PLEASE ANSWER ANY THREE OF THE FOLLOWING FIVE ESSAYS.
ESSAY ONE: MANIFEST DESTINY: WHAT ROLE DID TEXAS AND WESTWARD EXPANSION PLAY IN THE ELECTION OF 1844? WHY WAS 1844 A CROSSROADS IN AMERICAN HISTORY? HOW DID POLK WIN THE ELECTION? TO WHAT DEGREE DID POLK PROVOKE WAR WITH MEXICO? WHY DID THE WHIG PARTY, INCLUDING JOHN QUINCY ADAMS AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN OPPOSE IT? HOW DID ZACHARY TAYLOR AND WINFIELD SCOTT MANAGE TO DEFEAT THE MEXICAN ARMY? WHAT WERE THE EFFECTS OF THE TREATY OF GUADALUPE-HIDALGO? HOW DID ZACHARY TAYLOR BECOME PRESIDENT IN 1848?
ESSAY TWO: THE ROAD TO DISUNION: HOW DID THE ISSUE OF CALIFORNIA STATEHOOD BRING THE NATION TO THE BRINK OF CIVIL WAR IN 1850? HOW DID ZACHARY TAYLORS DEATH AND THE COMPROMISE OF 1850 POSTPONE IT? WHAT IMPACT DID THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW HAVE ON THE NORTH? HOW DID PRESIDENT FRANKLIN PIERCE TEAR UP THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE? HOW DID THE RISE OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL GENERATION AND THE DEATH OF THE WHIG PARTY FURTHER POLARIZE THE NATION? WHY IS JAMES BUCHANAN RATED AS THE WORST PRESIDENT? WHY WERE THE DRED SCOTT DECISION, THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES, AND JOHN BROWNS RAID IMPORTANT? HOW DID ABRAHAM LINCOLN COME FROM NOWHERE TO BE ELECTED IN 1860?
ESSAY THREE: CIVIL WAR: THE ROAD TO EMANCIPATION: UPON WHAT PRINCIPLES WERE THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA FOUNDED? WHAT WERE LINCOLNS POSITIONS ON THE NATURE OF THE UNION AND ON SLAVERY IN 1861. HOW DID HE FORCE THE SOUTH TO FIRE THE FIRST SHOT? WHY DID THOUSANDS ENLIST TO FIGHT FOR THE CONFEDERACYAND THE UNION? HOW DID THE WAR BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL CAUSE? HOW AND WHY DID THE SOUTH SENSE IMPENDING VICTORY IN MID-1862 AND WHY DID THEIR HOPES FAIL? DO YOU THINK THE SOUTH COULD HAVE WON? WHAT MOVED LINCOLN TO ISSUE THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION IN SEPTEMBER, 1862?
ESSAY FOUR: CIVIL WAR: A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM: TELL ME HOW THE NATURE OF THE WAR BEGAN TO CHANGE IN 1863? HOW WAS LEES GREATEST VICTORY AT CHANCELLORSVILLE ACTUALLY A BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR THE UNION? HOW DID LEES BAD DECISIONS LEAD TO DEFEAT AT GETTYSBURG? HOW DID GRANT PROVE HIMSELF A BRILLIANT COMMANDER AT VICKSBURG. WHAT DOES THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS TELL YOU ABOUT HOW LINCOLN NOW SAW THE WAR? HOW DID THE WAR BECOME A SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION? TELL ME HOW LINCOLN ALMOST BECAME A ONE-TERM PRESIDENT? HOW DID GRANT AND SHERMAN FINALLY WIN THE WAR? WHAT ROLE DID AFRICAN-AMERICANS PLAY IN THEIR OWN LIBERATION?
ESSAY FIVE: RECONSTRUCTION: WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 13TH AMENDMENT AND HOW WAS LINCOLN ABLE TO PASS IT? DESCRIBE LINCOLNS PLAN TO FOLLOW A MIDDLE COURSE IN REUNITING THE NATION. TELL ME HOW A BELIEF IN WHITE SUPREMACY MOTIVATED ANDREW JOHNSON TO TURN THE CLOCK BACK TO 1860. TELL ME HOW THADDEUS STEVENS AND THE RADICAL REPUBLICANS THEN TRIED TO REMAKE SOUTHERN SOCIETY BY FORCE IF NECESSARY. WHY IS GRANT NOW SEEN AS A MUCH BETTER PRESIDENT THAN IN THE PAST? HOW DID THE SOUTH ULTIMATELY MANAGE TO DEFEAT RECONSTRUCTION AND ACCOMPLISH INTERNAL SECESSION AFTER 1876?
