4th Quarter Essay Exam: Early 20th Century & the Great War

Early 20th Century Take-Home Exam
United States History
Mr. Novick
Assigned April 21, 2011

Please answer the following questions in your own words, using your textbook, our class discussions and notes, and films we have studied in class.

Each answer should be written neatly in black or blue ink or typed, with careful attention paid to using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Typed answers must be double-spaced. You have the option of either submitting this exam in class, or e-mailing your answers to me at jnovick@roycemoreschool.org by 10:00 PM the night before it is due. Also, all are invited to submit rough drafts for editing.

DUE DATE IS TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2011

Each question is worth 10 points, on the following scale:

Historical Accuracy/Thought Process: 1-5 Points Possible for Each Question— 5 pts = Demonstrates mastery of all material/concepts
4 pts = Demonstrates mastery of most material/concepts
3 pts = Demonstrates basic understanding of material/concepts
2 pts = Demonstrates some knowledge of the material/concepts
1 pt = Demonstrates little knowledge of the material/concepts
0 pts = Fails to demonstrate any knowledge of the material/concepts

Writing (organization, neatness, grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.): 1-5 Points Possible for Each Question— 5 pts = Excellent writing: clear, cohesive, and well-organized. No grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes.
4 pts = Very Good writing: clear, cohesive, and organized, but one or two minor problems with organization, clarity, grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
3 pts = Good writing: meaning is clear, but need to address more than two problems with clarity, organization, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
2 pts = Fair writing: some of the meaning is clear, and multiple problems with organization, neatness, grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
1 pt = Poor writing: meaning is unclear, and/or serious problems with organization, neatness, grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
0 pts = Writing is incoherent

QUESTIONS:

1. Describe in a two-paragraph essay four ways in which you believe the Second Industrial Revolution altered American society in the late 19th/early 20th Centuries.

2. Describe in a two-paragraph essay the major concerns and work of the Progressives, including their causes, approaches, and your own assessment of the impact they had on American society, then AND today.

3. Write a two- paragraph response to the following question: What historical trends or movements ‘caused’ World War I (1914-1918)? Be sure to include both long term movements/causes and the ‘spark’ that was the immediate cause of the Great War. Rely on your notes from class and the textbook for your answers.

4. Identify the major Allied and Central Powers in the Great War (World War I), and then explain in a two-paragraph essay a) what each side believed they were fighting for, and b) the major outcomes of the war. Be sure to include how the Treaty of Versailles impacted world history in your answer.

5. One major theme throughout American history is an ongoing conflict between our nation’s desire to become involved in foreign affairs and conflicts (intervene, or become interventionist) and a strong desire to avoid involvement in the affairs and conflicts of other nations (stay isolated, or become isolationist). Explain in two paragraphs how World War I provides an example of this ongoing conflict in American history between isolationism and interventionism, being sure to include what events led President Wilson and the Congress’ to determine that America should enter the conflict in 1917.

6. Research and write a two paragraph biography of President Woodrow Wilson (in your own words), using one paragraph to describe his life, and another to explain why he matters to American and world history.

7. In one paragraph, describe what life was like for the American “Doughboy” in Europe, during the war (use your recollection of the film, “The Lost Battalion” and your reading from the textbook, as well as class lectures). Be sure to include explanations of trench warfare; over the top; no man’s land; and stalemate.

8. In a two paragraph essay, describe President Wilson’s plan for peace in the Treaty of Versailles, that ended World War I, emphasizing his 14th Point. What was Mr. Wilson’s hope? Did the Allies listen to him? How did America become involved or not involved in the treaty, and why?

9. Why was the Russian Revolution in 1917, during World War I (and the resulting communist state established) so important to US history in the 20th Century? To World War I and later in the Century? Explain in one paragraph.

10. Why did the American poet T.S. Eliot describe the era immediately after the Great War as “The Wasteland?” How would you describe the mood of the nation immediately after the war? Why? What impact did the war have on excitement and enthusiasm for the new Century, the 20th Century? Explain in one paragraph.