Essay Questions: Below are four essay questions. Three of them will be on the final examination
and you will choose two of them to write on. While spelling and grammar will not be a part of your
grading, your essay should be well-organized, with an introduction and conclusion. You should
expect to organize & write for 30 minutes each. Essays should be roughly five paragraphs (one
page depending on handwriting size) and FULLY answer the question, including analysis of the
causes, consequences, & significance. Provide examples and show change over time, if applicable.
Because you have the questions in advance, your answers should be very thorough. but you should
provide as much specific evidence (events, identification terms, examples, etc) as you can that
relates to the question. Essays that are vague, insufficient in length, or do not have an argument will
not receive a grade higher than a C-minus. If you outline all of the questions, you should be well-
prepared for all of the exam. If your hand gets tired, consider breaking up the writing part into
sections and answer the multiple-choice questions while “resting.”
Essay Questions:
1. Americans have struggled with a basic question in the twentieth century: What role should
the federal government play in the lives of American citizens and in the world? Beginning with
Herbert Hoover, analyze the major political responses to this fundamental question. Your
answer should address the rise of liberalism, beginning in the New Deal and peaking during the
Johnson administration, and explain how the Vietnam era and the New Right challenged the
fundamental assumptions of liberalism.
2. Discuss the major developments in the history of civil rights since 1941, including a
discussion of the various organizations involved, their particular strategies for social change,
and their relative success in achieving change. How did the civil rights movement change over
time and why?
3. How has globalization affected American politics, economics, and society? Focus on the
period from 1945-2010.
4. What has been the biggest change in American society from 1945 to the present? In
choosing your answer, be sure to support it with plenty of analysis and evidence. There is no
wrong answer here, but you need to justify your claims.
Write the essay within 300 words of each.
