Write 3 or more paragraphs each to answer the 16 questions

1. Was Christopher Columbus a hero for the New World or a villain? Did his "discovery" open up unprecedented opportunities or did it spell the doom of the native inhabitants?

2. Why were Africans the primary group singled out for slavery in the Americas, instead of other groups, like the Irish, people from the Arab states, Chinese, or any other eastern hemisphere group?

3. Which of the two groups, the Puritans or the Quakers, do you feel is more similar to modern day mainstream Christianity? Why?

4. What unifying forces do you see at work today in this country (if any)?

5. What do you think was the single most important factor leading to the American victory in the Revolutionary War? Explain why this was your choice.

6. The Constitution has undergone considerable reinterpretation over the years. Discuss one or more of the following:

Option A: What is the Constitutional basis for the "separation of church and state?" Do you believe that we are currently interpreting that principle in the way the authors of the Constitution intended?

Option B: As part of their freedom of speech, can a person yell "fire" in a crowded theater? Does The Bill of Rights allow citizens to advocate the violent overthrow of the government?

Option C: Does The Bill of Rights prohibit the government from enacting any type of gun control or regulation?

Option D: Is not the death sentence "cruel and unusual punishment?"

1. How do you rate Thomas Jefferson as president? One of the best? One of the worst? Mediocre? Why?

2. You have studied the various ways that the United States experienced a nationalistic surge following the War of 1812. Do you see any parallels with modern times? Do you detect a cultural nationalism in the 2010's? How about an economic nationalism? Are we becoming politically closer as a nation, or are we growing farther apart? Generally speaking, do most Americans seem to be proud of their country at this time in history?

3. Does the "common man" still have a legitimate place in the American political system? Is it proper that a "street person’s" vote can nullify the vote of someone with a college degree, who performs civic work, and pays thousands of dollars of tax every year? Or, is this "universal" voting practice no longer valid in the 21st century?

4. If the South had won the Civil War, would we still have slavery in America today? Why? If not, what would have brought about its downfall?

5. Why do you suppose there was not more interest (even among women) for women's suffrage (voting rights) in the 1830s and 1840s?

6. Has the U.S. gotten over its sense of "Manifest Destiny," or is the impulse just as strong today as it was in the mid -1800s? Do we still want to spread our culture and ideas to other nations? Give examples.

7. Was the Civil War avoidable? If so, what could the North or the South (or both) have done to prevent this tragedy from occurring

8. Why did the South lose the Civil War? After having read some of the "expert opinions" in the notes and text, which regional characteristic, political or military leader, battle, philosophy, or combination of items appears to stand out in your mind? What might the South have done differently to have changed the outcome

9. Most historians agree that Reconstruction was generally a failure. In your view, what were some of the positive accomplishments during the Reconstruction Era? What could have been done to have made the postwar period more effective in uniting the North with the South and establishing the freedmens' citizenship?

10. For discussion credit, you may pose (and answer) your own question and/or respond to a question asked by another student. Regular credit will be awarded for either composing a discussion question or for responding to another student's question, as long as the length and quality components are met. This question category may be used only once.