American Innovations: …examine how an American innovation impacted the country, and by extension, how it connects to or represents the American Dream.
How the innovation impacted the country
How it connects to or represents the American Dream
2 questions=2 sentences at most
EX: By providing citizens access to entertainment and information in the comfort of their own homes, television irrevocably impacted the country and contributed to the idea that leisure time is a key component of the American Dream.
American Icons: ...examine the life and impact of an American cultural icon and explain what their journey communicates about America, and by extension, the American Dream.
The life and impact of the cultural icon
What their journey says about America
What their journey says about the American Dream
3 questions= 2 sentences at the most
EX: Despite her early hardships, Audrey Hepburn’s career in theatre, film, and philanthropy proves to Americans that hard work and ingenuity can triumph over adversity, a principle key to the perseverant spirit behind the American Dream.
American Mysteries: ...present a comprehensive review of the known facts and commit to and support the explanation your find most reasonable. Then, explain what America’s fascination with the case indicates about the national character and, by extension, the American Dream.
Reference theories
Brief explanation of which you think is accurate
What America’s fascination says about the national character
What the fascination says about the American Dream
4 questions= 2-3 sentences max
EX: While it is still unclear whether Amelia Earhart’s plane went down over the Pacific or, as the evidence suggests, crash landed on a remote island, America’s enduring interest in her disappearance indicates the national fascination with the legacy of its heroes and, by extension, the survival of their American dreams.
American Controversies...present a comprehensive review of both sides of the issue and commit to and support the explanation your find most reasonable. Then, explain what the conflict indicates about the national character and, by extension, the American Dream.
Quick summary of both sides
Brief explanation of ideas you find reasonable
What the conflict says about the national character
What the conflict says about the American Dream
4 questions= 2-3 sentences at the most
EX: Prohibitions was controversial; while temperance advocates were convinced that liquor was the root cause of America’s social problems, much evidence suggests that the government was abusing its power. The conflict between those who supported prohibition and those who did not indicates that America is a country whose people are very vocal about preserving their freedoms, and when those freedoms (and by extension, their American dreams) are compromised, they will not hesitate to fight back.
American Movements: …explain the historical context that gave rise to the movement, how it’s impacted the country, and its current focus. Then, examine how it connects to or represents the American Dream.
Quick summary of historical context
How the movement has impacted the country
How it connects to the American Dream
3 questions= 2 sentences
EX: From the chaos of the Stonewall massacre to the organized political activism of the AIDS era and onto the progressive achievements today, the movement for LGBT rights has impacted America by demonstrating the importance of equal rights and inclusion, both components that are key to the health and future of the American Dream.