Making connections

 Your answers should draw upon all relevant readings and class materials: Your grade will be assessed on the clarity of your writing, the sophistication of your argument, and your demonstration that you have mastered all the material covered in class and in the readings. If you draw upon any material besides the material covered in class, then you must cite your sources. Your answer should be at least 3 double-spaced pages, using a 12 point font (Note: An “A” or “B+” response will probably need to be even longer). Respond to one and only one of the following essay prompts: 1. Drawing directly upon the textbook and the class presentations, explain how the Industrial Revolution transformed European and American life in positive and negative ways? Compare and contrast how the Utopian Socialists and Karl Marx sought to address the social inequalities and problems triggered by the Industrial Revolution. Why did the Industrial Revolution encourage Western societies to adopt Imperialist policies? What new motives and new tools for conquest did the Industrial Revolution provide Western powers as they sought to expand their empires? 2. Drawing directly on the textbook, the supplementary readings, and the class presentations, identify and explain the major problems and key events that led to the outbreak of World War II. Mentioning at least three separate incidents or series of incidents to illustrate your larger points, explain the impact that World War II had on civilian lives. 3. In emphasizing the brutality of slavery, some historians have compared the institution of slavery to a concentration camp and emphasized the inability of slaves to resist the harshest aspects of slavery, to challenge their masters, to make effective long-term plans, and to strive to establish positive relationships with family members and other slaves. To what degree does the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass support this interpretation of slavery? To what degree does the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass challenge this portrayal of slavery?