History 101: 2nd Midterm Exam Study Guide

 

On the exam, three IDs from the list below will appear, you will answer two (25 pts. each)

 

Possible Identifications

Democracy in 1776                                        Eroding Independence

The Great Awakening                                  French and Indian War (1756-1763)

Paying for Britain’s War                              Stamp Act Revolt (1765)

Farm Uprisings 1760s and 70s                     Indians and the Proclamation Line

Townshend Acts (1767)                                Coercive Acts (1773-1774)

Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation (1775)        Republicanism

1776 State Constitutions                               Choosing Sides

Why the Colonies Won                                 Gentry Turnaround

Crisis of the 1780s                                         Reclaiming the Revolution

Barrier Against Democracy                         Revolution for Slaves?
Republican Motherhood                              Revolution for Indians?

                                                                                   

One of the following essay questions will appear on the exam (50 Points):

Possible Essay Questions

 

1)     In his book, 1984, George Orwell gives the following description of social hierarchy and revolution: “Throughout recorded time, and probably since the end of the Neolithic Age, there have been three kinds of people in the world, the High, the Middle, and the Low…The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the Middle is to change places with the High. The aim of the Low…is to abolish all distinctions and create a society in which all men shall be equal. Thus throughout history a struggle which is the same in its main outlines recurs over and over again. For long periods the High seem to be securely in power, but sooner or later…they are then overthrown by the Middle, who enlist the Low on their side by pretending to them that they are fighting for liberty and justice. As soon as they have reached their objective, the Middle thrust the Low back into their old position of servitude, and themselves become the High.” To what extent does Orwell’s depiction of revolution apply to the American Revolution? To what extent does it miss the mark?  Be sure to identify who you are including in the categories of middle, low, and high and to assess the assertions that Orwell makes about the relationships between the groups. USE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES TO MAKE YOUR CASE.

 

2)     Compare and Contrast the developments at the beginning of the Revolution (1750s through the late 1770s) with those that comprised the revolutionary settlement (the early 1780s through 1800s).  What similarities existed between the struggles at the beginning of the Revolution and those at its end?  How did the struggles of these two periods differ from one another? USE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES TO MAKE YOUR CASE.

 

3)     “We the People,” a phrase often used to summarize the American Revolution, suggests that the diverse peoples on the continent all shared the same ideology and goals when it came to the Revolution.  To what extent did different Americans share a common vision of the Revolution?  How were their ideals and objectives for freedom and independence in conflict with one another? To what extent did the Revolution fulfill their different ideals and objectives? How did it fall short?  USE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES TO MAKE YOUR CASE.