Questions 11-16

11) 1968 was a turning point in both Civil Rights and national politics. The assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. caused a major setback in civil rights and stirred massive public outcry in the black community. Riots broke out, sit-in demonstrations rose, and protests were rife throughout the country as people were outraged. However, it didn’t lose pace as it continued to progress and make advancements. The movement spread to other parts of the country as well, such as the urban north. The movement achieved integration with the ruling of the Swann c. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. In this case, busing programs were changed to promote integration within schools. Kids from different towns would be bused to schools, thus making the schools more racially balanced. Americans were also growing frustrated over Vietnam. Johnson had promised that the war would be resolved in six months, however it continued longer. The Tet Offensive also destroyed hopes in millions of Americans. After the North Koreans launched the Tet Offensive, they succeeded in capturing some of the US posts. This appeared alarming to the American public, as the general understanding was that America was winning the war. Now that it appeared that America was not going to win the war, people became anti-war. 12) The Vietnam War affected many aspects of America. Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate scandal also hurt the reputation and dignity of the Presidency. The taping system in the White House reveals his involvement and his refusal to turn over the tapes further sparks controversy. The Presidency was looked upon with contempt during this period. People were shocked when the Pentagon Papers were published. The Papers revealed the dishonesty within the Presidency and its administration. The power of the Presidency is also limited with the passage of the War Powers Act, which cut down on the President’s ability to commit troops. This represents a major setback for the Presidency because in the previous era, the President was very powerful (FDR, Truman). Also, each successive President during this era took over a country that was in a worse state than the start of the previous Presidency. Johnson’s failure to meet his promise to end the Vietnam War in six months also made the people uneasy and even more negative towards the Presidency. Cold War diplomacy was also affected by the Vietnam War. The US had to handle the situation in Vietnam very carefully now, as it would affect the nation’s pride and credibility in handling international affair and combating communism. Nixon also issued the Nixon Doctrine, which announced that nation’s had to take responsibility in defending their own areas of the globe. Cold War diplomacy also shifted as Johnson took up a policy of détente, which lessened the tensions between the US and communist nations. Nixon would also take up this policy, as he visited China and the USSR. Despite these acts of kind diplomacy, Nixon affected Cold war diplomacy again by issuing bombing runs on North Vietnam by B-52 bombers. 13) The US’s foreign policy of containment affected many regions of the world and experienced both success and failure. In East and Southeast Asia, containment of communism experienced mixed success. Containment failed at the loss of China to the hands of the Communist revolutionists led by Mao Zedong. However, the US continued to voice support for the government in Taiwan, refusing t at first to recognize the government in Beijing as the legitimate government of China. The Korean War showed the success of containment in Asia. Communist North Korea, in an attempt to unify Korea, invaded democratic South Korea. The North Koreans managed to push through most of South Korea until the US intervened and not only contained the Koreans at the original border but also managed to push them back almost to the Chinese border. Although the intervention of China pushed back the battlefront of the war, the ending result was that the border was established at the 38th parallel, thus containing communism in North Korea. Containment was also used in Vietnam, as US forces intervened to try to keep the communist North Vietnamese from intervening. Containment of communism in the region was justified by the Domino theory. However, that failed as the popular opposition to the war forced the US out and the North Vietnamese ended up conquering and unifying all of Vietnam. The policy of containment experienced a new strategy and success when Nixon initiated his policy of détente. His diplomatic missions to China and Russia eased tensions and helped form the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia. Containment was also experienced partial success in Latin America. To promote containment and peace in the region, the US instigated the formation of the Organization of American States. The US also managed to overthrow the communist influence military dictatorship in Guatemala, with the help of the CIA. An anti-communist military dictatorship ended up taking power. The biggest failure for containment came in Cuba. In Cuba, Fidel Castro ended up taking power and establishing a communist rule on the country. Following the containment policy, the US tried to eliminate Castro. The US invaded but failed, and the incident was known as the Bay of Pigs fiasco. The failure of the mission’s consequences brought terror to the US, as Russia sent over missiles to Cuba in the Cuban Missile Crisis to help protect Cuba. T 14) In 1820 to 1860, many people from north and Western Europe migrated to the US. They were drawn to the US by economic prosperity, freedom, and in the case of Ireland, a potato famine. The Irish did not integrate well into American society, as they were Catholics and Americans were Protestants. Unfortunately, the Irish worked in factories and sometimes, without knowing, were strikebreakers. This caused further contempt towards them by the Americans. Germans had a better time integrating as they shared the same religious views as Americans. The responses by the American people towards the immigrants were nativist. The formation of the Know-Nothing Party accurately represents sentiments towards immigrants as the Know-Nothings were very nativist and supported anti-immigration. From 1880 to 1924, immigrants began pouring in from other parts of Europe, such as eastern and southern Europe. Immigrants also began coming in large numbers from Asia. These immigrants were driven by similar motivations as the immigrants from 1820 to 1860. Also, they were similar in the fact that they also were targeted by Nativist groups. However, differences between the immigration trends of the two periods lies in the fact that for the group between 1880 and 1924, there were many groups that formed to help them assimilate. Immigrants were generally poor so there were many groups that provided services for them. Urban reform helped to improve the living conditions in which the immigrants lived in. Asians faced discrimination on the west coast, as the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed to keep Chinese immigrants out. Japanese also faced negative sentiments and were subject to long and arduous examinations of health. Mexicans also began immigrating to the US in large numbers. Like most other ethnic groups, they faced discrimination and could find only low-paying jobs. In both time periods, immigrants were always met with prejudice. The National Origins Act of 1924 restricted immigration to 150,000 people a year total across all countries. No legislation was ever passed from 1820 to 1860 that restricted immigration rates. 15) The new women’s movement set out to accomplish different goals than the previous one. The previous women’s movement had successfully fought for gender equality for things such as voting rights, property rights, and marital rights. The new women’s movement focused more on reproductive rights and equality in the workplace. The introduction of the birth pill helped give women greater control over their reproductive status. Many groups sprang up during this movement. There was the National Organization for Women that had similar views with the Democratic Party, groups formed based on ethnicity, for example, African American women formed organizations that focused on cultural and ethnic identity, and there were lesbian groups forming. Women made “consciousness-raising” sessions to discuss issues and share viewpoints on situations. These sessions promoted to the ideas of political power and personal power being hand in hand. They also focused on making the job market more equal. The women’s workplace always had “glass ceilings” that inhibited their advancement on the corporate ladder. Child care expenses also came down on women unequally. Another big issue to resolve was sexual harassment. Women were being harassed at the workplace and elsewhere by males. Thus, the Supreme Court ruled that sexual harassment was outlawed in the Civil Rights Act. This proved a major victory for women at the time. 16) The New Right was a conservatism group that formed in the mid 1970s. The group consisted of many kinds of people: those who supported anticommunism, anti-domestic spending, and many social/cultural issues such as the Equal Rights Amendment. Neoconservatists also joined as they sought to reinvigorate an anticommunist foreign policy in America. The New Right’s Agenda consisted of many aspects. On the political side of things, the New Right focused on lobbying in Congress and backing Conservative politicians. The New Right was very conservative and traditional in its social and cultural agendas. Conservatists upheld family values and denounced the degrading lifestyles brought on by the feminists and homosexuals. They said that homosexuality was not about personal freedom, but a “question of morality”. In the education system, the New Right opposed the fact that schools were teaching evolution, feminism, and multiculturalism because they said that these facts were being forced upon students, even though the contradicted their religious and cultural ideals. The New Right also expressed disapproval over the ideas of being politically correct in order to keep from insulting the various cultures in America, and instead, advocated traditional cultural values.

1945-1990 Assignments: Questions 5-10

Questions 5-10 5) The goals of black reform movements in 1890-1910 were contrasting. One viewpoint, held by Booker T. Washington, believed that individual achievement would garner respect from whites. He also believed that blacks should accept the fact that they are segregated and focus energy on self-improvement. However, people like W.E.B. Du Bois rejected the idea, noting that whites continued to be unwilling to accept blacks, no matter their success. Thus, Du Bois and others formed the NAACP and sought to bring back the right to vote in states that it had been taken away, to abolish segregation, and to end discrimination. They looked to bring political and social equality to all blacks. The goals of black reform movements between 1950 and 1970 were much the same. The discrimination was especially hard in the south, where people refused to accept the laws set forth by Brown v. Board of Education in Topeka and other lawsuits. The strategies used by reformers consisted of boycotts and peaceful protest. For example, the Montgomery bus boycott due to Rosa Parks’s arrest led to the Montgomery bus system losing lots of money, thus ending segregation on buses. The ultimate goal of the civil rights movement was to bring, as Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “redemption and reconciliation” to America society. 6) While King was trying hard to integrate blacks into society, others worked hard to separate blacks and identify not with America, but with Africa. Starting from Marcus Garvey’s call back to Africa movement after WWI, many blacks were now encouraged to stop fighting for equality and instead “plant the banner of freedom on the great continent of Africa.” This contradicted King’s ideas of integrating into American society through peaceful protest. Violence and taking up of arms was instigated even further by white violence to blacks, such as the publicized event that took place in Philadelphia, Mississippi; here, three civil rights workers were kidnapped, beaten, and killed. Another group that vocalized separation and Black Nationalism was the Black Panther Party. The party took up arms and declared that “black men must unite to overthrow their white ‘oppressors’…” There was also Malcolm X, who even condemned Martin Luther King, Jr. and said that the main crime here committed by whites was that they made blacks hate themselves. Thus, black studies programs in universities sprang up and taught blacks to appreciate their heritage and culture. 7) The Reconstruction failed to make blacks completely welcome to the post-Civil War America. After Reconstruction, the Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws were implemented, segregation was rife as Plessy v. Ferguson made segregation in states legal, violence was everywhere as the Ku Klux Klan and others terrorized blacks, and opportunities such as education were limited to blacks. The Civil Rights Movement helped address many of these Reconstruction failures. For example, in Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that it was now illegal to have segregation in educational facilities. This was important as it paved the way for future desegregation and integration actions, and trumped both Plessy v. Ferguson and the Jim Crow Laws. It also made education equal among whites and blacks in the US. Desegregation also occurred after many boycotts and peaceful protests. The Montgomery Bus Boycott initiated after the incident with Rosa Parks, helped gain blacks the right to sit anywhere they wanted on the bus. Civil Rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. helped provide a voice to blacks all around and inspired them to stand up for their rights and true equality. All of this led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination and segregation to blacks and women. It also ended the unfair practice of giving blacks extra voting requirements, which transcended the Reconstruction failure of giving poll taxes and grandfather clauses to black voters. Although violence against blacks and civil rights activists was still occurring, it did shrink significantly after the government began using federal troops to protect blacks. 8) Inspired by FDR, Lyndon B. Johnson set out to improve America. Although most America was living comfortably at the time, Johnson wanted to make America even grander. He sought to help out not only the poor, but to provide legislation that would help all social classes. Johnson brought about the department of Housing and Urban Affairs, which was similar to FDR’s Civil Works Administration and Works Progress Administration in that it helped revamp many of the nation’s building and infrastructures. Johnson also sought out to eradicate poverty. He implemented the Manpower Development and Training Act and the Economic Opportunity Act to help train poor people for new and better jobs. This is similar to FDR’s CWA and WPA because it decreased unemployment, made new jobs, and helped gave people more opportunities. Like the Fair Labor Standards Act of FDR’s New Deal, the Great Society also raised minimum wage under Johnson. Johnson was also a heavy advocate of conservation, bringing about heavy restrictions on water and air pollution and added more acres to wildlife refuges. This is similar to FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps and other federal projects to support conservation. Johnson also enacted Medicare, which provided the elderly with needed medical care and medical insurance. This is similar to the Social Security Act of the New Deal, as it also provided insurance to the elderly. 9) In an era of Communist threat, Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson continued Truman’s policy of containment. Eisenhower supported containment and also announced his own “domino theory”, which stated that if one country were fall to communism, the neighbors of that country will to, and so on. Thus, it was crucial to contain communism and prevent it from spreading. Ike launched a series of surveillance planes into Russia to spy on Russian activity. He also held down the arms race during the 50s with an “unspoken” agreement between him and Soviet premier Krushchev. Regarding communist China and Taiwan, Ike was able to boast America’s nuclear and military strength to keep China from invading Taiwan, thus containing communism. Kennedy was also a supporter of containment. Also in Vietnam, Ike heavily supported the South Vietnam government, giving them economic and military aid to fight against the communist North Vietnamese. He delivered the Kennedy Doctrine, which advocated the containment and eventual eradication of communism in the Western Hemisphere. To support his doctrine, Kennedy started up the Alliance of Progress, which gave billions of dollars in aid to Latin American countries on the verge of revolution. Kennedy also aimed end communism in Cuba, thus resulting in the Bay of Pigs fiasco. However, it was an effort to contain and reverse communism in the western hemisphere. Another area where Kennedy tried to contain communism was Southeast Asia. Here, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand were all under communist threat. In Laos, Kennedy contained communism through negotiations, which resulted in a neutral Laos. Like Ike, Kennedy supported Vietnam through aid packages at first. But realizing that aid packages were not enough, US troops were inserted to help fight the communist threat. Johnson continued Kennedy’s policies of containment in Vietnam. He sent additional troops to Vietnam and increased aid. Thus, Johnson waged war in Vietnam to contain the spreading of communism to South Vietnam. 10) The Civil Rights Movement and the Woman’s Movement transformed American society in many ways. With Martin Luther King, Jr. leading peaceful protests, blacks boycotting goods and services, and women advocating their rights, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This changed American society as segregation and discrimination were now illegal. Universities and colleges in America also began to change. During the Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm X stated that the biggest “crime the white man has committed has been to teach us(African-Americans) to hate ourselves.” Thus, educational facilities around the country began implementing black studies programs so blacks could learn to appreciate and celebrate their culture. Similarly, women studies and feminism studies have also been added to universities to bring to light women’s rights and discrimination against women. Women’s advocating of social reforms such as equal pay, birth control, and abortion rights also changed American society.

1945-1990 Assignments: Questions #1-4

1) At the close of each World War, America entered an era in which its foreign policy would shift. The similarities and differences in these shifts are the reason as to why our foreign policy is the way it is today.
Some similarities to the foreign policies after both world wars lied in economics. The economic influence exerted by the US on different countries helped protect US interests on foreign soil. For example, after WWI, America continued its military intervention in Latin America. Investors doubled their investments and continued to intervene in internal affairs to protect US interests. Although military use was initially cut back, it was would reinstated in other Latin America countries. For example, in Haiti, the military was used to keep US-friendly governments in power. This is similar to the division and occupation of Germany by the allied powers after WWII. In order to make sure Germany didn’t fall into the hands of Communist Russia, the US and its allies occupied West Germany and west Berlin with their armed forces. They even conducted the Berlin Airlift, which delivered 2 million tons of supplies to West Berlin, which had been blockaded by Russia. The Dawes Plan was also another example of US economic intervention post-WWI. The plan called for a reduction of German reparations and a $200 million stimulus in loans to the German economy. Similar to the Dawes Plan, the Marshall Plan of post WWII called for a $13 billion stimulus to not just Germany, but to seventeen different European countries. This was done so that the democratic governments in power could rebuild the country, thus instilling trust within the people for democracy. Even though the US invested into Germany after WWI, it would mark an end of their foreign intervention for the rest of the 20s. Thus, here marks a difference between the foreign policies of post-WWI and post-WWII.
After WWI, America was growing impatient with foreign intervention. For example, America did not end up joining the League of Nations, and remained isolationist instead. They also increased the tariff rate through the Fordney-McCumber Tariff, which made is extremely difficult for foreign nations to export into the US. However, after WWII, the US began to view itself as a world power. They realized that they needed to advocate and spread democracy and freedom around the world, or else communism would strike, which would go against their interests because the US is a democratic nation. Thus, many international peace organizations were formed, such as the United Nations (UN) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). With the joining of these two international bodies, the US effectively ended its foreign policy of isolationism and began a new era of US interventionist foreign policy. The Truman Doctrine only further exemplified America’s shift in foreign policy. The Truman Doctrine stated that the US would go on a “containment” campaign to stop communism from spreading elsewhere in the world.
The foreign policy of the US after WWII made US into a global presence; this view still carries on today. Thus, the major difference between US foreign policy after WWI and WWII is that the US went from isolationist to interventionist. However, there were similarities, for example in how the US intervened economically with other countries.

2) McCarthyism was an “anti-communist witch hunt” that swept across America in the early to mid 1950s. Led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, the accusations were targeted against politicians, people of the entertainment industry, authors, and even Army officers. One reason for its flourishing is the fact that leaders of the Republican Party realized that his outrageous accusations could be of good use. McCarthy’s claims could be used to strengthen their claims about the fact that Truman’s administration had lost China to the Communist revolutionaries. McCarthyism was appealing because of the paranoia within American society. After both Russia and China succumbed to Communism, and while in the midst of the Cold War, Americans were overly apprehensive about the Communist issue. They feared that communism was going to strike within the country, but they didn’t know where. Thus, McCarthyism provided a scapegoat for Americans because it found alleged communists to target. People hopped on board because their need to find communists was taken care of McCarthy’s blacklists.

3) In the 50s and 60s, American pride was in full swing. They had recovered from a war, and prosperity was rife throughout the country. The communist fears also began to subside as Stalin was no longer in power. One theme of this affluence was the economic growth that Americans experienced during this period. Consumer goods were plentiful, and consumers themselves were earning much more money. This growth in consumer income helped speed the development of suburbs, where middle class families could live and commute back and froth to their jobs in the cities. A leap in middle class profits also allowed more Americans to popular goods such as cars, radios, televisions, and fashion materials. Another theme of America’s affluence lied within the government. The government, while quite affluent, maintained a steady and tightly controlled budget under President Eisenhower. They reduced military expenditures and kept a balanced federal budget. But that is not to say that Ike didn’t improve America domestically. Ike sponsored what was known as the “largest public works project in the history of the world.” The Highway Act of 1956 created a network of expressways all across America. Although the basis of such support was military purposes (military supplies could travel faster along highways), it had a much greater impact. It encouraged the buying of cars as the new way of travel and allowed citizens more freedom and ease to travel across the nation. Labor and management accord also contributed to the affluence in America. Ever since labor unions formed, there has always been constant bickering between them and company managements. However, in the 50s and 60s, management began to lean how to live with labor unions. It was led by the auto industry, in which labor leaders and company management negotiated a mutual contract. Affluence also touched upon the political atmosphere in America. Sociologist C. Wright Mills had a theory of that America’s policy and decision making was controlled by a small “power elite” of corporate leaders. The theory is similar to the modern theory of corporations sponsoring lobbyists to tell politicians to support certain bills. Although regarded as conspiracy theories, Mills claimed that the “power elite” were now kept in check by the labor unions, consumer lobbies, farm organizations, and others. This led to his idea of “pluralism” or basically the fact that no one group could control the political process. Pluralists believed that affluence mediated the disputes between different interest groups in politics, to reach a general agreement. This belief stems from the fact that affluence was thought to guarantee that all interests would end up “better off than before”. Another theme of affluence in the 50s was religion. Inspired to counter the atheistic communists, the government encouraged people to be more religious. Religion became associated with “health, happiness, and goodness”. Religion itself also became pluralistic, as religion no longer divided people. However, discontent was also felt. Critics argued that the new era ushered in conformity and not individuality. Employees placed the goals of their employers higher than their own. Sociologist David Riesman also began to explain a shift in identity with oneself; it used to be that identity with oneself was sought through family members, but now identity was sought through others and how they perceived you. With growing affluence, the youth also began changing there views on society. Society began to become less conservative, and the raciness of the adult world fell upon the youth. The youth were exposed to sex and violence. They also had all of their troubles voiced through the lyrics of rock and roll, most notably Elvis Presley.

4) America was in the peak of its boom, it experienced increases in wealth and overall happiness. Things were finally “normal” or at least more normal than they have been in the past two decades. Politically, people were still paranoid about communists. Bomb shelters were built and people everywhere feared communist take-over or bombings. Culturally, America began to conform to less traditional ways. For example, the youth of America began to listen to rock and roll stars, such as Elvis. Everyone also began having babies, which caused a baby boom in the US. Fashion also swept America. Trends swooped America, as girls wore tight sweaters, poodle skirts, and such, and boys wore jeans and a white t-shirt. Businessmen also conformed to the standard of wearing suits. Socially, Americans became generally wealthier, and some people began to move into the suburbs. Soon, a large number of America’s middle class began to migrate into the suburbs, conforming to places other than the city. People also became more receptive to change. Women wanted to increase their social status, as they were unhappy as “homemakers”. Blacks protested increasingly against stereotypes and discrimination towards them. People were also discontent about the concept of sexuality in society, and thus Playboy magazine and birth-control pills were introduced.

APUSH weekend hw assignment 4/2/12

Option I. Situation Analysis
1) After reading the following documents on Pearl Harbor respond in writing to the following: Why were the defenders at Pearl Harbor caught by surprise? Who deserves the most blame for the errors? (Refer to evidence from specific documents!)


2) Isolationists and hostile critics in 1940–1941, and even after World War II, charged Franklin Roosevelt with deliberately and sometimes deceitfully manipulating events and public opinion so as to lead the United States into war. What factual basis, if any, is there for such a charge? Which of Roosevelt’s words and actions tend to refute it? (Refer to specific documents and events!!

1) In “United States Not to Japan November 26, 1941, the US seemed eager to establish good relations with Japan. However, in Japanese not to the United States December 7, 1941, the Japanese made it clear that “in the view of the attitude of the American Government it (Japan’s government) cannot but consider that it is impossible to reach an agreement through further negotiations. What surprised the defenders of the Pearl Harbor was that the attack happened the day the Japanese note was sent. Although the defenders were on the look out for an attack, they didn’t expect it that quickly. For example, General Marshall in “From: Gen Marshall To:alcon Date: 7 Dec.1941” issued a warning to all his troops about the Japanese ultimatum, but he didn’t sound extremely urgent because he didn’t suspect an attack that quick. I believe that the most immediate person to blame is. I believe that the General Marshall is the most immediate person to blame. The Director of Naval Intelligence notified him on December 1 that there seemed to be a massive Japanese force making its way along the islands in the Pacific. Yet, it was not until he received the Japanese note did he formally command his troops to be on full alert. Given the large Japanese fleet already deployed, General Marshall should’ve issued a warning to all troops, especially those on Pearl Harbor, on the day he received the message from the Director of Naval Intelligence.
2) The fact that America was given decently sufficient warning about a possible attack on the US before Pearl Harbor actually happened bolsters the claim that the US knew of the attack and let it happen, or else it would’ve required all troops to assemble themselves for a possible attack. Also, in “From: War Department, Washington to: Army Hq. Hawaii Date: 27 Nov. 1941”, the War Department clearly states its “desires that Japan commit the first overt act.” Although it follows up with a statement saying that “This policy should not, repeat not, be construed as restricting you to a course of action that might jeopardize your defense”, the fact of the matter is that the Pearl Harbor defense forced should have been forced to take more serious protocol. Also, in “II. Message from the President to the Emperor of Japan December 6”, FDR criticizes Japan for its military actions in Japan. On top of that, he also forced an embargo on the Japan, as did Britain. Japan took this as a huge insult in their responding letter and subsequently ended negotiations with the US. Yet, Roosevelt did try to present his ideas in a diplomatic manner. Also, the two countries did make an agreement on November 26, 1941, which outlined that the two countries would be peaceful to one another. The fact that Japan kept on instigating quarrels with its nearby nations prompted FDR to be more assertive in his letter. Thus, these actions seem to refute the claim.

2003 APUSH DBQ- FDR

Having gone through severe unemployment, food shortages, and a seemingly remiss President Hoover, the American people were beginning to lose hope. But sentiments began to turn as FDR stepped into office and implemented his New Deal programs. FDR and his administration responded to the crisis by executing policies that would successfully address reform, relief, and, unsuccessfully, recovery. Although WWII ultimately recovered America from its depression, it was FDR’s response with the New Deal programs that stopped America’s economic downfall, relieved hundreds of Americans, reformed many policies, and consequently expanded government power.

One of FDR’s first orders of business was to respond to the need of reforming the banking system. FDR created the Emergency Banking Act that shut down all banks across the US and only allowed them to reopen upon government inspection. This proved effective as Americans began to restore their trust in the banking system. The EBA also demonstrated how government power was expanding, as the program allowed the government to ignore states’ and businesses’ rights to shut down the banks. In Document G, John L. Lewis praises the Wagner Act, which was FDR’s response to the “widespread labor unrest”. The Wagner Act addressed the concerns of workers over their rights as union members and ability to collectively bargain. The act proved effective as labor unrest began to dwindle. FDR took this chance to once again increase the government’s power by creating the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB enforced the terms of the Wagner Act. The Wagner Act changed the role of the government by implying that social justice was now also on the government’s agenda of what to provide to citizens, in addition to political rights and economic security. Document E shows another instance of reform provided by FDR and his administration: social security. In response to Townsend and his followers, FDR created the Social Security Act which gave pensions to old-age workers, along with many other benefits to citizens. The effectiveness of Social Security was only satisfactory, as it failed to help farmers and domestic workers. Yet, it implanted hope into millions of Americans for the well-being of their future and the capitalist system. The Social Security Act was also revolutionary in changing the government’s role by showing how a citizen’s welfare was now also part of the government’s responsibility. All these new programs and organizations created by the New Deal show how they greatly expanded the government’s power and influence, as shown in Document C. In Document C, the cartoon shows how FDR’s New Deal was a progression of small change that consequently led to an expansion of government power. The New Deal’s many reform programs provided a foundation for America to build off of.

FDR’s New Deal also sought out to provide relief for Americans. Unemployment rates were high and poverty was widespread. To solve these problems, FDR created many programs and organizations, such as the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), the Civil Works Administration (CWA), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Document A shows how poor women, and also men, were barely assisted by the government. Urban unemployment represented a big problem in the US. To solve the unemployment issue, FDR implemented the CWA, which gave jobs to many people to build or repair roads, buildings, and other structures. This was very effective because it not only dealt with the problem of unemployment, but it also improved the deteriorating parts of the country. Unfortunately, public works programs like these greatly increased the national debt, as well. The CCC functioned in the same way, providing millions of jobs to unemployed workers for maintaining and restoring the environment. The Federal Emergency Relief Program revitalized local relief programs by giving them funding. All of these programs were in the First New Deal and according to Document J, the New First Deal dropped unemployment about twenty-five percent from 12,830,000 unemployed to 7,700,000 unemployed, thus proving the effectiveness of these relief programs. The creation of such programs also expanded the role of government by demonstrating that the government could have a large bureaucracy. The numerous programs FDR implemented were all run by the bureaucracy, thus the “bureaucracy in Washington grew by leaps and bounds” according to William Lloyd Garrison, Jr. in Document D.

One of the issues the New Deal did not completely heal was recovery, which would be taken care of by WWII. Two of FDR’s chief recovery programs, the National Industrial Recovery Act of June 1933 (NIRA) and the Agriculture Adjustment Administration (AAA) were repealed because they were viewed as unconstitutional. In Document D, Garrison says that some New Deal programs “retarded the recovery of industrial activity.” This was true in the case of the NIRA, as it promoted a cycle of overproduction and underproduction and set in many complicated codes. Document F also shows how the government’s powers have been expanded too much. In the Document, the court ends up ruling against NIRA because it expanded government powers. Although the role of government had been increased by other New Deal programs, NIRA crossed the line for many of the justices on the Supreme Court. The AAA was also one of the programs that “retarded the recovery of industrial activity”. The AAA attempted to increase farm prices by paying farmers not to overproduce, thus keeping the prices stable. But millions of Americans were still starving, so it made more sense to the public to give the surplus of food to the starving Americans. The AAA was deemed unconstitutional because it expanded the power of government too much. Under the AAA, the agriculture sector was viewed as a “creeping socialism”, as the government regulated what to produce and how much of it. The government’s role in the economy was becoming much too interfering in the private sector. Document B reflects these fears, as it said “that the Administration at Washington is accelerating its (sic) pace towards socialism…” Under FDR, Congress was made rubber stamp and FDR’s policies went through undisputed. Therefore, many of FDR’s “socialist” policies ended up becoming implemented. The judiciary reacted and shut down both NIRA and the AAA because they not only proved impractical, but also tried to greatly expand the role of the government.

Overall, FDR’s response to the crisis in America proved beneficial to many Americans, at least for the short term. As Document J demonstrates, it was WWII that truly solved the problem of depression and spurred America’s recovery. However, FDR’s New Deal impacted the future of America mentally. It instilled trust for FDR and his leadership which would be critical as America was heading into WWII, and FDR would have to serve three terms. As Document H states, “the government as an instrument of democratic action in the future has…been strengthened and renovated.”

FDR, Hoover DBQ Thesis

            To compare FDR and Hoover, we first must define the meaning of liberal and conservative in context of the period of time. Liberals believed in heavy government intervention and supported many reforms. Conservatives believed that the best kind of government was one that governed the least. America experienced profound change towards the end of the 1920s to the 1930s. They began with Hoover, a President that preferred to not intervene in the economy and said that the economy would naturally improve itself. Dissatisfied, America switched over to FDR, who was the polar opposite of Hoover: he created many reforms, such as the New Deal, that made government heavily involved in the citizens’ lives. Thus to characterize FDR as liberal and Hoover as conservative is a valid statement, as both Presidents adhered to and helped truly define their respective ideologies.

FRQ- What fears did Americans have after the Great War and how were these manifested? FRQ- What fears did Americans have after the Great War and how were these manifested? What fears did Americans have after the Great War and how were these manifested?

            Instead of feeling of secure after the First Great War, America plunged into a state of hysteria and fear. Job issues, the Red Scare, and racial riots were the causes of the terror felt by many Americans. This was shown through many outlets, such as strikes, riots, and even small-scale warfare. The domestic tension built up during the Great War was finally shattered during the post-war period and led many Americans to act out of character.

            After the Great War, workers sought to gain back the purchasing power they had lost due to inflation. There was also a shortage of jobs as returning veterans began to demand more jobs. Inflation and other policies kept wages low, while certain jobs required workers to continue working long hours. Simultaneously, employers tried to stop and reverse the wartime advancements that labor unions had made. As tensions rose, many workers feared that the conditions would not improve. In 1919 alone, there were over 4 million workers that went on strike. By August 1919, 400,000 Eastern/Midwestern coal miners, 120,000 New England textile workers, and 50,000 New York gardeners walked out. The fact that many of these strikes were headed by union members of Russian and Eastern European background fueled the American public’s fear that they were radicals trying to over throw the government. As a result, the public began resenting and opposing the strikes. Two instances in which public fear of strikes ended up causing the failure of the strike was the when the policemen in Boston went on strike, and when the steelworkers of the Midwest went on strike. After the Boston policemen walked out, there was public outcry. Who was going to protect the city? When will there be a police force again? The public’s fear was fueled by the rioting and looting that ensued. When 300,000 steelworkers in the Midwest went on strike, it was the cunning of the industry leaders that ended up suppressing the strike. They used propaganda to shift public opinion against the strike leaders, who were portrayed as dangerous radicals that sought to end democracy and freedom. Once again, the public’s fear flared; the lack of public support led to the strike’s collapse. The fear felt by workers and the public led them to act differently, especially regarding strikes.

            The Red Scare and radicalism fears shook America to its core. Similar to how dissent was repressed during the Great War by the sedition laws, radicalism was quelled post-Great War. In response to the panic, the American Legion was formed. The Legion took upon itself to identify seditious individuals and groups. Thirty-three states also passed sedition laws to punish revolution advocates. Americanization campaigns were launched by public and private institutions; anything un-American was to be squashed and those caught showing anti-American points of views were to be “corrected” and made into loyal citizens. Even radical professors at colleges were fired from their posts. The IWW campaigners also experienced harsh violence as vigilante groups attacked them. The government got involved by passing anti-immigration laws to keep out foreigners, who they believed were the cause of so much radicalism. Attorney General Palmer launched what was known as the Palmer Raids. Although it was unsuccessful, as many as 600 captives of the raids were deported. Overall, there was a general sense of intolerance for criticism towards the government, as they were viewed as anarchist and revolutionary.

            Blacks in post-Great War America were especially treated with hostility. Stressed from work, the poor wages, and the crowded living conditions, the white citizens of America were in no mood to deal with blacks. The blacks on the other hand, having just risked their lives for their country, expected to return home heroes and treated as equal citizens. When whites did not give them this, pressure rose, and all tension snapped during the racial riots. Chicago was one of the most infamous battle grounds, as whites and blacks fought throughout the summer of 1919, leaving 120 dead. Afterwards, the blacks feared that they would never obtain first-class citizen status. In response to this fear, Marcus Garvey led a movement symbolized by Black Nationalism. He told blacks everywhere to respect their own, rich culture. He also advocated for separatism and self-sufficiency among the black community. The fear that the blacks once had was now turned into an overwhelming sense of Black Nationalism. Garvey also founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). It’s widely circulated newspapers and ocean vessels carrying UNIA flags brought about increased Black Nationalism and pride. Although the UNIA ended up dissolving, Black Nationalism would live on.

            The hostility of the era led many Americans to show their darker sides. This was demonstrated through the increased hostility shown against foreigners, through raids and other means of violence. Usually supportive of strikes, the general public was swayed by the propaganda to fear the strikes caused by workers. Black Nationalism was also a direct consequence of the black’s fear that they would never obtain first-class citizen treatment. The tension eventually alleviated as America fell into a depression, and upon coming out of it, had to gear up for the second Great War.

FRQ- What were the reasons for the Red Scare and the upsurge of racial unrest that afflicted postwar America in 1919?

1919, America was a milieu of tension. Communist hysteria swamped through the public and caused mass hysteria. Racial riots had broken out in major cities. America seemed on the brink of disaster. How did America, after winning such a great victory in the Great War, fall into this state? How did the Red Scare and the race riots chill America so deeply? The roots of the Red Scare can be found in the Russian Revolution, while the roots of the race riots can be found in blacks who served in the Great War.

            Radical sentiments were spreading among workers. People were calling for permanent nationalization of the coal mines and railroads; west coast longshoremen refused to supply the White Russians in their attempts to stop the Bolsheviks; one million Americans vote for Eugene Debs, the socialist candidate, in the 1920 election. The public’s communist fears became known as the Red Scare. There are many reasons why the Red Scare gripped so many Americans. After Communist radicals overthrew the Russian government and established the Soviet Union, the world now contained a great communist presence.  The fact that the Russians were also supporting communist revolutions all over the world didn’t alleviate any nation’s fears. In 1919, the American Communist Party was founded, with many members from Russia and European descent. Americans immediately became fearful of the Communist Party. Were they going to overthrow the government? Are they supported by the Russians? Paranoia struck America, especially when the small group of radicals within the Communist Party, most of who were anarchists, began bombing numerous places. With the rise of the Russian Communist Party, the birth of the American Communist Party, and the anarchist bombings, though infrequent, the American public was immobilized with fear. Yet, many of their fears were unjustified. Most members of the American Communist Party did not seek to overthrow the government. Instead, they sought to influence the workers minds through education and strikes. The American Socialist Party was also severely fractured by the Russian Revolution, contrary to what many believed. The radical groups, of both the Communist Party and Socialist Party, were very small in number. Yet the bombings they did gripped America with fear; it seemed like the radicals were going to overthrow the government. At the height of fear for radicalism and the Red Scare, the American Legion was born. The Legion made sure that any seditious people or organizations were pointed out. Yet, the hysteria seemed to halt after the Palmer raids. The Palmer raids invaded houses in more than thirty-three cities in an attempt to uncover radical plots, and ultimately failed, the Americans began to question the validity of their hysteria. The rise of the Red Scare was built upon excessive paranoia, catalyzed by the recent Bolshevik uprising, formation of the American Communist Party, and the radical bombings. Yet, the paranoia lacked logic and reasoning, thus it collapsed.

            Race riots in America post-World War I can see its roots traced back most recently to the fact that black Americans helped fight on behalf of America during World War I. The 400,000 blacks that returned home from the war expected to be treated as first class citizens; after all, they had just sacrificed their life for their country. Many even speculated on the birth of the “New Negro”. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Contrary to giving blacks jobs, managers fired blacks from their jobs to make way for the returning white servicemen. This forced blacks to find low wage jobs. The fact that conditions for blacks did not improve socially greatly upset many of them. Lynch mobs in the south even targeted many black veterans that refused to be called the regular derogatory names. Tensions escalated as blacks expected to be treated as first class citizens and as whites were bewildered as to why blacks expected to be treated as first class citizens. Whites also resented having to live so close to black neighborhoods. When the veterans returned home, many found the cities to become very crowded. These crowded conditions angered many whites, who refused to stoop so low as to live next to the blacks. Border tensions reached the breaking point in Chicago in July, 1919. White mobs invaded black neighborhoods, attacking everything and everyone. The expectations of the blacks to return home as equal citizens was met with the same white racism that had existed before the war, thus cooking up an atmosphere of great pressure that was bound to explode.

            The results of World War I, such as the Bolshevik Revolution and the return of black servicemen, brought about the post-war tension felt throughout America. For the Red Scare, it seemed as if the Communist Party was going to overthrow the government. For the racial riots, the vision of the “New Negro” was neither accepted nor even contemplated by whites. Yet as America progressed into the future, these tensions would dissolve, and once again, it would have to unite to defeat the same enemy that it had faced in the first Great War: Germany, and its new leader, Adolf Hitler.

            

Moral Diplomacy and Woodrow Wilson

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APUSH Imperialism Unit Assessment Questions

1.        US exerted control over Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines, China, Panama, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Haiti between 1895 and 1917. US exerted control over Hawaii by annexing it and supporting groups of revolutionary white planters to overthrow the queen. Sugar tycoons overthrew the queen and established government. During the Spanish-American war, US seized Cuba and Puerto Rico. The US passed the Platt Amendment in 1901 to limit Cuba’s ability to make treaties with other countries. It also authorized the US to intervene in Cuban affairs. The US treated Puerto Rico like a territory. They passed the Foraker Act to give the US the power to appoint the governor and upper legislative of Puerto Rico. They later passed the Jones- Shafroth Act which allowed Puerto Ricans to have their own civilian government. Yet, it also gave the governor and President of the US veto power over laws in Cuba. They also had power to stop legislation and control economic matters, mail service, immigration, and defense. In the Philippines, the US sent missionaries to convert the people, had business men clamor the Philippine market, and made the Philippines a protectorate. In response, the Philippines strongly disliked how the US did not grant them independence and began to rebel. The Philippine-American lasted from February 4, 1899 to July 4, 1902. In China, the US tried to establish its own “sphere of influence”. They didn’t want foreign powers to monopolize China. Therefore they set up many trade deals and sent many active missionaries. Secretary of State John Hay established the Open Door Note in 1899. The US also helped to finance and send troops to suppress the Boxer Rebellion. They then continued to exploit trade in China and use dollar diplomacy. The US used gunboat diplomacy to secure Panama from Columbia during the Columbia Revolution to build the Panama Canal. They then negotiated the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty to widen the canal zone to 10 miles and in return, pay the New Panama Canal Company $40 million. Dollar Diplomacy was also evident in countries such as Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Honduras, and Haiti, although it was only successful in the latter two. In the Dominican Republic specifically, the US accepted a treaty in 1905 that made the Dominican Republic a protectorate of the US. The US would invest heavily in these weaker countries to lift them out of debt, and thus gain economic leverage over these countries. These countries would then become dependent on the US, who would then exploit the country’s natural resources. One of the main reasons for American imperialism was the fact that the US was running out of resources, therefore, using dollar diplomacy to gain access to these resources was justified in the eyes of the US. In Haiti and Mexico, moral diplomacy was also evident to protect US interests in the area and to promote democracy. In Haiti, the US government and bankers collaborated to take control of Haiti’s national bank, therefore controlling Haiti economically.

2.       The Roosevelt Corollary reaffirmed American protection over Latin America and promised to protect them with military intervention. The Venezuela Border dispute increased the prestige and revived the spirit of the Monroe Doctrine. President Cleveland warned Britain to not take Venezuela territory, saying that the US was dominant in the western hemisphere. They then mediated a border, saying that if Britain did not accept, then war would follow. As a result, Britain was kept out of Venezuela. The Samoan Crisis also revived the spirit of the Monroe Doctrine. The US battled Germany for control of the Samoan Islands. Although the Germans were not completely kicked out, the US limited their influence in the area. The Spanish-American War greatly revitalized the spirit of the Monroe Doctrine. The US did not like how the Cubans were being brutally treated by the Spanish. The US won the war, and therefore expelled the Spanish from the region and gained many territories in the Pacific, like the Philippines.

3.       The US’s reaction to the Mexican Revolution was one that tried to parallel the ideology of Moral Diplomacy. They intervened by supporting the rebels trying to overthrow the government. They did so by giving arms to these rebel groups. They also collaborated with certain foreign countries to ensure that their national interests would be protected and promoted in Mexico. The US’s goal during the Mexican Revolution was to establish a pro-American government in Mexico that was both democratic and supportive of US interests. Therefore, by supporting rebel groups, if these groups gained power then they would be indebted to the US.

4.      Teddy Roosevelt’s Big Stick Policy and Woodrow Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy had some similarities and differences. Yet, in the end, it was Teddy’s Big Stick Policy that leads me to believe that he was the more successful President. Big Stick Policy meant that if you “speak softly and carry a biog stick, you will go far”. By negotiating peacefully, but with a formidable threat of force the US could get other country’s to succumb to their interests without having to actually fight them. This policy proved useful in many cases, for example, in the Panama Canal where the US exhibited gunboat diplomacy. TR also sent around his “Great White Fleet” to promote the perception of American military strength to JapanTakahira Agreement, in which both sides would respect each other’s territorial possessions in the Pacific and follow the Open Door policy in China. Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy was less successful for many reasons. First, it contradicted itself. This is because moral diplomacy advocated economic pressure on non-democratic countries or countries that didn’t support US interests, all without the use of force. Economic pressure was enforced through embargoes. Yet, in the end, force had to be used. Moral diplomacy ended up failing because it led to nations heavily resenting the US, like Mexico. It also inevitably led to the use of arms and overprotected American corporations. It was such a despised policy that it was heavily abandoned in the 1920s. Big Stick Policy was more successful than Moral Diplomacy because Big Stick accomplished more than Moral did. Therefore, Teddy was the more successful President.

5.       DBQ

6.       Traditional American values of freedom and citizenship for all were blatantly dismissed during America’s imperialistic conquest. This was evident in numerous occasions. For example, the US passed the Platt Amendment on Cuba to exert control over them in treaty making and they exploited Cuba’s resources. The use of Dollar and Moral Diplomacy to take control of a country economically and make them dependent on the US was also a direct contradiction to the US’s values of democracy and self-determination. Dollar Diplomacy was used to control countries like Cuba, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua to keep foreign funds out and take over the country economically. The US did not allow the Philippines to gain their independence, and instead, made them into a protectorate. Although the Jones-Shafroth Act allowed Puerto Ricans to establish a civilian government, there were many implications that went along with the Act; the US had the right to veto laws, stop legislation, and exhibit control over economic matters, mail services, immigration, and defense. Cuba and the Philippines were both fighting for their independence, prior to the Spanish-American War. Although the US supported their independence, they ultimately did not grant them full independence. This US hypocrisy was scorned upon by foreign powers.  

The Jungle DBQ Thesis

“…hams, which had been spoiled in pickle…poisoned rats lying about…dung of rats covering them”, described Upton Sinclair in a letter to President Roosevelt. Outraged and in disbelief, numerous journalists and authors across the nation captured this horrific tale and made it aware throughout the country. The meatpacking command has made the factories a near-death camp, as shown with evidence in the articles. With substantial evidence from both government investigation and eyewitness accounts on the horrendously unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry, Upton Sinclair is validated to pursue his goals on reforming the meatpacking industry, as mentioned in his novel The Jungle. 

Taking of the West Questions

1. US relations with Native Americans grew worse in the Civil War. This can be accounted for the fact that American troops had to be withdrawn from their posts in the west, which made the posts more vulnerable to Native American attacks. The Civil War also drained the US of it’s money, so it could not pay its annuity to the Indians. Many Indians, like the Sioux, starved because they had not received their payments. As a result, fighting ensued. Chief Little Crow encouraged fighting the Americans, which would last for more than a decade. As Americans kept expanding west and as Native Americans grew angry at their continuous loss of land, the two constantly clashed.

2. a. The hostility felt by Americans toward Native Americans was deeply rooted in the fact that they viewed the Indians as savages.  They didn’t view the Indians as equals. This led to various massacres and wars out in the west between the two entities. This disrespect showed up in many ways, for example, the mutilation of corpses after the Dakota Uprising.

b. The goal of the Dawes Plan was to grant landholding to Native Americans. This replaced communal landholdings which occurred in the past and assimilated Native American tribes into American society.  I disapprove of the plan because it acted as a scapegoat for the American government. The Native Americans were being offered a small amount of land and the American government ignored the cultural aspects that would be impacted

3. The government had a big role in the settling of the west. They constantly encouraged settlement of the west to the people.  They sponsored numerous railroad and canal projects to make the expansion process easier for the people. The government was a driving and controlling force for settlement, as it granted generous amounts of land to people who decided to settle. Some adventuresome individuals that aspired for gold rode this government intervention and therefore had an easier process of transporting to the west in search for gold or a better life.

4. The “New South” conformed to its rhetoric because of the many changes it experienced. King Cotton was beginning to lose ground, as it was believed to be the cause of the South’s defeat.  Tobacco, rice, and cane sugar became a popular cash crop. This diversification of crops helped the south grow less dependent on cotton, and boosted its recovery. The South began to manufacture more, using cotton mills.  Coal, iron, and limestone also drove the New South, as steel was also produced. By the 1900, Southern coal production has increased by five million tons. The South also became more industrialized with hydroelectricity and more railroads. Paper was also greatly produced because the arm climate allowed for a quick regeneration of trees.

5. Blacks improved economically and politically. Emancipation and the passage of the 13^th, 14, and 15^th amendments gave blacks citizenship and let them have more opportunities economically. Yet, there was little improvement socially. This racism kept on living even after the Civil War, and inspired such things like the Black Codes, the KKK, and the Jim Crow Laws. The South’s loss in the Civil War and it’s struggles in reconstruction generated a lot of bad temper, which sought blacks as a scapegoat. The harsh racism and segregation made it hard for blacks to assimilate into society, and also proved that attitudes towards blacks had not changed so much from the antebellum times.

6. This high level of competitiveness can be contributed to many things. Post-war sentiments still float in the atmosphere and lead groups of 

different regions to despise each other. There were heavy economic and social issues in the country and different parties sought different ways to fix it. Also, the presidency of Grant and his administration proved to be an utter disaster, as corruption was rampant throughout. The Panic of 1873 made the situation worse, as the treasury was lacking funds. House of Representatives switched six times between 1869 and 1891. There was also a high level of voter turnout. Yet, despite the heavy competition, none of the parties provided worthy presidents, as there was an era of forgettable presidents.  Patronage and bribery dominated politics throughout the era. Garfield’s assassination by another office seeker only made the level of tension and competition worse.

APUSH Lesson V HW

Reactions to the end of the war and the death of President Lincoln were mixed, but ultimately, they became uniform. The North’s reaction to the end of the war was one of pride and happiness that the war was over. Their economy  was still intact and was running strong as ever. Also the North won, so they would be able to decide what to do with the South. Many abolitionists were glad that slavery would come to an end. The South’s reaction could also be said to be one of happiness since the war was over. It was long and took a heavy toll. The South’s economy was devastated after the war. Entire cities were burned to the ground. Free labor was not available anymore so plantations were collapsing. The South’s main export, cotton, could not be produced in such quantities as from before. The South also lost much of its youth and vigor to the war. It’s political power was also shattered due to the fact that they lost the war and were at the mercy of the North. So in overall, the North was happy that the war was over and it was still in good shape, and that it had a greater amount of political power. The South, on the other hand, was also happy the the war was over, but only because it would mean the end of the Union’s army destruction their farmlands and cities. Other than that, they could be described as very frustrated and angry because they lost a lot and now they still had to pay the price for losing the war.
At first, the reactions to Lincoln’s death were mixed, but eventually, those who found satisfaction in Lincoln’s death thought otherwise. Northerners became more bitter and hostile toward the South, particularly because they believed that Confederate leadership, including Jefferson Davis, had devised the assassination plot. But in all, the Northerners, particularly recently freed African Americans, mourned Lincoln’s death. Since Lincoln died at the height of his fame, he became a martyr for the nation and its struggle for equality. The South, at first was satisfied that Lincoln had died, due to the fact that they saw Lincoln as the man who ordered the destruction of their farmlands and cities. But eventually, they wished that Lincoln had not died, for Lincoln’s plans of Reconstruction were moderate, and thus far less severe than the Reconstruction plans of the radicals in Congress.

APUSH Lesson V Appomattox Analysis

April 9, 1865 marked the day the Confederate Army began to surrender. The surrender terms put the Confederates on parole and let them go home. Officers were allowed to keep their side arms and swords. Soldiers were also allowed to keep their own horses. The terms of surrender imposed on them by the Union were just right.

The benefits of the terms were that the southerners could be reintegrated into the Union quickly and without too much hassle. It also served as a generous welcome back into the Union and didn’t humiliate the Confederates. The southerners would not feel as much resentment towards the north. As General Grant stated, “The war is over. The rebels are our countrymen again.” The Confederate soldiers would also be able to support themselves when they got home because they kept their horses. Grant understood that in order for the nation to begin acting as a whole again, the south had to be given as little humiliation as possible and allowed to be able to prosper again.

The disadvantages of the terms was that the confederates may have not been thoroughly punished enough. They may not have learned their lesson. Evidence of this appears later with the formation of the Black Codes, the KKK, and a general sentiment of racism. Had the confederates and the south been given greater punishment they may have been more obliged to respect blacks and the country more.

APUSH Lesson VI HW

1. The 13th amendment abolished slavery and established that Congress could enforce this law by appropriate legislation. The law was officially passed when ¾ of states ratified it. The 14th amendment was made to transform the principles of the Civil Right Bill into constitutional amendments. Thus, it removed the Civil Rights Bill and also protected Congress from a future southern takeover. It also guaranteed the citizenship of African Americans, but not voting rights. Before, African Americans could not sue in court because they were not citizens, like in the case involving Dred Scott. With the 14th amendment, blacks were considered citizens and could now sue in federal courts. Although they still lacked voting rights, the proportion of Congressional representation of states that denied suffrage was reduced. The south also lost its Congressmen because under the 14th amendment, they were not allowed to hold office. The government would also not compensate the slave owners for their loss of slaves. The 15th amendment had its ratification work cut out for it when the Military Reconstruction Act required states to grant full suffrage for blacks. Therefore, it paved the way for a less strenuous ratification of the 15th amendment. The 15th amendment wanted to ensure universal suffrage for all African Americas and strengthen Republican control over the southern states. It also assured that if the southerners ever came to dominate Congress again, they couldn’t revoke this suffrage.

2. Johnson was considered a lightweight in terms of punishing the south. Lincoln was more aggressive than Johnson, and the Radical Republicans were even more aggressive than Lincoln. Johnson only wanted slaves to be readmitted into the Union if they abolished slavery. Lincoln, was more concerned with having southern states set up a state government before they addressed the slavery issue. He also supported 10% of all Confederate states’ voters had to pledge allegiance to the United States in order to be readmitted into the Union. The Radical Republicans had the harshest readmission standards, calling for 50% 10% of all Confederate states’ voters had to pledge allegiance to the United States in order to be readmitted into the Union. They also required states to have a Constitutional convention that would require approval by the federal government. One area where all three agreed upon was that the Confederates had to pay their own debt. With regard to African Americas, everybody supported the abolishing of slavery, or the 13th amendment. Both Johnson and Lincoln did not support black suffrage. yet, Johnson and his administration failed to inhibit the South’s implementing of the Black Codes, which heavily restrained free blacks’ rights. The Radical Republicans were the most generous to the blacks, extending the Freedom Bureau Scope and making the Civil Rights Act. Eventually, all three groups supported the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment.

3. Plessy vs. Ferguson marked the failure of the Reconstruction period. This is because it constitutionalized black and white segregation. It stated that the two races would be equal, but made separate. This was especially true in public institutions, like schools. This segregation would end 58 years later in Brown vs. Board of Education.

4. One of the biggest failures of the Reconstruction was in changing the South’s attitude toward blacks and its government. Johnson’s minimal punishment failed to stimulate a true apology from the south. The establishment of Black Codes, nativist groups like the Ku Klux Klan. sharecropping practices, rise of a white-dominated herrenvolk democracy in the south, lack of women’s suffrage, failure to make black’s politically powerful, Civil Rights Cases, 1883, and other sorts of mistreatment to African Americans were the pinnacle of the Reconstruction’s failures. However, the Reconstruction did not come without success. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments helped to equalize blacks into society. The Freedmen’s Bureau, Military Reconstruction Act, and Civil Rights Act of 1875 were all formed as well during this time. Other types of reform like women’s property rights, education, and tax systems were also made.

5. The truth is, most Northern citizens did not feel too strongly about southern politics and black mistreatment. They were already preoccupied enough with civil war debts taxes, post-war recovery and the Panic of 1873.. Furthermore, it seemed to be an endless turmoil of southern politics: the north grew impatient. Northern politicians were also dreading the southern political scene, especially the carpetbaggers and the bayonet rule.

6.         The relationship between blacks and whites in the south did not experience the desired change that pro-abolitionists would have liked. Although there were a few improvements, the overall sentiment of the southerners was hateful toward the blacks.
            In antebellum times, slavery was justifiable, for example, in Document 1. In this document, Calhoun says that the world has always known slavery, that there was always an inferior race that served a more dominant race. This inferiority has carried through to post-Civil War times. In Document 3, the Goodings describe that “it was distasteful to have a Negro company of U.S. troops located here.” Sharecropping was also evident throughout the south to keep slaves bound to the white plantation owners through a constant cycle of debt. This persistent degradation of blacks in society did not vanish from the radar after the Civil War. In Document 4, Ogden describes the racism that occurred against blacks through the mob attacks and the simple fact that whites still presented themselves as the dominant race. The formation of the Ku Klux Klan also disturbed the peace. The KKK violently harassed blacks, and even whites who helped blacks. In Document 9, Plumly is harassed by fellow whites on being a “nigger teacher”. Black codes were also established in the south to restore the per-emancipation feelings as much as possible. This kind of discrimination and harassment is still apparent even though the war to eradicate these feelings has been fought.
            Although the discrimination was apparent, there were a few changes that improved the blacks’ status in society. They were given rights by 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, in which slavery was officially abolished, citizenship was granted for blacks, and voting rights were granted to blacks. Groups also formed to help protect the blacks in the south, for example, the Freedmen’s Bureau. In Document 7, Dr. Knox begins to treat freed slaves. He also condemns the segregation of blacks and whites, saying that it only further disturbed the peace. 

APUSH Civil War Unit Lesson IV Homework

2. Sea power and international diplomacy was vital in securing victory for the Union. Sea power benefited the Union because it allowed them to execute a key maneuver as stated in the Anaconda Plan. This maneuver was to encircle the South’s coasts and enforce a blockade. the South could not export goods and get help, and other nations were warned to steer clear of helping the South. But even so, many foreign powers considered intervening with the South. However, these thoughts of intervening ended when the South lost the battle of Antietam. Overall, control of the seas allowed the Union to restrict the South and cut off their line of hope which was foreign support. And international diplomacy was vital because had other nations intervened on behalf of the Confederacy the course of the war may have been much different.

3. The Confederacy had many sources of dissent and rightfully so. For starters, the war was being fought primarily because a few large plantation owners owned the majority of the slaves. Most people did not have more than 100 slaves. Therefore, many people felt like they were being forced to fight on behalf of the rich plantation owners. The military draft did not help boost sentiment either, as people called it “rich man’s war, poor man’s fight”. There were also citizens in the Confederacy who were still loyal to the Union called Unionists. Another source of dissent was over the Homestead Act passed by the North, because many feared that these new states would become pro-Union. Economically, the Confederacy was suffering. There was rampant inflation as well as a decrease in agriculture and industry production by one third. A food shortage also became a problem since the Union blockade around the South (part of their Anaconda Plan) was taking its toll on the Confederate states. Generally, many Southerners wanted nothing to do with the war, since they believed it did not affect them at all because they were not slave owners. This is why they became angered when some of them were drafted, because they were being forced to fight in a war in which they were not technically a part of. Many women also showed dissent because they were forced to do unusual tasks due to the lack of men to perform them.
   The North had its internal dissents as well. Many factories were angered when the government passed the Homestead Act, for they feared that they would be in lack of workers due to the workers fleeing west. To add to their discontent, many workers were also drafted into the army. As in the Confederacy, many in the Union felt as if this was “a rich man’s war, poor man’s fight” because they saw the politicians starting this war and them, the common people, the one’s who had to fight it. Reelecting Lincoln was also a huge source of dissent in the Confederacy because many anti-war Democrats (Copperheads) opposed Lincoln. Additional economic sources of dissent were the National Banking system and the protective tariffs. This would be the first National Bank since Jackson ended it. One of the biggest issues facing the Union was whether or not slaves should be emancipated. Lincoln did not want to justify the war as a war on slavery at the beginning because this would drive the border states away. But in the end, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation because it would give the Union a better moral clause and effectively end foreign support for the South. Without foreign support, which the South was hoping to get, the war would be difficult to win.

4. The most important battle of the Civil War was the Battle of Antietam. The outcome of this battle had many political, economic, and military implications. General Lee instigated this battle because he had a plan to invade the North. This plan involved using the North’s resources upon capturing them. This would have had devastating effects on the Northern economy, as their food supply was already limited due to the separation with the South. Lee also planned to capture factories and use them for the Southern cause. Therefore, it is clear that the victory at Antietam was huge for the North economically as they protected their economic resources. The political aspect of the victory was even more important though, as the result of the battle would determine the way the war went. Had the Confederacy not lost, they would have gained the support of foreign powers and this would have sealed the North’s fate. But the Confederacy did not win and in turn, this convinced foreign powers not to intervene on behalf of the South. Also, victory at Antietam convinced Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which gave the Union a higher “moral purpose” for the war. This motivated the Union and convinced other foreign nations not to intervene. Militarily, this would be a huge victory for the North and boosted morale greatly. It changed the tide of the war too, as Lee would never be so close to victory again.