American History from 1877

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this assignment are twofold: First, to develop the student’s ability to think historically by understanding the past through the understanding and analysis of a variety of historical sources. Second, to hone the student’s critical thinking and communication skills by analyzing historical documents and demonstrating an ability to write answers in a clear, concise manner.

ASSIGNMENT: Students will answer, in paragraph form, the questions listed below. All questions are based upon the historical sources provided. Students must make sure to use academic style and language in their answers.

HELPFUL REMINDERS: 1) You have almost a month to complete this assignment packet. Please budget your time wisely. Procrastinating to the last minute to complete this assignment is highly inadvisable. Work on this packet early, and you will complete it well before the due date; 2) You may send the instructor a rough draft of your work before the due date for feedback; 3) Make sure your answers are thorough, and address all parts of a question.

Section 1: Textbook Chapter Review Questions
Instructions: Relying exclusively on information contained within the textbook, not class lecture, answer the following questions. Helpful hint: These answers should be paragraph-length, not merely a couple of sentences. Each question is from material in chapters 28-33 of the textbook. Feel free to use the book’s index to help you find information.
*Note: The answers to these two questions should be paragraph-length.
Question 1 – Society
First, describe the Red Scare that followed World War II (NOT the Great War). What factors caused it? What were its major results? Second, describe the “New Left” of the 1960s. What were some of their goals? Why did it fall apart?
Question 2 – Minority rights
First, discuss the early civil rights movement of the 1940s. In what ways did World War II and the Cold War help push this movement into reality? What were some successes for race relations? Second, explain the factors that made homelessness the biggest social concern of the 1980s. What was the Reagan administration’s reaction to the AIDS crisis?

Section 2: Secondary Source (Book chapter) Questions
Instructions: The social and political anxieties of the Cold War spilled over into a wide range of aspects of American life, including professional sports. The article “Baseball and the Cold War” examines the ways in which baseball was used as a part of Cold War politics. This source is found in attached documents. Upon completing that reading, answer the questions below.
*Note: Answer length will vary, depending on the question. When it doubt, it’s always the best policy to be as thorough as possible.
1) Provide a summary of what the article is about, including its main ideas.
2) Describe some of the reasons the supporters of baseball gave as to why the sport was so popular at the time?
3) Men such as Congressman John W. Bricker “sought to enlist baseball in the Cold War.” In what ways did they believe baseball could accomplish this goal? *Note: There are several ways mentioned in the article, found throughout the article.
4) How did baseball use anti-communism sentiment to control players?
5) How was baseball used as an example of the “American” way of life, or showing “American” values? *Note: You should use more than one example.
Section 3: Primary Sources Questions
Instructions: Rarely is history “straightforward.” Much like in contemporary society, the people of the past had conflicting interpretations and perspectives of the times in which they lived. This assignment looks at one perspective on the U.S. commitment to a democratic Vietnam in the 1950s, and one perspective of feminism in the 1980s. Read the primary source excerpts “A Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem” by President Dwight Eisenhower, and “What’s Wrong With Equal Rights for Women” by Phyllis Schlafly. These sources are found in attached documents. Upon completing those readings, answer the questions below.
1) In “A Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem,” describe how President Eisenhower characterized the conflict in Vietnam.
2) Did Eisenhower specify what types of aid the U.S. should supply or what types of reform Diem should undertake? Why do this Eisenhower did/did not include these ideas?
3) In “What’s Wrong With Equal Rights for Women,” how does Schlafly justify the traditional role of women as being centered on marriage and motherhood?
4) According to Schlafly, what role has “free enterprise” played in reinforcing traditional gender roles?

Section 4: Personal Analysis
Instructions: The study of history enables students to understand, analyze, and interpret the past. At times, part of the interpretation is done by examining the issues of the past and offering an informed analysis of the successes, failures, and outcomes of those ideas and events. In your own words, answer the following questions. These questions are not merely opinion. Rather, you must offer an informed analysis using course material, including the textbook, primary sources, and class lecture. You may also use internet sites to help you gather information for a particular question.

*Note: It will be difficult to answer either question in a satisfactory manner in less than a paragraph. Multiple paragraphs may be necessary in order to thoroughly answer the questions
1) In this unit, you’ve studied the various approaches to the civil rights movements of the 1950s and 1960s. With this in mind, based on course material, as well as other sources you may find, answer the following: Describe the approaches to civil rights for both the Black Power movement and the nonviolent resistance movement, taking note of their respective leaders and ways in which they were dissimilar. Which of these approaches to social change has left the greater legacy in the United States? Make sure to explain your answer and provide examples.
2) Throughout this unit, you’ve studied the rise of the feminist movement, and the conservative reaction against it. Based on course material, as well as other sources you may find, answer the following: What were some of the goals of the feminists? What hindered the feminist movement? Why did conservative women disagree with feminism? Did the feminist movements of the 1970s and 1980s change conditions in America for women today? How so/Why not? Make sure to explain your answer and provide examples for both the historical and modern perspective.