American History Midterm Assignment: Units 1 & 2 Analysis

This document presents an American History midterm assignment focusing on the 19th and early 20th centuries. The assignment is divided into several parts, including multiple-choice questions designed to test understanding of key historical facts, such as changes in American society, Theodore Roosevelt's leadership, the Progressive Era, and the Conscription Act. Each question is accompanied by an explanation of its importance and the rationale behind the correct and incorrect answers. The assignment also includes key IDs, requiring the student to define and analyze significant historical entities like the Ku Klux Klan, Theodore Roosevelt, and W.E.B. Du Bois. Furthermore, the assignment explores connections between historical facts, examining themes such as white supremacy, women's roles in imperialism, and the impact of military conscription. A geographic connection to Fifth Avenue in New York City, linked to a recruitment parade, is also included. The overall takeaway emphasizes the profound transformations in American society during this period, highlighting the impact of industrialization, leadership, and developments in racial identity, women's autonomy, and labor rights.

Running head: AMERICAN HISTORY
AMERICAN HISTORY FROM 1865
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1AMERICAN HISTORY
Part I Multiple Choice Questions.
1. What were the key changes that became the highlights of the developing 19th century
America, beyond simply economy.
a. Changes in the Country’s political atmosphere, leadership and virtues.
b. Changes in the country’s engagement with sports and recreation.
c. Changes central to the lives of every American including social, cultural,
technological and demographic.
d. Changes in America’s food culture.
I have selected this question because for the 19th century America, development was seen on
multiple fronts as highlighted in the correct answers. The wrong answers are irrelevant with the
progress and development from the current context, although changes in these aspects did also
happen over time. I believe this question was important enough to be on this exam because it
captures the key theme of the question as well as the chapter on Industrial America.
2. Under Theodore Roosevelt’s leadership, which of the following did not become the focus
of America’s change?
a. Military Might.
b. Territorial Expansion.
c. Educational progress.
d. Economic Influence.
All the three points except the point C. were part of progress that could be seen under
Roosevelt’s leadership. Educational progress is not a primary part of the developing America

2AMERICAN HISTORY
that has been portrayed under his leadership. This becomes an important question because it
reverses the responses in the sense that the students will be thinking about what was ‘Not’
instead of what was.
3. Which of the following correctly captures the ‘progress’ from the Progressive Era?
a. Women’s movements.
b. Progressive Environmentalism.
c. Mobilization of the working class for reformation.
d. All of the above.
All the three points from this response are important indicators of the progress that was
happening in the progressive era. This is why this is an important question, because either one of
the answers can be correct, given that all the three responses are capable of capturing the
progress.
4. What was the key function of the conscription act?
a. It highlighted the defects in young American men that deemed them unfit for military.
b. It made joining the Army mandatory for men aged 21 – 30.
c. It made black and white American males to be assigned in the same team.
d. None of the above.
This is an important question because during the World War 1, it became mandatory for the
American youth to join the Military. Also, deeming youths unfit was a part of the medical
examination protocol and not the act itself. Black and white Americans were still segregated on
the basis of their color.

3AMERICAN HISTORY
Part II Key IDs.
1. Ku Klux Klan.
An American white supremacist group whose target were the African American people.
It was founded in 1865 and by 1870 had permeated through to most of the Southern States. It
primarily acted against the reconstruction policies of the republicans which attempted to
establish political and economic equality for African American people.
I selected this organisation to be included in the test because it captures the prevalent
hatred and racism in America in the progressive era.
2. Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the United States of America. He is termed
as one of the five best presidents of America and was an ardent supporter of the Progressive Era
policies in the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
He is an important addition in the test because of his ardent support of the progressive era
policies.
3. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois.
He was an American sociologist and civil rights activist and the first African American to
earn a doctorate degree.
He is an important addition to this test because of his support and fight for the African
Amercian people in the war.

4AMERICAN HISTORY
Part III Connections.
1. Fact 1: Between 1880 and 1950, thousands of African American people were murdered by
white mobs.
Fact 2: Lynching became a social symbolism of power and oppression.
The murder of African American people became a symbolism for white supremacy and power
where thousands of eager spectators would be present to observe.
2. Fact 1: Discussions on American Imperialism also saw significant participation by women.
Fact 2: Black female activist saw imperialism as a form of racial antagonism.
The imperialism was a period that was marked by growing women autonomy and power.
However at the same time, the already oppressed populace saw it as a form of racial
marginalisation.
3. Fact 1: All youth in American were mandatorily made to join the Army.
Fact 2: The military candidates were put through rigorous cognitive tests to prove that they were
cognitively ill developed.
Research after the war proved that the tests produced misleading results and were meant to
discriminate people on the basis of racial identity.
Part IV Geographic connection.

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Fifth Avenue in New York City – this geographic location is quite significant because of the
‘Wake Up, America’ parade organised by the Boy Scouts, in order to support the recruitment. An
estimated 60,000 people attended the parade.
Part V Overall Takeaway.
The 19th and 20th century history of America saw significant changes and shifts in all its
societal aspects including culture, religion, economy, politics and even warfare. The
industrialisation played an important role in the progress of the nation while the leaders with
their varied opinions and perspectives were also responsible for certain differential development
in certain regions. Albeit that, some crucial development happened in the domains of Racial
Identity, Autonomy of women and labour rights.