Your Favorite Time Period... Post by midnight April 29

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate.

Thinking back over this year in APUSH.  Select your favorite time period.  Explain why it is your favorite.  Include date range, specific events and inventions of the period, and specific significant individuals in your discussion.  Your discussion should be about the length of an in-class essay.  Make this a good one... it is the last blog post topic.

Click on this link it is a  good site to visit for review... also on my webpage!

Gilded Age and Imperialism...Post by midnight April 22

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate.

Examine the Gilded Age: Who coined the term and why called Gilded, what is the time period? Discuss some of the leading personalities of the time period and their importance.

What were the characteristics of the Gilded Age?  Discuss the philosophies of the era: Nativism, Gospel of Wealth, Social and Racial Darwinism.   What were the “ills” of society during this time period and what caused the “ills”?

Expand upon the desire for more land during this period… imperialism.  Lots to talk about here… Spanish American War, Philippines, Cuba, Latin America, China, Japan…

What is vertical, interlocking, and horizontal integration?  Discuss the tycoons who used these methods to grow their businesses.  What were some of the major monopolies of the period?

Discuss the rise of trade unions and the leadership of the various unions.

This time period saw the final defeat of the Native Americans… discuss (be sure and include the role of the railroad in this defeat).

Civil War and Reconstruction... Post by midnight April 15

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate.
Compare/contrast President Jackson's response to the Nullification Crisis to President Lincoln's response to Southern succession.

Explain the significance of the battles of Antietam and Vicksburg. Which generals were involved and why were these battles seen as pivotal?

The period of Reconstruction was a time of major political upheaval in both the North and the South. Compare/contrast Presidential Reconstruction with Radical Republican Reconstruction (why was this plan considered "radical" and by whom?).

Explain the Black Codes, KKK, and other forms of resistance to racial equality during Reconstruction.

 Had you been present, would you have been a supporter of President Johnson's plan for Reconstruction, a moderate Republican, or a radical Republican? Why? (In your response you will need to discuss each of the plans in order to fully explain YOUR position.)

What role did each of the following play in the congressional assumption of control over Reconstruction: Black Codes, Southern election of former Confederates, President Johnson's personality and actions?

How did freedom affect the economic, social, and political life of former slaves? In what ways was their freedom still incomplete?

Some historians have argued that Reconstruction was a total failure, while others have seen it as laying the foundation for future American progress in race relations and civil rights. What arguments can be made for each position? Which is more persuasive?

Time Travel... Post by Midnight Monday, April 07

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate.

You are to blog as though you actually went back in time. You must keep to time periods we studied first semester only. Be specific, I will be looking for details. Have a little fun with this!

Thinking back on our first semester studies, if you could walk into B09 and be transported into one of the time periods we studied first semester for 48 hours, what time period would you visit? Why? 

Describe what you would see, smell, and hear. 

How would the people be dressed? 

Who would you most want to talk with and what would you ask the person(s)? 

Who are the political, economic and social leaders of the time? 

What are the most pressing issues facing the people?

Antebellum Period... Post by Midnight Saturday, March 29.

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate.

Compare the attitudes and practices regarding slavery and race relations in the North and the South.  How did the reliance on cotton production and slavery affect the South economically, socially, and morally, and how did this reliance affect its relations with the North?  What were the economic strength and weaknesses of the "Cotton Kingdom"?

What led to the rise of the spirit of "Manifest Destiny" in the 1840s, and how did that spirit show itself in the American expansionism of the decade?  How was the "Manifest Destiny" of the 1840s -- particularly the expansion into Texas and Mexico -- related to the sectional conflict over slavery?  What were the causes and consequences of the Mexican War?

Explain how the issue of slavery in the territories acquired from Mexico disrupted American politics from 1848-1850.  What was the effect of the morally powerful slavery debate on American political parties?  What caused the demise of the Whig Party, and the rise of the Free Soil and Republican parties?

How similar was the Compromise of 1850 to the Missouri Compromise of 1820?  Point out the major terms of each and how they both attempted to deal with the issue of slavery.  How did each sectional compromise affect the balance of power between North and South?  Why could sectional issues be compromised in 1820 and 1850, but not in 1854?

The Kansas-Nebraska Act re-ignited the slavery issue after the Compromise of 1850.  What were the causes of the Kansas-Nebraska Act?  Describe the Kansas-Nebraska Act and explain why it stirred the sectional controversy to new heights.  How and why might the Civil War have come even if Douglas's bill had not been enacted?

Why were proslavery southerners so eager to push for further expansion in Nicaragua, Cuba, and elsewhere in the 1850s?

What fundamentally motivated the new American engagement with China and Japan in the 1840s and 1850s?   What were the treaties negotiated by Caleb Cushing and Matthew Perry?

1820's and 1830's... post by midnight March 23, 2014

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate.

Identify the Market Revolution; how were trade and business encouraged within the borders of the US? Review developments in law, finance, internal improvements, and technology.

Explain how roads, canals, and steamboats contributed to the development of the interior regions of the US during the first half of the 1800s.

Identify the contenders for the presidency in 1824; describe who won and why. Evaluate the long-term effects of this election on American politics.

Describe the growth of political parties in the 1820s and 1830s, especially the Democratic Party and the Anti-Masons. What did each party want? Who were the leaders of each? Discuss what role political parties played in the increasing tensions of the period. What were the tensions of the period?

Andrew Jackson was called the "People's President." Discuss the accuracy of this assessment in terms of Jackson's personality, the struggle over the National Bank (how and why Jackson "killed" the bank), his policy toward Native Americans (include information on which Native American tribes were most successful in resisting white encroachment and which were not and the Marshall Court opinion), and his views and actions concerning the tariff.

What caused the Nullification Crisis of 1832? Give the rationale behind Calhoun's objections, describe Jackson's actions, and and explain what finally resulted.

Who was David Walker and how did his views differ from Nat Turner's actions. Why did the South fear these men, and what did southerners do about that fear? Discuss southern views on African Americans and slavery in the 1830s.

Describe the early settlement of Texas in the 1830s and explain why settlers came to desire freedom from Mexican control. Discuss how the Mexican government viewed the drive for Texas independence, and the methods they used to fight it. How was independence for Texas finally achieved?

Mr. Madison's War & his Presidency... Post by midnight March 15, 2014

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate.

What were the causes of the War of 1812?

Explain why the War of 1812 was so politically divisive and poorly fought by the U.S.  
Explain why Americans experienced more success on water than on land.  
What were the long-term results of Mr. Madison's War for the U.S. at home and abroad.

Why were some people, particularly in New England, opposed to the war?

In what way did the war signal a death knell for Federalism?

Why was the U.S. able to negotiate such favorable terms in the Transcontinental Treaty (also known as?)?

Examine the origins of the Monroe Doctrine and explain its real and symbolic significance for American foreign policy and for relations with the new Latin American republics.

Monroe's presidency became known as the "Era of Good Feelings" why? Why is this a misnomer?

What were the issues leading up to the Missouri Compromise (be sure and discuss sectional issues, emergence of sectional leaders, political divisions)?

Discuss the American System and its originator. Many of the ideas put forth in the American System had been bandied about for generations; what were the original roots?  

Discuss how John Marshall's Supreme Court promoted the spirit of nationalism through its rulings in favor of federal power.

Jeffersonian Democracy: Post comments by midnight Saturday, March 08, 2014

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate.

What is meant by the term Jeffersonian Democracy?  Explain how Jefferson's moderation and compromises turned the "Revolution of 1800" into a relatively smooth transition of party control from Federalists to Republicans.

Describe the conflicts between Federalists and Republicans over the judiciary and the important legal precedents that developed from these conflicts.

How does the period 1800-1812 look if viewed through Native American eyes? Could the attempt of Tecumseh and the Prophet to unite western Natives against US expansion have created a different dynamic in white-Native relations?

What were the "causes" of the Louisiana Purchase?  How did Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase transform America's understanding of itself and its future? Was it inevitable that the west would become part of a much greater United States, or was there real danger in efforts like Aaron Burr's to break those areas off from the country?

Describe Jefferson's basic foreign policy goals and how he attempted to achieve them.  Describe the original intentions and the actual results of Jefferson's embargo.  Was there any merit at all in Jefferson's embargo policy? What prompted this policy in the first place? 

Presidencies of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson... Post comments by Midnight Friday, February 28

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate. 

What were the differences and similarities between the Hamiltonians and the Jeffersonians with regard to political philosophy, long-term social and economic outlook, interpretations of the Constitution, and federal versus state power.

Discuss the Jay Treaty, the Pinckney Treaty (1795), the Whiskey Rebellion and its significance, the XYZ Affair, the Naturalization Act, the Alien and Sedition Acts under Adams.

Discuss Jefferson's foreign affairs policies and actions and his domestic policies and actions.

American Revolution, Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution: Post by midnight February 22.

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate. 

Describe the military, political, and economic advantages and disadvantages of the British and the American armies leading up to and during the war.

What were the major battles of the war and which is considered the turning point and why?  Who were the major Generals of the war?

What was the role of women and African Americans (free and enslaved) during the war?  What were the effects of the war on the colonists?

What were the major features of the Articles of Confederation? Why were the AOC inadequate for the new nation (included foreign affairs issues & domestic affairs issues)? What were some achievements of the AOC?

What were the beliefs of the Federalists and the Antifederalists? Which of the Founding Fathers were Federalists and which were Anti-Federalists?  What did they each want to achieve with regard to a Constitution? Address the forces that shaped their views (ex. Shays's Rebellion).

With regard to the Constitution, how did it differ from the Articles?  Who is called the father of the Constitution? Why?  When was it written and finally adopted?

French and Indian War and Events Leading Up to the Revolution... Post by midnight February, 14

Keep in mind when posting that you must post one original response AND a response to a post by a classmate. 

Discuss the French and Indian War. What were the causes of the French and Indian War? What were the conditions of the Peace of Paris? What were the political and economic issues that Britain had to deal with as a result of the war? Also, you may chose to examine the significant personalities.

Address pre- and post-1763 British policies toward the American colonies. What was the reaction of the colonists? Were they justified? Were the British justified in enforcing the policies?

Discuss the reasons and time period for the the First and Second Continental Congresses.  Who attended these meetings and why?  The First and Second Continental Congresses were shaped by disputes between moderates, radicals, and conservatives. Discuss the positions of the three factions and explain which was the most persuasive and effective in achieving its goals (include the goals).  What documents were written in each of the Congresses?

Founding of the Colonies

                 Discuss the founding of Virginia and Plymouth.  

Explore the founding of all the colonies; why were they settled, who settled, when settled, economics of each colony, religions of each colony, ethnic make up of each colony, government of each colony, relations with the natives (positives and negatives), who were significant individuals of each of the colonies? 

How does the founding of the New England colonies compare with the origin of the middle colonies?


In what ways were New England and the middle colonies each like the South, and in what ways were they different?


Why was family life in New England so different from family life in the South?


During the early years of the colonies, what was the relationship with Great Britain?

This post will expire at midnight on February 08, 2014.

Vietnam War Questions to Ponder

Assess US involvement in Vietnam from the 1950s through the 1970s. Consider: Containment policy, Diem's assassination, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Tet Offensive, the policy of gradual escalation, the bombing campaign, Vietnamization, and the role of Presidents Eisenhower through Nixon.  These topics are jumping off points, there is MUCH more to consider.

In what ways did the Vietnam War heighten social, political, and economic tensions in the United States?

Remember to READ all the posts before posting your own... you will not get credit for restating something that someone else has posted.  You must also respond to a posting from a classmate.  Time to post to this topic will expire at midnight on Jan. 31.

Welcome to the 2014 APUSH Blog!!

Welcome to the 2014 APUSH blog. Why blog? The purpose of having an APUSH blog site is to prepare you for what is to come in your educational life. Many college professors use online discussions as a regular part of their courses. The mission of LCHS is to teach, challenge, support, and PREPARE every student to be a productive member of society. I take the prepare aspect of our mission very seriously. With that in mind, this should be an easy way to prepare for what is to come... certainly easier than say... note cards, studying for tests, and reading the American Spirit!! :-). I have found that blogging is very helpful for preparing my students for the AP Exam... just another tool!

I will be posting questions each Friday and you are required to post an original blog response and a response to a classmates post by the following Friday. Think of the blog as a roundtable... you should respond with SFI and/or analysis. You will not be given credit for comments that are historically inaccurate or the same as those posted by others, so be sure and read what others have posted. You may add to the comments made, but simply restating in different words will not get you credit. Make sure I can identify you by your blog name, if I do not know who you are then I cannot give you credit for blogging! Make sure I know who you are!!

I am looking for... thoughtful, informed responses, so keep this in mind as you post.

Happy, informed blogging! :-)

Cold War Era Questions

Post a response by Friday, January 24, 2014 to one or more of the questions listed. Remember to include historically accurate SFI and/or analysis. You may comment on the posts of others, but you must add to what they have posted.

*What were the most important factors producing the Cold War?

*In what way was the Cold War a struggle of ideologies and a struggle for power?

*In what way did WW II affect the culture of the late 1940s and 1950s?

*Truman left office a very unpopular president, yet today he is generally considered a

 great or near-great president. Why was he unpopular? Why is he now respected?

*What produced the Second Red Scare? Why did it happen when it did and why was it 

 "allowed" to go on as long as it did? Who were the people involved?
*Discuss the major political, social, or economic events of the Cold War Era 1945-1959?