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Fall 2004 Final Exam Western Civilization Since 1650

The final exam will be an in-class essay exam.  Below you will find the essay question.  You can bring notes to the exam (an outline, but NOT a pre-written paper), and you can also use your textbook, the Brophy document reader, and your lecture notes in class during the exam.  So the exam will really be a lot like writing a paper at home....

Your answer must be in essay format, with clearly organized paragraphs. 

Your essay should have an introductory paragraph, in which you state your main points (your basic answer to the question).

Your essay should have at least six "body" paragraphs, in which you explain your main ideas (the main points of your answer). 

• Each individual body paragraph should focus on one distinct main idea/main point/main topic.  The task of that paragraph is to explain that one specific idea/point/topic as fully as possible. 
• In each body paragraph, you need to present evidence that supports your idea/point (examples from the textbook, lectures, and documents). 
• And in each body paragraph, you need to explain how or why that particular evidence (those examples) backs up (supports) you idea/main point.

Your essay should have a concluding paragraph that again summarizes your main points. 

It is a good idea to prepare in advance by writing an outline for each question, and by thinking very carefully about what you want in include in each section of your answer to each question.

Here is the question:

The Nazi Regime in Germany (1933-1945) was shaped not only by the ideas that the Nazi leaders believed in, but also by the ideas that they opposed.

So, it is important for us to understand A) what Nazi ideology was "for" (what they defined as their "positive goals"--what were they trying to create?); and also B) what Nazi ideology was "against" (the ideas that they defined as "bad"--the ideas and institutions they intended to destroy).  But it is ALSO important for us to understand how Nazi ideas were related to other ideas and events that came before (before 1933).

Write and essay that is divided into two sections (with at least three paragraphs in each section). 

In Section A you must explain AT LEAST THREE  ideas or goals that the Nazi regime supported (the ideas they were "for," what they were trying to create), AND you must explain the background of each of those three ideas.  (What ideas or events seem to have influenced Nazi thinking--for instance, what race theorists have you read about in the textbook or in Brophy that seem to have had ideas similar to the Nazis?  What events that we have discussed in class seem to have influenced Nazi foreign policy goals?  Etc.)

In Section B you must example AT LEAST THREE ideas or institutions that the Nazi regime was against (ideas they opposed, that they wanted to eliminate or destroy):  explain what these ideas were (that means looking back at notes/textbook/document from earlier in the semester) AND explain why the Nazi Party was against these ideas or institutions.

_________

Notes:

Obviously, the textbook and lecture sections on the Nazis are crucial; so is the Hitler material in the Brophy reader AND in the Wessley study guide (p. 102).

But you also REALLY have to think about how Nazi ideas were related to other ideas that came before, and that means you will need to review lectures/textbook/documents from earlier in the semester also!!!!  A VERY good essay (high B or A) will give an explanation (and examples) of what the Nazis support and what they opposed, but it will ALSO give a good explanation (and examples) of the "background history" of these Nazi views.