History 212/Dunak Fall 2010/Midterm Exam
Section 1. Short Answer (20 Points)
Review the primary players and events of the period from 1877 to 1939. You should consider Western & world
expansion, the political & economic challenges of industrial America, the new urban lifestyle, Jim Crow practices,
Progressive reform efforts, the New Era of the 1920s, and the Great Depression. You will be given a word bank & will
have to match names, events, and locations to their matching descriptions.
Section 2. Primary Source Evaluation (20 points)
It would be wise to review the readings on Blackboard as well as your class notes/ handouts. Topics that may be covered
are: experience and reaction to WWI; views of industrial American politics & economy; response to American
imperialism; the New Era of the 1920s; the Great Depression.
Section 3. Essays (30 points each; 60 points total)
You will write two essays. You can plan on having about 20-25 minutes to write each essay. This is a list of POSSIBLE
essays. Only THREE will appear on the exam (you will choose 2). You’ll see that some of the topics overlap, but
preparing an outline for each would be a wise idea (you might consider forming a study group in order to do so). You
should plan to use ideas from lecture, discussion, and assigned readings. A grading rubric can be found on Blackboard –
this document will tell you how I’ll evaluate your essays.
1. What were the advantages of industrial expansion of Gilded Age America? What were the negative
consequences of this economic growth? In your answer, be sure to consider:
individuals who profited from the economic boom
the way boom allowed for American expansion
those who failed to share in this prosperity
2. How did the United States aim to expand its influence from 1877 to 1920? What were its goals in doing so? In
your answer, be sure to consider:
The West
The Spanish-American War
World War I
3. What challenges did minorities face in turn-of-the-century America? In your answer, consider the roles of:
Immigrants
African Americans
The Working Class
4. Why did Progressives aim to change American life? How did they propose to do so? In your answer, be sure to
identify:
the Progressives
Progressive goals
ways they attempted to achieve their goals
5. How did the Triangle Fire highlight problems of industrial America? How did the events following the Fire mark
the success of Progressive reform? In your answer, be sure to discuss:
the circumstances that led to the Triangle Fire
the Triangle Fire
the response to the Fire
6. Which vision to reform industrial America was most effective: Edward Bellamy and his Utopian Plan; William
Jennings Bryan and the Free Silver Movement; or Jane Addams and the Progressive Movement? In your answer,
be sure to indicate:
Which reform effort you find most effective
