Was Reconstruction Successful

Discussion Topic

President Lincoln's conciliatory Reconstruction plan aimed to heal the rift between the North and the South wrought by the Civil War. However, Reconstruction didn't proceed as Lincoln intended. Do you think Reconstruction was successful at reunifying the nation and addressing the conflicts that led to war?

In this discussion, you'll evaluate Reconstruction and consider the lingering effects of the Civil War.

For two of the areas listed below, post a response to the question, "In what ways did Reconstruction succeed and/or fail in this area?"

• Rebuilding the Southern economy
• Improving the economic status of former slaves
• Political reunification of North and South
• Restoring Southern loyalty to the Union
• Punishing former rebels
• Establishing civil liberties for African Americans, both in law and in practice
• Establishing political rights for African Americans, both in law and in practice

After you read other students' responses, think about the region of the country where you live. In your second posting, write about any lingering effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction you see in your state or region. Be sure to address one or more of the following questions:

• Are there still noticeable effects of the war in your state or region? If so, what are they? Are they economic, political, or social?
• If you don't live in a region that was directly involved in the war, can you observe lingering effects of the war and the period of Reconstruction in American society and politics today?
• Do you think different Reconstruction policies would have moderated these lingering effects?
• What is the legacy of Reconstruction for American society?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the pages on Reconstruction in your textbook. If you're using Tindall and Shi, see:

8th Edition	7th Edition	6th Edition	5th Edition
Chapter 18, pages 702-739	Chapter 18, pages 659-697	Chapter 18, pages 713-756	Chapter 18, pages 789-834

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Evaluating Lincoln

Discussion Topic

Because of his legendary status, many people assume Lincoln wasn't a controversial figure in his time. However, Lincoln's contemporaries — as well as students and historians to this day — debated the merits of his decisions while in office. His interpretation of the law, his military decisions, and his policies regarding slavery especially provoked debate.

For your first posting, choose one of the following issues and then discuss these questions: Were Lincoln's actions around this issue legal? Were they justified? Does Lincoln seem like a good leader in this case?

• Lincoln's interpretation of the law, particularly the Constitution's elastic clause and the suspension of habeas corpus
• Lincoln's decisions around military strategy and his method of assigning and managing generals
• Lincoln's words and actions regarding slavery. See the links under required reading for these helpful documents:
  • The Emancipation Proclamation
  • Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

In your second posting, evaluate Lincoln as a leader.

• Do you think he was a realist or an idealist?
• Did he lack principles or act on his principles?
• Are you surprised by what you've learned about Lincoln's leadership while in office?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the related pages in your textbook. If you're using Tindall and Shi, see:

8th Edition	7th Edition	6th Edition	5th Edition
Chapter 17, pages 648-699	Chapter 17, pages 607-656	Chapter 17, pages 655-710	Chapter 17, pages 723-785

If you choose to write about slavery, follow these links to some helpful documents:

Emancipation Proclamation. May 8, 2000.
Full text of the Emancipation Proclamation

Abraham Lincoln: First Inaugural Address. March 20, 2000.
Full text of Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Evaluating the 1850's

iscussion Topic

The North and South clashed repeatedly over political differences during the 1850s. The failure to resolve these differences eventually led to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. Was the war the inevitable result of irreconcilable viewpoints? Or could more skillful political leaders have worked out sectional differences and avoided war?

Focus on one of the following decisions in your discussion:

• Buchanan's decision not to intervene in Kansas
• Lincoln's rejection of the Crittenden Compromise
• The Dred Scott decision
• The Compromise of 1850

In your first posting, answer at least one of these questions about the focus you've chosen:

• Do you think the sectional conflict resulting from this event was inevitable?
• Do you think more skillful political leaders could have made better decisions? If so, what decisions would have been better? Why?
• Did the leaders of the 1850s take actions that inflated the importance of events?

For your second posting, read the answers that your classmates wrote. After doing so, answer one or more of these questions:

• Do you agree or disagree with another student's response? Why?
• Could more skillful political leaders have avoided the major conflicts that led to war?
• Did the sectional conflicts of the 1850s result from poor political judgments? Or did they result from deep social, economic, and ideological differences between the North and South?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the related pages in your textbook.

If you're using Tindall and Shi, see:

8th Edition	7th Edition	6th Edition	5th Edition
Chapter 14, pages 702-739	Chapter 14, pages 489-523	Chapter 14, pages 530-567	Chapter 14, pages 581-621

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Was Expansion Justified?

Discussion Topic

In 1845, journalist John L. O'Sullivan captured the spirit of the times when he coined the term Manifest Destiny. This term reflected the growing belief among Americans that they were destined to enlarge the nation across the entire continent.

The desire for new land to farm and ranch, new markets for American goods, and the discovery of precious metals motivated this drive to settle the West. But U.S. expansionism also displaced thousands of Indians and Mexicans already living in those territories.

In your first posting, answer these questions:

• Why did Americans migrate to the West? Why did settlers move into Texas, California, or Oregon?
• How did U.S. expansionism affect the established inhabitants of these territories?
• Do you think the U.S. acquired these territories justly?
• Was Manifest Destiny a rationalization for the greedy and aggressive acquisition of Western land? Or did it serve the best interests of the country and its citizens?

As you read other students' responses, respond to one or more of these questions in your follow-up posting(s):

• Compare the U.S.'s international policy in the era of Manifest Destiny to the country's involvement in the international arena today. Do you see similarities or differences?
• Does the U.S. still practice imperialism by trying to extend its economic and political influence over other countries?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the related pages in your textbook. If you're using Tindall and Shi, see:

8th Edition	7th Edition	6th Edition	5th Edition
Chapter 14, pages 603-645	Chapter 14, pages 489-523	Chapter 14, pages 530-567	Chapter 14, pages 581-621

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Transcendentalism

Discussion Topic

click for reading

In the 1830s and 1840s, New England transcendentalists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreauemphasized self-reliance over external authority when it came to forming opinions and making decisions. In contrast to the rationalists of the Enlightenment, who valued reason, transcendentalists valued the beliefs of the individual, self-knowledge, and instinct.

After reading the excerpts from Emerson and Thoreau, answer at least one of these questions in your first posting:

• What are the similarities and differences between Emerson's philosophy and the religious thought of the Second Great Awakening?
• Do you agree with what these writers say about individualism? Explain.
• Are there any passages you don't understand, or that you agree or disagree with? Which ones? Explain, or post a response to another student's comments.

As you read other students' responses, respond to one or more of these questions in your follow-up posting(s):

• Do the reform movements of abolitionism and women's rights seem to follow Thoreau's teachings? Give an example to support your point.
• Do people in the United States today seem to believe in the transcendentalist ideas of Emerson and Thoreau?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to click reading and read the following document(s):

• Excerpts from Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self Reliance."
• Excerpts from Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience."

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Immigration

Discussion Topic

During the 1830s and 1840s, a new wave of immigration washed over the United States. Earlier immigrants had come mostly from Great Britain or from Africa as slaves, but the new arrivals came mostly from Ireland and Germany. Smaller numbers of Scandinavians (mostly Swedes and Norwegians), Chinese, and more English also came to the U.S. during this time. The new immigrants greatly affected the nation's demographics.

In your first posting, respond to at least one of the following questions:

• Why did German immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century get better jobs and achieve greater financial success than their Irish counterparts?
• Why did Irish immigrants encounter more discrimination than the Germans or Scandinavians did?
• Why did immigrants cluster into their own ethnic enclaves, rather than try to fit into mainstream society?

As in the mid-nineteenth century, the United States today is experiencing a period of substantial immigration. In your second posting, compare current immigration to historical immigration. Respond to at least one of the following questions:

• In what ways are today's immigrants to the U.S. better or worse off than the immigrants of the mid-nineteenth century?
• Do immigrants today seem to have more or fewer opportunities for economic and social advancement than German, Irish, Scandinavian, and Chinese immigrants had in the mid-nineteenth century?
• Do non-immigrant Americans today react to immigration in the same way as they did in the mid-nineteenth century?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the related pages in your textbook. If you're using Tindall and Shi, see:

8th Edition	7th Edition	6th Edition	5th Edition
Chapter 12, pages 475-482	Chapter 12, pages 443-449	Chapter 12, pages 473-481	Chapter 12, pages 519-528

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Evaluating Jackson

Evaluating Jackson

Discussion Topic

For many people, Andrew Jackson symbolized a new era in American democracy. He championed the "common" man and introduced broad cultural and political reforms that addressed the plight of the average citizen. During the Jacksonian era, Jackson and his supporters fought to democratize political participation and economic opportunity.

But some might call Jackson a despot instead of a democrat. He ordered the removal of Native Americans to reservations, defied the rulings of the Supreme Court, and suppressed states' rights during the crisis over nullification law.

In your postings, answer these questions:

• How democratic was the Jacksonian era? To what extent did the political reforms of the time increase democracy, political participation, and economic opportunity?
• How democratic was Andrew Jackson himself? Some critics have accused him of behaving more like a king than a president. Did Jackson have too much power? Did he abuse his presidential powers?
• Which of Jackson's policies and actions fostered democracy and which didn't? In your answer, you might discuss Indian removal, the debate over the Bank of the United States, Worcester v. Georgia, the crisis over nullification, or other issues and events during Jackson's presidency.

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

The War of 1812

Discussion Topic

Some people call the War of 1812 the second war of independence. In this discussion, you'll look closely at the outcome of the war, and you'll decide for yourself whether the U.S. was better off after the conflict ended.

Discuss at least one of the following questions with your classmates. Be sure to support your arguments with evidence from your reading:

• In the War of 1812, the U.S. lost money, resources, and lives, and the British even sacked the capital. Was it worth it?
• The Treaty of Ghent returned the U.S. and Britain to the status quo ante bellum (state of affairs before the war). Was the U.S. better off after the war?
• What did the U.S. gain by fighting the War of 1812? Was it a fair exchange for what it gave up?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the related pages in your textbook. If you're using Tindall and Shi, see:

8th Edition	7th Edition	6th Edition	5th Edition
Chapter 9, pages 359-375	Chapter 9, pages 334-350	Chapter 9, pages 354-372	Chapter 9, pages 387-406

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Debating The National Bank

Discussion Topic

One of the many issues over which Federalists and Democratic-Republicans disagreed was whether to establish a national bank. In this discussion, you'll read the arguments of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson to better understand each man's position on this question.

After reading their arguments, answer the questions below. You should post to the discussion at least twice.

• What exactly did Hamilton argue?
• What exactly did Jefferson argue?
• Do you agree with your classmates' interpretations of their arguments?
• Who do you think had a better argument? Why?
• Does either author use evidence that is or isn't especially convincing? Explain.
• Based on information from your textbook or from the study, what do you know about these men that may better help you understand their arguments?
• What other arguments might these men use in a political speech to gain support for their side?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to click reading and read the following documents:

• Hamilton Argues for the Constitutionality of the National Bank
• Jefferson Argues Against the Constitutionality of a National Bank

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Debriefing the DBQ 2.2.4

Congratulations! You've just outlined your first DBQ essay. How did it go? In this discussion, you'll share your thoughts about the process, the challenges you faced, and any ideas you have on how you'll answer a DBQ question the next time you're faced with one.
Respond to one or more of these questions as you discuss the DBQ process with your classmates (in at least two separate postings):

• What was easy about the DBQ?
• What did you find most challenging?
• Did you come up with any tricks or shortcuts that will make writing future DBQs easier?
• Do you have any general questions (or answers) about DBQ writing?
• In general, do you think DBQs are a good tool for studying history? Why or why not?

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

The Social Impact of the Revolution 2.2.2

Often when we study war, we look at military campaigns, politics, and treaties. In this discussion, we'll take a closer look at how the American Revolution affected the lives of more than half of the people living in what was just becoming the United States. What was the impact of the Revolution on women, African Americans, and Native Americans?
In your first posting, answer one or more of these questions:

• How did the Revolution affect the social status of women?
• How did the Revolution affect African Americans?
• Do some research on your own to determine how the Revolution affected the Native Americans. Post your findings.
• Did events surrounding the military campaigns help or hinder the progress of these three groups?
• Was there anything in your reading that you found surprising, confusing, or interesting?

As you read other students' postings, respond to one or more of these questions in your follow-up posting(s):

• Choose one of the groups you didn't already write about, and read what your classmates had to say about them. Do you agree or disagree?
• Do you think any of these groups were better off as British colonists? Why or why not?

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the related pages in your textbook. If you're using Tindall and Shi, see:

8th Edition	7th Edition	6th Edition	5th Edition
Chapter 6, pages 258-266	Chapter 6, pages 239-246	Chapter 6, pages 252-259	Chapter 6, pages 276-284

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Discussion 1.4.1

What Is Interesting? What Is Confusing?

Discussion Topic

 

Here's a chance before you take your first unit test to compare notes with the other students in your section, see what people found interesting, and help each other understand the material.
Sometimes hearing another student's question makes you aware of something you're confused about, and answering a question for another student can often clarify your understanding.
Post at least one of the following:

• Describe one event, pattern, or idea from this unit that you found interesting or surprising.
• Post a question about something that confuses you. Another student or your instructor will answer it. (Your instructor will monitor this discussion to make sure that the answers posted are accurate, but if you see an answer posted by another student that you're not sure is correct, your instructor may not have gotten to it yet. Ask your instructor about it.)
• If you're sure of what you're talking about, answer a question posted by another student. Or, if you have a similar question, add to the existing question.

Though you'll have a chance to post a question about anything that confuses you, there may not be space in this discussion to help you if you're confused about many things.

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.

Welcome AP U.S. History Scholars

The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening

Discussion Topic

Now that you've learned a little bit about life in the 13 colonies, let's take a closer look at the impact two movements, the Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was the 18th-century belief that humans could use reason to improve human happiness by identifying and describing the "natural" laws of physics and human relations. It shaped the thinking of future Revolutionary leaders in regards to the "rights of man." Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke and John-Jacque Rousseau influenced leaders such as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin before troubles began in the 1770s. These new ideas were later used in declaring America's break from Great Britain. and the Great Awakening.

The Great Awakening of the 1740s was a wave of religious revivals that swept through the American colonies, Scotland, and parts of Germany. Some important results were the founding of denominational colleges, the disintegration of New England Puritanism, greater toleration of dissent, and greater respect for individual spiritual choices., had on colonial life in the early eighteenth century.
In this activity, you'll read 10 pages in your textbook, and then you'll participate in a Discussion about the impact these two movements had on life in the colonies and on life today.
In your first posting, answer at least one of these questions:

• What are the similarities or differences between the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening?
• Is there anything in your reading that isn't clear? If so, post your question in the discussion. You should also feel free to respond to questions other students may have, or to comment on something you found interesting in your reading.

Once you've become comfortable with the concepts of the Enlightenment and Great Awakening, respond to one or more of these questions in your follow-up posting(s):

• What examples from American life today illustrate the values of either the Enlightenment or the Great Awakening?
• Do you think one movement has had a greater influence on American society than the other? If so, which one? Make a case and see how many of your classmates you can convince.
• Specific points you may choose to consider include: the importance of the individual, the notion of the perfectibility of society, ties to churches, and the idea of a social contract to protect the people's natural rights.

Required Reading

Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the related pages in your textbook. If you are using Tindall and Shi, see:

8th Edition	7th Edition	6th Edition	5th Edition
Chapter 3, pages 149-159	Chapter 3, pages 138-144	Chapter 3, pages 141-149	Chapter 3, pages 152-162

Scoring

This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another five points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.