American History Homework Ten Answers - Student Five

NatalieD-

1. I think that if I had started studying for the midterm earlier, rather than a week before it, I might have done better. I could probably improve more on the presidents and their positions on various subjects. Rereading the lectures might have helped as well, rather than just focusing on the terms.

You did fantastic on the midterm but your points for improvement are superb too! Hope you don't mind if I use this as a model!

2. I liked question 31, because it asks about the position of presidents on slavery during the 1850’s, which was obviously an important matter at the time, and had an effect on the election of presidents and the Civil War.

Excellent.

3. I think something interesting about the Scopes Trial was that even though Bryan won, and Scopes was found guilty, it wasn’t a total victory for Bryan. Scopes was only fined $100, which was then eliminated on a technicality after he appealed his case. So even though the law remained and Bryan “won,” the trial opened up ideas of “free thought” and independent thinking. The play, “Inherit the Wind,” based off of Mencken’s notes, takes a confusing position on the trial, at first favoring Bryan and his religious, anti-evolution view of the trial. At the end it takes a somewhat neutral position, saying that it doesn’t matter whether the Bible is right and Darwin is wrong, people should be able to think and believe what they choose.

Superb analysis, but I think you're too generous to "Inherit the Wind," which distorted the facts in order to advance the atheistic evolution position.

4. Yes, even though the war killed many Americans. No one likes war, but sometimes it is necessary. The main reason we went to war is because Americans were being killed in unarmed passenger ships, and because of the telegraph sent by Germany to Mexico. Even though no one wanted war, our people were being killed despite our neutrality, and Germany was trying to get Mexico to invade us. We had a duty to defend our people and our country.

Excellent.

5. Theodore Roosevelt was an aggressive president who took the power of president and used it in the right way. I think he did very, having suddenly had the presidency thrust upon him after the assassination of McKinley. He was progressive, and he expanded the use of “executive power” without taking advantage of it. He broke up monopolies making him very popular to the common man. He also approved many new regulations and assistance programs. He had great accomplishments in foreign policy, especially the Hay-Banau-Varilla Treaty of 1903, which enabled the US to build the Panama Canal. He also established the national park system to conserve the nations natural resources, which in my opinion, was a very good idea, as more forests and natural land are being destroyed all the time. Overall, I think he was a very successful president who improved the well-being of our country.

Terrific summary and conclusion.

6. The 19th amendment prohibits each of the states and the federal government from denying any citizen the right to vote because of that citizen's gender. “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex .Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” The Nineteenth Amendment was specifically intended to extend suffrage to women. I definitely think this was a very important amendment, because by extending the right of voting to women, it started to show that women are equal to men and should have the same rights that men do.

Good.

7. The cartoon shows Teddy Roosevelt, tall, and with wings and a robe, depicting him as strong and angelic. He is grabbing insignificant and silly looking Russia and Japan by the ears. It is depicting the Treaty of Portsmouth which Teddy Roosevelt mediated to end the Russo-Japanese War. The cartoonist was probably Republican, portraying Roosevelt in a very positive light. He probably thought that President Roosevelt's was a diligent and patient mediator in the conflict.

Excellent!

H1. The introduction of chemical agents in World War I affected tactics and almost changed the outcome of World War I. The overwhelming success of the first use of gas caught both sides by surprise. Fortunately, the Allies managed to develop a suitable defense to German gas attacks and eventually to field a considerable offensive chemical capability. The three main chemicals used in the war were mustard gas, chlorine gas, and phosgene. Phosgene, also known as carbon chloride was deadly in very small amounts. It was a choking agent with an objectionable smell when in high concentration. When inhaled it would cause the lungs to fill with water. Chlorine gas was a greenish-yellow substance with an irritating odor. It would destroy the cells that line the respiratory tract. Another is mustard gas, named for it's mustard-like smell. Mustard gas was more stable than chlorine gas or phosgene, so it was more commonly used. It was a blistering agent, causing damage to any surface it came in contact with. However, using chemical warfare often backfired if a wind cared the chemical gases back to the army who was releasing it.

Fascinating bit of history! Will use as a model answer.

H2. If the limitations of free speech were absolutely necessary for the wellbeing of the country, than I would agree with the government. Sometimes it is essential for certain information to remain confidential, in order to prevent giving the enemy an advantage. However, if the government just did it because they didn’t want the citizens complaining, then I would disagree with restrictions on free speech.

Good.

H4. I thought the exam was moderately hard, but, having studied hard, I didn’t find it extremely difficult. I found most of the questions to be appropriately challenging, with a only a few that were really too difficult. I think it covered the periods and subjects pretty well. I definitely learned from it, finding that I focused too much on certain facts and too little on others. Over all, I think the exam was pretty good.

Thanks!

Terrific paper. Perfect!!! 100/100. Congratulations!!!--Aschlafly 15:44, 22 November 2008 (EST)