Readings pt 2

Question 1

Fredrick Jackson Turner “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”

Answer 1

Behind institutions is the frontier line, full of people who adapt and innovate, and strongly believe in individualism

Question 2

Russell H Conwell “Acres of Diamonds”

Answer 2

anyone is able to get rich, it is your right and duty to get rich.

Question 3

William Graham Sumner “What Social Classes Owe to Each Other”

Answer 3

our only thing we owe to others is to take care of ourselves and our families, survival of the fittest

Question 4

Theodore Roosevelt “The New Nationalism”

Answer 4

‘the citizens of the us must effectively control the mighty commercial forces which they have themselves called into being’
Get influence of big powers out of the lives of individuals
Application of negative liberty (even though it was coming from government)
Breaking up monopolies/trusts
We need limits to markets to protect average Americans
Square deal: government intervention to provide equal opportunity, get big powers out of their lives

Question 5

Woodrow Wilson “The New Freedom

Answer 5

‘the law must step in and create new conditions under which we many live’
Builds on TR ideas, wants more positive liberty in government context
19th amendment passed under him
Advancing growth of government, additional freedoms
“Freedom is more than being let alone”

Question 6

Herbert Croly “The Promise of American Life”

Answer 6

principle of equal rights is not self sufficient, different people pull different things from personal freedom, confusion of what equal rights mean and confusion of what is ok and isnt ok with exercising said rights

Question 7

Herbert Hoover “Rugged Individualism Speech”

Answer 7

government during this time had a huge role in helping the people and redefining America. Government was held responsible for economic issues. Good leaders have good character, competition is necessary for business. increasing gov power can losen freedoms not increase them. gov only bare minimum

Question 8

Franklin D Roosevelt “Commonwealth Club Address”

Answer 8

Individualism is key to American life, small companies naturally have a harder time, every man has a right to life and his property

Question 9

Albert Jay Nock “Life, Liberty and…”

Answer 9

talks about the change from “life liberty and property” to “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and what the state should or should not be doing to help everyone be happy

Question 10

Andrew Carnegie “The Gospel of Wealth”

Answer 10

luxuries have now become necessities, the consequence of this has been castes don’t know each other. The wealthy need to set an example of modest living, shunning extravagance in order for the barrier between rich and poor to be fixed

Question 11

Emma Goldman “Anarchism”

Answer 11

Anarchism is impractical and stands for violence and destruction. Anarchism is the philosophy that all forms of gov rest on violence. Anarchism is a liberator to man, a teacher, and stands for the liberation of the human mind from the control of religion, property and government. You are oppressed by everything around you. nothing gives you individuality. free yourself from all institutions and be an individual

Question 12

Betty Friedan “The Feminine Mystique”

Answer 12

women are being taught their whole lives to grow up to be housewives and nothing else, but they silently question if this is all there is to life. This battle is one of identity, and not a sexual one.

Question 13

Martin Luther King Jr “Letter from Birmingham City Jail”

Answer 13

Explains MLK’s side of how he landed in jail, and how he is only here because “injustice is here”. The four steps of a nonviolent campaign are collection of the facts, negotiation, self-purification and direct action

Question 14

Martin Luther King Jr “I Have a Dream”

Answer 14

Explaining and demanding justice for blacks, key notes include “the bank of justice is not bankrupt” and that black freedom is tied to white freedom

Question 15

Malcom X “The Ballot or the Bullet”

Answer 15

Malcom believed in more violent ways to earn freedom hence “ballot or the bullet”. Give us our rights and the right to vote or we will fight back. “Our contribution [is] our blood”.

Question 16

Young Americans for Freedom “The Sharon Statement”

Answer 16

challenged the two party system and supports a third party, conservatives. The existence of this party is guaranteed by government and any interference is unconstitutional

Question 17

Students for a Democratic Society “The Port Huron Statement”

Answer 17

major concerns of these students are human degradation (slavery struggle) and the imminate Cold War. They propose important questions of what is important? And how can we make society better? Low key kinda sexist piece, talks about their ideals for democracy and the economy, calls young people to action to join in on politics

Question 18

Ronald Reagan “First Inaugural Address”

Answer 18

government is not the solution, it is the problem. Act today to preserve tomorrow, Regans intention is not to destroy government but to make it work, fix the economy, and remove any roadblocks in our way

Question 19

Michael Walzer “What Does it Mean to be an American?”

Answer 19

anyone can be an American and we don’t really have a homeland. America had no singular national destiny. And to be an American is to know that and be more or less content with it.

Question 20

Richard V. Reeves “Saving Horatio Alger”

Answer 20

equality + independence=promise of upward mobility. Talks about America’s ability to make something out of nothing if you work hard

Question 21

Brennan and Jaworski “if you may do it for free, you may dio it for money”

Answer 21

just because the market shouldn’t sell a good or service that appears morally wrong and corrupt doesn’t mean it won’t still sell it. The three kind of limits on markets are limits due to the principle of wrongful possession, incidental limits to markets and inherent limits.

Question 22

Herbert Hoover ‘fifth freedom”

Answer 22

four types of freedom that are everywhere are freedom of speech/expression, religion, from fear, and from want. The fifth is economic freedom, and without them the others are useless. In order to do this the gov must promote freedom.

Question 23

FDR ‘Second bill of rights”

Answer 23

there are rights that need protected that arent in the original Bill of Rights, ie: right to a job, to earn enough money, for farmers to raise/sell their products, businesses free from monopolies, families to a decent home, adequate medical care, protection, education, and mainly security.

Question 24

Jerry Rubin ‘Yippie Manifesto’

Answer 24

calls teens to rebel against older people, we offer “sex, drugs, rebellion, heroism and brotherhood”. They believed in some sort of second birth?? Rules are made to be broken, we don’t own our own bodies. The economy is doomed, something about growing long hair? School is evil and Americans are brainwashed.

Question 25

Kimball “The False Gods We Worship”

Answer 25

talks about the blessings of God and how people sometimes reject them. The more we focus on material things the more we reject the spiritual ones.

Question 26

Obama “eulogy at the funeral service”

Answer 26

talks about how Reverend Pickney was a man of empathy, charity and service to those around him, and how race relations are still tight

Question 27

Sandel “what do we owe one another”

Answer 27

“Sometimes solidarity can give us special reason to criticize our own
people or the actions of our government.”
“With belonging comes responsibility. You can’t really take pride in your
country and its past if you’re unwilling to acknowledge any responsibility
for carrying its story into the present, and discharging the moral burdens
that may come with it.”
Our deepest moral views must be part of our deliberations about
politics.