Key themes of class Historical memory Bernstein s argument Example Essay Questions 1 How does historical memory play into how we remember Early American History brainstorm ideas like Civil war War of 1812 Revolution etc I Historical memory is fundamental to the constitution and understanding of early American History Define historical memory the way that we choose to remember people nations in history such as politicians we blow them up to be idols when they weren t Historical memory not only creates national identity and culture but also privileges certain events over others list what will be in the body of your essay in the intro The Revolution The way in which Americans have remembered the revolution It provided us with our birth the founding of the nation but also left things unanswered like left the question of slavery to be answered later rather than now neither was citizenship justification for westward expansion II Positive image national pride in soldiers etc lafayette democracy Cultural separation from england Daniel Webster s new dictionary Literary figures Walt Whitman Over playing the role of democracy III Negative aspect we choose to forget certain things citizenship the 1790 s struggle over the future of the country Alien and sedition act citizenship Bc it was unconstitutional it null and voided the 1st amendment Slavery Flip side of democracy not so much suffrage Indians IV Summarize what does this mean So what Historical memory relapses In the past they found comfort 2 What is the story of the Louisiana Native Guard 3 What was the principal cause of the war between the states civil war Be sure to discuss the logic of secession when explaining the cause this is a what question besure to determine the principal cause of war talk about nullification a belief that a state had the right to make null and void a federal law I Define Cause institution of Slavery start with compromise of 1820 it established 36 30 the free and non free territory of slaves Territory Dispute Slave vs Free Compromise of 1850 Fugitive Slave Act Whigs Free Soldiers Bloody Kansas Dred Scott John Brown Raid Secessionist attitudes Lincoln s Election 4 How did American nationalism develop in the early nineteenth century what were its principal characteristics I Argument defining nationalism city on a hill somehow we are different romanticism like webster dictionary II War of 1812 Battle of New Orleans Diverse American fighting force They all came together to fight off the red coast It implied unity III Conclusion summarize and then advance the argument further describe how american nationalism affect us today
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