1) Prior to 1763 American Colonists were at ease with their status as English subjects within the British Empire. Over the next 13 years, however, certain events took place that would fuel an ideological struggle over the concept of government within the North American colonies. Address this struggle and the events and issues that started and shaped the move towards outright independence, then explain why independence from England was ultimately declared.
2) Having achieved independence, the infant United States found itself in a precarious and fragile situation due, in part, to the ineffective nature of the Articles of Confederation. Address the problems faced by Congress under the Articles, and then examine the Federalists’ agenda as they sought to strengthen the central government under the Constitution, and why their agenda prevailed at the Constitutional Convention.
3) The decade of the 1790’s saw fierce political competition emerge largely over opposition to Federalists policies of the era. Explain the basic difference between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, and then discuss the major issues that separated the two sides as the election of 1800 approached.
4) American Manifest Destiny proclaimed that it was a God-given right that the United States would expand its republican liberties over the whole of the continent. Yet the spread of American liberties erupted into a feud over what to do with the institution of slavery as the nation expanded. Explain the delicate nature of expanding slavery into new territories by addressing the events and issues which both created and permeated this division.
5) When it came to declaring independence and waging war to achieve it, the Confederate States of America faced the monumental task of sustaining such a war against a very formidable opponent in the Union. Discuss the difficulties the CSA faced and address various reasons that attributed to their downfall.
6) During the Reconstruction period (1865-1877) two levels of Reconstruction policy existed between Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans. Compare their different ideas regarding Reconstruction, and then explain the nature of Military Reconstruction, and whether or not it could have succeeded.
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