Miami Dade College The Civil War of 1865 American Democracy Reflection Paper

• After studying and reading about the second half of American history, a history you are now living in, I want you to make a judgement on ALL the history you have read in a very short, to the point, Reflection Paper. From the Civil War through yesterday, I would like for you to assess the success or failure of the United States.  This is an academic, intellectual exercise in which you will synthesize and assess our history and our country.  There is NO right or wrong answer.  This is an opinion paper that I want to hear what YOU are thinking and why.  Yes, it sounds like I am asking you to do the impossible, but if you cannot stretch your efforts and minds, I have not done my job. Please know that nothing is 100% one sided.  Very few ideas or events are totally good, and very few are totally bad.  I want you to state one side or another and support your position with examples from history.  Please cover as much of the historical period, 1865-yesterday, as possible.  A good essay will always give some credit to the other side, but you must load up your evidence on the position you take.  Finally, if you are on the side of failure, then I want you to suggest some ways to fix the problems you see.  If you are on the side of success, I want you to suggest some ways to preserve those success.

Module 1:Post Civil War America
A Basis for American Democracy
Chapter 17: Reconstructing the Union (1865-1877)
Chapter 18: The New South and the Trans-Mississippi West (1870-1896)
Chapter 19: The New Industrial Order (1870-1900)
Chapter 20: The Rise of an Urban Order (1870-1900)

Module 2:

America’s Emergence as a World Power
Chapter 21: Realignment at Home and Empire Abroad (1877-1900)
Chapter 22: The Progressive Era (1890-1920)
Chapter 23: The United States and the Collapse of the Old World Order (1901-1920)
Chapter 24: The New Era (1920-1929)

Module 3:

Depression and War
Chapter 25: The Great Depression and the New Deal (1929-1939)
Chapter 26: America’s Rise to Globalism (1927-1945)
Chapter 27: Cold War America (1945-1954)
Chapter 28: The Suburban Era (1945-1963)

Module 4:

Cold War America
Chapter 29: Civil Rights and Uncivil Liberties (1947-1969)
Chapter 30: The Vietnam Era (1963-1975)
Chapter 31: The Conservative Challenge (1976-1992)
Chapter 32: The United States in a Global Community (1989-Present)