American History

Essays should be five full paragraphs long and you should strive to write in full sentences with grammatically correct language:

QUESTIONS:

1. Why and how was slavery such a divisive issue from the turn of the nineteenth century to the Civil War?In answering this question, you should discuss the institution of slavery, its spread, and the political debates it generated. A complete response will take into account both white and black (free and enslaved) experiences, as well as address the role slavery played in the coming of the Civil War.

2. What were some of the key ways in which people fought for greater inclusion in American society from the early 1800s until the outbreak of the Civil War — and to what extent did they succeed? In framing your response, you’ll want to draw comparisons between different groups of people (such as women, African Americans, Native Americans, white landowners, working class people, immigrants, etc.) and different topics, such as politics, reform work, religion, and so on.

3. America was founded on ideals of the inherent equality of “mankind” and liberty and justice for all. Based on what we’ve learned about American history from the establishment of the nation until the end of the Civil War, do you think that the United States lived up to those ideals? Why or why not? In building your argument, you should draw an examples that show change or continuity over time as well as diversity of experience within America.