1. What was controversial about the expeditions of Christopher Columbus to the so-called “New World”?  What motivations prompted the European governments to fund expeditions for explorers such as Columbus or John Cabot over the next several generations?  What type of money-making ventures proved to be highly profitable in the Americas?  Describe how the Native American population was affected by the European settlements and the Columbian exchange.

2. Describe the English settlements during the 1600s and 1700s along the Atlantic coast of the modern-day United States.  What were the four distinct regions and what were some differences between them?  What conditions prompted certain people to move to the English colonies, including voluntary immigrants, indentured servants, and slaves.  How did the colonies become more profitable for England’s government by the 1700s?

3. Describe the series of taxes and regulations that the English government imposed on the American colonies during the 1700s.  What specific economic policies were incorporated by the English government during and after the 1760s?  What global war and post-war circumstances prompted the English government to impose these policies?  Provide examples of American protests and aggravations against the English.  Also explain the steps American statesmen took that eventually led to independent declaration from England.

4. Describe the factors that caused the U.S. government to transition from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution.  What issues during the 1780s in relation to the status of state governments and the Federal government influenced the transition?  Outline the three portions of the U.S. Constitution and the manner in which the current U.S. government is structured.

5. Explain the status of the United States economy during the late 1700s and early 1800s, and what burdens existed on the high seas for American merchant sailors?  How did the ‘cotton gin’ contribute to the improvement of the U.S. economy and the increase of slaves?  What two nations did the U.S. economy rely on most in relation to foreign trade?  What economic influences prompted opposing political factions?

Writing Instructions:

1. Choose 1 of the 5 essay questions to answer.
2. Write 3-5 pages to explain your position.
3. Paragraphs in this assignment need at least 5 sentences.
4. Type and double-space your answers.
5. Use at least two academic sources to support your answer.  (The textbook and/or notes from class may be used as references).  Do not use Wikipedia or Facebook or any other non-academic sources.  Consult the professor if you have any questions about what qualifies as an academic source
6. Use parenthetical citation format within your essay anytime you use one of your sources.
7. Provide a work cited page in addition to your 3-5 pages essay.

Citation examples:

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 helped influence anti-slavery attitudes in the North due to its stated policy that slavery was prohibited in new states north of the Ohio River (Brands, Breen, Williams, and Gross, p. 144).

The Articles of Confederation was replaced with the U.S. Constitution in part because the federal government lacked the central authority and tax collecting initiative needed to stabilize the infant nation (notes from class).

**After using a source with multiple authors more than once, you are able to shorten the citation by writing the first author’s name and then “et al”.  This is a Latin term meaning “and others”.

Example: 17th and 18th century New England women were presented with greater financial opportunities through involvement in poultry sales (Brands et al., p. 58).