Welcome to the Third Exam!
For this exam, you need to discuss the following two questions, as posted in the course syllabus:
1. Discuss the evolution of the Party Systems that we have covered in class. Begin by giving an overview of how the first political parties came into being. Then discuss examples from the 1790s that show the First Party System in action. Next, show how the First Party System came to an end, and how the Second Party System came into being. End by giving examples from presidency of Andrew Jackson that help show the salient characteristics of the Second Party System. And again, in your essay, remember to use specific examples of dates, events, people, and places to support your general observations.
2. Discuss what you consider to be the major causes of the Civil War. Since this is a very broad question, organize your discussion into long-term, short-term, and trigger causes that led to the outbreak of fighting in 1861. In your essay, remember to use specific examples of dates, events, people, etc. to support your general observations. Be sure to refer to specific places as well to add a geographical context to your essay where possible.
When constructing your essays, keep the following in mind:
1. Begin with each essay with a very short introduction that makes the purpose of the essay clear (don’t go into detaiL.save that for the body of your essay).
2. Be sure to address each part of the outline for each question as discussed in class.
3. Support your general observations with specific examples of events, dates, people, places, etc., that are directly related to the question.
4. Wherever you feel it’s relevant, briefly explore the importance of geography (and the environment) in your essay.
5. As usual, be sure to proofread carefully.
6. Do not use any additional sources (just the textbook and videos) for this essay. And, do not use quotes from the textbook (unless the exact language is important to make your point)… use your own words.