Part I: EVERYONE DOES
In this part of the exam, you need to use the controversial issue you identified at the beginning of the course to reflect on the long history of conflicts over American identity. While there is no minimum or maximum requirement, I expect that it will take you between 2 and 4 pages (double-spaced) to answer the set of questions. Answer ALL of the following questions. Failure to do so will result in a penalty.
Why does your issue divide Americans today? How does this debate draw from a larger conflict over American values and identity? How does this larger debate connect to materials we have talked about in class?
PART II. EVERYONE DOES ONE SECTION
Here you have a choice, you can either write an essay or you can answer 4 questions in a paragraph each. In both options, you will need to discuss materials from the lectures/readings/films
Option 1: Choose 1 set of questions and answer in an essay that incorporates evidence from the lectures/readings/films. While there is no minimum or maximum length requirements, I expect your answer to take between 2 and 4 pages (double-spaced)
1. What is more important in defining America, the reality or the ideal vision? How can we reconcile the two when trying to define America? Has the ideal vision helped or hindered efforts to improve the America reality? (MUST USE EXAMPLES FROM BOTH PARTS II AND III OF COURSE).
2. How did The Grapes of Wrath and Harold and Kumar each depict the American Dream? What similarities and differences do the films have? Ultimately, what do they tell us about how the American Dream has changed over time?
Option 2: Short Answer Questions
Please answer 5 of the following questions in a paragraph (each) that uses evidence from readings/films/lectures. A paragraph should be at least one half page double-spaced.
1. How did the class divisions of late 19th and early 20th century America shape peoples' opportunities for and approach to leisure?
2. How did a (post-) millennial faith shape the emergence and conduct of the Civil War?
3. Why did Confederates and pro-slavery advocates think that slavery was preferable to wage labor?
4. How did the stories of Frederick Douglass and Solomon Northup portray African Americans and their place in the United States? How did the depictions differ?
5. Why did early (white) Americans believe that a continuously increasing size of land was necessary for the success of the United States? How did this belief affect Native Americans?
6. How did Anthony Comstock and L. Frank Baum differ in their approach to Victorian values? Who ultimately won the conflict over values?
7. How does Harold and Kumar challenge racial stereotypes? Is its challenge effective or does it just reinforce those stereotypes?
8. How did The Grapes of Wrath depict American identity and values?