CRITICAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, FALL 2011

THE TAKE-HOME EXAM

Answer the question below. Your answer should be about 4 double spaced pages and cannot exceed 5 double spaced pages (with regular fonts and margins). Where appropriate, citations to specific passages and information in our class texts should be done using in-text citations; here is an example (Ferling 144). Additional reading is not expected or desired; hence NO bibliography or list of works cited is necessary. Good luck!

Answers are due by 5 pm on Thursday, December 8 (one day later than original plan) MONDAY, DECEMBER 12 – e-mail to cgilbert@gustavus.edu or drop off at Chris’s office (Old Main 204B).

THE QUESTION: Discuss in detail TWO significant parallels or elements in common between ONE of these pairs of elections:

• 1796 and 1996
• 1800 and 1912
• 1800 and 1960
• 1912 and 1960
• 1912 and 1996
• 1960 and 1996

Your parallels/elements in common should be substantial, not trivial: “Democrats won both elections” is one example of a trivial parallel/element in common.