The instructions and questions for this exam are visible once the exam is opened - there is no time limit on the exam and you have unlimited attempts to complete it.  Please read the INSTRUCTIONS for this final exam, essay portion, carefully and remember to address every aspect of the question in your essay response.  Remember, as well, to be specific - do not rely on generalizations to support your conclusions.  Use specific historical examples, case studies, etc. as you formulate your essay response.  You may want to work out your essay as a Microsoft Word document, first - save it as you compose it, and then "cut and paste" the finished product into the section provided for your response. That will allow you the opportunity to think carefully about the information you are providing in your response and to correct all spelling/typographical errors before the final submission.  You may launch the exam, work on it, save it, and return to it later.  Unlike the weekly quizzes, you are not forced to complete it once it is launched.  Good Luck!  The purpose of this final essay question is two-fold:  first, it gives you the opportunity to reflect upon the course content, respond in an honest and straightforward manner, and "show your stuff" in terms of what you've learned throughout the semester; secondly, it allows me the chance to implement that CAP, approach - CONTENT, ANALYSIS, PERSPECTIVE.  You understand the CONTENT, you have the ability to CRITICALLY ANALYZE the material, and formulate a PERSPECTIVE.  In other words, I want to see that you've actually THOUGHT about the material we've covered throughout the semester, and that you have the ability to articulate your thoughts on paper.  Keep in mind that you are free thinking, creative, intelligent students of history - therefore, I don't want to know what the author of your book has to say about a topic (I can read that for myself).  While you can refer to the text when offering specific examples (i.e. statistical information, direct quotes), that material must be cited properly, including proper use of quotation marks and parenthetical citations.  What I would really prefer to see is a creative use of the material from the textbook and supplemental material (websites found in the EXTERNAL LINKS folder, etc) incorporated into a well-organized, thoughtful, insightful essay that addresses each of the aforementioned questions in one way or another.  I prefer that you utilize NO other sources than the textbook, external links, and your notes from the course.  Approach this final exam as though we were engaging in a verbal exchange - I want to see that you've not only learned various aspects of United States History, but that you also enhanced your ability to THINK for yourself! It's QUALITY, not quantity! Therefore, I am looking for a comprehensive reflection on the course material.  You may be able to do that in 500 words, or perhaps it may take you 1500 words to complete that task. Responses a.

1. The instructions and questions for this exam are visible once the
exam is opened - there is no time limit on the exam and you
have unlimited attempts to complete it. Please read
the INSTRUCTIONS for this final exam, essay
portion, carefully and remember to address every aspect of the
question in your essay response. Remember, as well, to be
specific - do not rely on generalizations to support your
conclusions. Use specific historical examples, case studies, etc.
as you formulate your essay response. You may want to work
out your essay as a Microsoft Word document, first - save it as
you compose it, and then "cut and paste" the finished product
into the section provided for your response. That will allow you
the opportunity to think carefully about the information you are
providing in your response and to correct all
spelling/typographical errors before the final submission. You
may launch the exam, work on it, save it, and return to it later.
Unlike the weekly quizzes, you are not forced to complete it
once it is launched. Good Luck!
The purpose of this final essay question is two-fold: first, it
gives you the opportunity to reflect upon the course content,
respond in an honest and straightforward manner, and "show
your stuff" in terms of what you've learned throughout the
semester; secondly, it allows me the chance to implement
that CAP, approach - CONTENT, ANALYSIS,
PERSPECTIVE. You understand the CONTENT, you have the
ability to CRITICALLY ANALYZE the material, and formulate
a PERSPECTIVE. In other words, I want to see that you've
actually THOUGHT about the material we've covered
throughout the semester, and that you have the ability to
articulate your thoughts on paper.
Keep in mind that you are free thinking, creative, intelligent
students of history - therefore, I don't want to know what the
author of your book has to say about a topic (I can read that for

2. myself). While you can refer to the text when offering specific
examples (i.e. statistical information, direct quotes), that
material must be cited properly, including proper use of
quotation marks and parenthetical citations. What I would
really prefer to see is a creative use of the material from the
textbook and supplemental material (websites found in the
EXTERNAL LINKS folder, etc) incorporated into a well-
organized, thoughtful, insightful essay that addresses each of
the aforementioned questions in one way or another. I prefer
that you utilize NO other sources than the textbook, external
links, and your notes from the course. Approach this final exam
as though we were engaging in a verbal exchange - I want to see
that you've not only learned various aspects of United States
History, but that you also enhanced your ability to THINK for
yourself!
It's QUALITY, not quantity! Therefore, I am looking for
a comprehensive reflection on the course material. You may be
able to do that in 500 words, or perhaps it may take you 1500
words to complete that task. Responses also must be in essay
format, properly structured, and free of typographical errors.
Please note: Any student who submits a final essay exam that
includes material that is copied and pasted directly from the
internet will receive a failing grade for the final exam. This is
not a test of who can get the most applicable information
from Wikipedia (don't even think of using this site as a source-
it is UNACCEPTABLE) it is a test of the knowledge you've
gained from the course - keep that in mind!
100 -90 Points: Excellent, thoughtful above and beyond minimal
requirements
· Communicates effectively with interest and enthusiasm to
instructor throughout the entire essay response.
· Technically and mechanically correct and completed in an
exemplary manner.
· Illustrates understanding of the material thorough use of
specific examples, historical case studies and evidence.
· Response to questions is creative.

3. · Response clearly reflects an understanding of content, the
ability to engage in critical thinking and analysis, and formulate
a perspective.
89 - 80 Points: Above average, strong response but lacks the
depth of an excellent paper
· Communicates effectively through most of the essay.
· Minor flaws in the technical and mechanical components.
· Response illustrates an understanding of the content.
· Critical analysis and the formulation of perspective are
limited, warrants further elaboration through better use of
specific examples
79 - 70 Points: Average, meets minimum requirements, lacks
enthusiasm and creativity
· Communicated with some difficulty throughout most of the
essay.
· Technical and mechanical flaws that interfere with
communication.
· Illustrates minimal understanding of the content.
· Response lacks depth and does not clearly reflect the ability to
critically analyze material or formulate a perspective.
69 - 60 Points or Less - below average, little interest or effort
demonstrated
· Does not communicate effectively throughout the entire essay.
· Serious technical and mechanical flaws that interfere with
communication.
· Illustrates lack of understanding of content.
· No demonstration of critical thinking or perspective.
59 - below - unacceptable
· Little or no attempt
After considering a number of the topics that we’ve covered
throughout the semester (consult your course outline if you
don’t remember the topics), tell me IN YOUR OWN WORDS,
but using specific examples to support your information, What
have you learned in this course? Of course, while this might

4. sound like an “open ended” question, I would like you to reflect
on specific case studies/topics that were of most interest to you,
or those events that led you to reexamine your own world view.
You much address in ESSAY format at least THREE of the
following four questions in formulating your response:
· Has your perspective toward one particular topic, event or era
in American history as we have studied it changed at all? If so,
in what way has it changed? Rely on specific examples to
support your position.
· In your opinion, what are some of the most significant changes
that occurred in the United States since the point of settlement
through the era of American Civil War? Are there still
unresolved conflicts similar to those that existed from 1600 -
1865? And, if so, what are they? Use specific examples from
the course topics to support your response.
· Based on the information covered in this course, how do you
see the place (i.e. the historical significance) of the United
States in respect to the larger international system? In what
ways is the place of the contemporary U.S. different than the
United States of the 19th century (think of social, political,
economic transitions for example)? How is it similar? Offer
evidence to support your opinion.
· At the conclusion of this course, how do you see yourself as a
student of United States history? Do you feel differently about
the history of the United States than when you began the course
and, if so, in what ways? Be as specific as possible in your
explanation.
The
instructions
and
questions

5. for
this
exam
are
visible
once
the
exam
is
opene
d
-
there
is
no
time
limit
on

6. the
exam
and
you
have
unlimited
attempts
to
complete
it.
Please
read
the
INSTRUCTIONS
for
this
final
exam,

7. essay
portion,
carefully
and
remember
to
address
every
aspect
of
the
question
in
your
essay
response.
Remember,

8. as
well
,
to
be
specific
-
do
not
rely
on
generalizations
to
support
your
conclusions.
Use
specific

9. historical
examples,
case
studies,
etc.
as
you
formulate
your
essay
response.
You
may
want
to
work
out
your

10. essay
as
a
Microsoft
Word
document,
first
-
save
it
as
you
compose
it,
and
then
"cut
and

11. paste"
the
finished
product
into
the
section
provided
for
your
response.
That
will
allow
you
the
opportunity
to

12. think
carefully
about
the
information
you
are
providing
in
your
response
and
to
correct
all
spelling/typograp
hical
errors

13. before
the
final
submission.
You
may
launch
the
exam,
work
on
it,
save
it,
and
return
to
it

14. later.
Unlike
the
weekly
quizzes,
you
are
not
forced
to
complete
it
once
it
is
launched.
Good

15. Luck!
The purpose of this final essay question
is
two
-
fold:
first, it gives you the opportunity to
reflect upon the course content, respond in an honest and
straightforward manner, and
"show your stuff" in terms of what you've learned throughout
the semester; secondly, it
allows me the chance to implemen
t that
CAP
, approach
-
CONTENT, ANALYSIS,
PERSPECTIVE.
You understand the CONTENT, you have the ability to
CRITICALLY
ANALYZE the material, and formulate a PERSPECTIVE.
In other words, I want to see
that you've actually THOUGHT about the material we've c

16. overed throughout the
semester, and that you have the ability to articulate your
thoughts on paper.
Keep in mind that you are free thinking, creative, intelligent
students of history
-
therefore, I don't want to know what the author of your book has
to sa
y about a topic (I
can read that for myself
).
While you can refer to the text when offering specific
examples (i.e. statistical information, direct quotes), that
material must be cited
properly, including proper use of quotation marks and
parenthetical
The instructions and questions for this exam are visible once the
exam is opened - there is no time
limit on the exam and you have unlimited attempts to complete
it. Please read the INSTRUCTIONS for
this final exam, essay portion, carefully and remember to
address every aspect of the question in your
essay response. Remember, as well, to be specific - do not rely
on generalizations to support your
conclusions. Use specific historical examples, case studies, etc.
as you formulate your essay
response. You may want to work out your essay as a Microsoft
Word document, first - save it as you
compose it, and then "cut and paste" the finished product into
the section provided for your
response. That will allow you the opportunity to think carefully

17. about the information you are
providing in your response and to correct all
spelling/typographical errors before the final
submission. You may launch the exam, work on it, save it, and
return to it later. Unlike the weekly
quizzes, you are not forced to complete it once it is launched.
Good Luck!
The purpose of this final essay question is two-fold: first, it
gives you the opportunity to
reflect upon the course content, respond in an honest and
straightforward manner, and
"show your stuff" in terms of what you've learned throughout
the semester; secondly, it
allows me the chance to implement that CAP, approach -
CONTENT, ANALYSIS,
PERSPECTIVE. You understand the CONTENT, you have the
ability to CRITICALLY
ANALYZE the material, and formulate a PERSPECTIVE. In
other words, I want to see
that you've actually THOUGHT about the material we've
covered throughout the
semester, and that you have the ability to articulate your
thoughts on paper.
Keep in mind that you are free thinking, creative, intelligent
students of history -
therefore, I don't want to know what the author of your book has
to say about a topic (I
can read that for myself). While you can refer to the text when
offering specific
examples (i.e. statistical information, direct quotes), that
material must be cited
properly, including proper use of quotation marks and
parenthetical