Essays- Form a constructed response in paragraph form addressing each question
Part 1-
1. Explain the different kinds of American Cold War policies: Containment, Domino Theory, Nuclear Proliferation, Détente, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Regan Doctrine. Were America's policies consistent throughout the Cold War? Why or Why not?
2. Describe the rise and fall of the Civil Rights movement. Was this a popular movement or a vocal minority? What role did government play in Civil Rights? How did this redefine the role of government in society?
3. What events pushed forward the anti-war movement of the 1960s? What effect did the Tet Offensive have on the anti-war movement? Was it a popular movement? Was the anti-war movement effective in bringing an end to the war in 1973?
4. Define the three types of modern conservatism (Traditional, Libertarian, Christian-Right). What are the origins of modern conservatism? What are the key strategies used by the modern conservative movement (Southern Strategy, Silent Majority, Fundraising, etc)? How did the Young Republicans help win the White House in 1980?
5. What are the major crises of the 1960s and 1970s? Are they similar or dissimilar? How did government respond to these crises? Was it effective? How did society respond?
6. The 1990s and the 1950s are thought of as the most prosperous and peaceful decades in American history. Is this argument true? Why or why not?
7. What are the origins of the Islamic Jihad on the United States? What involvement did the United States have in the creation of Al-Qaeda? Has the United States' involvement in the Middle East had a positive or negative effect on US-Arab relations?
Part II-
1. Compare and contrast the Progressive Presidents' policies to the New Deal and the Great Society. What are the common elements that inspire each group of policies? How did these policies change the relationship between citizen and government? Does this relationship appear to continue into the 21st century? Why or why not?
2. Describe the changing nature of the presidency from Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush. Has the president always acted within his constitutional duties? Has the increasing power of the executive been good or bad for America? What crises and victories have resulted from these presidencies?
3. What have been the common reasons for the United States to go to war since 1877? Have any of these wars had a positive effect on the United States? If so, how? What changed for the United States in the 1940s that caused a switch from an isolationist policy to taking an active role in the world? Does this reason remain valid in the 21st century?
4. Reconstruction promised equality in America for all of its citizens. Has this promise been delivered? In what ways do women and minorities have more rights in the 21st century than they did in the 19th century? What rights, if any, are still missing?
5. Compare the imperial policies of the United States at the end of the 19th century to US foreign policy in the 1950s, 1970s, and the 2000s. Is the United States still an empire today? Why or why not?
6. Events like hurricane Katrina have revealed the extent of poverty in modern America. What does poverty in the United States look like over the last 200 years? What are the root causes of poverty? How have people reacted to poverty? How has the government reacted to poverty? Has anything been effective in addressing poverty in America?