The Lived Experience of Ordinary People

Background: Especially since the 1960s, historians have sought to understand history not just as a series of major events presided over by generals and statesmen, but also as the lived experience of ordinary people. For this last discussion, begin by reflecting on your own past with an eye toward how American society has changed over the course of your life.

Instructions: In your response, focus less on major political or international events than on the ways day-to-day life in America is different today than it was when you were younger. You might consider such factors as the cost of goods and services, the forms of entertainment, means of communication, and so forth. Next, identify what you believe to be the most pressing problem facing America today, providing evidence from recent news sources to show that the problem is real and pressing. There are numerous issues you might consider, such as international security, personal and public debt, heightening racial tensions, economic downturns, and so forth. Be sure to provide concrete information to back your choice. Finally, describe how Americans at different times during the past 150 years have addressed problems similar to the one you identified, and assess whether those past solutions would be applicable today. Draw from material in your textbook or from scholarly outside sources, or both, when addressing this prompt.