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America
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What is America?

America as a topic of academic study spans nearly every discipline, from history and political science to public health, literature, and cultural studies. Its breadth makes it a common subject in introductory college courses as well as upper-level seminars, where students are asked to examine the nation's political institutions, social tensions, and evolving identity. What makes the topic academically rich is precisely its complexity: the United States has served as a site of competing visions, from debates over economic policy and national power to questions of individual rights and social change. Papers touching on figures like Edward M. Bannister, Sam Patch, and Heather Whitestone illustrate how individual stories can illuminate broader national narratives.

The papers archived under this topic reflect a wide range of approaches. Historical analyses trace developments across defined periods, such as America's rise to world power during the Gilded Age or the military origins of the republic from 1763 to 1789. Policy-focused essays examine specific controversies, including welfare from a libertarian perspective, same-sex marriage, and the Cuba-related Helms-Burton legislation. Other papers take a social or public health angle, addressing issues like childhood obesity or health promotion strategies. Comparative and philosophical approaches also appear, as in contrasting the theories of David Hume and William James within an American intellectual context.

A strong essay on America establishes a focused thesis rather than attempting to survey the entire nation's history or character. Evidence drawn from primary sources, policy documents, historical events, or specific case studies carries more weight than broad generalizations. The most common pitfall is treating "America" as a monolithic subject — the strongest papers define a precise time period, population, or issue and argue a clear, defensible position about it.

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Research Paper Doctorate
History of Polish immigrants in Chicago
Polish immigrants have always been an integral part of the melting pot of America. Indeed, a Polish War Hero named Casimir Pulaski was granted a legion of men during the Revolutionary War.
Research Paper Doctorate
Late Tokugawa Reform and Foreign Policy
¶ … honored one, I offer this comment with grave regret that it shall even be received, for in his Excellency's well intentioned attempt to seek the advice of the more sagacious residents of Kyoto and Edo, he is playing…
Research Paper Doctorate
Geography, the Study of the Earth What
What are the most important things you have learned in geography this semester and how does a knowledge of geography have survival value for American citizens?"
Research Paper Doctorate
Political science concepts and applications
The Republican Party triumphed a majority in both houses of the Congress in the fall of 1994. This was the first time since the 1952 landslide of Eisenhower. It was believed by many that the Republicans had achieved the…
Paper Undergraduate
The anarchical interwar period and the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939
Beyond doubt, the world was in an anarchical state in the 1920s and 1930s, particularly as the Great Depression devastated the global economy and aggressive, fascist regimes took power in Germany and Japan.
Paper Masters
Race concepts and social dimensions
Race is a social construct. There is exists very little genetic difference among the various "races" of humans on Earth. This construct is central to many, and perhaps even most people on our planet. Race is a physical difference that draws clearly defined boundaries between people. Race can be the inspiration for war. Race is hardly an inspiration for peace, unfortunately. This paper will briefly examine situations when race has been used to hurt and subordinate others. This paper will reference examples of groups of people that are systematically via the social realms and institutions who suffer due to their race, an aspect over which they had no choice or say. Drawing from the series, The Wire, and a few readings, the paper will propose what the myths of urban poverty are, who are the authors of such myths, and how the myths are distributed and subsequently absorbed into culture.
Paper Undergraduate
Teach to the Test as William Hatfield
As William Hatfield presciently warned in 1916, when the ultra-efficiency of industrialization first begin threatening the independence of educators to craft curricula, "an education that focuses on memorising information to ensure reaching a single benchmark is an inadequate measure of success" because while "twelve years of school life has made [students] adept at memorizing … many of them are novices in thinking" (Mills, 2008). Since disastrous passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, which mandated standards-based educational practices and required states to devise testing devices to gauge student achievement, Hatfield's admonition has been proven to be disturbingly accurate. Since standardized testing became standard operating procedure for America's public school system, countless teachers have expressed their mounting dissatisfaction with the rigid and formulaic curriculum structures imposed on school districts by state legislatures. As an education major anxiously awaiting my opportunity to teach South Carolina's third graders, I share in the general consensus that teaching to the test is an unsustainable philosophy with far more drawbacks than advantages.
Paper Doctorate
Graduate and the New Left
This paper discusses the film "The Graduate." The movie is a perfect example of the new psychology which was emerging in the United States during the 1960s. Young people began to reject the value system put in place by their parents following the Second World War. They wanted to rebel but were also unsure of what outright rebellion would mean.
Paper Undergraduate
Relation of Game Theory and Gambling
The game theory is a critical form of decision making that is used in various subjects like economy and political science. Its relevance is becoming prominent in the success rates that have come out in gambling and sports betting. The theory is basically an amalgamation of different models of cooperation and conflict between various decision makers(Myerson, 1991) Thus, it can be safely stated that the theory itself is not just one piece of information solidly put out there yet it's a combination of different authors and experts. As mentioned earlier, the game theory has been linked to economic models, science, gambling like poker or sports betting and social situations as well. In the game theory the simplest way of putting it is analyzing the number of players and the moves that they are likely to take. Using this information, a person can guess and figure out the number of choices available and thus analyze the condition using the results of the theory applied. (Levine)
Paper Doctorate
Habermas\' Idea of Democratizing the Welfare State
Habermas idea of democratizing the welfare state is the following: The public sphere must actively deal with problems, dramatize and vocalize them so that they are taken up by official sources and dealt with. The ability of the public sphere to tackle problems on their own is limited. The public sphere however (namely society) must ascertain that such and similar problems do not arise again and that they are dealt with as effectively and speedily as possible. This idea is certainly not unrealistic and, actually is something that has become increasingly current in America in general and in many parts of the world in particular – at least wherever democracy has become an attempted way of life.