426

Should the states have the right to ignore the laws of the national government?(200 words)

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Number 2

Was the New Deal an effective response to the depression?(200 words)

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Number 3

From 1790 until the 1820s, the U.S. had generally regarded Indians as foreign nations, signing treaties with Indian tribes as they would have done with foreign powers. But some Indian groups resided within existing U.S. states, leading some politicians to question the legality of a sovereign and independent nation existing within one of the states.

General and future president Andrew Jackson believed, in the 1820s, that Indians were subjects of the United States, not foreign powers, and that decisions about land ownership and other negotiations should operate under that assumption.

Missionaries and government-funded programs had attempted to assimilate Indians living within the states, or bring them into white society, by promoting Christianity, establishing schools, and encouraging non-Indian farming practices and gender customs. But Indians were reluctant to abandon their culture and adopt white ways. At the same time, industrialization and improved transportation were encouraging many white Americans to want to move west, away from the crowded cities of the East Coast, meaning that many more whites would be coming into contact with Indian peoples.

As new Americans filled out the states east of the Mississippi River, they butted up against independent Indians holding prime land. President Monroe and Adams dealt with the mounting crisis by turning to an idea first proposed in the Jefferson Administration – that of removal. Essentially, government officials tried to convince the eastern tribes to exchange their land voluntarily for the new ones west of the Arkansas territory. The government, however, could not compel them to do so, for it had recognized tribal sovereignty under earlier treaties. As Hezekiah Niles reported in his weekly newspaper, many American citizens believe that recognition, plus the idea of Native American assimilation, needed to be examined. In the second document, Niles examines the description of Native Americans by Colonel Thomas McKenney, who directed Indian policy within the War Department.

In Andrew Jackson’s first inaugural address in 1829, he promised, “It will be my sincere and constant desire to observe toward the Indian tribes within our limits a just and liberal policy, and to give that humane and considerate attention to their rights and their wants which is consistent with the habits of our Government and the feelings of our people.” But his first annual message to Congress, excerpted on this page, made clear that his “liberal policy” would be centered around the removal of Indian people from the states.

1. From the view of these two sources, what benefits are there in the Indian Removal Act for Americans? What are the potential benefits for Native Americans? Be sure to cite examples from both readings.

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Fourth

The 1930s had a devastating impact on American agriculture. The Great Depression, coupled with a prolonged drought and dust storms in the nation's heartland spurred an exodus of displaced farmers to nearby cities or to the promised land of California. John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and a popular film based on the book captured their plight, tracing a dispossessed family’s trek from Oklahoma to California. Before the book appeared, Steinbeck had written a series of newspaper articles based on interviews with migrants, later gathered in a book, The Harvest Gypsies.

1. How do the migrants of the 1930s differ from previous waves of migrant laborers who emigrated to California?

2. What does Steinbeck feel are some of the injustices experienced by migrant laborers?

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Fifth

For this discussion prompt, I would like to challenge you to apply the concepts covered in Chapter 4 to your own research project within the social sciences of psychology or sociology. As you have already started to focus on an area of interest and a population of interest, let's dive deeper into how you can operationalize, measure, and analyze the variables relevant to your research question.

Here are a few bulleted portions to guide your discussion:

· What variables are you interested in examining? How will you operationalize these variables? How will you measure them?

· Consider whether you will be using non-experimental or experimental methods to collect your data. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each method for your research question?

· If you hypothetically did an experiment, identify your independent and dependent variables. How would you manipulate or control your independent variable? How will you measure your dependent variable?

Remember, the key to a successful research project is to carefully consider and operationalize the variables of interest, choose the appropriate research methods, and clearly identify the independent and dependent variables. I look forward to reading your thoughts and ideas on how you can apply these concepts to your own research within psychology or sociology.

For maximum points, please write your discussion post in the format articulated in Module 0 of this class.

Your response should be 250-500 words in length and demonstrate your understanding of the ethical issues in research methods and design. Be sure to use examples and evidence from the course materials to support your statements.