HIS 153 - U.S. History since 1877

1. Summarize the causes, timeframe, scope, and effects of industrialization after the Civil War
   1. Explain the influence of the railroads, steel manufacturing, oil and other components of the industrial economy
   2. Evaluate the response of government, including the courts, and the political system to the effects of industrialization
   3. Interpret the various historical interpretations as to the consequences of industrialization
   4. Assess the social, cultural, and intellectual consequences of industrialization, especially the concentration of wealth and power
   5. Discuss working conditions in American factories including those of women and children
   6. Chronicle the rise of the labor movement in the post-Civil War years
   7. Summarize the ways in which industrialization affected education
   8. Interpret the changing role of agriculture in industrializing America
2. Assess the political climate in the United States in the post-Civil War years
   1. Examine the issues that were involved in various presidential elections, including the crucial election of 1876
   2. Compare and contrast the stands of the Democratic and Republican parties on the issues of the day, especially the tariff and labor issues
   3. Relate the extent to which the politics of the era were corrupt
   4. Analyze the impact of the women’s suffrage movement discussing leaders and issues
   5. Examine the importance of the gold and silver controversy in the political climate
   6. Investigate the importance, both short term and long term, of the crucial election of 1896
3. Assess America’s changing role in the world during the late-1800s
   1. Appraise the specific foreign policy issues and circumstances which presented themselves during the post-Civil War years
   2. Evaluate the causes, the course, and the overall importance of the Spanish-American War in foreign policy terms
   3. Rate the assertion that the United States came out of the Spanish-American War as a world-class power
   4. Evaluate the circumstances relating to increased American influence in Hawaii and the American takeover of the Philippines focusing on the imperialist and anti-imperialist arguments
   5. Assess the American issuance of the Open Door policy in China within the overall world foreign policy context and its significance in Asia generally
4. Explain the various forces, issues, and personalities involved in the progressive movement in the early 1900s
   1. Summarize the writings, ideas, and influence of the muckrakers
   2. Explain the impact of the progressive movement on local, state, and national politics, mentioning important individuals and parties such as Robert La Follette and the “Wisconsin Idea” and the Progressive party
   3. Relate the relationship between the late-nineteenth-century women’s movement and the progressive movement in general
   4. Evaluate the impact of progressive legislation through Wilson’s administration
   5. Explain the significance of the Niagara movement and the birth of the NAACP in terms of minority involvement in American culture
   6. Confirm or refute the position that women and blacks benefited minimally during the movement
   7. Analyze the policies of the Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson administration policies so as to measure each in terms of its support for progressivism
   8. Conclude as to whether progressivism can said to be “triumphing” in the years leading up to World War I and whether the war “killed” progressivism
   9. Summarize key foreign policy issues during the progressive period, such as the construction of the Panama Canal
5. Explain the causes, the circumstances leading to, the course of, and the consequences of World War I
   1. Examine the circumstances leading to World War I in Europe and American efforts to remain neutral in its early days
   2. Justify American entry into the war given the circumstances
   3. Summarize what American did to mobilize for the war once in, emphasizing the role of the national government and the role of women
   4. Explain the major strategies and battles of the war emphasizing American involvement
   5. Examine the various major provisions and shortcomings of the Treaty of Versailles
   6. Analyze as a political and a foreign policy issue Wilson’s efforts to create the League of Nations including the consequence of its rejection by the United States
6. Contrast the political, cultural and social mood of the country during the 1920s as opposed to the progressive era
   1. Justify the assertion that elections of 1920 represented a “return to normalcy”
   2. Interpret how the manner in which political issues were dealt with explained the mood of the country during the 1920s
   3. Summarize the presidential campaigns as indicators of the 1920s
   4. Assess the growth of consumerism during the 1920s
   5. Analyze the changing role of women during the 1920s
7. Summarize the various causes and consequences of the Great Depression
   1. Compare the various historical arguments as to who or what “caused” it to happen
   2. Describe the Depression’s severity in macroeconomic and microeconomic terms
   3. Describe the Depression’s severity in personal terms
   4. Assess the Depression’s impact in political terms culminating in the election of Franklin Roosevelt
   5. Contrast the various New Deal programs in terms of their goals and their successes and failures
   6. Show how the New Deal was “under attack” by various persons and groups and by the United States Supreme Court, mentioning such decisions as Schechter Poultry v. U.S..
   7. Contrast the programs and personnel of the New Deal as it evolves during Roosevelt’s presidency
   8. Estimate the impact of the Depression and the New Deal on organized labor in America, minorities, and women
8. Analyze the various foreign policy issues facing the United States during the 1930s leading to World War II
   1. Criticize or defend the idea that America was isolationist during this period and that this in part led to the war
   2. Explain the war debt and reparations issues in terms of how they related to the United States
   3. Analyze the reasons for the rise of totalitarianism during the 1920s and 1930s in various countries and America’s response to this
   4. Trace the specific circumstances which led to war between the United States and both Germany and Japan including American efforts to maintain neutrality
   5. Summarize the American mobilization for World War II mentioning specific acts and actions, including the roles of women and minorities
   6. Identify, briefly, the strategies and major battles of World War II, in the various theaters emphasizing the differences of opinion among the Allies over strategy
   7. Compare the various conferences during World War II in terms of their goals and short-and long-term consequences
   8. Describe the political, military, diplomatic, economic, and human costs and consequences of World War II
9. Assess the political and military circumstances leading to the Cold War and its consequences
   1. Dissect the various causes of the Cold War with regard to various parts of the world
   2. Relate the various specific crises and issues through which the Cold War evolved, including the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the Berlin crisis
   3. Explain the role of the political and economic organizations set up at the end of and after World War II
   4. Justify the assertion the Korean War was an example of the “Cold War turning hot”.
   5. Evaluate the early and later development of the Vietnam War as an example of Cold War conflict
   6. Examine the conflict in the Middle East (1948-present) in terms of its relevance to the Cold War conflict
   7. Judge as to the long-term consequences of the Cold War in terms of U.S.-Soviet relations
10. Analyze American domestic policy during the post-World War years with the goal of understanding the role of government in general and specifically the national government
    1. Compare post-war presidential policies in the areas of economic, social welfare, civil rights, women’s and civil liberties and labor policies
    2. Compare and contrast the relative strengths of the Republicans and the Democrats during the 1950s, focusing on the elections of 1952 and 1956, relating to any possible shift in the electorate
    3. Summarize the evolution of the civil rights movement from the late-1940s through the 1960s, focusing on such things as the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the integration of the Little Rock schools
    4. Analyze the 1960s as “years of turmoil” mentioning specifics such as the youth and anti-war movements showing their roots
    5. Measure the role of the Supreme Court in the 1960s and 1970s, mentioning specific court decisions, such as Miranda v. Arizona and Baker v. Carr, and their consequences
    6. Compare and contrast Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon civil rights policies
11. Illustrate why the 1970s were such a difficult period both in terms of foreign and domestic policy
    1. Examine the coming to power of Richard Nixon and what is said about the changed political climate of the country
    2. Compare the economic, social welfare, military and civil rights and civil liberties policies of the Nixon administration with its predecessors
    3. Evaluate how the foreign policy of the Nixon administration was unique in terms of the old Cold War policies (detente).
    4. Dissect Nixon’s Viet Nam policy as to its goals and degree of success
    5. Identify the main causes and consequences of the “Watergate” affair and how it led to the fall of President Richard Nixon
    6. Explain the roots of the so-called energy crisis of the 1970s and evaluate its main consequences, including the rise of the environmental movement
12. Assess where you think America is as it heads into its third century
    1. Evaluate the significance of the women’s movement from the 1960s to the present
    2. Justify the assertion that the civil rights movement has either transformed or ended
    3. Assess the results of the civil rights movement as an indicator of how much progress has been achieved
    4. Illustrate the increased importance of interest groups in American politics, including abortion groups, environmental groups, the gun lobby, etc
    5. Support the claim that the election of Ronald Reagan represented a revolution and assess the success and failures of the Reagan presidency
    6. Evaluate the domestic and foreign policy successes and failures of the Bush administration in terms of what it says or doesn’t say about the “end” of the Reagan Revolution