Dr. T's History Blog » extra credit

How Old is Old Enough to Vote?

jefturner — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:15:36 +0000

Are 16- or 17-year-olds responsible enough to vote? Are YOU responsible enough to vote? Take a look at this opinion piece, which proposes that the voting age be lowered to 16. Tell me what you think by Monday before school, and you’ll receive extra credit.

Hollywood, Howard Zinn, and AP History

jefturner — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 13:17:24 +0000

Cards on the table, folks: I go back and forth on whether Howard Zinn’s A People’s History accomplishes what I want it to accomplish for this course. What I want it to do is this: I want an alternative perspective, something besides Brinkley, that will provoke a response and prompt you all to form your own interpretation. Whether Zinn is the best means to that end, I don’t know. You can help me by giving feedback. And maybe this recent NPR report on a movie version of the book, now in production, will help you form your own opinion. If nothing else, you may be interested to know that a lot of people outside our class are reading and talking about Howard Zinn. So listen, and respond.

The Woman Question

jefturner — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:38:39 +0000

People I know are talking about this column by Gloria Steinem. I’d like to know your thoughts about Steinem’s piece in the New York Times and about the role that gender is playing in the current presidential election. Please provide a thoughtful response, and you’ll receive extra credit in return. (Just to be clear, you should respond to the “this column” link and not the “Gloria Steinem” link, which will take you a Wikipedia entry.)

Religion and politics

jefturner — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:38:12 +0000

On Thursday, Republican Mitt Romney, a Mormon, delivered this address on his faith and and his presidential candidacy. A Mormon has never been elected president, and some have suggested that fear and suspicion of his religious beliefs could damage his candidacy. Romney’s Thursday speech was designed to address these concerns.

Please read Romney’s speech and write a brief response to it. What do you think of his ideas on religion and politics? Do you agree or disagree?

Books on the Constitution

jefturner — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:55:47 +0000

I’m curious what you think about the interpretations of the authors of these two books, recently reviewed in the New York Times. I’d especially like your reaction to the proposals of University of Virginia Prof. Larry Sabato, detailed in the second half of the review. I’m so curious, so interested in your reaction, in fact, that I’m willing to offer extra credit for a thoughtful response. Do so by Friday before class.

An historical perspective on reparations

jefturner — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:51:55 +0000

Every now and then, you’ll hear discussion about whether the United States owes reparations to the descendants of slaves. Here’s a video clip from a recent debate of Democratic candidates on this very issue. Now that you have some historical perspective on the institution of slavery, you should be able to provide some insight on the topic. So, watch the video clip, and respond with your opinion, supported by some historical perspective. The deadline is Sunday at midnight.

Getting better all the time?

jefturner — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:30:08 +0000

There’s a tendency for some, I think, to look at human history as story of gradual, incremental progress. This has, at times, been the case in the popular understanding of women’s history — that, over time, women have gradually accrued more and more rights and power.

Do you think this is true for women in the period between the end of the American Revolution and, say, 1850? Were things, as the Beatles might say, “getting better all the time”?

Write a brief response to this question — again, like the previous one, with a couple of supporting facts. No need to go on for pages and pages (ahem . . . got that Allie?). Just a brief paragraph with some factual support. The deadline is midnight Wednesday.

And, by the way, a special commendation to the student who gets the full connection between this topic and the Beatle reference.

So, what do you REALLY think of Andrew Jackson?

jefturner — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:29:47 +0000

You must get this question all the time . . .

Frontier democrat? Brutal exploiter of Native Americans? Friend of the workingman? Power-hungry lunatic who caused the Panic of 1837? Good guy? Bad guy? Love him? Hate him?

Give me your thoughts on this larger-than-life fellow, and support it with two relevant facts about him.