Spitting Back What He’s Spit at You

1. Spitting Back What He’sSpit at You How to Study forMarmorstein Exams

2. Hitchhiker’s guide to the essay exam universe….

3. General advice for essay exams • Read and understand the question • Pick out the key words in the question • Outline your main points • Write good topic sentences • Back up your topic sentences with specific details

4. Advice specific to Marmorstein exams • 1.  Think! Do not just memorize facts. • 2.  Prepare each essay question and the related ID’s together. • 3.  Come up with a basic outline for your essay. • 4.  Think of good topic sentences for each paragraph of your essay.  • 5. Add specific support for your topic sentences. • 6. In steps 3-5, use the ID’s whenever possible.  • 7. Do not just memorize facts. Think!

5. Keep me in a good mood • Be considerate of my old eyes. Make your exam easy to read. Use blue or black ink, not pencil or red ink. • Please don’t put all your information in one long paragraph. • Having a sense of humor helps. Making me laugh will earn you an extra point or two. • Use appropriate diction. Don’t try to sound like a stuffy professor, but don’t be too informal either. Avoid slang expressions and profanity.

6. The Progressives • Generalization: In the early years of the 20th century, crusaders of various types (including three "progressive" presidents) took on all of the many evils plaguing American society-- crime, disease, corruption, poverty, ignorance, and injustice--and won! At least, sort of…

7. You could discuss here: • The problems facing America at the beginning of the 20th century • McKinley’s victory over Bryan • Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal noting things like his use of the Sherman Act as a “big stick” to get big business to behave and his environmental reforms. • Why Roosevelt’s presidency was only a “sort of” victory for reform. • Taft’s early attempts to continue and expand on TR’s reforms. • The break of Taft and Roosevelt pushing Taft back to the big business side of things. • The Bull Moose Party and its long list of desired reforms. • Woodrow Wilson and his reforms. • Wilson’s attempt to take on evils beyond America’s borders. • The negative side of the progressive movement. • The shift back to conservative in the 1920 election.

8. Alternative views 1920-1932 Figures and Events Generalization: While there is a general consensus on which figures and events of the 1920-1932 period are particularly important, there are major differences in interpreting just about every one of these figures and events

9. This is a pretty straightforward questions. The easiest thing to do is to give me a paragraph or two (or three) on each of the following figures and events, noting different interpretations of the significance of each. If you like, you can in each case indicate which interpretation seems to you more solid. • Prohibition • The Sacco and Vanzetti Trial • The Scopes Trial • Harding • Coolidge • The 1920’s Economy (and Andrew Mellon’s Policies) • Herbert Hoover

10. FDR and the New Deal Generalization: Franklin D. Roosevelt promised the American people a "new deal," and he gave them just that. Roosevelt's presidency saw many fundamental changes in the American political system. These changes made Roosevelt a hero to many, and Roosevelt is one of the most loved presidents in American history--with good reason. But many would argue that Roosevelt's "New Deal" was a raw deal, and Roosevelt also has the distinction of being one of the most hated of American presidents--with good reason! • Again, a very straight-forward question. Choose some of the New Deal programs and explain why some would love Roosevelt for creating these programs while others would object strongly to what Roosevelt was doing. You might include: • Roosevelt’s bank policies (including FDIC) • Roosevelt’s monetary policy (American’s no longer allowed to own gold) • Roosevelt’s public works programs (including the TVA) • Roosevelt’s job programs including the CCC and the WPA • Roosevelt’s direct relief program (FERA) • Roosevelt’s housing policy (FHA) • Roosevelt’s agricultural policy (AAA, Soil Conservation Act) • Roosevelt’s attempt to manage the economy (The National Recovery Act) • Social Security • Roosevelt’s new political coalition • An overall evaluation of Roosevelt

11. American foreign policy 1920-1945 During the period after World War I, Americans tended to regard that war as a great mistake, and they were determined not to make such a mistake again. America’s refusal to get involved in foreign conflicts made it seem like the country would forever be a pacifist, isolationist, and even cowardly nation. World War II showed that this was not quite the case • Two parts to this essay. Give me one section describing America’s isolationist attitude after World War I. Include paragraphs on the following: • America’s refusal to join the League of Nations • The Nye Commission and the Neutrality Acts • The failure of the US to do anything about Japanese expansion into China, Italian expansion into Ethiopia, and Hitler’s violations of the Versailles treaty. • The anti-war stand of both parties in the 1940 Election • Lend-lease: still pretending we aren’t in the war! • You can follow this up with a section on how, following Pearl Harbor, America transforms itself into the mightiest military power in history. The Normandy Invasion and the development of the atomic bomb might be especially good examples, but there are many others.

12. The Cold War Generalization: During the years that followed World War II, America reluctantly accepted its responsibilities as a major player in world affairs. Despite sometimes disappointing leadership and more than a few major blunders, the country was still moderately successful in leading the free world through the difficult years of what is often called the Cold War. • You might comment here on the following: • Communist expansion during and after World War II and FDR’s probably mistaken policy at Yalta. • Hints at Cold War tensions at the Potsdam conference. • Truman’s attempt to clean house and to give the U.S. the means to resist the spread of communism. Talk about the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the creation of the CIA, etc. • Note the problems of Communist Expansion into Asia, and the difficulties of the Korean War • Note how Russian development of atomic weapons affected the cold war • Talk about Eisenhower’s successes and failures in both domestic and foreign policy. Note especially the problem in Cuba • Talk about JFK’s “Camelot,” and the way the “best and the brightest” struggled with Cold War problems ranging from the Bay of Pigs fiasco and the Cuban Missile Crisis to Vietnam.