply the three dimensions to analyze the freedoms most important to you and relevant to your life now. An essential element of the assignment is to explain Foner’s dimensions of freedom – its meanings, the social conditions that make freedom possible, and the boundaries of freedom that determine who is entitled to enjoy freedom and who is not – as they relate to your essential freedoms. You should also consider how freedom changes over time. 
Start the module by reading the assignment instructions, then review “The Freedom Theme” from Foner’s preface. Examine the assignment rubric carefully to ensure you understand all the required components.
Be aware of the standards of academic integrity as they apply to this assignment:
Use your own ideas
Do not use outside sources (so no citations are needed, and no quotations are allowed)
Do not use generative AI