1. Andrew Jackson deserves to be ranked among America's greatest presidents. Accept or refute this statement and back up your position with a discussion of Jackson's policies and actions as president.
2. Discuss the origins and development of the second party system. Which parties were involved? Who supported each of them? What, if anything, did they stand for? What impact did their actions have on voter interest and participation in politics?
3. Discuss the reform movements of the antebellum period. Who participated? What inspired the reformers? What assumptions did they make? What were their aims and accomplishments?
4. Discuss the rise of "popular religion" in antebellum America. In what ways did religious doctrine become democratized? What assumptions did the new theologies make? How did these assumptions affect religious, social, and political life?
5. Compare and contrast the positions of Jacksonian Democrats and Whig supporters of Henry Clay's American System on the issues of the proper role of the federal government, protective tariffs, internal improvements, and banking. How do you account for their similarities and differences?