FINAL EXAM

This is an open-book and open-notes examination, designed to be completed in 120 minutes. It is an opportunity to showcase your knowledge and synthesize it into broader themes, showing change over time with supporting evidence drawn from what you have learned in this class. Questions will be released 24 hours in advance of the due date/time. Submit the completed exam in Word (or a comparable word processing format) as an attachment here. Please do not use PDF as that makes it more difficult for us to provide comments and feedback as we grade.

The exam will consist of one ten-point essay, one five-point essay, and five ID questions worth two points each (total 25 points or 25% of grade). There is no strict length requirement for the essays, but your total word count on all essay questions combined should be between 800-1200 words. It is okay if it is longer; it is not ok if shorter. Each of the five ID questions should be 1-2 sentences long.

The exam tests your knowledge and analysis of course readings and lecture materials. You do not need to provide citation other than "as Freeman writes, etc.” Please quote, but keep those quotes short. 

Do not consult additional sources in preparing for this exam. Remember that both the instructor and grading assistant can Google and use Wikipedia to determine if answers have been obtained from online sources. We also can easily use a Google text search to detect plagiarism. You may study with friends, but I trust you to write this exam as a solo effort and refrain from converse with others while producing it. I am counting on you to adhere to the standards of academic integrity outlined by the University of Washington Student Conduct Code (links can be found in the class syllabus).

Grading guidelines:

TEN-POINT ESSAY:

10 – Outstanding content and analysis with extensive, specific examples from lecture and reading for each point made

8-9 – Very good, accurate, but could use some additional specificity and/or analysis

7 – Well done but missing some key points and full analysis of the facts, short on specific examples

5-6 – Missing discussion of full period, deficient on examples

3-4 – Incomplete coverage of period, vague or incomplete statement of facts and evidence from reading/lectures

1-2 – Incomplete or too general discussion, lack of evidence from class readings/lectures

0 – Failed attempt

FIVE-POINT ESSAY:

5 – Outstanding content and analysis with extensive, specific examples from lecture and reading for each point made

4 – Very good, accurate, but could use some additional specificity and/or analysis

3 – Well done but missing some key points and full analysis of the facts, short on specific examples

2 – Missing discussion of full period, deficient on examples

1 – Incomplete coverage of period, vague or incomplete statement of facts and evidence from reading/lectures

0 – Failed attempt

ID QUESTIONS

2 - Correct ID and explanation of why this person/place/thing is important

1 - Correct ID but inadequate explanation of importance

0 - Incorrect/failed attempt

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HSTAA 345 FINAL EXAM SPRING 2021

ESSAY QUESTION ONE (10 points, est. 60 min) 

Using specific examples from class lectures and readings as your evidence, discuss how and why the United States economy changed between the 1960s and 2020s.  This essay should address at least four of the following six questions, clearly show change over the full period of time, and each point should be supported by evidence from readings (primary and secondary sources) and/or lectures: 

• Why were American manufacturers and other industrialists generally so successful and dominant of world markets after World War II? 
• What kinds of domestic policies and economic opportunities did this allow? 
• How, why, and when did American companies' global economic dominance change?  
• Who were the winners and losers in the post-1970s economy? 
• What were the political repercussions? 
• What were and are some of the salient characteristics of 21st century economic globalization (consider work and workers, supply chains, political ramifications)?

ESSAY QUESTION TWO (5 points, est. 30 min)

Using specific examples from class lectures and readings as your evidence, discuss and analyze political change since 1960. This essay should address at least three of the following five questions, clearly show change over the full period of time, and each point should be supported by evidence from readings (primary and secondary sources) and/or lectures: 

• Who have been the most important constituencies for each party, why, and how has that changed over time?
• How did the media and technological environment of a particular moment factor into bringing voters together or driving them apart? 
• How has race factored into politics since 1960? 
• Who do you consider to be the important historical figures in each party’s evolution? (can be an elected official or can be someone else)
• What about the “red state” and “blue state” map is reflective of how America thinks and votes, and what nuances are masked by these classifications?

ID QUESTIONS (2 points each, est. 30 min)

Please choose five of the following seven to identify and explain their significance.

1. “A Time for Choosing”
2. The Tet Offensive
3. Proposition 13
4. The PATCO strike of 1981
5. The Hart-Celler Act of 1965
6. The Contract with America
7. The WTO in Seattle, 1999