Complete Short questions from American History Reading Module 4

1. List two factors in the environment of the slums in New York City that made people’s lives worse, according to Riis.

2. List two types of antisocial or criminal behavior that people did in the slum environment.

3. Do you get the impression that Riis wants to change the slum environment mainly because he really cares about poor people, or because of his disgust, fear, and contempt toward them? There is no “Answer” thread for this question, but please discuss fully.

4. What factors in Theodore Roosevelt’s childhood made him want to grow up as a strong, athletic, “man’s man”?

5. Theodore Roosevelt said “If I hadn’t gone to Dakota, I never would’ve been President.” How do you think Roosevelt’s experience as a Western rancher might have helped his political career?

6. Based on the section of the video about the Spanish-American War, do you think Roosevelt was a real war hero, or an ambitious publicity hound, or something in between? There is no “Answer” thread for this question, but please discuss fully.