Spitting Back What He’s Spit at You How to Study for Marmorstein Exams

Find the patterns…

Hitchhiker’s guide to the essay exam universe….

What is a Good Essay? A series of good generalizations related to the exam question backed up with specific support from the lectures and the readings.

General advice for essay exams Read and understand the question Pick out the key words in the question Outline your main points Write good topic sentences Back up your topic sentences with specific details

Advice specific to Marmorstein exams 1.  Think! Do not just memorize facts. 2.  Prepare each essay question and the related ID’s together. 3.  Come up with a basic outline for your essay. 4.  Think of good topic sentences for each paragraph of your essay.  5. Add specific support for your topic sentences. 6. In steps 3-5, use the ID’s whenever possible.  7. Do not just memorize facts. Think!

Keep me in a good mood Be considerate of my old eyes. Make your exam easy to read. Use blue or black ink, not pencil or red ink. Please don’t put all your information in one long paragraph. Having a sense of humor helps. Making me laugh will earn you an extra point or two. Use appropriate diction. Don’t try to sound like a stuffy professor, but don’t be too informal either. Avoid slang expressions and profanity.

Reconstruction Generalization: The Civil War came close to destroying the framework of government set up by our founding fathers. Even in 1877, America had not fully recovered from the Civil War, and the continuation of republican government, something we take for granted, was probably not as certain as it seems to us in retrospect.

You could discuss here: Animosity between North and South resulting from things like Andersonville and Sherman’s March to the sea. Carpetbagger governments adding to animosity and making economic reconstruction less efficient. The rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the dangers a vigilante movement poses to democracy. Radical Republican misuse of the impeachment process with Andrew Johnson. The way the 14th Amendment transformed American government and the potential danger to democracy when the amendment process is abused and when federal power increases.

Presidential Elections 1868-1892 Generalization: The presidential campaigns of the last third of the 19th century were characterized, not only by mudslinging, but by violence, corruption, and outright fraud. In view of this, it is not surprising that the men elected to the presidency during this period were seldom great leaders. It is perhaps more surprising that these men were as statesmanlike as they were

Lots of ways to organize the material Lots of ways to organize the material. You can do what I did in lecture, talking about each campaign, and then evaluating the winner’s conduct as president. You might find it easier to separate your material into two sections, one on the campaigns, and another giving me sections on each of the presidents. Violence, corruption highlights: 1868 Grant vs. Greeley (nasty attacks on Greeley that cost him everything) 1872 Hayes vs. Tilden (potential violence of disputed election) 1876 Garfield vs. Hancock (post-election assassination of Garfield) 1880 Cleveland vs. Blaine (Burn this letter vs. Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?) 1884 Cleveland vs. Harrison (Big business buying votes) Statesmanship: Grants failure to reign in corruption Hayes good personal example, good intentions Arthur’s surprising push for reform Cleveland’s principled stand on the tariff

Free Enterprise The late 19th century was a time of phenomenal growth in business and industry. Along with this growth came all the problems typically associated with industrialization. Both the blessings and the problems or industrialization are often attributed to the "free enterprise" system, a system where government maintains a laissez-faire attitude toward business and economics. But it is doubtful if the economic system of the late 19th century can truly be characterized as one of "free enterprise. Don’t forget that that there are two parts to this question. In part one, you should discuss the business side of things, talking about the tariff, the railroads, the steel industry, the growth of the trusts, vertical integration, and outright monopoly. In part two, discuss the labor side of things, noting the loss of economic freedom for working people and the difficulties they had securing a place at the bargaining table, noting the way government interference worked against movements like the Knights of Labor and the AFL.

Urban and Rural Problems and Attempts at Reform Both city dwellers and farmers struggled with enormous problems as America transformed itself into an urban society in the 19th century. There were, however, many attempts at reform--some fairly successful, others rather disappointing. Lots of ways to approach this material. You can follow the pattern I used in lecture, talking first about urban problems and urban reform groups then moving on to farm problems and farm reform efforts, and then finishing up with the Populists and their attempt at reform. Alternatively, you might give me a paragraph on urban problems, a paragraph on farm problems, and then paragraphs on each of the reform groups including the Salvation Army, the YMCA, the WCTU, and the Populists. It would be good to include also some discussion about the role journalists played in attempts at reform.

American Expansion 1865-1900 The growth of the United States during its history has been phenomenal. In some ways, this is good. Expansion and growth are the signs of a healthy, confident society. But the tendency of the U.S. to expand its geographical boundaries has from time to time had its negative aspects as well. Both positive and negative aspects of the U.S. tendency to expansion are evident in the 1865-1900 period. Two sections to this essay, one on Westward expansion and another on American imperialism. The Westward expansion section could focus mostly on the negatives, as I did in class, noting especially the violation of fundamental American principles in terms of the treatment of Native Americans. However, if you like, you can talk about the positives, e.g., the development of the enormous resources of the West and Midwest. Life is good in Aberdeen…. The imperialism section could focus on the positives and negatives of American intervention in places like Venezuela, Hawaii, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.