MIDTERM 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 1000-1500 words. Each of the five ID questions should be 2-3 sentences long, or a short paragraph.

The exam tests your knowledge and analysis of course readings and lecture materials. You do not need to provide citation other than "as Ott writes, etc" unless you have direct quotes (but I would discourage you from using your word count in this way). You should 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 you are expected to write this exam as a solo effort and should not converse with them while producing it. You are expected to adhere to the standards of academic integrity outlined by the University of Washington Student Conduct Code.

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

MIDTERM SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY FRIDAY APRIL 30 AT 11:59PM.

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MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS:

1. LONG ESSAY (10 points possible). Moving decade by decade, describe the relationship between business and government in the United States between 1920-1960. How did it evolve? What were the catalysts for changes to that relationship? What are examples of that change that you encountered in your reading and lectures? What are the broader lessons we can draw about the relationship between public and private sectors in the United States?

2. SHORT ESSAY (5 points possible). What were the catalysts of mass suburbanization after World War II? Who were its beneficiaries? What were some of the critiques of the affluent, suburban society at the time?

3. IDENTIFICATION (2 points possible each, for a total of 10 possible points). Choose FIVE of the examples below (only five!). Identify them correctly and note why they are important to American history and to the themes and topics addressed in this class.

1. “A car for every purse and purpose”

2. Rep. Albert Johnson

3. The Great Engineer

4. Mary McLeod Bethune

5. the America First movement

6. NSC-68

7. Our Friend the Atom

8. William Levitt