Final Exam

NAME: Final Exam

HIST 1302, Fall2020

Dr. Cameron

The exam is based primarily on these events/people/concepts. Before you turn this in, please delete this list so it doesn’t mess up your “turnitin.com” report. You may opt to do the same for all of the instruction sections as well, but that’s up to you. I’m only looking for similarities within your content – not mine

Section 1. Identification (45 points). This section will test your knowledge of the key people/events/concepts of the course and whether you can explain the significance. From the list of terms given above, choose FIVE (at least one from each column) and write a paragraph (4-5 sentences) for each that discusses the who/what/when/where information. Then you should be able to argue why it/they is significance to American history. (The significance could be at least one of the following: the event/person created a change or led to something else happening; and /or the event/person is an example of a larger concept or phenomenon; and/or the event/person corrects a common misperception about American history). Type your responses in the numbered area below. Use as much space as you need.

Cold War

Cold war refers to the period of open yet restricted rivalry that took place after World War II between the United States and the Soviet Union and their allies of each side. The rivalry was established along economic, political, and propaganda fronts with limited use of weapons. This conflict was a construct of geopolitical and ideological struggle for global supremacy following their victory from a temporary alliance formed against Nazi Germany in 1945. These two superpowers employed indirect means such as espionage, psychological warfare, propaganda campaigns, far-reaching embargoes, and rivalry at technological competitions or sports events to express their dominance. The cold war solidified by 1948 when aid provided by the United States’ Marshall plan in western Europe brought together countries that had been influenced by Americans. By this time, the Soviets had already established a communist system of government in Eastern Europe.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act was signed on 2nd July 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson hence prohibiting any form of discrimination in public places. Further, it facilitated the integration of public facilities such as schools and criminalized discrimination of people in employment. This proposition was made by President John. F. Kennedy before his assassination during a televised public address urging the state to take action that would guarantee all Americans equal treatment regardless of race. What followed was Kennedy’s proposition to Congress to consider civil rights legislation to rewrite the injustices in public accommodations and equality in federally assisted programs. The significance of this Act is that it outlawed the segregation of businesses such as restaurants, theatres, and hotels. Further, it ended discrimination practices in public spaces like libraries, schools, and swimming pools.

Voting Act Right 1965

The Voting Act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson with the aim of bridging the legal barriers that existed at local and state levels, which prevented African Americans from voting, which is their constitutional right guaranteed in the 15th Amendment. To date, this Act is considered as one of the most far-reaching tools in the legislation of civil rights in the United States. Notably, the 15th Amendment had been ratified in 1870 after the civil war, which maintained that denying men the right to vote based on color or race was an offense. Nevertheless, discriminatory practices continued to ensue, preventing African Americans particularly from the south, from voting. The main significance of the Act is that it eliminated the mechanism used to suppress the voting votes of African American People, which included the literacy tests, grandfather clause, and Poll tax.

Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act refers to the comprehensive health reform, which was signed into law by President Obama in March 2010. The law, which is commonly known as ObamaCare, entails health care policies meant to ensure that millions of uninsured Americans access health insurance coverage. The primary goal of the law is to make health care available to all American citizens. Notably, this law grants users subsidies known as premium tax credits, which reduce expenses for households with incomes ranging between 1005 to 400% of federal poverty levels. Moreover, the Affordable Care Act expanded the Medicaid Program to cater to adults with income under 138% of federal poverty levels. The Act also supports medical delivery methods that are innovative to reduce general costs of healthcare.

HIV/AIDS Crisis

The HIV/AIDS crisis began in 1981 in the United States, where the first case was reported. Today, over 1.1 million people live with the virus, and more than 700,000 people have succumbed since the epidemic began. This crisis continues to disproportionately affect populations such as ethnic and racial minorities, bisexual and gay men. Because the condition has no known cure yet, experts developed drugs known as antiretroviral therapy drugs, which substantially reduce mortality and morbidity rates. Notably, people of color account for the highest population of people who lives with HIV than other racial groups, with their survival rates after and AIDS diagnosis being relatively low.

Section 2. Consequences (20 points). This section will test whether you can identify and explain the consequences of events in American history (in other words, you’re discussing what happened because of something). You must provide the consequences for these key events. Answer in 3-5 sentences.

What were the consequences of World War II for women and minorities at home? The Second World War provided an opportunity for women who were always left at home to enter the job market for the first time. Women were able to join the defense sector. The war changed the type of work women were doing and the volume in which they worked. Before the war, women were largely restricted to feminine jobs like sewing and typing. After the war, they began adopting careers in masculine fields such as factories, defense, and aircraft industries.

What were the consequences of the Truman Doctrine?

The Truman doctrine was laid on the central pillars that followed the signing of the agreements to aid Turkey and Greece. The consequences of the Truman Doctrine were that the American national security ceased being premised on protecting the physical and political security of both United States citizens and territories because it was limited. The aid agreement that was signed in 1947 selectively formalized the United States’ commitment to intervene, reshape, and or preserve the structures, political integrity, and stability of communist nations in the world.

What were the consequences of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling?

The Board V. Board of Education of Topeka is a 1954 landmark made by the Supreme Court where the justices made a unanimous ruling that the racial segregation of children going on in public schools was unconstitutional. The ruling is significant because it helped establish the ruling that services that claimed to be separate-but-unequal were indeed unequal. The ruling fueled the civil rights movement across the United States.

What were the consequences of the Watergate Scandal?

In June 1972, there was a break-in to the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters, leading to an active investigation that revealed how Nixon’s administration was abusing power. Nixon’s abuse of power had a long-lasting effect on the political life of Americans. It created an atmosphere of distrust and cynicism. The Watergate scandal deepened Americans’ disappointment to a climate that had already been soured by losses and difficulties of previous decades.

Section 3. Historical Progression (35 points). This section will test whether you understand the relation of events in American history to each other. You will choose one the historical progression questions below and provide seven events in that category in order. For each event, you will provide a 2 sentence statement that explains why that step was significant or served as a turning pointin a given progression question. Some of the terms above could be points or could inform your points. Begin by deleting all the questions except for the one you’re choosing.

How did the labor movement evolve after the 1930s?

The decline of the labor Movement (1929-1933)

The decline of the labor movement was significant because it led to the development of a new labor movement known as the Unemployed Citizens League among the unemployed people. The organization grew quickly, accumulating up to 20,000 members, and demanded services and jobs for unemployed citizens.

Rebuilding of the Union (1934-1936)

The National industrial Act had a new set of rights, and for the first time, workers had the right to join unions. Activists from across states organized huge campaigns as they set out to rebuild the unions that had collapsed and creating new ones.

The Waterfront Strike

This strike, which took place in 1934, inspired a series of strikes among sailors, loggers, truckers, pilots, and Filipino cannery workers. One of the key achievements was that journalists from the Seattle newspaper strike who were mostly white walked out of their white-collar jobs to support Seattle Unions.

Labor’s Civil war

The passing of the National Labor Relations Act was a reaffirmation of the promises made to establish the additional right for unions and workers. Unions became organized based on the industry instead of their craft, allowing the inclusive organization of women workers, non-white and unskilled people.

Labor culture

Organized labor began emerging as strong, and they enjoyed legitimacy at this point more than even before. This gave unions renewed meaning after the 1930s because they had been granted better wages, better working conditions as well as a new measure of destiny.

The American Federation of Labor

By 1936, The AFL had begun growing rapidly, with its population standing at 3.4 million members. It began experiencing severe stress in recruiting new members because traditionally, the union organized crafts rather than industries. Leaders were hesitant to shift from craft unionism leading to a strain in the relationship.

Upsurge During the Second World War

The war dramatically made the membership of the union to expand significantly. For the first time, women were enrolled as workers in the factories and aviation; careers which were once considered too masculine for them.