American History Homework Six Answers - Student Three

Katie B

1. His main goal was to save the Union, not to end slavery. He even said in his inaugural address “I have no purpose…to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States…”

Excellent!

2. The purposes of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments of the Constitution were generally to free the African-Americans and give rights to them as citizens. The 13th abolishes slavery. The 14th gives all races equal rights. The 15th gives all races the right to vote.

Superb.

3. My favorite military figure of the Civil War is General Robert E. Lee. This is because first, he wasn’t on the side instigating the aggression. Second, he was strategic and was good at what he did. Third, he surrendered finally to Grant so that more lives wouldn’t have to be lost after so many had already been taken. This shows that he had at least some respect for human life.

Terrific answer. Will use as a model answer!

4. I wouldn’t have punished the South so harshly by doing such things as sending troops to keep things in order. A more dignified reestablishment of government and less show of military force would’ve been a better way to go about doing things. After all, they did surrender, such brute strength wasn’t needed to make us one nation again. Perhaps if the South didn’t feel it was being treated unfairly it wouldn’t have been so bitter towards African-Americans.

Fascinating answer!

5. I don’t think his character necessarily had anything to do with his home-schooling. First, he went to school up until his mother died. Then he kept up his own education the best he could by reading a great deal because he was no longer capable of going to school. Second, home-schooling wasn’t as uncommon then as it is today. Perhaps it was less common for less wealthy families, but it wasn’t practically unheard of. I think while home-schooling perhaps contributed to his determination and initiative, his personality had more to do with his other characteristics.

Good analysis, but I would expect that homeschooling shaped his personality too.

6. This cartoon depicts, first Lincoln sleeping, apparently not peacefully. His dream shows him being kicked out of the White house by Columbia, who is wielding a severed black man’s head. He is wearing a Scotsman’s plaid cap and cape. To the right, McClellan ascends the steps to the White House. First, Lincoln is said to have placed weight in dreams, thinking of them as prophetic. Second, the outfit is what the papers claimed Lincoln disguised himself in on the way to his first inauguration, a much more ridiculous get up than what he actually wore. I interpret this cartoon to mean that Lincoln believes the States no longer want him, instigating war and allowing too much bloodshed over the slavery issue. Instead, they welcome McClellan who has a more peaceful approach: retreat at every turn.

Very close. Superb analysis. See model answers when available. (Minus 1).

7. This cartoon depicts a Chinese man, pitiful and oppressed by white Americans. He is protected by Columbia who says “Hands off, gentlemen…etc.” During the late nineteenth century a great deal of Chinese immigrants came to the States, particularly California, taking jobs of union workers because they would work harder for less money. This outraged the whites who wanted to get rid of the Chinese and get their jobs back. This cartoon defends the Chinese immigrants’ right to come to America and work just like anyone else, calling the whites hypocritical for thinking they should be allowed to live in a free land but and competition shouldn’t.

Right on target. Terrific answer.

H2. I believe free enterprise after the Civil War was a good thing, as it helped rebuild the nation as a whole and encouraged business transactions, creating a wealth undisturbed by the government. It obviously worked very well because the economy of the United States recovered in less than 10 years when it probably should’ve taken 50 to 100 years without it.

Good.

H3. Is there anything wrong with speculation, or prices going up and then way down? There is definitely something wrong with it. Say you buy a hundred bushels of oranges worth five dollars a bushel. Then the price skyrockets 500% and suddenly, instead of $500 worth of oranges you have $2500 worth of oranges. This is a great thing, for you. But for the people buying them from you, all of a sudden it’s five times as expensive to buy oranges than it used to be, suddenly their money doesn’t go as far. Then, the price drops immensely. Now your bushels aren’t worth $25, or even $5. They’re worth only $1. All of a sudden, your oranges are worth next to nothing. You lost $400 dollars because even though the price went up, proving fruitful for you, it then came crashing back down, causing great financial loss on your part. Another time in history this occurred is when the stock market crashed, causing the Great Depression.

OK, but your answer does not explain how the price fluctuation caused by speculation itself causes harm. For example, the up-and-down of speculation should leave you back at $500, where you started, and it's not clear what you think the harm is from that. (Minus 1).

H4. I believe Johnson wasn’t misunderstood, but more incompetent, maybe leaning towards not very tactful. He didn’t try to make friends, criticizing and scorning as he did, and he certainly made a few enemies. He tried to go against Congress, after he had already alienated them by speaking unkindly of them on a nationwide speaking tour. He wasn’t well-liked and he didn’t help this any by softening his mannerisms and trying to be less heavy-handed.

But if he believed he was right, isn't that how he should have acted? I'm not sure why that makes him incompetent. But good historical analysis in your answer.

Great work! Score: 98/100.--Aschlafly 19:38, 23 October 2008 (EDT)