Struggles of the Black Family in Northern Cites

Describe the challenges facing the urban, Black family in the Post-Civil Rights era. Would you describe the Claudine, the main character, as a proud women?

Civil Rights Movement a Youth Movement?

Is it fair to call the Civil Rights Movement a Youth Movement? What motivates people in engage is this movement? Would you have had the bravery to do the same?

The Resurgence of Conservativism (Honors)

Chose any 1 of the questions below to discuss.

1. To what extent was the election of Reagan an endorsement of his conservative ideology and to what extent was it a repudiation of the perceived failures of federal government policies in the stalemated 1970's?
2. In what ways might the 1980s and 1990s be compared to the 1920s in economic, social and foreign policies? Did the economic boom of each period represent a genuine revival of American innovation or was it fundamentally marred by the growing gap between the rich and the poor?
3. What were the successes and failures of American foreign policy in the post-Cold War era? Was the use of American military power in the Persian Gulf War and the Balkans a model for how American power could be effectively brought to bear or did it demonstrate the limits of even the sole superpower's ability to resolve regional politics?
4. What was the real cause of the end of the Cold War? Did America win the Cold War, or did the Soviets loose the Cold War? Is there a difference? 
5. Compare and contrast the rise of the "Moral Majority" in the 1980s with that of the "Beats" of the 1950s and the "Hippies" of the 1960s and 1970s. What commonalities do they have with each other?
6. How should history view the presidency of Ronald Regan? Was he a great, good, fair, bad president and why?

Making Sense of the 21st Century: Post-Racial?

 
Consider Toure's definition of Post-Racialism from the New York Times Op Ed we read in class. How does Crash exhibit the subtlety of race and racism function in Crash? How can we learn from what we see here?

Final Exam Question (Am. Am.)

How have race relations changed over the 20th century within the Black community? Between the Black and White communities?

Due: June 1st

WWII and Black Civil Rights

What role do Blacks play in WWII? What impact does the war have on Black Civil Rights?

The Stalemated Seventies (Honors)

1. Could any of Nixon's achievements in office compensate for his Watergate crimes? What should history say about the Nixon Presidency?
2. What were the short-term and long-term consequences of the communists victory in Vietnam?
3. How was the civil rights movement affected by federal policies in the 1970s, especially affirmative action?
4. What were the consequences of America's new economic vulnerability? How did it affect politics at home and abroad in the 1970s?

An Epidemic of Human Misey (1980-1995) [APUSH}

Was the Crack Epidemic one of "human misery" or is there a better way to describe it? What does this epidemic do to America's cities?

America and WWII (Advanced)

What impact does World War II have on the United States? Consider the economic, social and psychological changes that it awakes.

New Deal Court Packing

• How did Eleanor Roosevelt help bring change to the Democratic Party?
• Why was Roosevelt’s second term of office less successful than the first term? 
• What two Supreme Court decisions gave federal government a new role as mediator between competing groups? 

The Changing Self-Perception of the Black Community

Choose one of the following reflections questions to facilitate your thinking through our review of "The Great Debaters." Feel free to comment on the responses of others within your response (300 Words):

• "Do what you HAVE TO do so that you may do what you WANT to do." How does this story teach that lesson?

OR

• How does the film Great Debaters represent the culmination of Black History up to the WWII era?

The Second New Deal. I guess things get worse before they get better (Advanced)

1. How did the right wing and left wing politicians feel about Roosevelt’s New Deal?
2. Why did Roosevelt plan a Second New Deal?
3. Why did President Roosevelt and other Democrats push new labor legislation?
4. What was the purpose of the Social Security Act?

FDR's Plan (Advanced)

1)   How did the FDIC change public opinion of the banking system?

2)   What were codes of fair competition?

3)   How did the HOLC and the FCA help provide debt relief?

4)   Why did Roosevelt want Congress to establish work programs for the unemployed?

Rountable on the 1960s. PREPARE (Honors). Choose you top three discussion topics.

1.  Did Kennedy fulfill his promise to “get America moving again”? Why or why not?
2. What the nonviolent civil rights movement of the 1960s a success? Why or why not? Can it be argued that the violent protests of the civil rights movement were more successful than the nonviolent protests?
3. What were the causes of the Vietnam war?
4. Was America justified going into Vietnam? What if the Communist countries invaded a country to ‘contain the spread of Democracy,’ would this be justified? What is the difference between the two situations?
5. Were the cultural upheavals of the 1960s a result of the political crisis or were developments like the sexual revolution and the student revolts inevitable results of affluence and the “baby boom”?

The New Negro ( Af. Am. II)

Read Alaine Locke's definition of the "New Negro" and address the blog prompt below in preparation for our viewing of "The Great Debators." Find the article here: us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/pdocs/locke_new.pdf. 



How is the "New Negro" different than the "Old Negro?"  (1 paragraph)

The Resurgence of Conservativism (1980-92)

Chose any 1 of the questions below to discuss.

1. To what extent was the election of Reagan an endorsement of his conservative ideology and to what extent was it a repudiation of the perceived failures of federal government policies in the stalemated 1970's?
2. In what ways might the 1980s and 1990s be compared to the 1920s in economic, social and foreign policies? Did the economic boom of each period represent a genuine revival of American innovation or was it fundamentally marred by the growing gap between the rich and the poor?
3. What were the successes and failures of American foreign policy in the post-Cold War era? Was the use of American military power in the Persian Gulf War and the Balkans a model for how American power could be effectively brought to bear or did it demonstrate the limits of even the sole superpower's ability to resolve regional politics?
4. What was the real cause of the end of the Cold War? Did America win the Cold War, or did the Soviets loose the Cold War? Is there a difference? 
5. Compare and contrast the rise of the "Moral Majority" in the 1980s with that of the "Beats" of the 1950s and the "Hippies" of the 1960s and 1970s. What commonalities do they have with each other?
6. How should history view the presidency of Ronald Regan? Was he a great, good, fair, bad president and why?

Back to Africa Reflection (Af. Am. II)

Do you agree with Garvey's belief that Blacks can only find "full freedom" in Africa? If so, why is this the case? If not , what must blacks do to achieve equality?

Managing the Great Depression (Advanced)

Use the text to address the following questions to prepare for our discussion of FDR's management of the Great Depression.

1. What did Americans see in Roosevelt?
2. Why did bank runs occur before Roosevelt’s inauguration?

The Cold War, Fifties Style

Judge Eisenhower's handling of the Cold War. Does he manage it well? What could he have done better? (Honors)