Assignment: Portfolio Assignment

Part 1

1. What do you think the West came to symbolize in American culture?

2. What arguments did the U.S. government use to justify building railroads despite the damage to native cultures? How did such damage outweigh the benefits? How could the government have handled the situation differently?

Part 2

1. Although machine-run factories produced goods more efficiently, what possible setbacks or challenges would a company experience while transitioning from hand-production to machine-production?

2. What advantages and disadvantages do you see in allowing monopolies to operate?

Part 3

1. How did the inventions produced during this period change the average American's lifestyle?

Part 4

1. What evidence supports a belief that Americans can advance economically through hard and work and saving money? What are your arguments for or against the belief that the American dream is still possible?