OPENERS

1. What is history and why should we study it?

2. When did American History start? Why would you pick this day?

3. Who were the first Americans? What was their life like? How were their lives similar to the Europeans—how were they different?

4. Why did Europeans want to come west—towards “America”?

5. What area did Spain conquer and settle? How did they treat the natives?

6. Where did the French explore and settle? What was their motivation?

7. Why do we speak and relate most to the English? What made them the most “successful” colonists? Give examples of success and examples of failures and mistakes.

8. What kind of folks settled in Massachusetts Bay? What did they accomplish?

9. Who settled in the middle and southern colonies? How were these folks different from Massachusitsians?

10. Why were the English able to populate the American Eastern Seaboard so very effectively? What was their culture like?

11. Why was the English Success so very important in the French and Indian War? What was the end result of this struggle?

12. What mistakes did England make that led to a Revolutionary Attitude in America?

13. Describe the Revolutionary attitude of the Americans. Focus on the Sons of Liberty and men like John Adams, Ben Franklin and George Washington.

14. What do you know about the Declaration of Independence?

15. How did Americans win the Revolutionary War? Find three important battles in the text and tell why you think these battles are important.

16. What was our first form of government? How was it good and how was it bad?

17. What events led to the calling for a Constitutional convention?

18. What happened at the Philadelphia Convention? Why do some call it a miracle? What do others call it?

19. Describe the fight for and against the Constitution. What were the combatants called?

20. What did George Washington do to get the country off to a good start? What is a precedent compared to a president?

21. How was John Adams different from G.W.? How was he similar?

22. Thomas Jefferson was seen as a huge threat to the country. Why and was he really?

23. How did the War of 1812 affect America? What was the result of this war?

24. Why is James Madison’s time as president seen as the “Era of Good Feelings”

25. What happened everywhere in America except the south?

26. How did “King Cotton” help the south—how did it hurt the south?

27. Why was it good to have the west? Why was it bad? Who was it really bad for?

28. Why is “democracy” saved for the presidency of Andrew Jackson? How was he more democratic than those who went before him?

29. What is nullification? Why would people do something like this?

30. How did the Bank of the United States represent everything Jackson despised about “elite” America?

31. How did Jackson hurt the Indians? What was the “Trail of Tears”?

32. What are Transcendentalists, Religion, and Utopian Movements? Why are they of historical importance?

33. What needed to be reformed before the Civil War and why did this movement lead to that event?

34. What is Manifest Destiny? Is this idea racist/culturalist?

35. What crises were facing America 1845-1860?

36. What was the North like before the Civil War? What was the South like before the civil war?

37. Compare the Union and the South? Who should win and how long should it take?

38. What is Abolition of Slavery and why did it take Abe Lincoln so long to announce emancipation?

39. Why did Andrew Johnson get impeached? Why was this John Wilkes Booth’s fault?

40. How did reconstruction end and what did Rutherford Hayes have to do with this?

41. What happened in the south after the Civil War?

42. What happened in the west after the civil war?

43. Why do you think it took until this time 1865-1890 for the Indians to really fight?

44. Discuss miners, farmers, cowboys and ranchers. How were their interests similar—how were they different?

45. Why did minorities go west in large numbers?

46. How did political and economic corruption affect America during the late 1800’s?

47. How did shopping and consumerism change in the late 1800’s?

48. What role did unions play in the industrialization of America?

49. Why did people move to cities at this time? What was the draw?

50. How were cities better than the country?

51. How was the country better than the city?

52. What happened to the poor in the cities?

53. How did farmers address their problems? What were their problems?

54. Who what and where were progressives?

55. Which President’s are considered progressive?

56. Discuss the conquest of Hawaii. How did this reflect the feeling of imperialism of T. Roosevelt and H. Taft?

57. Explain two reasons US enters World War I. What did Woodrow Wilson want to do about this crisis?

58. If you had been a member of the US Senate in 1918, would you have supported or opposed the Treaty of Versailles? Why?

59. Why did Attorney General Palmer carry out a series of raids against suspected communists?

60. Explain why you think that the 18^th amendment failed to eliminate the use of alcohol in the United States.

61. Explain the circumstances and outcome of the trial of the teacher John Scopes.

62. How did the lives of women change in the 1920s with regards to social attitudes, fashion, job opportunities and home life?

63. Discuss what you already know about the “Depression” and / or the “Dust Bowl” from film, reading, other classes, conversations with family, etc.

64. Discuss the three main causes of the Great Depression.

65. Why was Franklin D. Roosevelt able to quickly instill confidence in the federal government's ability to end the Depression?

66. Describe the effects of New Deal public works projects on the economy, the environment, and people's personal lives.

67. What did the United States do-while remaining officially neutral-to guide the course of the war?

68. In the 1920s and 1930s, how did the United States respond to acts of aggression in Europe and Asia? Why?

69. Was it the right for the United States to refuse to declare war when France and Britain declared war? At that point, was the war any less America's responsibility than it was Britain's or France's? Support your opinions.

70. How did Americans’ response to the attack on Pearl Harbor differ from what the Japanese expected?

71. What were the purpose of Wartime Diplomatic conferences?

72. What is a Yalta? How was this meeting the Origin of the Cold War?

73. Explain the end of WWII in Europe and in the Pacific?

74. What is Containment? How did this concept influence Truman’s decision to use the Atom Bomb?

75. Compare President Truman’s attitude and efforts on behalf of civil rights with those of President Eisenhower.

76. Discuss some of the factors that helped create the prosperity that many Americans enjoyed in the 1950s.

77. How did the rise of television in the 1950s change American lives? Has this change been for the better? Explain.

78. Describe the image of American society portrayed by television in the 1950s. What groups of people may have clashed with this image?

79. Why did the Red Scare happen – again?

80. What was American Foreign Policy from 1945 until 1990?

81. Who was critical in challenging Jim Crow? Who was he and where is he now?

82. What are the consequences of the Civil Rights Movement?

83. What is the “Baby Boom”? Who are the Baby Boomers and why are they important to you?

84. How did material culture explode in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s? How about now?

85. What do you know about JFK?

86. Who is Ho Chi Minh? Is he our uncle? What about Diem and what is a Conflict in Asia? How did this hurt LBJ?

87. Who is Richard Milhous Nixon? What is Watergate and why did folks call him shifty or “Tricky Dick”?

88. Who were Ford, Carter, and Reagan? How were they the same? How were they different? Are they still alive?

89. Who were Bush I, Clinton and Bush II? How were they the same? How were they different? Are they still alive?

90. What is 9/11 and how does it relate to: The new danger: Terrorism?