Download Points of Discussion

APUSH - SWENSON
Chapter 1: Points for Discussion
1.
What was the nature of the Indian societies and their geographic distribution before the
coming of the European explorers? What relationship existed between their subsistence
patterns and their general culture?
2.
What "discoveries" were made in America before 1600? Which of these led to
colonization and which did not? What contributed to the success of these colonization
efforts?
3.
What did the Indian cultures contribute to the Europeans, and why, despite these
contributions, did the invaders still think of the Native Americans as savages? (The
document in the Study Guide, in which John Smith describes his meeting with the Indians
will be useful in showing the attitude of Europeans toward Native American customs and
values.)
4.
In what ways were the Spanish and English motives for colonization different? similar?
How were these motives reflected in the organization of the colonies they established?
5.
What was the social and cultural background of the Africans brought to America? How
did this background differ from that of the Indians? Europeans? In what ways were the
backgrounds of these people similar?
6.
In what ways did England, Spain, and other European nations use the experience gained
in earlier exploration and colonization when they attempted to colonize America?
7.
European colonization has often been said to have been motivated by "gold, God, and
glory." Assess this interpretation of the motives behind the European colonization of
America.
8.
The arrival of Europeans in America resulted in a complex interaction of cultures.
Explain how this interaction was harmful and/or beneficial to both Europeans and Native
Americans.
9.
How did the cultural interaction mentioned in question number 8 change with the arrival
of African slaves? Examine the origins of the African slave trade and the impact that
Africans had on the economy and culture of colonial America.
10.
Who were the "positivists," and why has their approach to history been rejected by most
scholars today?
11.
Explain the efforts that have been made to determine the population of America before
Columbus.
Explain the connections that existed between what happened in the Americas and what
was happening in the rest of the world.
12.
Chapter 2: Points for Discussion
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
How did the evolution of the Virginia colony between 1607 and 1625 reveal the impact
of New World conditions on English aims and expectations? How did the Virginia
colonists adapt to American circumstances, and what sort of society emerged as a result?
(A comparison of Document numbers 1 and 2 in the Study Guide will provide a
contemporary account of the changes that took place.)
What do the causes of Bacon’s Rebellion suggest about the sociopolitical system of
Virginia in the 1670s? Why was Bacon considered a hero by some and a traitor by
others? What impact did the outcome of the “rebellion” have on Virginia politics?
How did the goals of the colonists settling in Massachusetts Bay differ from those of the
Virginia colonists? How and why did these goals change in the first fifty years of the
colony? How did opponents of these changes respond? (Document number 3 in the Study
Guide will help guide the discussion of the evolution of Massachusetts Bay.)
How did England apply the principles of mercantilism to its North American and West
Indian colonies, and how did the various colonial interests respond? What part did
Spain’s American colonies play in English efforts?
By 1660, it was evident that England had become concerned about Massachusetts’ lack
of cooperation with the mother country’s policies. Why did England view Massachusetts
as a “troublemaker” (if not an outright enemy), and why, in turn, did the people of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony have the same opinion of England?
Having assessed the reasons behind England’s attitude toward Massachusetts (and vice
versa), explain England’s policy toward the Bay colony and how the Puritans reacted to
the various attempts to control them.
Between 1660 and 1700, the American colonies were shaken by a series of “revolts,” of
which Bacon’s Rebellion was only one. Compare and contrast the protests that took place
in Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia, paying special attention to the
internal divisions that helped spark the outbursts. What evidence do you find to suggest
that what occurred was the result of tensions in colonial society?
What factors caused friction between English colonists and Native Americans? Could
these problems have been avoided? Explain why or why not, incorporating examples and
results of such friction in the various colonies.
How did nineteenth-century historians portray Native Americans in their chronicles of
the New World and in what ways do the interpretations of modern-day historians differ?
Identify the “utopian” schemes that motivated many colonists. Compare and contrast the
colonies that were founded by these idealists, paying special attention to which plans
were successful, which succeeded after modification, and which failed. Explain the
reasons behind these results.
What European nations competed for control of the Southwest and Southeast
borderlands? Explain how this competition shaped settlement in these regions.
Chapter 3: Points for Discussion
1.
How and why did the institution of slavery begin and develop in colonial America?
Analyze the various historical interpretations offered in response to that question ("Where
Historians Disagree: The Origins of Slavery"). Use this exercise to explain the difference
between "fact" and "interpretation."
2.
What reasons did the colonists give for keeping slaves? On what grounds did some
colonists oppose slave holding? (Document numbers 1 and 2 in the Study Guide, Vol. I,
apply here.)
3.
Compare and contrast the economy of the Northern colonies with that of the Southern
colonies. What made the two regions develop as they did? How did these economic
systems reflect social systems emerging at the same time?
4.
How did the New England witchcraft episode reflect tensions in Puritan society? What
were local officials trying to accomplish in bringing "witches" to trial? (Refer to “Where
Historians Disagree” for this question).
5.
What were the reasons for the revival movement known as the Great Awakening? What
doctrines were preached by the ministers involved? How did colonists respond? What
was the revival's impact on colonial life? (Document numbers 4 and 5 in the Study Guide
will provide insight into the approach ministers took and into the demands the
"awakening" put on those involved.)
6.
Who were the Americans? Describe the diverse population that settled the British
American colonies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and assess its growth
during this period.
7.
What factors contributed to a steadily increasing colonial population in America? Discuss
the regional differences in longevity, women's roles, family structures, labor
requirements, and sources of immigration.
8.
What role did religion play in the advance of education in America? In what way did
religion also hinder education?
9.
After assessing the relationships in question number 8, show the extent to which the fruits
of education (reading, writing, science, and law) flourished in America. At the same time,
discuss how these helped form a character that was "American."
10.
By violating the Navigation Acts and developing their own trading patterns, were the
North American colonies also creating their own mercantile system? What implications
did this have for future relations with England?
11.
Why was it said of almanacs that "no book we read (except the Bible) is so much valued
and so serviceable to the community"? What needs did early American almanacs fill?
Chapter 4: Points for Discussion
1.
Why were most Americans content with their role within the British Empire in the
1750s? What evidence of discontent did exist?
2.
What were the goals of the British and the Americans in the Great War for the Empire?
How did the war affect the attitudes of British leaders, as well as those of American
colonists, toward the proper relationship between colonies and mother country?
3.
What role did colonial assemblies play in American protests of British policies after
1763? Why did the assemblies take such a leading role? What effect did the British
attitude (and action) toward these legislatures have on the American decision to revolt?
4.
Some historians have argued that the American Revolution was the result of a
constitutional conflict over the relationship between the mother country and the colonies.
How does the colonial reaction to British attempts to regulate commerce after 1763
support this interpretation? (A comparison of the views expressed in the Documents in
the Study Guide, will help students discuss this question.)
5.
From the British perspective, why was a reorganization of the empire necessary after
1763? What gave England the authority to do this? (Document number 2 in the Study
Guide may be used here.)
6.
It has been said that Americans revolted against tyranny anticipated, rather than against
tyranny inflicted. Define tyranny as you believe an eighteenth-century American might
have, and then assess this point of view. (Document numbers 1 and 3 in the Study Guide
will help shape this definition.)
7.
From the outset, Massachusetts was a leader of the anti-British protest studied in this
chapter. Why? What was it in the economic, political, and intellectual climate of that
colony that made it such a hotbed of revolution? What part did Puritanism play in
creating this climate?
8.
Identify the American leaders and organizations most significant in converting popular
discontent into action from 1765 to 1775. Analyze their motives as well as their degrees
of success.
9.
How did Americans justify their revolution? Discuss the sources and development of the
philosophy of revolt. (Document numbers 1 and 3 in the Study Guide and the Declaration
of Independence found in the Appendix of the text will be helpful here.
10.
How (and why) did taverns become a central institution in colonial American social life?
What circumstances and events helped make taverns central to political life as well?
Chapter 5: Points for Discussion
1.
How did conflicts and rivalries among European nations both help and hinder the
American struggle for independence?
2.
Who were the Loyalists? Why did some Americans remain loyal to the king? (Document
number 1 in the Study Guide relates to this question.)
3.
Initially, most Americans believed they were fighting for a redress of grievances within
the British Empire rather than for independence. Explain the circumstances that prompted
the colonists to change their minds by July 1776.
4.
Discuss the philosophy embodied in the Declaration of Independence and evaluate the
document's significance as a revolutionary statement.
5.
Compare and contrast the British and American conduct of the war. How did each side
propose to win, how realistic was its assessment of the situation, and how did this prewar
assessment influence the ultimate outcome of the war?
6.
Read the section "Where Historians Disagree" in the text, and then read the descriptions
of the various schools of historical interpretation in the glossary of Chapter 5 in the Study
Guide. Which of these historians fit into which schools? Explain your choices. What do
these various interpretations reveal about our efforts to understand our revolutionary
heritage?
7.
Was the American Revolution a social as well as a political revolution? What effects did
the Revolution have upon the nature of the American economy and society? (Document
numbers 3 and 5 in the Study Guide apply to this question.)
8.
Examine the relative successes and failures of the Articles of Confederation. Do you
think that this government was capable of providing the stability that the new nation
needed? Why or why not? (Document numbers 4 and 6 in the Study Guide apply here.)
9.
How did revolutionary ideology challenge the way minorities were treated in America?
What changes in this treatment resulted from this challenge, and why did some minorities
find their circumstances improved, while others did not? (Document numbers 5 and 6 in
the Study Guide apply here.)
10.
How did new American state constitutions differ from colonial charters? What new
policies increased opportunities for social and political mobility?
11.
Explain how the political ideology that was the foundation of the American Revolution
influenced the writing of state constitutions and the Articles of Confederation. (The
Declaration of Independence and Documents number 3, number 4, number 5, and number
6 in the Study Guide apply here.)
Chapter 6: Points for Discussion
1.
What were the various motivations that led Americans to write a new Constitution in
1787? How were political debates and philosophical questions concerning the extent,
division, and control of governmental powers resolved? (Document number 1 in the
Study Guide, relates to this question.)
2.
Discuss the debate among historians concerning the background of the Constitution and
the possible motives of the Founding Fathers.
3.
What were Hamilton’s motives for proposing his plans for taxation, assumption, and
currency regulation? What was it in his motives that so upset Jefferson and Madison?
(Document number 3 in the Study Guide will help here.)
4.
Compare and contrast the political, economic, and social philosophies of Thomas
Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Explain the sort of nation each wished to create.
(Document numbers 1 and 3 in the Study Guide may be used here.) Speculate on how
Jefferson and Hamilton might react to current conditions in American domestic and
foreign affairs.
5.
The Bill of Rights is generally recognized as protecting the citizens of the United States
from their government, but what safeguards were contained in the Constitution to protect
states from violations of their "rights"? What additional safeguards were proposed by
Jefferson and Madison in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, and what were the
implications of these resolutions with regard to the growth of the central government?
6.
What were the most important international problems facing the new nation in the 1790s?
How well did the Federalists handle them?
7.
After reading the Constitution of the United States, discuss how the organization,
election, and powers of the House and the Senate reflected political and social attitudes of
that time. (Questions raised regarding Document number 2 in the Study Guide address
these issues.)
8.
Two opposing political parties arose in the 1790s. Both had their roots in the era
governed under the Articles of Confederation, but unlike competing groups during that
period, both factions claimed to support the Constitution. If both felt that the Constitution
created the best form of government, what was the basis for their disagreement? Compare
and contrast the two parties⎯their goals, methods, and philosophies.
9.
George Washington is highly regarded by most historians as a successful president. Is his
reputation deserved? Make a case for or against this assertion.
10.
How and why did the Federalists overreact to the emergence of the Republicans as
powerful contenders for popular favor?
11.
During the "Federalist Era," events in other countries did much to shape political party
growth and domestic policy. Look at American relations with England, Spain, and
France, analyze how these relations affected the two political parties that emerged during
this period, and explain the way the government responded to this foreign influence on
the parties.
Chapter 7: Points for Discussion
1.
What was the "vision of America" shared by Thomas Jefferson and his followers? How
did American cultural life in the early nineteenth century reflect the Republican vision of
the nation's future? (Document number 1 in the Study Guide will be helpful here.)
2.
Many Federalists feared what would happen if Thomas Jefferson was elected. On what
did they base these fears, and what did Jefferson do to allay them? (Document number 2
in the Study Guide applies here.)
3.
Politically, was Jefferson's election as president in 1800 a "revolution"? In what ways did
he alter or accept Federalist beliefs and practices?
4.
How did the Federalists respond to Republican programs? If the Federalists favored a
loose interpretation of the Constitution, why did they protest when Jefferson used a loose
interpretation as well? What was it in the Republican program that the Federalists saw as
a threat and how did they respond?
5.
American society of the early nineteenth century might be described as "patriarchal".
Discuss the implications for women, African Americans, and Native Americans.
6.
What were the causes and effects of the Second Great Awakening? In what ways did
renewed religious enthusiasm mesh with the cultural and political optimism of the
Jeffersonian Era? (See the second part of Document number 1 in the Study Guide.)
7.
Describe the effects of the Industrial Revolution in England. Could America have
guarded against similar problems?
8.
Analyze Jefferson's conflict with the courts. Include a discussion of the Judiciary Act of
1801, Marbury v. Madison, the role of John Marshall, and Jefferson's attempt to impeach
Federalist judges.
9.
Explain the international circumstances that made possible the Louisiana Purchase.
Analyze the political and economic consequences of that transaction.
10.
How might Aaron Burr's "conspiracy" have been judged by New England Federalists, by
Jeffersonian Republicans, and by western settlers? Explain.
11.
Many historians view the War of 1812 as the "second American war for independence,"
but is this an accurate characterization? In what ways did British policies prior to 1812
threaten our independence? Had the United States not fought the war, what might the
results have been? Assess these questions, and determine if we were indeed fighting for
"independence."
What were the causes of the War of 1812? Was it a "justifiable" war for the United
States? What group considered it unjustified and on what grounds?
12.
13.
In what ways did the United States attempt to avoid the War of 1812? Why were these
attempts unsuccessful?
14.
How and why did both belligerents during the War of 1812 seem incapable of executing
an effective offensive strategy?
15.
How and why did New England Federalists protest the War of 1812? To what extent was
their protest successful?
16.
What happened to the Federalists? For the first decade under the Constitution, the
Federalist party held the nation together, started the government working on a day-to-day
basis, and set precedents that are still held valid. Twenty years later, it had all but ceased
to exist as a party. Why? Examine the events and issues that accompanied the decline of
the Federalists, and determine what caused this powerful party to fall.
17.
Although generally viewed as only a secondary aspect of the War of 1812, the conflict
between white Americans and the western Indians was more conclusive and perhaps
more significant for the nation's future. Analyze that statement, discussing the causes and
results of America's early "Indian problem."
18.
Who won the War of 1812? Explain your answer in terms of both the reality of the Treaty
of Ghent and the illusion created by the Battle of New Orleans.
19.
The War of 1812, although fought for free seas and sailors' rights, was opposed by the
group most directly interested in seagoing commerce, the New England merchants. Why?
Why did these people not see a threat to their independence in the policies of Great
Britain, yet they did see the policies of Jefferson and Madison as just that? Put yourself in
the place of those merchants, and, from their point of view, explain (and justify) the
position they took.
20.
Why was horse racing a "natural" leisure activity for early Americans? How was this
pastime "bounded by lines of class and race"?
21.
How did the industrial revolution in Great Britain lead to and influence the industrial
revolution in the United States?
22.
How did the industrial revolution change societies in the United States and the world?
Chapter 8: Points for Discussion
1.
Analyze the economic and political consequences of the War of 1812. How and why did
the war stimulate American nationalism and expansion?
2.
When and what was the "era of good feelings"? Why was it so short-lived?
3.
Explain the roles of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson in the acquisition of
Florida. Why would Jackson's actions here and in the War of 1812 make him a hero in
the West?
4.
What sectional crisis threatened to destroy the unity of the United States during the socalled era of good feelings? Was the issue resolved or merely postponed?
5.
Although they were dead as a national party, the Federalists, and their political
philosophy, continued to influence American politics. Explain how the Federalists were
able to continue to make their presence known, what they hoped to accomplish, and how
the ideas of Hamilton reappeared, in slightly altered form, under the National Republican
banner.
6.
How did the career of John Marshall contribute to the rise of nationalism during this era?
In what specific areas did he increase the power of the national government? Of the two
political parties, which seemed most likely to support Marshall? Why?
7.
Analyze the background, purposes, and impact of the Monroe Doctrine.
8.
Why did John Quincy Adams win the election of 1824 and lose the election of 1828?
What factors contributed to the revival of partisan divisions among Americans by the late
1820s?
9.
Nationalism was a unifying factor in the 1820s. How did this nationalism, which was so
evident in domestic affairs, influence foreign policy? What were the effects of
nationalism on American foreign policy during this period, and what forces, if any,
tended to negate its influence?
10.
How did the trans-Mississippi west figure into America’s economic growth and into the
sectional debate?
Chapter 9: Points for Discussion
1.
Historian Lee Benson has contended that the democratic movement in America during
this period was much broader than the Democratic party and that this should be called the
age of egalitarianism rather than the age of Jackson. Having read the text chapter (paying
attention to “Where Historians Disagree”), what evidence have you found to support
Benson? What have you found to contradict his assertion? Evaluate both sides.
2.
Describe Jackson's views on the powers and limitations of government. Offer specific
examples of the ways Jackson translated his views into action.
3.
The meaning and purposes of "Jacksonian Democracy" have been issues of continuing
historical debate. Trace that debate and try to relate the changing historical views to the
political climates in which they were written.
4.
Andrew Jackson thought of himself as the "president of the people." Was he? What can
you find in the career of Jackson that would support his assertion and what can you find
to deny it?
5.
Discuss the careers of John C. Calhoun, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster, and explain
why each failed to reach the presidency.
6.
What caused the split between Calhoun and Jackson? The Eaton affair is generally seen
as a symptom, not a cause, which would indicate that the real division between the two
men was much deeper. Assess the causes of the split and speculate on its significance for
the South and for the Democrats.
7.
How did William Henry Harrison win in 1840? What were the issues that worked against
him, and how did his party exploit them? Furthermore, how was this candidate presented
to the people? What image were his managers trying to create and what does this image
tell you about the American electorate?
8.
How did Calhoun (and South Carolina) justify and explain the theory of nullification? On
what points did Webster (and Jackson) oppose this theory? (Document number 1 in the
Study Guide applies here.)
9.
What were the conditions that led to the Panic of 1837? What role did the policies of
Andrew Jackson play in this? (Document number 2 in the Study Guide applies here.)
10.
Did relations between whites and Native Americans improve or deteriorate during the age
of Jackson? Explain why this took place.
11.
What factors led to the emergence of the "second party system"? Compare and contrast
the philosophies, constituencies, and leadership of the Whig and Democratic parties in
the 1820s and 1830s.
12.
Despite his great reputation for political sagacity, Martin Van Buren was not an effective
president. Explain why.
13.
How and why did the campaign of 1840 set a new pattern for presidential contests? Does
this pattern persist? Explain.
14.
Analyze the presidency of John Tyler. On which programs can he be considered
successful and on which did he fail? What does his elevation to the presidency and the
problems he experienced tell you about the nature of the Whig party?
15.
How did the advent of the penny press reflect the social, technological, and cultural
changes taking place in America during the 1820s and 1830s?
Chapter 10: Points for Discussion
1.
What forces combined to produce a period of dramatic economic growth in the United
States in the 1820s and 1830s? How was this overall growth reflected in urban areas such
as New York City? (Document number 1 in the Study Guide may be useful here.)
2.
Examine the development of the systems of roads and canals between 1815 and 1840.
What geographical factors contributed to this? What sections did this transportation
system link together, and what effect did this have on the economy of each? How might
this transportation network have influenced political alliances?
3.
It has been said that "the most conspicuous change in American life in the 1840s and
1850s was the rapid development of the economy and society of the Northeast." What
changes occurred in this region during the period under consideration, and how did these
changes tend to draw the Northeast and Northwest more closely together⎯economically,
socially, and politically? (Document numbers 1 and 2 in the Study Guide shed some light
on this.)
4.
Discuss the impact of increased European immigration between 1840 and 1860 on
American political development, the workforce, and the character and distribution of the
population.
5.
Describe the types of workers recruited and the conditions they faced in America's early
factory system. How and why did workers and conditions change from the 1820s to the
1840s, and what were the consequences?
6.
Discuss the shifting concepts of mid-nineteenth-century America concerning the woman's
place within the family and the family's place within the larger society.
7.
Why were early attempts to organize American workers relatively ineffective?
8.
What were the major technological inventions and innovations of this period? How did
they help unify the nation? How did they reflect the divisions that were taking place in
America and even contribute to these divisions? In short, what was the impact of
technology on the United States during this period? (Document numbers 1 and 2 in the
Study Guide apply here.)
9.
Explain how the popularity of the theater, and especially of Shakespeare, reflect the
society of Jacksonian America.
Chapter 11: Points for Discussion
1.
What was "the Southern way of life" for the white Southerner?
2.
How did the staple crop economy shape this "Southern way of life"?
3.
Apart from what they produced, how did the economic attitudes of the North and South
differ? Look at the previous chapter and assess the methods and goals of the regions.
Might the differences between the two sections have been the result of something other
than the goods they produced or the labor they used? (Document number 1 in the Study
Guide will help here.)
4.
In reference to the years 1800 to 1860, one historian noted, "The South grew, but it did
not develop." Analyze that observation.
5.
If nothing else, slavery set the South apart, made it unique. But how did the institution
function and what was its impact on the slave? Analyze the plantation system, its social
and its economic functions. How did it control its labor? And what was the response of
these workers? (Document numbers 1 and 2 in the Study Guide, will help here.)
6.
Since most white Southerners did not own slaves, why did they not oppose the institution
of slavery?
7.
Compare and contrast the way of life of Northern and Southern women during the 1840s
and 1850s. How were their lives changing? What was not changing? Be sure to include
African American women in this analysis.
8.
Discuss the debate among historians concerning the nature of American slavery and its
effects on African Americans. Why have historical interpretations changed? (Document
number 2 in the Study Guide will help here.)
9.
How did music both shape and reflect the lives of African Americans on the plantations?
Chapter 12: Points for Discussion
1.
During this period, how did American intellectuals create a national culture committed to
the liberation of the human spirit? How did their efforts relate to the efforts of social
reformers? (Document numbers 1 and 4 in the Study Guide relate to this.)
2.
How did the spirit of romanticism influence American culture from the 1820s through the
1850s? How might a "realist" respond to the philosophy of the transcendentalists?
3.
What role did religion and religious leaders play in the reform movement described in
this chapter?
4.
What goals prompted the founding of experimental communities in nineteenth-century
America? Why did some communities, such as Brook Farm and New Harmony, fail and
others, especially the Mormons, succeed?
5.
Who were the major critics of slavery? On what grounds did they attack the institution
and what means to end it did they propose? (Document number 3 in the Study Guide
relates to this.)
6.
How did the reform movement affect the status of women? What role did women play in
these efforts to change society and what were they able to accomplish? (Document
number 4 in the Study Guide may be used here.)
7.
What role did education play in the creation of a national culture committed to the
liberation of the human spirit? (Document number 2 in the Study Guide applies here.)
8.
Discuss how and why the antislavery movement in America changed during the course of
the nineteenth century. Analyze the reasons for and the results of the internal strains and
divisions that characterized abolitionism.
9.
Explain how sentimental novels of the era "gave voice to both female hopes and female
anxieties."
Chapter 13: Points for Discussion
1.
What was the concept of Manifest Destiny? How and why was such a slogan used to
justify the expansionist urge of the American people in the 1840s? What impact did this
concept have on Native Americans? How did efforts to put this concept into action make
the United States a more culturally diverse nation?
2.
If you had been a member of Congress in 1846, how would you have voted on the
question of the war with Mexico? Explain the most important factors influencing your
vote. (Document number 2 in the Study Guide will help here.)
3.
Write a brief synopsis of the causes, conduct, and results of the war between the United
States and Mexico from a Mexican point of view.
4.
Compare and contrast the various proposals offered to deal with the possible expansion
of slavery in new territories. Analyze the concept of "popular sovereignty" as a viable
solution to the problem.
5.
Why did the South perceive the Wilmot Proviso as such a threat? What did the proviso
indicate about the North's attitude toward slavery? Was the abolition of slavery the issue,
or was it something else? Examine the proviso, its implications, and the Southern
response. (Document numbers 3 and 5 in the Study Guide will help here.)
6.
Eventually most Northerners came to believe that the existence of slavery was dangerous
not only because of what it did to blacks but because of what it threatened to do to
whites. How did this feeling shape the Northern attack on slavery and how did
Southerners attempt to defend their institution? (Document numbers 1, 2, and 5 in the
Study Guide apply here.)
7.
Evaluate the Compromise of 1850 as a solution to the problem of sectional differences.
Why did it prove to be only temporarily successful? (Document number 3 in the Study
Guide applies here.)
8.
During the 1850s, Kansas became a symbol for both the North and the South⎯but a
symbol of what? What did both sides find in the controversy over Kansas to support their
charges against their adversaries? What did Kansas come to mean to the nation? Assess
Kansas as a symbol of the positions and problems that characterized the divisions in the
United States. (Document number 5 in the Study Guide will apply here.)
9.
Contrast the developments of the "free soil" ideology in the North and the proslavery
argument in the South. (Document numbers 1, 3, and 5 in the Study Guide apply here.)
10.
Trace the career of Senator Stephen A. Douglas during the 1850s. Did he do more to
prevent or cause the Civil War?
11.
One historian has claimed that a lack of leadership contributed to the inability of the
nation to overcome its divisions. This argument contends that a "blundering generation"
of politicians who failed to understand the nature of the divisions offered solutions that
resolved issues but did not deal with the real problems. Look at the concerns expressed
by both the North and the South, and look at the proposals advanced to ease these
concerns. From this assessment, do you feel that the "blundering generation" theory has
merit or were these deeper, fundamental questions that even the most capable leaders
could not have resolved? In short, had the conflict between North and South become
"irrepressible"? (All of the documents in this chapter of the Study Guide apply here.)
12.
Adopt the role of a Northerner or a Southerner and explain the events of the 1850s that
increased your distrust of the other section.
13.
What role did the Lyceum play in educating the American public, especially with regard
to public controversies of the period? What sort of people took part in the Lyceum
movement?
Chapter 14: Points for Discussion
1.
Why did the South secede? What pushed the southern states over the brink? Examine the
events of late 1859 and 1860 in the light of southern social and economic concerns and
from the standpoint of southern political philosophy. From this, determine why the South
resorted to secession.
2.
Explain the series of events that began the Civil War at Fort Sumter. Why were both the
North and the South so reluctant to fire the first shot?
3.
Why war? Clearly, some Northerners also regarded secession as an answer to the
problem of slavery, but why were the majority willing to fight to hold the Union
together? (Document numbers 2 and 5 in Chapter 13 of the Study Guide will help here.)
4.
Why did the North win? In an essay some years ago, Richard Current suggested that
"God was on the side of the heaviest battalions," but is that a complete explanation? What
other factors contributed to the outcome? Bring together these factors, and, after a careful
analysis, determine why the North did win.
5.
Compare the methods used and the results obtained by the North and the South to finance
the war, raise troops, furnish supplies, care for the wounded, and influence world opinion.
6.
Abraham Lincoln is generally considered by historians as one of the best, if not the best,
of all the American presidents. Explain why you agree or disagree with that assessment.
7.
Examine President Lincoln's indecision about the issuance and timing of the
Emancipation Proclamation. Analyze the impact of the document on the war. (The
document in this chapter of the Study Guide applies here.)
8.
Compare the social and economic impact of the Civil War on the North and the South.
9.
Southerners who objected to the inequities of conscription laws argued, "It's a rich man's
war but a poor man's fight." Explain this sentiment. Might soldiers in the Union army
have made the same objection? (The document in this chapter of the Study Guide applies
here.)
10.
Trace the Confederate military fortunes during the war, explaining when you think the
South had its best opportunity for victory and when the chance of success seemed to have
disappeared.
11.
Despite the gruesome costs in terms of lives, the Civil War has been perhaps the most
romanticized and intensely studied of all American wars. Offer several explanations as to
why this might be so.
12.
How did baseball become the "national pastime," and what does this indicate about
America at the time of the Civil War?
Chapter 15: Points for Discussion
1.
Describe the social and economic conditions of the South in the aftermath of the war.
Discuss the political, economic, and emotional issues facing Northern leaders in devising
a plan of Reconstruction.
2.
What was the controversy surrounding the Black Codes? Were they a necessary and
realistic response to the situation or a thinly disguised attempt to resubjugate the
freedmen? (Document number 1 in the Study Guide applies here.)
3.
Compare and contrast Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction, the Wade-Davis Bill, Johnson's
plan, and Radical Reconstruction. Consider provisions, motives, goals, and results.
4.
What was the crop lien system and why did it arise? What were the consequences of the
system of land ownership and crop selection? Could the system be fairly described as a
"vicious circle"?
5.
Explain the process of impeaching a president. On what grounds was Andrew Johnson
impeached? Were these charges the real reason for his impeachment? Should he have
been convicted?
6.
How did those groups who lived through Reconstruction view their experiences? How
would those views be reflected in later historical debates? (Document number 1 in the
Study Guide applies here.)
7.
In contrast to domestic failures, the Johnson and Grant administrations completed several
diplomatic triumphs. Discuss.
8.
Why was the Grant administration so riddled with corruption? Was it unique or similar to
previous administrations? What had happened to the United States (socially and
economically) to make corruption likely to flourish?
9.
Discuss the factors that contributed to the rapid "redemption" of the Southern states and
the national abandonment of Reconstruction by the late 1870s.
10.
What was done to protect the freedman⎯politically, economically, and physically? What
more could have been done? How might "forty acres and a mule" have helped the
freedman?
11.
Evaluate the successes and failures of Reconstruction. What decisions could have been
made to avoid the failures? What groundwork was laid for future change?
12.
What was the greenback question and how did it reflect the postwar financial problems of
the nation?
13.
Although many changes had occurred by 1900, the South remained an impoverished
agricultural region, lagging well behind the rest of the nation. Describe the economic
changes in the South, and assess why they were not adequate to bring the old
Confederacy into the national mainstream, as some of the region's spokesmen had hoped.
(Document number 2 in the Study Guide will help here.)
14.
How did Southerners intend to build a "New South" in the years after Reconstruction?
Analyze their success in accomplishing this objective.
15.
Explain the ways in which the Southern white establishment was able to evade the spirit
of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution. What alternative paths
of accommodation and resistance did black leaders propose to this rise of Jim Crow?
(Document number 3 in the Study Guide will help here.)
16.
What was the significance of the case Plessy v. Ferguson? How was it received by whites
in the South? Where does it fit into the creation of the system known as Jim Crow?
(Document number 3 in the Study Guide applies here.)
17.
How have historians interpreted the nature of Reconstruction and how have they
attempted to explain the origins of segregation?
18.
How was the minstrel show a testament to both the high awareness of race and the high
level of racism in American society before and after the Civil War?
Chapter 16: Points for Discussion
1.
What factors promoted settlement of the West? Why did the unsettled West hold a
particularly strong romantic appeal for Americans? How has the romantic vision of the
frontier been perpetuated in American culture?
2.
Describe the development of the cattle industry in the West and Southwest, beginning in
the 1860s. Why was the period of the "open range" relatively short?
3.
Explain the cultural system that developed in the American Southwest under Spanish and
Mexican rule, and explain how Anglo-American dominance affected Hispanic society.
4.
Discuss the impact Chinese immigrants had on the West. How did Anglo-Americans
respond to this immigration, and what was the result?
5.
Discuss the culture of the Plains Indians and the reasons for Indian conflict with white
American society. Was a peaceful resolution possible? Explain.
6.
Explain what finally happened to the Plains Indians and the role the Dawes Act played in
this outcome.
7.
Describe the pattern of development and decline in the mining industry. What was life
like for those who worked in the mines and lived in mining camps?
8.
Describe the conditions for farming on the Great Plains. What special grievances
contributed to an "agrarian malaise" in the latter nineteenth century?
9.
Explain the "Turner Thesis" and describe the "Turnerian West." How was Turner's thesis
a product of its time and on what grounds have other historians criticized what Turner
did?
10.
How did the "Wild West Show" reflect the popular image of the West? Relate the
Turner Thesis to the image of the West seen in these shows.
Chapter 17: Points for Discussion
1.
How did the half-dozen main factors combine to produce America's impressive rise to
industrial supremacy?
2.
Which inventions of the late nineteenth century had the greatest impact on American
industry and urban life?
3.
Both the success-oriented novels of Horatio Alger and the utopian works of Edward
Bellamy were best-sellers in late-nineteenth-century America. What might explain this
paradox of Americans' wanting to read about both how great their country was and how
greatly it needed to improve? (Document number 1 in the Study Guide will help here.)
4.
Describe the evolution of the modern corporation in this era and its role in promoting
industrial expansion.
5.
The so-called robber barons both praised unfettered free enterprise and tried to eliminate
competition. How can these apparently conflicting positions be reconciled?
6.
What philosophies of the late nineteenth century allowed industrial tycoons to rationalize
their methods and powers? (Document number 1 in the Study Guide will help here.)
7.
Analyze the criticisms made of "laissez-faire" capitalism by some Americans of the late
nineteenth century. Of the alternative visions suggested for America's economic future,
which was the "best" and why? (Document number 2 in the Study Guide applies here.)
8.
In what ways was the experience of industrialization a mixed blessing for the American
worker? Describe the changes of the late nineteenth century in the nature of the
workforce and conditions of the workplace. (Document number 2 in the Study Guide
applies here.)
9.
Describe the various attempts made during the late nineteenth century to create a national
labor organization. Analyze the successes and failures of these individual organizations
as well as the overall weaknesses of the American labor movement at this time.
10.
Explain how the railroad became a symbol of progress in America.
Chapter 18: Points for Discussion
1.
What factors combined to attract the great masses of people to the cities of America?
What were the characteristics of these migrants?
2.
Describe the problems created by the stunning pace at which American cities were
growing. How well did the institutions of urban life respond to these problems? (See
Document number 1 in the Study Guide)
3.
How did traditional patterns of immigration to the United States change in the late
nineteenth century? What problems were created by these changes, and how were they
handled, both by the immigrant groups and by the larger American society?
4.
What problems were created by overcrowding in American cities in the latter half of the
nineteenth century? Discuss the various technological and social "solutions" to urban
problems devised at this time. (See Document number 1 in the Study Guide)
5.
There were strong demands for humanitarian and political reforms to solve the cities'
great problems, and sincere efforts at reform were mounted. Why were these efforts
generally unsuccessful?
6.
Explain the rise and persistence of political machines and boss rule in American cities.
Offer specific examples in your discussion.
7.
Discuss the causes and consequences of the rise of mass consumption in American
society during the Gilded Age. (See Document number 2 in the Study Guide)
8.
Describe and account for the rise of organized spectator sports and other popular forms of
entertainment in the United States during the Gilded Age and early twentieth century.
9.
Much of the serious art and literature of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
functioned as social criticism. Was the supposedly realistic criticism based on a balanced
view of America's new urban culture?
10.
Analyze the impact of Darwinism on American scientific and social thought.
11.
Analyze the impact of industrialization and urbanization on shifting trends in American
art, literature, and education in the latter nineteenth century.
12.
Explain how Coney Island offered New Yorkers an escape from the noise, smells, heat,
and stress of the urban world and from the genteel standards of behavior that governed so
much of American life at the time.
Chapter 19: Points for Discussion
1.
Was James Bryce correct in 1888 when he asserted that there was little or no real
difference between the Republicans and the Democrats? (See Document number 1 in the
Study Guide.)
2.
Why was the United States locked in a political stalemate for nearly two decades after the
end of Reconstruction? Discuss the consequences for political leadership and public
policy.
3.
Compare and contrast the three major farm groups: the Grange, the Farmers' Alliances,
and the Populists. Discuss the various interpretations of Populism that are outlined in
"Where Historians disagree." (See Document number 2 in the Study Guide.)
4.
What factors determined a voter's party loyalty during the latter nineteenth century? Why
was this era one of intense enthusiasm and high turnouts by American voters?
5.
In a series of cases the United States Supreme Court severely restricted all efforts to
regulate business. What logic did the Court use in these cases and what effect did the
decisions have on business?
6.
In what ways did the election of 1884 typify national political contests of the latter
nineteenth century?
7.
Which president of the latter nineteenth century would you classify as the most effective
leader? Explain.
8.
Discuss the response of American political parties and leaders to public agitation over the
tariff, the trusts, and the railroads. (See Document numbers 1 and 2 in the Study Guide.)
9.
Discuss the convergence of factors that produced a political crisis for the United States in
the 1890s. Analyze the election of 1896 in terms of the candidates, campaign, issues, and
outcome.
10.
Discuss the reasons for the emergence of an agrarian revolt in the latter nineteenth
century. Analyze the successes and failures of Populism. (See Document number 2 in the
Study Guide.)
11.
How did the Chatauqua movement become one of the nation's most powerful forms of
national communication, and one of its most self-consciously serious? What sort of
people were attracted to the movement⎯as speakers and as the audience?
Chapter 20: Points for Discussion
1.
Compare and contrast the old and new concepts of Manifest Destiny. Look especially at
the economic, philosophical and racial motives for overseas expansion. Were these
factors at work in the older continental expansion? (See Document number 1 in the Study
Guide.)
2.
The United States has always been an expansionist nation. Explain why you agree or
disagree with this statement.
3.
What was the extent of American interest and involvement in Latin American and Pacific
affairs before the Spanish-American War?
4.
What hesitations and doubts about imperialism did Americans evince between 1865 and
1898? How did the Spanish-American War change this? (See Document number 2 in the
Study Guide.)
5.
Discuss the personalities, philosophies, and developments that stirred American interest
in expansionism during the 1890s. (See Document number 1 in the Study Guide.)
6.
What impact did the Yellow Press have on American opinion on expansionism in the
1890s? What criticism was leveled against the Yellow Press? (See Document number 2
in the Study Guide.)
7.
Was the Spanish-American conflict indeed a "splendid little war"? What was splendid
about it? What was sordid, seamy, or ill-conceived?
8.
Analyze the positions for and against ratification of the Treaty of Paris (1898). What
weaknesses led to ultimate defeat for the anti-imperialists at that time? What problems
would a policy of imperialism entail for the American future?
9.
The Filipino insurrection against the United States is one of the least remembered of all
American wars. Discuss why this is so, as well as the causes and consequences of the
war.
10.
Discuss the background and results of the Open Door policy in China for the United
States. Why did the "Open Door notes" represent little more than a "theoretical victory"
for Secretary of State John Hay?
11.
What parallels can be drawn between America's imperial aspirations and the way white
Americans dealt with the Native Americans?
Chapter 21: Points for Discussion
1.
Progressives professed to believe that government at all levels should be strong, efficient,
and democratic so that it could better serve the people. What changes in the structure and
operation did progressives advocate to achieve these aims? Can the attempts at civilservice reform in the nineteenth century be seen as a precursor of this type of progressive
program?
2.
Discuss the changing historical interpretations of the players, motives, and processes of
progressive reforms.
3.
Explain the three "impulses" of the Progressive movement. What specific programs
embodied those impulses?
4.
To what extent did muckrakers, Social Gospel reformers, settlement house volunteers,
social workers, and other experts reflect the central assumptions of progressivism?
5.
Explain how progressivism affected women and, conversely, how women affected
progressivism.
Focus on how southern women especially reacted to lynching.
6.
Who were the opponents of progressive reforms and what arguments did they use against
the Progressives? (See Document number 2 in the Study Guide.)
7.
How and why did the Progressives attempt to free government and politics from the
domination of the political parties? With what results? (See Document number 1 in the
Study Guide.)
8.
Discuss the crusades of progressive reformers to prohibit alcohol, restrict immigration,
and achieve women's suffrage. What similarities or differences characterized these
movements?
9.
Progressives shared an animosity toward the trusts but disagreed on how best to deal with
them. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the various "solutions" to the problem put
forth at the time.
How did progressives try to reform conditions for working men and women?
10.
Chapter 22: Points for Discussion
1.
In what ways did Theodore Roosevelt transform the role of the presidency and the
national government? (See Document number 1 in the Study Guide.)
2.
Was Theodore Roosevelt a progressive or a conservative? Build a convincing argument
for both viewpoints. (See Document number 1 in the Study Guide.)
3.
Compare and contrast the personalities and philosophies of Presidents Theodore
Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. How did these personal factors
affect their leadership styles and accomplishments in domestic affairs? (See Document
number 1 in the Study Guide.)
4.
Were the differences between the Taft administration and those of Roosevelt and Wilson
more a matter of beliefs and objectives or of personalities and leadership style?
5.
Why did the apparently unified Republican party of 1908 break into two hostile camps in
1912? With what consequences?
6.
Analyze the election of 1912 in terms of its candidates, platforms, campaigns, and results.
7.
What was the "money monopoly," and what were the criticisms of it? How was the
Federal Reserve system designed to combat it? (See Document number 2 in the Study
Guide.)
8.
Discuss the major domestic accomplishments as well as the shortcomings of
progressivism from 1901 to 1916. What is the lasting significance of progressivism in
American history?
9.
What objectives guided American foreign policy in Asia during the Progressive Era?
Trace the development of United States−Japanese relations.
10.
Was American foreign policy in Latin America and the Caribbean during the Progressive
Era "effective"? Explain.
11.
Considering Roosevelt's and Wilson's personalities and proposals, what do you think
would have happened to domestic reform and foreign relations if Roosevelt had won the
Republican nomination in 1912 and had become president again?
12.
Historically, what had been the national attitude toward the American forests? What
caused this attitude to change during the Progressive Era?
Chapter 23: Points for Discussion
1.
Was American involvement in World War I inevitable? What forces worked to maintain
neutrality? What forces propelled the country away from neutrality and into full
belligerency? (See Document number 1 in the Study Guide.)
2.
Discuss the military and economic impact of America's entry into World War I on the
Allied side. What impact did military involvement have on the American domestic
economy during and immediately after the war?
3.
Describe the suffering that the Great War visited on Europe. Why is it said that the
United States emerged from the war as "the only real victor"?
4.
Government sought to unify public opinion in support of American involvement in World
War I. Describe its efforts and analyze the consequences. (See Document number 2 in the
Study Guide.)
5.
What "surprises" did America face as the reality of "war without stint" unfolded? How
did the American people respond to them? What long-term legacies came from these
responses?
6.
Despite his tumultuous reception by the peoples of Europe and the generally favorable
response he received on his tour in the western United States, Wilson faced troublesome
opposition from both European statesmen and United States Senators. Why did he
encounter such intransigence? Did he respond in a rational and politically effective way?
7.
Compare Wilson's Fourteen Points with the Treaty of Versailles. Analyze the documents
to determine if they proposed fair and adequate plans for a new world order following
World War I.
8.
Why did the United States Senate reject the Treaty of Versailles and, thus, membership in
the League of Nations?
9.
Discuss the developments in the United States from 1918 to 1920 which produced a
general sense of disillusionment and led to a desire for "normalcy" with the election of
Warren G. Harding.
10.
In what ways did the American war effort have profound economic, social, and racial
significance for the country?
11.
How did Billy Sunday both reflect and help create a deep and lasting schism in the
national Christian community?
Chapter 24: Points for Discussion
1.
Why did contemporaries refer to the 1920s as the "New Era"? Explain whether that was
an appropriate label.
2.
Many people gained from the boom of the New Era, and others fell through the economic
cracks. But the prosperity was widespread enough to usher in a modern consumer
society. Who gained? Who did not? What were the main elements of the national
consumer-based society?
3.
Analyze the forces that contributed to the emergence of a modern secular American
culture in the 1920s.
4.
One of the questions that has troubled historians concerns the legacy of progressivism.
Looking at the 1920s, would you argue that progressive thought had died or triumphed?
Why?
5.
How and why did the role of women change in American society during the 1920s?
6.
Impressions of the 1920s vary, according to which vision one accepts⎯that of members
of the ruling elite, such as Andrew Mellon and Herbert Hoover; of self-made men, such
as Charles Lindbergh; of the disenchanted, such as H. L. Mencken and Ernest
Hemingway; of provincial traditionalists, such as William Jennings Bryan; or of the
blacks in the Harlem Renaissance. Briefly describe each of those visions and tell how one
or several capture the real significance of the decade. (See the document in the Study
Guide.)
7.
Why was the "New Era" a Republican era in general and one in which Warren G.
Harding and Calvin Coolidge, in particular, were elected as presidents? Discuss the ways
in which their personalities and policies reflected the times. (See the document in the
Study Guide.)
8.
Why were the forces of prohibition, religious fundamentalism, and nativism so strong in
the 1920s?
9.
How did the urban dance halls reflect challenges to the proprieties and inhibitions of
traditional public culture in America?
Chapter 25: Points for Discussion
1.
List and explain the factors the text identifies as having been principally responsible for
the Great Depression. How have various historians attempted to explain the causes of
this economic disaster?
2.
On what causes of the Great Depression did Herbert Hoover place emphasis? How did
that shape his response?
3.
Why were farmers in the South and Midwest particularly hard hit by the Great
Depression? What were the results?
4.
What did the depression mean to typical Americans in terms of standard of living and
lifestyle? Who suffered most? How did basic American social and political values stand
up to the economic crisis? (See the document in the Study Guide.)
5.
Analyze the impact of the depression on American race relations, feminism, and family
structure and behavior.
6.
Discuss the impact of the Great Depression on American popular culture as well as
serious artistic expression.
7.
The United States has always been distinctive for the weakness of radicalism in its
political tradition. Speculate on why this is so. Discuss the relative strengths and limits of
American radicalism in the 1930s.
8.
Faced with new economic problems, Herbert Hoover as president continued to rely on the
principles that had always governed his public life. Describe these principles and analyze
their appropriateness and adequacy for guiding his administration.
9.
Why did Franklin D. Roosevelt win the election of 1932?
10.
What caused the Dust Bowl? What impact did it have on the people who lived in the
area?
11.
What role did the movies play in American popular culture during the depression? How
did the movies of Frank Capra give expression to a popular vision of American society
and politics?
Chapter 26: Points for Discussion
1.
In the beginning, Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "Try something. If it works, keep doing it.
If it doesn't, try something else." Which programs and policies of Roosevelt's First New
Deal "worked" and which did not?
2.
Which of Roosevelt's early New Deal programs illustrate his willingness to experiment
with bold, innovative ideas? Which of his actions show his hesitation and attachment to
conventional values? (See Document number 1 in the Study Guide.)
3.
What forces caused Roosevelt to launch his so-called Second New Deal programs in
1935? How did he steal the thunder from some of his most vocal opponents?
4.
Explain the concept of the "broker state." Who benefited most and who benefited least
from the New Deal?
5.
Who were the conservatives who opposed the New Deal? What was the basis for their
opposition? (See Document number 2 in the Study Guide.)
6.
Compare the impact of the New Deal on blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans with
its consequences for the typical white American.
7.
It has been argued that World War II, not the New Deal, ended the Great Depression.
Analyze the overall political and economic results of the New Deal.
8.
What specific programs and general approaches formed the important political legacy of
the New Deal?
9.
Analyze Roosevelt's strengths and weaknesses as a politician. Was he a successful
president? Explain.
10.
How have historians struggled to decide whether the New Deal was a good thing or a bad
thing for America?
Chapter 27: Points for Discussion
1.
How isolationist was the United States in the 1920s? Was the dual policy of economic
penetration and arms limitation an effective approach? (See document in the Study
Guide.)
2.
Explain and evaluate the objectives, means, and results of American diplomacy during
the 1920s. How and why did the early years of the Great Depression alter international
affairs and relations?
3.
Compare and contrast the American reactions to World Wars I and II. Explain the
relationship between attitudes toward World War I and the isolationist sentiment and
neutrality legislation of the 1930s. (See document in the Study Guide.)
4.
Describe and explain the process by which American public opinion gradually shifted
from a policy of neutrality in 1935 to one of interventionism in 1941.
5.
Many of the broad strategy and social decisions of World War II are still debated.
Describe the key issues involved in the Germany-first decision, the second-front debate,
the Japanese-American internment, and the dropping of the atomic bombs. Were the right
decisions made?
6.
How and why did disaster strike for the United States at Pearl Harbor? With what
consequences?
7.
Explain the debate among historians over whether or not the Roosevelt administration
knew that the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor.
8.
Describe the popular reaction to Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of "The War of the
Worlds," and explain what that response revealed about America at that time.
Chapter 28: Points for Discussion
1.
How did World War II increase the role of government in American society and the
nation's economy?
2.
The months of late 1942 and early 1943 seemed to mark a turning of the tide in World
War II. Identify and explain the key battles and Allied strategies during this shift of
momentum.
3.
What were the forces of social and cultural conformity that operated on the American
people during World War II? What challenges to conformism and tradition arose? What
forces worked to retain traditional values and practices? (See document in the Study
Guide.)
4.
The United States obtained evidence of the Holocaust as early as 1942. What was the
response of the Roosevelt administration, and why did it act as it did? What other
options were open?
5.
Discuss the political, social, and economic advances and/or setbacks that wartime
provided for American laborers, women, and minorities. (See document in the Study
Guide.)
6.
Describe the action in Europe from mid-1943 to 1945 that resulted in an Allied victory.
7.
Describe the action in the Pacific from mid-1943 to 1945 that resulted in an Allied
victory.
8.
Why did President Harry S Truman decide to drop the atomic bomb on Japan? Explain
the controversy surrounding the decision then, and discuss how historians have attempted
to resolve the issue ever since.
9.
United States−Soviet relationships were tense throughout World War II, despite the fact
that the Soviets were on the Allied side. What issues caused those tensions? How
important was the eastern front to the outcome of the war in Europe?
10.
What were the origins of "swing," and why did it enjoy such popularity during the World
War II era?
Chapter 29: Points for Discussion
1.
Who was responsible for the Cold War? How have historians sought to answer this
question?
2.
The United States hotly protested Stalin's actions in Poland, East Germany, and the rest
of Eastern Europe as a violation of the "one world" principle of the Atlantic Charter and a
departure from the agreements reached at Yalta and Potsdam. Aside from pushing for
creation of the United Nations, did American policy actually abide by its own principles,
or was it just as based on national self-interest as was the Soviet Union's?
3.
Was the Cold War an inevitable development following World War II? What actions by
the United States and the Soviet Union might have prevented it?
4.
Evaluate the wartime conferences of the Big Three⎯Churchill, Roosevelt, and
Stalin⎯from the perspective of United States national interests.
5.
Explain how the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, NATO, support for Chiang Kaishek, and the Korean War were based on the policy of containment. What did that policy
concede to the Soviets? How did NSC-68 refine the doctrine? What geopolitical realities
limited American options in Asia and Eastern Europe? (See Document number 1 in the
Study Guide.)
6.
What general factors made the United States susceptible to the anti-communist paranoia
of 1947 to 1953? What activities fanned the fury and paved the way for the rise of
McCarthy? (See Document number 2 in the Study Guide.)
7.
Evaluate the success or failure of the Truman administration in achieving the aims of the
Fair Deal.
8.
Discuss the candidates, issues, and campaign strategies in the election of 1948. Why was
Truman's victory considered the most dramatic upset in the history of presidential
elections?
9.
Describe the causes and results of the Korean War. In what ways was Korea a frustrating
war for the United States?
10.
Analyze the reasons for and the extent of the Republican revival in the late 1940s and
early 1950s that contributed to election victories in 1952.
11.
Who were the Dixiecrats and what issue led to their rise?
Chapter 30: Points for Discussion
1.
Analyze the causes and consequences of the economic boom of the 1950s. Were the
Keynesians correct in asserting that government action could ensure both economic
stability and economic growth?
2.
What social and cultural aspects about life in "the affluent society" of 1950s America
seem attractive or unattractive to you? Explain why.
3.
Did the assumptions of containment lead the United States to unwise commitments and
actions in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, or was the nation acting
prudently in response to hostile communist expansionism?
4.
What new cultural developments accompanied the prosperity and suburbanization of the
1950s? How did intellectuals regard the highly organized and homogenized new society?
5.
What groups were left out or opted out of the consumer culture of the 1950s? Discuss the
results of their dissent or exclusion. How was rock and roll a sign of the restiveness of
American youth?
6.
Discuss the factors that made possible the rise of the civil rights movement and the
emergence of Martin Luther King, Jr., as the most influential and widely admired African
American leader of the century.
7.
Analyze the successes and failures of the Eisenhower administration in foreign affairs in
terms of both immediate and long-term results.
8.
Charles E. Wilson, president of General Motors and named by Eisenhower as Secretary
of Defense, assured senators considering his confirmation that he foresaw no conflict of
interests, for "what was good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice
versa." How was this sentiment applied in the Eisenhower administration? Do you feel
Wilson's view was correct?
8.
How did the automobile reshape the American landscape in the twentieth century?
Chapter 31: Points for Discussion
1.
The domestic programs of Kennedy and Johnson shared two fundamental goals:
maintaining the strength of the American economy and expanding the responsibilities of
the federal government for the general social welfare. Discuss how, and if at all, these
goals were accomplished.
2.
How did the reaction of many southern whites to the civil rights activities ironically serve
to help the blacks' cause? How did blacks respond when it became clear that the
legislative victories of 1964 and 1965 were not enough to satisfy their aspirations? (See
Document number 2 in the Study Guide.)
3.
In the light of what he hoped to accomplish, who was the most effective
president⎯Kennedy or Johnson?
4.
Discuss the factors that contributed to the landmark Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965.
How and why would the civil rights movement change from 1965 to 1968? (See
Document number 2 in the Study Guide.)
5.
What was the "heart of the problem" in Vietnam that made military victory so difficult, if
not impossible? Who seemed to understand this problem better⎯the Johnson
administration or its critics? How was the Johnson administration trapped by the war?
(See Document number 1 in the Study Guide.)
6.
Discuss the factors that led President Johnson to expand America's commitment in
Vietnam into a full-scale war. Analyze the conditions and constraints which made
Vietnam a "quagmire" for American forces and policies.
7.
Analyze the attempts by President Kennedy to diversify America's foreign policy. Did
events in Cuba antagonize or alleviate Cold War tensions?
8.
The Tet Offensive is often noted as a significant turning point in the Vietnam War.
Explain how this was so and why.
9.
Discuss the causes and results of a conservative backlash among the "silent majority" of
Americans in 1968.
10.
How have historians attempted to answer the question "Why Vietnam?”
11.
What forces contributed to the folk music revival of the 1960s? How did these forces
differ from those responsible for rock ’n’ roll?
12.
What impact did American policies and protests have on other nations' opinions of the
United States?
Chapter 32: Points for Discussion
1.
Chronicle the several cultural movements that arose in the 1960s and early 1970s to
challenge traditional white, male-dominated society. How did more conservative forces
respond? How extensive and lasting were the changes?
2.
Why did the 1960s produce “liberation” movements among minority groups, as well as a
counterculture in the United States? Discuss the philosophy, achievements, and
limitations of these movements.
3.
What was accomplished during the four years that the Nixon administration carried on
the war in Vietnam? Could the peace have been achieved in a better manner at less
human cost?
4.
Compare and contrast the decisions of the Warren Court with those of the Nixon Court.
5.
What were the several assumptions reflected in Nixon and Kissinger’s rapprochement
with the Soviet Union and China? Were the assumptions valid and the actions wise?
6.
Discuss the response of the Nixon administration to political developments in Latin
America and the Middle East.
7.
Describe the New Federalism of Richard Nixon and compare it with the domestic
policies of his Democratic predecessors in the 1960s.
8.
Explain the factors that contributed to the overwhelming reelection of Richard Nixon in
1972. Why did his supporters resort to “dirty tricks” when a favorable outcome seemed
assured?
9.
Explain the basic reasons for the decline of the American economy in the early 1970s.
Evaluate the efforts made by the Nixon administration to reverse the trend.
8.
Was Watergate truly unprecedented, or was it merely a case of a president getting caught
performing politics as usual? What was the lasting damage of the crisis? Did any good
come from it? (See document in the Study Guide.)
11.
What were the sources of America's newly discovered "environmental consciousness,"
and how did these sources produce a political movement?
12.
How might one account for the rampant corruption of the Nixon administration? What
was the "crime" committed by Nixon? Why did he resign? (See document in the Study
Guide.)
13.
How have historians assessed the causes and consequences of Watergate? How did
Nixon explain his actions?
14.
How did rock music express the desires of young people in the 1960s? How did
Woodstock and Altamont symbolize two aspects of the counterculture of that era?
Chapter 33: Points for Discussion
1.
Did Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon accomplish its purpose to “shut and seal the
book” on Watergate? What else did Ford do to try to restore credibility to the presidency?
2.
How effective was Jimmy Carter in applying the human-rights principle to American
foreign policy? How did his approach differ from the actions taken by Ronald Reagan?
3.
Why did Jimmy Carter win the election of 1976 and lose the election of 1980? (See
documents in the Study Guide.)
4.
How did the nation’s energy needs complicate both the foreign and the domestic policies
of Presidents Ford, Carter, and Reagan?
5.
Campaigning for president, Ronald Reagan promised to strengthen America’s economic
as well as military health. Explain and evaluate his attempts to accomplish these goals.
6.
To what extent was Reagan to blame for the scandals that marred his administration?
7.
What were the political, economic, and social implications of the marked demographic
changes in the American population during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s?
8.
Was America’s “upbeat mood” of the 1980s justified? What problems persisted? What
were the risks and possibilities for the future? (See documents in the Study Guide.)
9.
What is the history of the shopping mall, and how have malls aroused consumer fantasies
in the late twentieth century?
10.
What brought about the fall of the Soviet Union, and what impact did this have on
American domestic and foreign policies?
11.
What brought on the Gulf War and how was Desert Storm an immediate solution that
failed to solve the long-range problems?
Chapter 34: Points for Discussion
1.
Explain the fundamental changes in the nature of the American economy that were
evident by the end of the mid-1990s. What caused such transformations? How did Middle
America benefit and how did it cope?
2.
Describe the remarkable demographic shifts that occurred after 1965. What immediate
economic and social impacts were seen? What implications are present for twenty-firstcentury America?
3.
How was it possible for Clinton to be elected in 1992, the Republicans to gain control of
Congress in 1994, and then for the president to be reelected in 1996? What issues were
involved, and how have the parties attempted to give voters what they want?
4.
Assess the accomplishments of the Clinton administration. Why were the Democrats not
able to hold the White house in 2000?
5.
Compare and contrast post-1960s accomplishments of the African American middle class
with those of the underclass. What explains this disparity? How is this reflected in
popular culture, especially music?
6.
What factors created the global economy? What role has the United States played in the
creation of this new force?
7.
How has the growing ethnic diversity of the United States contributed to the debate over
“what is American"?
8.
Discuss the debates over such social issues as AIDS, sexual behavior, and abortion. What
impact have these issues had on the traditional political parties? What role did the
"religious right" play in these debates?
9.
How do modern environmentalists differ from traditional conservationists? What new
social ethic and economic approach did the ardent environmentalists propound?
10.
How have historians attempted to explain the role of women in the history of the United
States? On what issues have these efforts focused, and what conclusions have scholars
drawn?
11.
What are the issues and interests involved in the “cultural wars” going on in America?
12.
What were the issues that inspired the terrorists of the early 21st century, and why did
they focus their attention on the United States?
13.
What is the "War on Terrorism" and how is it to be waged?
14.
How did the United States-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 signal a change in
American foreign policy?