You will use the link above to submit your Paper.
Note: Before beginning this assignment, read through the information contained in the Academic Integrity link on the course menu to the left.
The core assignment of this course is a video reaction paper (1500-2000 words in length, approx. 5-8 pages double-spaced, 12-point font).
ASSIGNMENT: Compose a well-written reaction paper reviewing videos from one of the files
Great Depression
Decisions
Vietnam War
Cold War
Money
Red Menace
INSTRUCTIONS: Go to Video Reaction Paper tab in Hist 1302 Blackboard page and select ONE file from folder. Read the specific instructions for that file below.
Your essay will briefly review all videos/documents in the selected collection. Analyze the material based on information you have learned in the course.
For example, what is the speech and who is the audience? What is their position on the major issues of that day? What is the speaker’s view of American History? How does this speech reflect politics and religious views of the period? How does this fit into the course?
You may use additional sources, but should be able to complete the project with only the textbook, class notes and the items in the file you choose.
Final Paper due: 3 May. I will not accept any late papers without prior approval.
Plagiarism: Will not be tolerated. I reserve the right to not grade any paper I deem to be plagiarized. This includes the use of such programs as ChatGPT or Grammerly. See announcements for full policy.
REQUIRED FORMAT:
Minimum of five full (5) pages, maximum of eight (8) pages. (no cover page)
Twelve (12) point Calibri/Ariel font type; double-spaced on 8.5 X 11-inch paper
No subheadings in text, no space between paragraphs
Italics for Book/video titles, magazine article title in “quotes.”
Avoid contractions (can’t, won’t…)
Normally spell numbers below 100, except dates / percent.
One-inch margins. Many word processing programs have default margins of 1.25 inches. Adjust your margins accordingly.
No bibliography unless you use outside resources
All sources except for the videos must be cited. Use in-line citations ex: (Locke, American YAWP, 204).
See: http://clas.uiowa.edu/history/teaching-and-writing-center/guides/organization for more help.
Style guide:
The essay should be written in third person. The exception is the conclusion in which you will describe what you learned from the project.
SUGGESTED OUTLINE:
Introduction paragraph—restate the project and the file you have selected and why.
Tell me about each video- what was it about, when was the speech/statement made, where, and who was the audience? Why is it important? You should have a short paragraph on each video/document in the file, or combine like items.
Write a paragraph or two analyzing the videos as a whole in light of everything you learned in class, from the book, essays and outside readings.
Conclusion- Answer the specific question listed for that project. Here is also your opinion, so it is ok to you ‘I’ in this paragraph only. What did you learn from this project? Was it useful or not in helping you understand the period? Anything surprising?
GRADING CRITERIA: See Rubric for grading details
Essay demonstrates a clear understanding of the subject matter.
Supporting evidence—i.e., book/lecture references.
Adherence to required format, grammar, spelling, neatness, etc.
Essay contains sufficient support for author’s position.
1. Great Depression Folder:
“Fear the Boom and Bust”
Top Three Myths about the Great Depression and the New Deal.
The Great Depression – Professor Chesterton.
Amity Shlaes author of “The Forgotten Man”—focus on first 5 minutes.
Franklin D. Roosevelt inauguration address.
Milton Friedman Explains the Cause of the Great Depression.
Ronald Reagan – “A Time for Choosing”—focus on minutes 2:30 to 7:73
INTRO – Individualism vs. Collectivism.
Your book and the lectures have presented various views on the causes and correct response to the Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. View the above video excerpts and write a paper that reacts to them. Each presents a strong alternate argument related to government intervention. Compare these videos to the textbook and lectures. Based upon the book and these videos—In your opinion, what caused the Great Depression and what should have been done in response to the crash?
2. Decisions Folder:
Harding- Return to Normalcy speech
Hoover- On the stock market crash
Roosevelt- Quarantine speech
Truman- decision to use the Nuclear Bomb
Eisenhower Address on Little Rock Integration Problem
Kennedy- Bay of Pigs
Carter- Desert 1
Reagan Iceland meeting with Gorbachev
Bush 9-11 attacks speech (min 5:30 to 10:30 and min 35 to 40)
Throughout this semester, we have seen presidents make unpopular or hard decisions. The videos above chronicle speeches from Harding to Reagan. How did they explain their decisions to the American people? Assess each on their ability to inform and quality of their argument. In your opinion, how should president’s best deal with informing the nation about these difficult decisions and should the president keep secrets from the nation.
3. Money Folder:
The Constitution
FDR on mortgages, gold, reflation
Gold Standard: Milton Friedman
McKinely on Gold
1974 SPECIAL REPORT: “INFLATION”
Houston 1979 gas rationing
Sowell: Abolish the Federal Reserve
1944 Bretton Woods Conf
Nixon Ends Bretton Woods
Peter Schiff: GOLD Price Floor
Why The U.S. Won’t Pay Down Its Debt
Throughout the semester, we have discussed the money, banking and gold. View the above videos/documents and write a paper reacting to each. Analyze this in light of Article I, Section 10, Clause 1 of the US Constitution and everything you have learned from the lectures and readings in this course. Answer the question—In your opinion, what, if anything, can be done to resolve the debt crisis hanging over America?
4. Cold War Folder:
Tetris History of the Soviet Union
Winston Churchill Iron Curtain Speech —watch the whole excerpt
Eisenhower Farewell address—focus on minutes 3:40 to 11:00.
JFK Inaugural— focus on minutes 2:00 to 6:00 and 7:45 to 9:24.
Reagan Time for Choosing—watch the whole excerpt.
Reagan at Berlin Wall—watch the whole excerpt.
The fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989 news footage.
Read George Kennan excerpt.
The Cold War was a 45-year struggle to determine the world’s dominant political and economic system, fought though propaganda, proxy wars and other means. Throughout the period, the world stood on the edge of destruction. A remarkable consensus existed on the proper response to the Cold War throughout most of the period. In your opinion, was the outcome preordained? Why or why not.
5. Red Menace Folder
Make mine Freedom
Red Scare and HUAC
Rosenberg Sentenced to Death
Alger Hiss before HUAC
Survival under atomic bomb
Dr. Strangelove.
Fail-Safe – Trailer
Fail-Safe – clip on nuclear war
The Russians Are Coming, trailer
The Day After trailer
Red Dawn Trailer
Throughout the Cold War, the reality of facing a determined enemy and fear that that enemy would succeed infused all aspects of American culture. Cartoons, newsreels, movies and television shows all dealt with this topic on a regular basis for forty years. Review the above clips, movie trailers and news reports. Consider the fine line between fear and paranoia. In what ways did Hollywood both spur on and try to minimize the real problem that existed? How was humor used to take the edge off the fear that the world could end at any moment?
6. The Vietnam War Folder:
Domino Theory excerpts
JFK at the UN on Vietnam
LBJ Gulf of Tonkin Incident speech, 1964
LBJ Speech on the war, 1967
Antiwar video
Nixon announcing end of US phase of the war, 1973
Fall of Saigon news footage
Read the General Weyand Document (letter of intro and Section 1 only)
The Vietnam War proved to be one of the most divisive events in American history and broke down the security and cultural consensus of the nation. View the videos detailing presidential understanding of the issues and correct American response, as well as the final outcome. Analyze this with specific reference to the Cold War context and General Weyand’s Vietnam Assessment on blackboard. In your opinion, should the U.S. have become involved in the Vietnam War? Whether it became involved or not, what could the nation have done to improve the chance for a successful outcome?
TOTAL: /120
Submission Instructions:
Complete your assignment as instructed. The following submission option are available:
1. upload word document to safeassign link in the Video Project tab
If you have any problems, please contact the intructor for alternate instructions.
Fear the Boom and Bust: Keynes vs. Hayek – The Original Economics Rap Battle!
Duration: 7:33
User: n/a – Added: 1/24/10
Franklin D. Roosevelt inauguration address
Duration: (2:40)
User: iconic – Added: 11/4/11
Top Three Myths about the Great Depression and the New Deal
Duration: (2:13)
User: Learn Liberty – Added: 6/17/11
