American History Homework Twelve Answers - Student Thirteen

Rachel N.

1. Who were the main protagonists in the "Cold War", and what was the period of this "war"?

The Cold War was between the Unites States and the USSR, and it lasted for most of the second half of the 20th Century.

Excellent. Precise dates are usually not needed in history.

2. Identify the two wars that caused over 50,000 American deaths which occurred between 1945 and 1980, and briefly state your view of the American role in those wars. Do you agree with our acceptance of the outcomes?

The Korean War and the Vietnam War

It was good that we intervened in Korea. However we should have stayed in the war longer and liberated North Korea as well. Today North Korea is the single most hostile country to Christianity. Without our support, South Korea would have been under this oppression as well. With our further support, neither nation would now be under such oppression.

The Vietnam War was a war that we never should have entered as it was likely incited by President Johnson. We also went about fighting the war the wrong way, and when we finally left South Vietnam (which was the nation we were supporting) immediately fell and we had accomplished nothing.

Excellent answer. Could use as the model.

3. Pick an aspect of the Civil Rights Movement that impressed you most, and explain why.

What I find most impressive about the Civil Rights Movement is not its leader (though some, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. were quite admirable), but the way so many common people saw the problem and decided to do something about it, despite inconveniences, ridicule and even the risk of danger. Examples of common people taking a bold stand against injustice can be found in Rosa Parks who bravely protested segregation on public buses and James Meredith who succeeded in gaining his admission into the University of Mississippi. Both of these people were just common people who saw a problem and were willing to go out of their way to solve it, even amidst the great disdain of those around them.

Superb answer, and like this even better as a model answer!

4. President Lyndon Johnson is known best for two things. Pick one and explain why, providing a specific example to support your answer.

One of the two things that Lyndon Johnson is most famous for is pushing through the Great Society programs. The Great Society refers to attempts made by the Democrats to eliminate poverty by expanding government power. During the Johnson Administration there was a Democrat majority in both houses of Congress. For this reason, Johnson succeeded in passing many programs that were a part of the Great Society. One of these programs was the Office of Economic Opportunity which involved President Johnson giving one billon dollars for poverty relief.

Correct.

5. What do you like best about the 80th Congress? Explain.

I appreciate that the 80th Congress was successful in limiting the powers of the executive that had been previously abused by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I also like how efficient the 80th Congress was, since there was a Republican majority in both Houses.

Terrific.

6. Who do you think was the most important person between 1945 and 1980 in American history, and why?

Both the life and the death Martin Luther King Jr. spurred on the growing Civil Rights movement, which affected many people during his time and still affects people to this day. He demonstrated the power of peaceful protest in his life, and left a legacy in his tragic assassination. What makes Martin Luther King Jr. so important is not only what he did during his lifetime, but also the influence that he continued to have after his death, thanks to his strong words and inspiring life story. His “I have a dream” speech still arouses people to this day. This lasting impact demonstrates true importance. This goes to show that in general (but note, not always) peaceful protest with strong words has more of a lasting influence than violence.

Good answer again.

7. Throughout the 1960s, what was the name used to describe the people in charge of the building pictured here, and describe their approach or ideology, mentioning at least one issue as an example.

This is a picture of the Supreme Court building. The Warren Court is the name that was used to refer collectively to the justices that served on the Supreme Court during the time that Earl Warren was Chief Justice. Chief Justice Warren was the most activist judge in the history of the Supreme Court. Judicial activism refers to the court inventing the law, rather than simply interpreting it and is a violation of the check and balance system in the United States. Chief Justice Warren’s activism showed through in many of the Warren Court’s decisions: the Warren Court invented new constitutional “rights”, expanded the scope of the First Amendment far beyond what the language explicitly states and ruled in favor of criminals by giving criminal suspects many unnecessary rights.

Terrific.

Perfect answers! 70/70. Congratulations!--aschlafly 21:16, 13 December 2008 (EST)