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HIST 1302, Sec. 005

Spring 2015

US History II
Quiz/Reading Suggestions

Week 2 (January 20)

Quiz 1

Binder, Chapter 1

· What is Mark Huddle’s main thesis/argument about education programs in North Carolina during Reconstruction?  How successful were the programs?  How and why did they start?  Why are they important?

· What does the reading on Fayetteville reveal about the era of Reconstruction in the south?  How did Fayetteville’s experience compare to the experiences of other southern cities?  What are some specific examples provided in the essay to illustrate this?

· To what does Huddle attribute the initial success of education programs?  What eventually became of those programs?  What does that reveal about the legacy of Reconstruction?

· What is the general message and tone of Jourdon Anderson’s letter?  Who was he and why was he writing?  What does his letter reveal about life for former slaves after the Civil War?

· What is the purpose of the Knights of the White Camelia document?  How did the Knights justify their existence?  What does the document reveal about he emergence of the Knights and other groups like it after the Civil War?

· What is the nature of the “we are literally slave” document?  Who wrote it and what is her story? How does she describe the working conditions of the servant class?  What does this document suggest about the lives of black southern women in the decades following reconstruction?

Binder, Chapter 2

· What is Jack Chen’s main thesis/argument about the role of Chinese workers in the settling of western lands in the United States?  Why was there so much resistance to using Chinese labor?  What ultimately compelled railroad companies to rely on the Chinese to lay rail lines?

· How does the chapter describe daily life for Chinese workers?  How do the descriptions in the chapter compare to the romantic notions of the “Wild West” in 19^th century America?

· What themes from lecture and the textbook are evident in the chapter?  How does it illustrate the way westward expansion was closely linked to economic developments in the northeast?  How does it illustrate the importance of new technological developments in the late 19^th century?

· What is the nature of the document entitled “California Must Be All American?”  Who was the author and what does he represent?  How does the author describe Chinese workers? What seems to be his biggest concern? How do his concerns reflect the anxieties associated with westward expansion? 

· Who is the author of the “Homesteading in South Dakota” document and what is the source of the excerpt?  Why did the author write the document?  How reliable is it as a primary source?  How does the author describe her decision to move the United States?  How does she describe working in agriculture in Illinois?  In South Dakota?  What information can you glean from the document about Americans’ reactions to the Homestead Act?  About tensions with Native Americans in the west?  About daily life for farmers?

· Who is the author of “A Montana Cowtown” and what do you know about him?  What was his purpose for writing the document?  How does his description of the west compare to the description in the essay?  How does it compare to the homesteading document?  Does it help to illustrate how the romanticized notions of the west developed?

Week 3 (January 29)

Quiz 2

Binder, Chapter 4

· Who was Johanes Johansen and what is his story? How does the author describe Johansen’s experiences as an immigrant to the United States in the late nineteenth century? Why did his family migrate to the United States? What examples of immigrant hardship does Johansen’s story provide? How does his story illustrate the successful immigrant experience?  How did Johansen attempt to assimilate to U.S. culture? Why did he opt not to return to Norway?

· What is the nature of the Irish Immigrant document?  What kind of document is it?  Who seems to be the author?  What seems to be the purpose of the document?  How does the document describe the Irish immigrant?  Why did he come to the United States?  What kinds of conditions did he encounter?  How do his experiences help you understand the plight of labor and immigrants at the turn of the century?

· When and where was the Italian Bootblack’s Story published?  How does the author describe the experiences of those particular immigrants?  Who was Bartoloand what role did he play?  How does the Italians’ story compare to that of the miner?  To what do you attribute their success?  How does their story help us to understand why so many immigrants continued to come to the United States despite the difficult conditions most were forced to endure?

· What is the nature of the “Bintel Brief” document? Who wrote it and who was the intended audience? How does the letter describe worker exploitation? What gender dynamics appear to be at work? What advice does the recipient of the letter offer?

Week 4 (February 5)

Quiz 3

Binder, Chapter 3

· What is Robert Trennert’s main thesis/argument about Indian schools in the late 19^th century?  What was the purpose of the schools?  How successful were they?  How does Trennert seem to be defining success? 

· Why was there such an emphasis on education of Indians in the late 19^th century?  Why does Trennert focus his study on Indian girls?  How and why did the girls’ experiences differ from those of Indian boys?  How and why did approaches to Indian education change over time?  Does this reflect anything that we have learned about the broader context of the time period?

· How did Indians themselves react to the attempts of whites to impose new ideas and cultures on them?  How does Trennert treat this issue?  How does he deal with a “lack of sources?”

· Overall, how would you assess Trennert’s essay?  Do you agree with his basic conclusions?  Does his essay support or refute any information presented in lectures or the text?  Does is provide meaningful analysis?  Why/why not?

· What is the nature of the “Rules for Indian Schools” document?  What is the source?  How would you describe the schools’ rules?  Did any of the guidelines surprise you?  Why/why not?  How does the document help you to understand the time period?  Can you offer any alternatives to the rules and guidelines for Indian education?

· What is the nature of the document on Indian Race and Culture?  Who wrote the document and why?  How does the author describe Indian culture?  What is the author’s idea of “race evolution?”  What is your reaction to his arguments?

· What is the nature of the document: “The Cutting of My Long Hair?”  How does this document differ from the other documents in the chapter?  Does is support/refute any arguments made in the essay?  Do you sympathize with the author of the document?  How do you imagine people might have reacted to the document when it was written?

Week 6 (February 19)

Quiz 4

Binder Chapter 5

· What is the main argument/thesis of Daniel Sidorick’s essay?  How did the U.S. garment industry change in the final decades of the nineteenth century and why were poor working conditions particularly prevalent in the apparel industry in the early 20^th century? How were women’s roles in the workforce changing in the U.S. around the turn of the century? How did women benefit even under onerous working conditions?

· How did Philadelphia’s garment industry compare to New York’s?  What role did unions play in Philadelphia’s garment industry? What impact did the New York textile strike have in Philadelphia? What motivated Philadelphia workers to strike? How did “bosses” react? What does this essay suggest about the nature of collective labor action and demands for reform during the Progressive Era?

· Who was Anna Manning Comfort and what is the purpose of her document? Where and when was it published?  Is the date significant?  What is her overall message?  How does she describe the challenges she faced as a woman doctor in the mid-late 19^th century?  Do you think her account is exaggerated?  Why/why not?  How much had the medical field changed by 1916?  Why is this important?

· What ruling is represented in Supreme Court Justice Bradley’s decision?  How did he defend his ruling?  How did women attempt to use the newly-ratified 14^th amendment to defend their position?  What was Bradley’s response?   How did he view the function of marriage in American society?  What does this illustrate about the prevailing attitudes toward women in the context of Civil Rights in the era of Reconstruction?  What is your reaction to his ruling?  How do you image 19^th century Americans might have reacted to his ruling?

· What is the nature of the “Employments Unsuitable for Women” document? What is Henry Finck’s attitude toward women in the workplace? How does he describe reformers who advocate for women in the workforce? What seem to be his greatest concerns?  

Week 7 (February 26)

Quiz 5

Binder, Chapter 6

· What is Keith Medley’s main thesis/argument about events leading up to the Plessy v. Ferguson case in New Orleans in the 1890s?  Why does Medley consider the racial environment in New Orleans to be unique?  Why did black activists choose New Orleans as the venue to challenge southern moves toward segregation?  Why was their attempt ineffective?

· How does the essay illustrate the changing nature of the reconstruction period?  How does it illustrate the ambiguities of race?  Why did some blacks support racial separation?

· How does the episode in New Orleans reflect the so-called “Guilded Age” at the end of the 19^th century?  How does it help you understand the emergence of progressive reform?  How can theories of social mobility that arose around urban expansion in the northeast also help to explain racist attitudes in other regions of the country?  What parallels can you identify between Americans’ justifications for imperial expansion and the growing racial tensions in the south?  Overall, how would you describe American society (and social attitudes) in the late 19^th century?

· Who is the author of the “Lynching” document and what do you know about him?  Where is he from?  What is his justification for lynchings?  How does he try to persuade his audience to support his point of view?  Is this an effective strategy?  What kind of language does he use to describe blacks?  To describe white women?  How reliable do you consider his perspective of the situation in the south?

· What is the nature of the George H. White document? What arguments is he making about race relations? How does he measure the successes achieved by African Americans? Why does he not seem to be satisfied with those achievements? What is his overall message and tone?

· Who is the author of the “A Call for Equality” document and where was it published?  What is he demanding?  How does this document compare to the speech by Frederick Douglas in Chapter 1?  How have the issues changed and/or remained the same?  How does this document define equality?  How does this document fit within the context of the era of progressive reform?

Week 8 (March 6)

Quiz 6

Binder Chapter 7

· What is Meirion and Susie Harries main thesis/argument about the U.S. military during World War I?  Generally, how do they describe the military at the time?  How does the military reflect other trends being discussed in class? 

· How did the military treat non-white and immigrant enlistees?  What types of training challenges did the military face?  What types of bureaucratic challenges did the military face?  How did many enlistees resist the military and the war?  Why was there such resistance during WWI?  How did the military deal with objectors?

· How do the Harries describe life in military camps?  How does this compare to life in tenements and other urban housing areas at the time?  Is it surprising that living conditions were so poor?  Why/why not?  Why do the author’s include a section on vice in the military?  Overall, how does the military experience reflect broad trends in the Progressive era in America?

· When and where was the document on German-American loyalty published?  What does it reflect?  What were the possible motives of the author?  What were the possible motives of the CPI?  What can this document tell us about the attitudes of immigrants in American during the war?  Do you think these sentiments were typical?  Why/why not?

· What does the Mennonite Draftee letter describe?  How does this document fit in the context of information presented in the essay?  What does it reveal about ethnic tensions in America during the war?

· What is the nature of the French Military Mission document? Who wrote it and why? How does it describe Americans’ attitudes toward blacks? Why are the French concerned with this? Overall, how do these documents and essays illustrate broader trends being presented in class?

Binder, Chapter 9

· What are Daniel Okrent’s main arguments in the essay, “Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition?”  How does he describe the politics surrounding the passage of the Volstead Act? How did Americans circumvent the prohibition law? How did politicians and law enforcement react to the law? How does the information presented on prohibition help to illustrate some of the main themes of the Progressive Era?

· Why did Senator Henry Myers write the report on moving pictures?  What is his overall argument?  What seems to be his objective?  Does his argument make sense or does it seem to be an overreaction?  How does this document compare to arguments made today about the influence of movies and other media?

· What is the nature of the “Jazz….” Document? Who wrote it and what was the intended audience? How does the author describe Jazz music? What seems to be her biggest concern? What is “The Rebellion” described in the document? What are some of the main historical issues reflected in this document?

Week 9 (March 12)

Quiz 7

Binder, Chapter 10

· What is the main argument by Timothy Egan in the essay “The Worst Hard Time?” How did the people of Dalhart react to the closing of the First National Bank? How does the author describe the impact of the economic crisis in the town?  How did climate and other acts of nature make the suffering worse?

· Whom did the people of Dalhart (and across the United States) blame for their misfortune?  What was the logic in assigning blame?  How did the economic problems of Dalhart exacerbate racial tensions?

· What happened when agricultural output actually increased in Dalhart?  Why did greater agricultural production fail to help the struggling town?  How was the town’s judicial system affected by the economic decline?  How can the essay help you understand the impact of the Great Depression in small towns and on ordinary people?

· Who were the “Okies in California?”  What is the nature of the document describing them?  What does the document reveal about how people who relocated to California lived during this time?  With such meager conditions, why do you imagine people continued to go?  Overall, how could you use this document as a source?

· What is the nature of the document "Homeless Women Sleep in Chicago Parks?”  Who wrote the article and where did it originally appear?  How was the story reported?  What were the concerns of public officials?

· What is the nature of the “Vagrant Civil Engineer” document?  What was the original source of the document?  Why does the author of the document findLanglan Heinz’s story so compelling?  How does it help to illustrate the nuances of the era of the Great Depression?  How do the last two documents help to illustrate who was affected by the Great Depression?

Week 10 (March 26)

Quiz 8

Binder, Chapter 11

· What is William O’Neill’s main argument/thesis about the home front in the United States during World War II?  How did Americans respond to the crisis of war?  How effective were their efforts? 

· How would you compare the home front in World War II to the portrayal of World War I in Chapter 7?  To what would you attribute the differences in WWII?  To what would you attribute the similarities?  How do both periods compare to America at war today?

· Overall, how does the essay describe the home front in World War II?  Did any aspects of the essay surprise you?  What role did propaganda play on the home front?  Which aspects of the propaganda campaign seem negative?  Do any seem positive?  How effective was WWII propaganda? 

· What is the nature of “The Woman Worker” document? Who wrote it and why? What information does it provide regarding women in the workforce during World War II? What kinds of jobs were women performing? How does the document seem to define “women’s work” and “men’s work?” Why were women simultaneously losing jobs during World War II?

· How does the “Conditions in the Camps” document describe the Japanese internment camps?  What does the document reveal about life in the United States during the war?  What does it reveal about the plight of Japanese-Americans during the war?

· What is the nature of the “Japanese American Servicemen” document? Where and when was it originally published and why? What does the document describe? What is the review system described in the document? Why did this review system begin and why did so much time pass before it was put into effect? What does the document illustrate about racial and ethnic tensions during World War II?

· Consider the video on the U.S. homefront during WWII.  How does the video reinforce the information provided in lectures and the readings? What are some specific examples from the video of Americans sacrificing and demonstrating their patriotism during the war? What are some specific examples of the ways in which World War II changed the nature of U.S. culture and society?

Week 13 (April 14)

Quiz 9

Binder, Chapter 12

· What is Kenneth Jackson’s main argument/thesis about the emergence of suburbia in post-WWII America?  Why did the housing issue become so important in the decades following the war?  How did American industry deal with housing demands? 

· Who was William Levitt and what did he represent in postwar America?  How did Levitt build homes so quickly and so inexpensively?  How did this fit in the broader context of American industry, economic expansion, and prosperity?  Why did Levitt and others like him fall prey to critics?  Was there any merit to the criticisms?

· Does suburbia accurately represent larger trends in American development in the decades following the war?  Why/why not?  How do issues such as the Cold War and race in the 1950s and 1960s?

· What is the general message in the Melting Pot document?  What does the author mean by “melting pot?”  Do you agree?  Does the document describe a steady integration of suburban areas?  Or does it describe a continued segregation?  According to the document, what kind of challenges do communities face when integration takes place?  Would you characterize the trends described in the document as positive or negative?

· What is the nature of the “Big Apple” document? When and where was it published? What kinds of population trends does it describe? What might be driving population growth in the cities discussed in the article? What implications does this information have in terms of the information on suburbia and population growth covered in lecture?

Week 14 (April 21)

Quiz 10

Binder, Chapter 13

· What is William Doyle’s main thesis/argument about the attempt to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas?  How does his style of writing differ from the other essays assigned from this book?  Is it effective?  Why/why not?  According to Doyle, why was this such a powerful moment in the Civil Rights Movement?

· How does this chapter compare to the portrayal of white, middle-class Americans moving to the suburbs in the 1950s and 1960s?  Taking a broad view of American society, it is accurate to describe this period as a era of prosperity and progress?    

· How is President Eisenhower portrayed in the essay?  How does this image of him compare to the “Straight and Narrow” personality presented in lecture and in the textbook?  What did Eisenhower’s position on civil rights seem to be?  Why did he eventually send American troops into Little Rock?

· What is the nature of the “Growing Up Black in the South” document?  Who wrote it and what kind of information does it provide?  How does it compare to other information about racism provided in class?  How does this document help you understand why many blacks became involved in pushing for their rights in the last half of the 20^th century?

· What is the nature of the “Southern Manifesto?”  Who wrote it and where did it first appear?  How do they authors of the manifesto defend segregation?  Are their arguments compelling (or would they have been compelling at the time?)  How does this document help to illustrate the resistance to integration in the 1950s?

· What is the nature of the document on “Wealth and Income Inequality?”  When and where was it first published?  Who appears to be the author?  What evidence does the author cite to argue that racial inequality still exists?  How do the racial issues described in this document compare to the issues described in the documents and essays from earlier decades?

Week 15 (April 28)

Quiz 11

Binder, Chapter 14

· What is Terry Anderson’s main argument/thesis about the development and activities of the student movements in the 1960s?  What led to growing student activism and what impact did the student movements have at the time?  How does the author tie this activism to broad trends of the previous decade, such as the development of the Cold War, the rise of the red scare, the growing civil rights movement, and the trend to conformity?  How do you tie these issues based on your knowledge?

· What was your impression of the student movements prior to reading this essay?  How does the essay’s portrayal of the movements compare?  What were the students fighting for?  What tactics did they use?  How might you explain the reaction of administrators? 

· Since the student movements originated prior to the Vietnam War, how would you explain the fact that they are so closely associated today?  Does the essay give you an idea of how widespread the movements were?  How do you explain the “Flaming Moderates?”  How do the 1960s student movements compare to youth activism today?

· Who is the author of “Vietnam Veterans Against the War?  What do you know about the author?  Does your knowledge of the author influence the way you read the document?  What is his overall point?  Based on your knowledge, how accurate was his statement?  What impact, if any, should the document have on politics today?

· What is the nature of the “Gays in the Military” document? What is the source of the document? What is the message conveyed by the document? How does the new policy on gays in the military reflect a continuation of activist trends initiated in the 1960s?