FINAL EXAMINATION  Due BY MIDNIGHT THE DUE DATE....No late exams will be accepted

Final Exam  Select one of the final questions/themes below to write on.

1.)  Compare and contrast the Gilded Age, the 1920's, and the 1980's in terms of  politics, economic policy, the status of labor, and the distribution of wealth.

2.)  Describe and analyze the impact of the Cold War on US foreign policy, domestic politics, and society in the years between 1947 and 1989.

3.)  Compare and contrast the motivations, policies, and historical outcomes of FDR's "New Deal" and LBJ's "Great Society".

4.)  Analyze the historical progress of the Civil Rights Movement from 1942 to 1970.

5.)  Describe and explain the history of American women from 1880 to 1970.  What were the historical milestones or key historical events?  Why were they so important?

Essay Format:
The essay must be at least 1500 words.    You must cite from the readings and lecture.  The only sources you may use are the Schaller textbook and the lecture notes.  The easiest way to cite sources is to use MLA parenthetical citations that includes the author's last name and page number (Mayer:199).   Your essay must have MLA citations from Schaller in every paragraph except the intro and conclusion.    Late Examinations will not be accepted.  EMAIL YOUR EXAM to: history118@gmail.com
 In each essay your first paragraph must contain a series of causal arguments that you intend to historically prove in the text of your essay.  You need to tell the reader what caused what to happen, when and why.  Never pose rhetorical questions in your essay.  Rhetorical questions are cheap literary devices that make your writing style non-assertive and give the reader the impression that you are not in control of your essay or the material.  Immediately give the reader your overall causal argument, and then, in succeeding sentences of your first paragraph list supporting arguments in chronological order.  The supporting arguments should be chronological in order and build on each other.
 The topic sentences of your paragraphs must do more than simply describe what the paragraph is about, they must also state why the paragraph is important to the overall argument of your essay.  In other words, the topic sentence summarizes the paragraph, but also links it back to one of the supporting arguments that you listed in your introductory paragraph.  You must have dates or at least periodize in almost every paragraph.  Paragraphs should be one-third to one-half page in length.  Finally, your essay must have a conclusion that restates your original argument in light of the data and facts that were discussed in the text of your essay.  A paragraph is at least four sentences long.
 To obtain an optimal grade your essay must be clearly written.  Clarity of style, proper grammar, spelling, analytical organization and logical coherence are essential if you wish to receive a passing grade.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TURN IN A FIRST DRAFT as your finished essay.  A decent paper will go through at least three rewrites.  Therefore revision, rewrite, revision, rewrite, etc., is the process that will earn you a good grade. I will be happy to read one draft, outline, revision, etc., of each essay.