Assignment #10

ACIE American History - Cambridge International Examinations

Mr. Anthony Perno and Mr. Victor Wisniski – American Senior High School – 2009/2010 School Year

Syllabus Excerpt: III The Impact of Economic Expansion, 1865-1917

. . . Trusts and monopolies, attempts at regulation. Cult of the business ethics. . . . the rise of trade unions and increasing industrial conflict. Ford and the production line revolution. The Progressive Era and its impact on business.

· Reading Assignment: America, Past and Present, Chapter #23, From Roosevelt to Wilson in the Age of Progressivism, pages 655-683

· Assignment: Using the above reading assignment, the student will prepare to answer the following essay questions. (One question will be chosen randomly the day of the exam.) The essay should encompass all pertinent syllabus topics.

· Essay Questions:

1. ‘Progressivism was simply a set of superficial reforms which evaded rather than addressed the ills of American society.’ How far is this judgment valid?

2. Why was it so difficult for governments to regulate big business effectively in the period 1865 to 1890?