EC #1 (Good Night & Good Luck)

Write a thoughtful comment to the prompt below (worth 1 point). If you thoughtfully reply to a fellow classmate's comment, you'll receive an additional 1/2 point.

Put yourself in the shoes of an American citizen during the 1950s McCarthy era. What do you think your daily life would have been like? What would you have felt going about your day? How would you have felt going to bed at night and waking up the next day?

EC #2 (Good Night & Good Luck)

Write a thoughtful comment to the prompt below (worth 1 point). If you thoughtfully reply to a fellow classmate's comment, you'll receive an additional 1/2 point.

According to the film, what kind of person was Ed Murrow? Describe who you think he might have been, using as many adjectives that you can think of to "paint" his character.

EC #3 (Good Night & Good Luck)

Write a thoughtful comment to the prompt below (worth 1 point). If you thoughtfully reply to a fellow classmate's comment, you'll receive an additional 1/2 point.

The film used real footages from the McCarthy hearings. Why do you think the director chose to incorporate real footages? What kind of effect did this have on you as a viewer?

EC #4 (Good Night & Good Luck)

Write a thoughtful comment to the prompt below (worth 1 point). If you thoughtfully reply to a fellow classmate's comment, you'll receive an additional 1/2 point.


At the end of the film, Ed Murrow and Fred Friendly are "removed" and "demoted" to a less favorable slot by the CBS executive. What do you think about how they were treated? What does this say about the TV industry and the executives' understanding of the American public viewers?

Good Night and Good Luck extra credit

After viewing the movie in class, comment on the posts with your reflection/opinion.

• Each post that you thoughtfully comment on will be worth 1 point.
• If you give an appropriate and substantive reply to a fellow classmate's comment, you will receive an additional 1/2 point.

Antebellum America Project Topic Assignments

Here are your topic assignments. Most people got either their 1st or 2nd choice:

• Religious revival - Brad
• Utopian comunities - Nick; Federico
• Social reforms - Megan
• Educational reform - Clara; Costa
• Abolition in the North - Jonathan; Nate
• Pro-slavery movement in the South - Katie; Dakota
• Women abolitionists - Emily; Barak
• Temperance movement - Richie
• Women's education - Erica; Joey
• Women's rights/suffrage movement - Tori; Adele
• Immigrant workers - Allen; Tommy
• Trades' unions - Daniel
• Industrial & Market Revolution - Lisa; Shannon
• Native American conflicts - Brandon
• Westward trails - Jessica

Jackson and Second National Bank

The Second National Bank's 20 year charter wasn't due to expire until 1836, but its supporters were eager to renew its charter early. They knew of Jackson's personal hatred for the Bank of the United States (BUS) and predicted that he would veto a renewal bill. However, by doing so, Jackson would lose favor with the public and thus lose the next presidential reelection.

Unfortunately for the National Bank supporters, they miscalculated the public's loyalty to Jackson and dislike of the bank itself. In 1832, Jackson--as predicted--vetoed a bill from Congress to renew the charter of the Second National Bank. However, he waged a very personal and public war against the BUS. He convinced the public to think of the BUS as a "privileged institution" that supported the "rich fat cats" in business. He argued that federal taxes were deposited into the BUS, but the private stockholders of the bank earned all the interest, not the average American taxpayers.

Jackson won the reelection of 1832. From the presidential mansion, Jackson undermined the BUS and had the secretary of the treasury move all of the federal funds to state banks that became known as Jackson's "pet banks." When desperate businessmen requested loans from Jackson's banks, he refused them. Pressure mounted, but in the Jackson won: the BUS' charter expired and 5 years later, it went out of business.

During the banking debate, many accused Jackson of being vindictive, stubborn, and actually causing an economic crisis. Some members of his own party believed Jackson was misusing the power of the presidency. Why do you think Jackson waged such a war against the BUS? Do you believe his motives and actions to be "appropriate" for the presidency?