1. Discuss the rise and decline of college-student radicalism in the period 1960-1970. What caused the radicalism? Who became radicalized? What forms did radical protest take? Why did radical protest wane?
2. In 1964 Lyndon Johnson was elected president by a landslide. In 1972 Richard Nixon won an equally decisive victory. Yet each man was driven from office in disgrace. Explain the reasons for each one's electoral triumph and subsequent downfall.
3. Nixon, "who had built his reputation as a hard-line Cold Warrior, initiated a new era of détente with the communist powers." Discuss how and why the president accomplished this.
4. "While claiming to be the defender of law and order, the Nixon administration committed numerous illegal acts." Write an essay agreeing or disagreeing with this statement, and back what you say with as many facts as possible.
5. Some political commentators claimed that "the outcome of Watergate proved that the constitutional system had worked." Others believed that it further eroded trust in government and the ability of presidents to lead effectively. What is your interpretation of the outcome and its impact on the United States?