Our current president campaigned on the slogan, Make America Great Again.  It made me wonder, as an historian and almost-30 year teacher of history, what time period do you think he meant that America should go back to?  So, I ask you, as competent, well-versed APUSH students who have studied almost all of American history, when was America great?

The times when America was great, in my opinion, was when America has lived up to its highest ideals like equality, liberty, rule of law (where the law applies to all, rich or poor, weak or powerful), self-government, individualism, freedom of opportunity, diversity of opinions and cultures, and individual rights.  We have lived up to these highest ideals and qualities at different times in our history, but we have also failed at several times to come close to those values.  This has been when we have denied opportunities and freedoms to individuals based upon their ethnicity or race, when we have turned our back on the world, or placed the interests of the rich and powerful over the best interests of the common good.

If you’re like me, you may have a hard time narrowing it down to one specific time period.  I’m thinking of several, but I won’t reveal my answers until you guys are done w/ this blog.

Please answer the following questions: 

1. Give me a time period when you think America was great.  It doesn’t have to be the latest or the best (but it could be), a time in which you think America lived up to its highest ideals and values.  Explain in detail why you think this event or time period makes America great.
2. Provide an instance where in American history we have not lived up to our highest, most cherished ideals.  Explain in detail why you think we fell short, and if possible, how could we have done things differently?
3. Since the president didn’t think we were great back in 2016 when he ran for president, why do you think he thought we were not great then (in essence, what made America not great)?  Or, if you disagree with the president, why was America great then?  Explain with specific examples.  (I realize that he has changed his slogan for the 2020 election to Keep America Great, so one thing to think about is what did he do since becoming elected to make America great again in his mind).

Due Monday, June 8 by midnight.  400 words minimum for your total answer.