Midterm Essay Test
History 202: American History 1877-Present
Professor David J. Ulbrich
February 24, 2005
For the midterm test, we could pick from three out
of the five questions asked to write about in essay form. I chose to do
numbers two, four, and five. On each essay I received a perfect score,
showing that I knew the material studied in class, very well and was
able to easily incorporate important details.
Question two: “What was the Harlem Renaissance
all about? Explain the cultural and artistic aspects of this movement.
How did the Harlem Renaissance fit into the context of the 1920’s as a
whole?
My Answer: The Harlem Renaissance was about
African Americans living in Harlem who developed literature, poetry,
art, and music in the center of Harlem. These African Americans were
known for using their cultural background and roots to express
themselves through writing, music, and art.
Some examples of people who were a part of the
Harlem Renaissance were Ma Rainey, a singer of jazzy blues, and Zora
Hurston, a writer of African American life during the early 20th
century. Participants in the Harlem Renaissance used their background
and culture to express themselves which eventually led to African
Americans advancement in the American Society. Many white folks gained
an appreciation of the arts from the Harlem Renaissance and grew to
love the talents and ideas of many black entertainers, who changed the
art, music, and literature world forever.
The Harlem Renaissance fit perfectly in the vibe of
the 1920’s. As women in the 1920’s started to express themselves more
through clothes, make up, support groups, etc., so too did African
Americans in the Harlem Renaissance. Women started becoming more
visible outside the home and could now go out at night with their
husbands to night clubs where African American jazz players, such as
Louie Armstrong, might be playing. Music from the Harlem Renaissance
allowed men and women of the 1920’s to let loose. The Harlem
Renaissance allowed many African Americans, and whites alike, to
express themselves, and gave many people a reason to go out on the town.
Question four: What important roles did
American women play during World War I? What reward did they earn by
this patriotic service? To what degree, if at all, did women’s suffrage
change the political landscape in the 1920’s?
My answer: Women played an important role
during World War I by being patriotic, keeping profits flowing, and
putting up propaganda. Women were the backbone in keeping the country
alive and thriving while their men were off at war.
Women kept the economy thriving by taking over men’s
jobs in factories, while they were off at war. Not only were they
supplying the troops with guns, ammunition, and war supplies by working
in American factories, but they were also earning an income for their
family while their husbands, fathers, or brothers were of at war.
Women also helped raise patriotism towards the war.
They collected money for war bonds, planted victory gardens, and joined
war support groups. These efforts helped to keep Americans supporting
the war and the troops over seas.
American women were also involved in propaganda.
They hung up posters for the CPJ about supporting the war and the evils
of the Germans. They also tried to rid the country of German
influences. For example they started calling Sauerkraut, Liberty
Cabbage and Hamburgers, Liberty Burgers.
Because of their patriotic services, women were
given the right to vote in 1920. They also earned respect from men and
started to be seen as more of a partner to men then a subordinate.
Women earned the right to be able to go outside the confinement of the
home more so then they had before the war. They now could be a part of
the night life and carry jobs outside the home.
Because of women’s new right to vote all of these changes like earning
the respect of men as more of a partner, being able to work and enjoy
time outside of the home, allowed women to slightly change the
political landscape of the 1920’s. They may have had a tendency to vote
the same as their husbands, but suffrage allowed them to make their own
choices and gain power and influence as a woman in the 1920’s.
Question five: What were the major issues
covered in the Treaty of Versailles? Why was the Treaty’s ratification
rejected by the Senate? How was Wilson’s idealism a factor in the
outcome of the debate in the USA? What role did Henry Cabot Lodge play
in the defeat?
My Answer: When working as a part of the “Big
Four,” Woodrow Wilson helped to develop the major issues covered in the
Treaty of Versailles. One issue was the disarmament of Germany. They
wanted Germany to give up their weapons to the allies. Another issue
was reparations in which $56 billion had to be paid by Germany to the
USA, Great Britain, and France for the destruction and devastation they
caused each country. Another issue was the break up of Austria-Hungry
into Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Lastly, a League of Nations was to
be established.
The US Senate rejected the treaty for a number of
reasons. First, they questioned who was in charge of the military,
because a League and treaty is more powerful then the US constitution.
Secondly, they didn’t want to be involved in war again. They wanted
World War I to be the last great war they were ever involved in. Some
within the Senate, called the irreconcilables, rejected the League of
Nations and the treaty while some known as the reservationists, like
Henry Cabot Lodge, were against the League of Nations but not the
treaty, if changes were made to it. Wilson was very stubborn and saw
the League and the treaty as a way for the US to have imperial power.
Since he saw the treaty and the League of Nations as a way to dominate
the world, he was not willing to make changes to them. Wilson and Henry
Cabot Lodge hated each other to begin with, but since Wilson wasn’t
budging, Henry C. Lodge wasn’t going to budge either until
ratifications were made or the whole thing was rejected. Lodge had many
Republicans on his side, so to reject his proposal would be the end to
Wilson’s Treaty. The Treaty might have been passed had Wilson been
willing to compromise, however he wasn’t, and the League of Nations and
Treaty of Versailles were rejected.
Professor David J. Ulbrich’s notes: On the front of my test
Professor Ulbrich wrote that my paper was excellent. He noted
that I used good examples for question number two and put the word yes
beside the third paragraph in my answer to question number two. At the
end of my answer to question number four, Professor Ulbrich wrote that
my essay was very good. Professor Ulbrich underlined words such as
“more powerful than,” constitution, and reservationists in my answer to
question number five, and wrote beside them the word good.
Source: Brinkley, Alan. American History. 11th ed.
Boston: McGraw Hill. 2003.
Whisenhunt, Donald W. Ed. America Between the Wars, 1920-1945.
Wilmington: Scholarly Resources Inc. Imprint, 2002.