Reconstruction and the gilded age

Overview

The content discussion this week examines Reconstruction and the Gilded Age periods during US History and examines their consequences.

Instructions

Select one (only one!) topic from the below and write a response to the prompt by the initial post due date.

1. Based on at least two primary sources and your readings (course readings or linked documents) on Reconstruction, which plan for Reconstruction – Lincoln’s, Wartime Congressional, Johnson’s or Congressional – do you believe was best for the nation? Why?
2. Based on at least two primary sources and your readings (course readings or linked documents) on Reconstruction, do you believe Reconstruction was successful? What did freedom mean for African Americans after the war? What positive changes did Africans Americans experience from Reconstruction? Negative changes? What might the American people or government have done differently to make their lives better?
3. Based on at least two primary sources and your readings (course readings or linked documents) on the Gilded Age, explain how industrialization contributed to the rise of the American labor movement? Do you believe that this labor movement attained its goals?
4. Based on at least two primary sources and your readings (course readings or linked documents) on the Gilded Age, describe the rise of American Big Business during this era. Do you believe that men such as J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie were “Robber Barons” or “Captains of Industry?” Defend your answer and explain why.

Make sure you use evidence from the sources and source types noted in your prompt to support your points. You may use sources other than those found in Recommended Resources, but you should write at least 300 words in your response.

Reply to at least two other students’ posts with substantive responses of at least 100 – 150 words, and be sure to reply to your instructor.