MIDTERM REVIEW SHEET

HISTORY 17A

DATE:  MONDAY, OCTOBER 16

My Ground Rules:

• You must bring a blue book.
• No one may leave the room once the test begins except to hand in a completed exam (so go to the bathroom BEFORE the test).
• Those who arrive late will be allowed to take the test in the remaining time left provided that no one has handed in an exam.
• Make-ups will only be allowed in extreme cases and must be accompanied by a Doctor's Note.

Part I

One of the questions below dealing with William Manning's The Key of Liberty will be drawn out of a hat.  This question will be 140 points and will be graded on the basis of the coherence of your answer and the relevant examples you provide from Manning.  The more relevant examples you provide, the stronger your answer will be.

1. William Manning had a very specific idea of what he meant by "labor."  What was it, and how did he distinguish between laboring and non-laboring people?
   

2. According to William Manning, what were the main sources of conflict between "the Few" and "the Many"?  What were the greatest needs of "the Many" in the face of this conflict?  Do you agree or disagree with Manning?
   

3. What, according to William Manning, is the purpose of government, and what is the character of "free government"?  Why was he so concerned about these questions in the late 1790s?

Part II

One of the following questions will appear on your exam.  This question will be 140 points and will be graded on the basis of the coherence of your answer and the relevant examples you provide from the lectures and readings.  To answer any of these questions, summarize and compare and contrast (when appropriate) the main points of the historic terms in the question.  An "excellent answer" would also offer your own viewpoint as to the significance of these historic events.    

Many students ask me how long these answers should be.  While I will not be counting words, a general guide for you to follow is one and a half to two pages .  What's most important, however, is that you answer the question fully and in as much detail as you can.

1. Compare and contrast the demographics, beliefs, and lifestyles of natives in the New World and the inhabitants of European society before Columbus' "discovery" of the New World in 1492.  What advantages did the Spanish have over the natives of North and South America that eventually led to their conquest.
   
2. Why has Christopher Columbus and his "discovery" of America become such a controversial topic in the teaching of American history today?
   
3. Why was slavery embraced as a labor system in Virginia in the mid-1600s?  Why was racism institutionalized by the Virginia assembly during the same period?  What purposes did institutionalizing racism serve?
   
4. Compare and contrast Bacon's Rebellion, Shay's Rebellion, and the Whiskey Rebellion.  What are the similarities and differences in the motivations of those who rebelled and the response on the part of elites in each time period?
   
5. Define the Monarchical Order.  Why did it break down in the decades leading to the American Revolution?
   
6. What did Hector St. John de Crevecoeur mean when he talked about "an American nationality?"  What were the social and political factors pulling these diverse colonies together prior to the Revolution? 
   
7. Define the ideology of Republicanism and explain its key origins and key principles.  How did "Republicanism" mean different things to different people?
   

Part III

You will have twenty fill-in-the blank questions in which you will be given a certain amount of detail and will be required to insert the term that best defines the definition provided (think of yourself as a contestant on Jeopardy!)   These questions will be 1 point each.

This is a "closed book" test and a list of terms will not be available during the exam.  This test is worth 300 points.

How to Study

Look up each definition in the lectures and readings, understanding the who, what, where, when, and significance (why it is important) of the terms.  Some of these terms are very broad (i.e., the American "Revolution?") and are intended to refer to portions of the lecture that are worth highlighting.  Make note cards; study in groups; sleep with your book under your pillow!

GOOD LUCK!

Terms