Cold War

Final Examination
HIST 2112 – United States since Reconstruction
Spring 2020

Essay
Choose an essay topic and answer the question in essay format. For the purposes of the midterm exam, essay format is a total of 5 paragraphs (estimated word length: 600-800 words).

1. What were the lasting effects of the New Deal? How did the programs expand the federal government’s authority? Why did the programs draw criticism from both liberals and conservatives?

2. What role did women and other minorities play in aiding the war effort during World War II? What challenges did they face? How did their involvement pave the way for social change in the post-war era?

3. How did the Cold War emerge in the post-war era? What people and events contributed to its growth in America? How did the policy of containment reflect this fear of communism?

4. How does the popular culture of the 1950s reflect the growing fear of communism? How did artists, musicians, writers, and social critics challenge the mainstream beliefs of the 1950s?

5. What characterized the social rebellion and struggle for change in the 1960s? What role did women, minorities, and the federal government play in creating a more equal society for America? What were the downfalls of the social protest movement of the 1960s?