Midterm

Part I – Identification Terms: Choose 5 Identification Terms (IDs) from the list below. In 3-4 sentences, you must define the term, place it in a historical context (when it happened), and tell me why it is significant (why is it important to know for understanding history, how does it relate to the larger themes in the course). Each ID is worth 3 points. IDs can include:

• Special Field Order 15
• Freedmens Bureau
• Bargain of 1877
• The Homestead Act
• The Dawes Act
• John D. Rockefeller
• The Gilded Age
• Knights of Labor
• Haymarket Affair
• The People’s Party
• Booker T. Washington
• Chinese Exclusion Act
• Womens Christian Temperance Union
• Platt Amendment
• Philippine-American War

Part II – Essay Question: Choose 1 essay question to respond to. In your essay, include examples from the lectures, textbook, and discussions in your response. Include an introduction, body, and conclusion, approximately five paragraphs long. Citations are not required (feel free to use the textbook, discussion boards, lectures, or quizzes as sources). The essay is worth 25 points.

1. The South after the Civil War: Following the Civil War, the United States struggled to reform the South. Describe Reconstruction and how it attempted to make African-Americans equal the white Americans. How did President Johnson try to shape Reconstruction, how did Southerners react to Reconstruction, how did the Radical Republicans try to expand Reconstruction, and what ultimately led to the end of Reconstruction? Finally, how did the results of Reconstruction establish a new norm in the South?
2. The American West and the Frontier: The movement westward has been a part of the American experience since the first English colonists arrived in the 17th century. This process continued in the 19th century, but changed dramatically. Describe 2 factors that encouraged westward migration from the middle of the 19th century to the end of the century. What effect did westward migration have on the United States? What role did Native Americans play during this migration period?
3. American Imperialism: As the frontier in America closed, Americans began looking beyond its borders. Describe 2 different places in the world the United States got involved in between 1865 and 1900. What was Americas interest in that place and how did it change that part of the world? What challenges did America face when engaging in world affairs? How did critics of imperialism argue against acquiring oversea territories?