American History Essay Topics to Consider

American History Essay Topics to ConsiderAmerican history essays often include a review of the U.S. Constitution, or the Declaration of Independence. These documents can be difficult to read for students, so it is helpful to have at least some background on these documents. These basic concepts should be familiar to every American history student.The US Declaration of Independence, as its name suggests, says that the states in question have declared their independence from the federal government. This was a common tactic in the founding period, and some states chose to do so voluntarily, others because they felt the federal government was not following the constitution. Both were acceptable, however. In the end, the states that opted for independence remained in the union as the United States of America. That is what the US Constitution was intended to accomplish.The US Constitution was a fairly large document, covering over four hundred pages. It included the Bill of Rights, which d ealt with freedoms of speech, religion, and association. It also addressed other issues like freedom of the press and equal protection of the laws. The bill of rights contained only provisions for common law. It was intended that all the laws of the land, including common law, would be applied equally.As time went on, the federal government became more involved in many areas of the US, including interstate commerce, income tax, banking, and the US Postal Service. While those laws did not interfere with the common law, it was possible to find some legal precedents. The Bill of Rights became obsolete when the 14th amendment was passed in 1951.During the twentieth century, the US adopted several foreign laws, such as a civil code for civil matters. Its criminal code focused on punishment. It also established the first judicial branch in the history of the United States. Finally, the first great war with the Axis powers came between1942 and 1945.The Second World War was just the start o f many different conflicts between the US and its allies, particularly Japan. Many of those battles were fought around the globe, with the US and its allies fighting enemies in China, South Korea, and Vietnam. American troops even went into Panama to fight against the communists there.When writing your American history essay, it is a good idea to consider the last decade or so, when many people changed their minds about communism, socialism, and communism. It has been said that socialism is the most dangerous system of economics ever developed by man. Some say that capitalism is better, but that it is an equal opportunity system.This difference in opinions on foreign policy is what made such a great deal of heated rhetoric emerge during the campaign season, leading up to the election of President-elect Barack Obama. The way to take advantage of this political mood will help you write a successful essay on American history.