APUSH Chapter 31 Essay Questions

 

1.     In the view of progressives, what was wrong with American society? What solutions did they try to use? Be specific.

 

2.     Most active progressives were middle-class Americans. Why was progressive reform more attrac­tive to them than to other “interest groups” at the time?

 

3.     List the five most outstanding achievements of Roosevelt’s presidency. Rank these five according to your assessment of their importance. Justify your ranking scheme.

 

4.     President Roosevelt spoke disparagingly of the muckrakers and their work. Do you agree with his view of these journalists? Why?

 

5.    Would you label Theodore Roosevelt a radical, liberal, moderate, or conservative? Justify your choice.

 

6.     Identify the “three Cs” of President Roosevelt’s Square Deal. Describe what he did to bring pro­gressive reform action in each of the three areas.

 

7.     Theodore Roosevelt is sometimes called the “first modern president.” Interpret this phrase and explain how it fits Roosevelt’s conduct of the office.

 

8.     Do you think Theodore Roosevelt’s claim that Taft had abandoned his policies was entirely fair? Why or why not?

 

9.     Describe in what ways President Taft’s conduct of diplomacy was both similar to and different from Roosevelt’s. Which do you think was the most effective diplomat? Why?

 

10.   It has been said of Theodore Roosevelt that “he stood close to the center and bared his teeth at the conservatives of the right and the liberals of the extreme left.” Do you think this is an accu­rate judgment of Roosevelt’s politics? Why or why not? To illustrate your argument, cite specific action taken by Roosevelt.

11.   The text’s authors argue that progressives “waged war on social evils—notably, monopoly, cor­ruption, inefficiency, and social injustices.” Identify at least one specific action undertaken by progressives to remedy a specific evil in each of the four categories in the quotation. Elaborate on the causes of each problem, its nature, and what progressives did about it.

 

12.     One observation of progressives was that they believed “the cure for the ills of democracy was more democracy.” Apply this observation to progressive action in city and state governmental reform; then assess the accuracy of the observation.