Essay (30 points)
choose ONLY 1 essay question from the list below, which covers chapters 18 and 19 in the textbook. Grades will be based on the content of the answer and must be more than 300 words in length. Direct quotes do not count toward the required word count.
1 – In what ways was the Progressive era a period that saw both the expansion and the restriction of political and economic freedoms?
2 – Analyze the various roles women played during the Progressive era, from social reformer, to feminist, to suffragist. How did various women define freedom? Be sure to distinguish between different types of women and include the “Voices of Freedom” excerpt in your answer.
3 – Freedom of expression was given new meaning by labor in the Progressive age. Thinking back to previous chapters, compare the various movements to expand the meaning of freedom of expression—from the Alien and Sedition Acts to the abolitionists in the antebellum era—with the labor movement in the Progressive age. Use the “Voices of Freedom” piece.
4 – Compare the Populist and Progressive movements. Critically analyze why the Progressive movement seemed to have more success. What were the limitations of the Populist movement?
5 – Compare the presidencies of Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson. What made them Progressive presidents? Identify what you believe to be the most important pieces of legislation passed during each administration. Why are these so significant? Finally, be sure to indicate what each president did to expand the meaning of freedom for Americans.
6 – Explain how Americans used the language of freedom when discussing foreign policy. Look specifically at the foreign policies of Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson in your answer. Did the meaning of freedom change with each administration or stay constant?
7 – It is April 1917, you are a member of Congress, and President Wilson wants a declaration of war. Justify your vote for or against war with Germany.
8 – Examine the restrictions placed on freedom during World War I. Be sure to analyze Debs’s piece in “Voices of Freedom,” the Committee on Public Information, and “coercive patriotism.”
9 – Compare the political ideas of W. E. B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey. What were the similarities (if any)? What were the differences?
10 – Examine and analyze Woodrow Wilson’s ideas about foreign policy. To what extent did Wilson put into practice his stated ideas?