US 107 Midterm Exam Essay Section we are using the book – David E. Shi, America; A Narrative History, Volume 2, Twelfth edition, (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2022)
In this essay section, take your time and write full and complete responses. Use your textbook and other resources and provide specific examples with source citations. One or two short paragraphs with general information only will not be considered a sufficient response. This is where you should work in your knowledge of the Key Terms/Concepts! Grammar/spelling do count. Please refer to the Grading Rubric on our website on exams. Please remember to cite your sources. In addition, if you directly quote from ANY source, you must include a complete citation with in-text or a footnote. As per our syllabus, plagiarism, the use of Artificial Intelligence Tools or any act of academic dishonesty will score a ZERO (at minimum). I am looking for your knowledge and writing, not your ability to look up and/or copy what has already been written.
You must respond completely and fully to two of the three questions here. While the length of the response is not always a good indication of its quality. it would be very difficult to respond adequately to these questions in just a few paragraphs. As this is a take-home open-book exam, you should spend the time to provide detailed information to support your answers. This section of the exam is due on Sunday, October 8th at 11:59 p.m. NO LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED unless prior arrangements have been made.
Please respond to two of the three questions. Combine your responses into one document. Clearly label which essay you are responding to. Each question is worth a maximum of 35 points.
Question #1
Contrast American life (political, economic, and cultural) during the Gilded Age with that of the Progressive Era. Who were the players in each era and what characterized each of the two? What changes took place in the United States from the Gilded Age to the Progressive Era and how did those changes affect American life in the 1920s and the remainder of the 20th century? Be specific and provide factual evidence to support your responses.
Question #3
Discuss in some detail the experience of African-Americans in the United States after the end of Reconstruction in 1877.  How did their lives change? How did they remain the same? Who argued for civil rights and what were some of their approaches? What were some of the major laws and events which affected them in the latter part of the 19th century and up until the 1920s? Be specific and provide factual evidence to support your responses.