Answers to the essay questions should be between 800-1000 words for each question. I expect that students will use proper grammar, paragraph structure and will proof-read their work for typos, misspellings, etc.
Answer only one of the following questions. Be sure to clearly identify the question you are answering. Be certain to include specific details and descriptions, and to cite the source of your information with page numbers:
1. Looking at the lives of the Jewish immigrants in Breadgivers, what did they perceive to be “American” in American society? What did they change in their lives, from religion to food habits and gender roles, to become “American”? Was more easy or more difficult for men or for women to do so? Looking at your other readings, do you think their choices were typical for the vast majority of immigrants in the Progressive Era?
2. Describe the evolution of racial exclusion laws (Jim Crow laws and the Chinese Exclusion Act). Point out how what these laws had in common, but also their differences across states, and how they changed over time, for example in how they defined African-Americans. Look at the laws themselves, and the interpretation of such laws by the U.S. Supreme Court and various state supreme courts, using Gjerde, notably. Why were such laws passed in late 19th and early 20th century America? Then discuss the impact of these laws on African- and Asian-Americans–how did they adapt and survive? Finish by discussing how, had you been a White community leader in the South at the time, you would have reacted to these laws.
3. Describe in detail the impact of the World War I era (1914-1924) on various immigrant and ethnic communities in the United States, and explain the reasons behind these events and changes. Your essay must mention specifically what happened to German-Americans and African-Americans, and include at least 2 other groups in addition to these two.
