History Final Essay Flashcards
If you were to advise the next president of the United States on his or her foreign policy, which historical events would you choose to base your advice and which lessons would you take from them? Write a memo to the president where you present your advice to him or her. There should be an overarching argument clearly woven throughout your memo
Intro
Thesis: U.S. foreign policy should be based on globalization rather than isolation
Body 1: The Marshall Plan (1947)
What happened
In order to promote post-WWII aid and stop communist expansion
This included the intent of implementing more liberal and democratic practices to fight against the start of the Cold War
Not susceptible to falling to a communist regime
Did the U.S. get involved?
The U.S. gave $13 billion aid package to 17 European nations
Was necessary to restart Europe’s economy
Connection with thesis
Because of the money the U.S. gave, Western Europe’s economy was revitalized thus prompting a domino effect and the U.S. economy benefiting
Was necessary in order to restart Europe’s economy and stop the spread of communism in Europe
Body 2: Rwandan Genocide (1994)
What happened
100 day period of killing
Between 500,000-1,000,000 Rwandans were killed
War between ethnic groups of Tutsi and Hutu
Did the U.S. get involved?
The U.S. did not get involved and only relied on UN army workers - who are not authorized to carry weapons
U.S. argued that it was not a genocide but rather
No national interest in Rwanda (no oil)
Risk of casualties after involvement in a war in Somalia the year before
Connection with thesis
The U.S. should become more involved with global matters
Body 3: Annexation of Crimea (2014)
What happened
In 2014 Russia started the annexation of Crimea, which means they illegally invaded Ukraine with the intention to make it a part of Russia. Russia started using military force to take Crimea and ended up holding a vote in Crimea, which ended with it becoming a part of Russia. The UN said it was against the UN charter and deemed it illegal.
Did the U.S. get involved?
President Obama set up the European Reassurance Initiative in order to send more troops to Eastern Europe. The U.S. enacted sanctions against Russia because of the annexation.
Connection with thesis
The Annexation of Crimea prompted the U.S. to become more involved with Eastern Europe
Conclusion
Bring up Paris Climate Agreement about how there are many modern day opportunities to push the U.S. into becoming more globalized
Explain the evolution of U.S. immigration trends and policies from the 19th century to today. Focus on at least three watershed moments in U.S. history.
Intro
Thesis: U.S. immigration trends and policies center around the ideology that people who look different, speak a different language, or practice a different religion are seen as inferior
This notion has been occurring since the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Immigration Act of 1924, but as time has progressed certain laws such as DACA and trends such as the judicial resistance of the Muslim Ban highlight the evolution towards a more inclusive society.
Body 1: Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
What was it?
Stop Chinese immigration in order to promote American born workers in the U.S.
It was inspired by anti-Chinese rhetoric around the nation
Chinese individuals were not given citizenship rights until 1943 when the act was repealed
California Gold Rush inspired many Chinese people to immigrate to the U.S.
Stopped people already living in U.S. to bring their families
Trend
This act was the first one that prohibited an entire ethnic group from immigrating to the U.S.
Created a quota at the time and set in motion a country that relied on stopping immigration at times
Body 2: National Origins Act (1924)
What was it?
Blatantly discriminated against immigrants from Southern/Eastern Europe and Asia
Limiting the annual number (3% of the previous year) of immigrants for each nation
Trends
Continued on path of Chinese Exclusion Act in a less obvious way but still directly targeted smaller immigrant groups (mostly immigrants from Asian countries)
http://immigration.laws.com/national-origins-act
Body 3: DACA (2012)
What was it?
Stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
Founded by Obama administration in 2012
DACA allows certain undocumented (illegal) immigrants who entered the country as minors, to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for a work permit
Trends
Shows the U.S. moving towards a more open borders approach through allowing individuals who will end up benefiting the U.S. through stimulating the economy
It has been revitalized in many states similar to the Maryland Dream Act which attempts to give undocumented immigrants the opportunity to attend high school and in-state universities
Muslim Ban (2017)
Muslim ban being turned down in courts
Shows the trend towards a more accepting, inclusive, and globalised society
Conclusion
Government role in regulating economy and society - Evaluate the role government has played in the 20th and 21st century in regulating the economy and society. How has that role evolved over time?
Intro
Thesis: Throughout most of U.S. history the government has restrained from being involved with the economy and society - thus attempting to personify a more capitalist and libertarian perspective
Laws have become more regulatory as time passes, with a lack of worker’s rights during the Homestead Strike to the Great Society which aimed at
Body 1: Homestead Strike (1892)
What was it?
Homestead was a steel mill where the workers - predominantly immigrants - were being heavily underpaid. A fight broke out because the homestead union wanted higher - livable - wages. The fight included Pinkerton guards and strikers, both armed with guns, fighting.
Trends
It prompted the question…
If a livable wage is a human right while there are the top 1%s?
Where does the law come into play?
The government sided with the management - against the unions
Afterward, they only hired ununionized workers
Lack of involvement in workers rights in economy
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yH03zrxzh1Ku4W80qMSBuq6aLA3g5TrWnnLzEkhptEo/edit
Body 2: New Deal (1930s)
Franklin Roosevelt
What was it?
The jobs were considered artificial because they were consequential and not sustainable in order to create a facade that there was an uptake in employment
But at the same time focused on infrastructure and created many jobs in it
Fixing of the bank system
Problems with it
Women
Put women at a disadvantage because the manual labor jobs were reserved for men
African Americans
Reinforced racial segregation
“Last hired, first fired”
Trends
Restored American confidence
Seen to just have helped the white working man
It did not solve all of the problems but rather changed government philosophy and set in stone the ideology that the federal government has a responsibility to ensure the health of the nation’s economy and welfare of its citizens.
Body 3: Great Society (1964)
Lyndon B Johnson
What was it?
Regulating housing, education, job training and civil rights
Civil rights act of 1964
Created medicare program
Trends
Attempted to bridge a gap between both wealth disparity and inequality in general - for women, poc, etc.
Society has a moral obligation to help others rather than let them sink or swim
Even though the New Deal was the first main program to begin to implement a more involved federal government, the Great Society
Conclusion
Connections between foreign policy, immigration, socio-economic history - Choose two of the three and illustrate how they have been connected throughout the history of the US by referencing three specific times when they have been connected.
Intro
Immigration & foreign policy
Thesis: Immigration laws in the U.S. have strongly been impacted by foreign policy trends
Body 1: Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
What was it?
Stop Chinese immigration in order to promote American born workers in the U.S.
It was inspired by anti-Chinese rhetoric around the nation
Chinese individuals were not given citizenship rights until 1943 when the act was repealed
California Gold Rush inspired many Chinese people to immigrate to the U.S.
Stopped people already living in U.S. to bring their families
Trend
This act was the first one that prohibited an entire ethnic group from immigrating to the U.S.
Created a quota at the time and set in motion a country that relied on stopping immigration at times
Body 2: Displaced Persons Act (1948)
What was it?
Allowed more than 400,000 refugees (displaced due to WWII and communism as a whole) to immigrate to the US
The act only focused only on individuals who were seeking refuge due to communism, despite calamities (not connected to communism) taking place in other regions
Trend
A time period when the U.S. was focusing on fighting communism
Started ideology behind seeking refuge
Body 3: DACA
What was it?
Stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
Founded by Obama administration in 2012
DACA allows certain undocumented (illegal) immigrants who entered the country as minors, to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for a work permit
Trends
Shows the U.S. moving towards a more open borders approach through allowing individuals who will end up benefiting the U.S. through stimulating the economy
It has been revitalized in many states similar to the Maryland Dream Act which attempts to give undocumented immigrants the opportunity to attend high school and in-state universities
Highlights inclusivity rather than isolation
Conclusion
