Short Answer
Summarize the Emancipation Proclamation
Executive Order made by President Lincoln that stated all slaves in rebellious southern states to be free as of the start of the new year, and therefore under the protection of the federal US government. Additionally, it allowed African Americans to fight for the Union cause.
Explain the main argument of Federalist Paper 10
The best way to limit the spread and power of factions and ensure one doesn't grow strong enough to threaten the government, is to allow a large and diverse group of factions to organize- that way one doesn't become the majority and oppress the minority.
Checks that the Legislative Branch has on the Executive Branch
Power of the purse (controlling federal funds), impeachment, override vetoes
Explain the main argument of Federalist Paper 51
In Federalist Paper 51, Madison emphasizes the significance of checks and balances in ensuring no one branch gets too strong and abuses their power.
Summarize Frederick Douglass's famous "Fourth of July" speech
Compare and contrast Thomas Gordon's and James Wilson's approaches to equality. How are they similar? How are they different?
Both Gordon and James believed that equality was rooted in natural rights, directly agreeing that no human was naturally superior over another; and they both agree that equality is a barrier towards tyranny.
Whereas Gordon believed equality should stem from individuality and he held a bit of skepticism around strong governments controlling citizens, James believed that governing bodies should be the ones responsible for maintaining these natural rights.
Provide a list of 5 Grievances that Eliz. Cady Stanton thought women had against men.
1) no right to vote
2) monopolized women out of financial industries
3) unequal education opportunities
4) taken all possessions from married women (including children in case of divorce)
5) forced to submit to laws without representation
Compare the positions of the Missouri Compromise and the Dred Scott decision
The Missouri Compromise aimed to maintain the balance of pro-slavery vs anti-slavery in the Senate. The document admitted Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state. The Dred Scott decision ruled that African Americans were not citizens and had no right to sue in federal court.
Give two warnings that George Washington gave to the American people in his Farewell Address, and provide examples how each of these threats still confront us today.
Among other things, Washington warned that foreign political alliances and frequent involvement in foreign affairs could be incredibly dangerous for the prosper of the Union. Washington also warned that strong political parties could spawn polarization in the people.
How did Eugene Debs think wealth inequality should be dealt with? How did Andrew Carnegie's approach to this inequality differ?
Eugene Debs argued that wealth inequality was created by capitalism and could only be solved by replacing competition with cooperation (democratic control of wealth). Andrew Carnegie, believed inequality was natural and beneficial, and that the rich should retain their wealth but use it responsibly through voluntary philanthropy to uplift society. Debs wanted structural economic change, while Carnegie trusted elite stewardship rather than redistribution.
(i) Explain Booker T. Washington’s approach to improving the lives of black Americans,
(ii) Explain Martin Luther King Jr.’s approach to improving the lives of black Americans
(iii) Provide an argument for which approach you think was most effective historically
Booker T. Washington believed Black Americans should improve their lives through education, economic self-reliance, and gradual acceptance by white society rather than direct confrontation. Martin Luther King Jr. argued for immediate civil rights through nonviolent protest, civil disobedience, and moral pressure on government to end segregation. While Washington’s approach built foundations of education and economic progress, King’s strategy proved more historically effective because it directly challenged unjust laws and led to major legal victories like the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.
(i) Explain the new form of tyranny that concerned Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt at the beginning of the 20th century
(ii) Compare and contrast how they planned to deal with this new form of tyranny.
Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt both feared a new form of tyranny in the early 20th century: the power of large corporations and monopolies that could dominate workers, consumers, and democratic institutions. Wilson sought to fight this by restoring competition, breaking up monopolies and preventing concentrated economic power from forming. Roosevelt, however, believed big economic power was permanent and instead used a strong federal government to regulate industry, protect workers, and counterbalance corporate influence.
(i) describe who the 1827 Cherokee Constitution and the 1847 Liberian Constitution allowed to be citizens
(ii) Explain why they limited citizenship in this way (iii) provide what you take to be the strongest argument for having such limitations on who can be a citizen.
The 1827 Cherokee Constitution limited citizenship to people of Cherokee descent, and the 1847 Liberian Constitution restricted citizenship to people of African descent, especially Black Americans resettled from the United States. Both constitutions created these limits to protect their communities from white domination, preserve cultural identity, and safeguard political power after long histories of exploitation and displacement. The strongest argument for such restrictions is that newly formed or vulnerable nations may need to secure self-governance and cultural survival by ensuring that political authority remains in the hands of those the society was created to protect.