United States History & Government

REGENTS EXAM ESSAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

Mr. Spencer

January 2013January 2013

Thematic:Thematic:

Thematic suggestions:Thematic suggestions:You may use any federal law that was intended to address an important issue from your study of United States history. Some suggestions you might wish to consider include:• Embargo Act (1807) • Indian Removal Act (1830) • Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) • Interstate Commerce Act (1887) • Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) • Social Security Act (1935)• GI Bill/Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (1944)• Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

You are not limited to these suggestions.You may not discuss constitutional amendments.

DBQ:DBQ:

August 2012August 2012

Thematic:Thematic:

Thematic suggestions:Thematic suggestions:You may use any problem that was created by You may use any problem that was created by industrialization from your study of United States industrialization from your study of United States history. Some suggestions you might wish to history. Some suggestions you might wish to consider include:consider include:• corruption in governmentcorruption in government• exploitation of workersexploitation of workers• overcrowding of citiesovercrowding of cities• establishment of trustsestablishment of trusts• production of unsafe consumer goodsproduction of unsafe consumer goods• destruction of the natural environmentdestruction of the natural environment• increase in anti-immigrant attitudesincrease in anti-immigrant attitudes

You are not limited to these suggestions.You are not limited to these suggestions.

DBQ:DBQ:

June 2012June 2012

Thematic:Thematic:

Thematic suggestions:Thematic suggestions:You may use any presidential foreign policy decision that dealt You may use any presidential foreign policy decision that dealt with an international problem from your study of United States with an international problem from your study of United States history. Some suggestions you might wish tohistory. Some suggestions you might wish toconsider include:consider include:• James K. Polk sending troops to the Rio Grande (1846)James K. Polk sending troops to the Rio Grande (1846)• William McKinley deciding to annex the Philippines (1898)William McKinley deciding to annex the Philippines (1898)• Woodrow Wilson asking for a declaration of war (1917)Woodrow Wilson asking for a declaration of war (1917)• Harry Truman deciding to use the atomic bomb (1945)Harry Truman deciding to use the atomic bomb (1945)• John F. Kennedy quarantining Cuba (1962)John F. Kennedy quarantining Cuba (1962)• Lyndon B. Johnson sending combat troops to Vietnam (1965–Lyndon B. Johnson sending combat troops to Vietnam (1965–

1968)1968)• Richard Nixon improving relations with China (1972)Richard Nixon improving relations with China (1972)• George H. W. Bush sending troops to Kuwait (1990–1991)George H. W. Bush sending troops to Kuwait (1990–1991)• George W. Bush sending troops to Iraq (2003).George W. Bush sending troops to Iraq (2003).

You are not limited to these suggestions.You are not limited to these suggestions.

DBQ:DBQ:

January 2012January 2012

Thematic:Thematic:

Thematic suggestions:Thematic suggestions:You may use any appropriate Supreme Court case. Some You may use any appropriate Supreme Court case. Some suggestions you might wish tosuggestions you might wish toconsider include:consider include:• Marbury v. Madison (1803)Marbury v. Madison (1803)• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)• Worcester v. Georgia (1832)Worcester v. Georgia (1832)• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)• Schenck v. United States (1919)Schenck v. United States (1919)• Korematsu v. United States (1944)Korematsu v. United States (1944)• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)Miranda v. Arizona (1966)• Roe v. Wade (1973)Roe v. Wade (1973)• New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)

You are not limited to these suggestions.You are not limited to these suggestions.

DBQ:DBQ:

August 2011August 2011

Thematic:Thematic:

Thematic suggestions:Thematic suggestions: You may use any important event that was influenced by You may use any important event that was influenced by geographic factors or conditions.geographic factors or conditions.Some suggestions you might wish to consider include the:Some suggestions you might wish to consider include the:• Louisiana PurchaseLouisiana Purchase• construction of the Erie Canalconstruction of the Erie Canal• migration to California in the late 1840smigration to California in the late 1840s• Civil WarCivil War• purchase of Alaskapurchase of Alaska• building of the transcontinental railroadbuilding of the transcontinental railroad• acquisition of the Philippinesacquisition of the Philippines• building of the Panama Canal building of the Panama Canal • creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)• construction of the interstate highway system.construction of the interstate highway system.

You are not limited to these suggestions.You are not limited to these suggestions.

DBQ:DBQ:

June 2011June 2011

Thematic:Thematic:

Thematic suggestions:Thematic suggestions:You may use any constitutional amendments that have changed American society. Some suggestions you might wish to consider include the:

• 13th Amendment (abolition of slavery, 1865)• 17th Amendment (direct election of senators, 1913)• 18th Amendment (Prohibition, 1919)• 19th Amendment (woman’s suffrage, 1920)• 22nd Amendment (presidential term limits, 1951)• 24th Amendment (elimination of the poll tax, 1964)• 26th Amendment (suffrage for 18-year-old citizens, 1971)

You are not limited to these suggestions.

DBQ:DBQ:

January 2011January 2011

Thematic:Thematic:

Thematic suggestions:You may use any Supreme Court case from your study of United States history in which the Supreme Court addressed the issue of the constitutional rights of various groups. Some suggestions you might wish to consider include:

• Worcester v. Georgia (1832)• Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)• Korematsu v. United States (1944)• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)• Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964)• Roe v. Wade (1973)

You are not limited to these suggestions.

DBQ:DBQ: