US History Reading #1, 2, 3
#1 NYTimes: "How the US Lost Out on iPhone Work"
#2 Selections from Howard Zinn: Preface, Introduction & Ch. 4 from Passionate Declarations
#3 Chapter 1 of A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn or Ch. 1 of A Young People's History of the United States by Rebecca Steffof & Howard Zinn
Questions for US History Reading #1, 2, 3
Please answer the following with a thoughtful combination of your own original analysis and direct evidence from each text we have read. You do not need to quote from every text for every answer, but you should have at least one quote in each answer, and you should quote from each text at least once.
Your answers should be typed—please enter the answers as your blog for Tuesday, October 2.
1. What is history?
2. What is ideology?
3. Can history be neutral? Why or why not?
4. Zinn discusses what he considers the typical way Americans study or understand history. How has your experience (either in school, or simply in your life) been similar?
5. When you consider Zinn's discussion of the typical American study or understanding of history, how has your experience (in school or in life) been different?
6. What did you read that stood out to you positively? Why?
7. What did you read that you disliked? Why?
8. How were some of your biases or preconceived notions confirmed by what you read?
9. How were some of your biases or preconceived notions challenged by what you read?
10. What unique perspective, element of creativity, or new questions do you bring to our study of history?
The Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers (all, with resources); Federalist 10 (by James Madison; to guard against "factions"); Federalist 51 (by James Madison; checks & balances in the structure of gov't).
Federalist 10 Questions
Answer all of the following questions. Be sure to include evidence for each answer—some require a simple quote, while others may be best supported with a series of quotes.
1. What are factions, according to Madison? What does Madison believe are the causes of factions?
2. How could we cure the "mischiefs of faction," according to Madison? Why are these remedies worse than the disease, according to Madison? What does Madison propose as a solution to factions?
3. What is a republic, what is a pure democracy, and how do they differ?
4. How does a republic inhibit the effects of factions, according to Madison?
5. What is Madison’s view of human nature? Does he view people as inherently good or bad? How does this influence his vision for the American government?
Federalist 51 Questions
Answer all of the following questions. Be sure to include evidence for each answer—some require a simple quote, while others may be best supported with a series of quotes.
1. What are the three branches of government? Why does Madison believe it is good to split up the powers of the government?
2. How is the separation of powers between the three branches assured? What are four aspects or elements of checks and balances that will make the separation powers actually work?
3. Which branch appears as an exception to the normal practice of elections? Why is this exception not dangerous, according to Madison? What is your view of this exception?
4. Which branch did Madison view as the weakest branch of government? Why was this acceptable to Madison? What is your view of this weakness?
5. What is the "end" (supreme goal) of government, according to Madison?
The Great Depression & New Deal
US History review—topics & main ideas
Federalist Papers
Federalist 10—questions on RLS’s DP
Madison’s definition of factions
Madison’s critique of other plans to “cure the mischiefs of faction.”
Republic vs. pure democracy
Why he thinks a republic is good
Federalist 51—questions on RLS’s DP
Three branches of gov’t
How to ensure separation of powers, ensure checks & balances, etc.
Why the judicial branch is different
Constitutional Basics—questions on RLS’s DP
Structure of gov’t
Three branches & what they do
Judicial review, what it is & how we got it
Five forms of speech
Personal privacy
How we got the Constitution
Major players in creating the Constitution
The process & objections to getting the Constitution
Four major compromises
Civil War
Reasons for war
Slavery vs other reasons
Basic geography
Basically, which states were on which side, Mason-Dixon line, etc.
Industrialization
Major strikes, protests, accidents, etc.
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, Homestead, Ludlow, Pullman, Haymarket,
Gilded Age, Robber Barons, etc.
Labor leaders: Debs, Goldman
Industrialists: Carnegie, Rockefeller, JP Morgan, etc.
Review all newspapers.
Foreign Policy up to WW1:
Monroe, Open Door, Big Stick, Dollar, Moral
Great Depression & New Deal—Questions on RLS’s DP
Causes
Black Tuesday, speculation, margin trading
FDR & the New Deal
Social Security
Glass-Steagal
WPA, SEC, TVA, CCC, FDIC, and so on...Alphabet soup!
Laissez-faire? Capitalism? Controversy?
Legacy of New Deal
WW1 & WW2
Changes in the organization of the world.
Empires?
International law?
International agencies?
Major battles
Vietnam
Cold War
Causes
Presidents
Domino Theory
Pentagon Papers
Complete all history presentation packets, please!