In a well-considered long essay (4-5 full, robust paragraphs…
In a well-considered long essay (4-5 full, robust paragraphs with a paragraph defined as at least 5 sentences), respond to ONE of the following prompts. Provide as much detail as you remember from lectures, readings, and online materials in support of your answer. Be sure to respond to the entire question, as each have multiple parts. Please note which question you are responding to in your answer (simply putting #1, #2, etc. is fine) 1. Discuss the U.S. response to the developing crises in Europe from 1939 through 1941. Why do most Americans want to remain out of the war and what is their justification? What arguments do critics of America’s official isolationist/neutral policy make and are they convincing? What factors bring the U.S. closer and closer to war? 2. How did the Cold War shape American domestic life in the 1950s? How did the fear of the atomic bomb become all-consuming for the general population and how did they combat it? We discussed the “Great Fear” of the 1950s and 1960s, but fear of what? Is it just of the atomic bomb or is there something else? 3. John F. Kennedy is a much-beloved president for many who helped advance Black civil rights and stood up to the communists. Discuss this legacy and whether he deserves that credit. Evaluate Kennedy’s perception of himself as a strong, masculine, “Cold warrior,” as well as devoted husband and father. 4. The Black freedom struggle is filled with stories of sorrow and injustice, as well as triumph and heroism. Using the four major themes we discussed (education, leadership, violence, and activism), give examples of each, explaining how the ebbs and flows of the movement kept it going. How is civil rights often oversimplified in American history and American memory to the point of getting the story wrong? 5. 1968 was one of the most pivotal and terrible years in all of American history. What all occurred in this single year that made many question whether our nation would survive? Be sure to discuss both foreign and domestic events and the impact they had on society, describing at least three in significant detail.