US History AP Exam
The US History AP exam is the biggest load of crap ever! I'm running through a practice test and there are all of these questions on cultural things and colonialism. I swear, that's half the test right there. Where are the questions on policy?? I don't care about The Jazz Singer or the Chesapeake Bay Colony. Where's the questions on policy, the Constitution, or better yet: post-WWII foreign policy. Call me a... a... Nixonian, but foreign policy where the good stuff is at. Actually, I find constitutional law more interesting, but I admit it's not as relavant to a survey US history course. Gah!
Culture's important too, Adam
Not to the degree that it would seem to be by their treatment of it.
Adam, I know you probably can't handle this, but not all of history is policy and events. Also, culture affects policy more than policy affects culture.
Right, but the point is that minor cultural anomalies that were bound to occur at some point in time (i.e. The Jazz Singer) is a totally inappropriate thing to put on a test. Furthermore, the questions on culture should, as you suggest, be asked in the context of their effect on policy. Although culture may affect policy more than policy affects culture, policy plays a huge role in determining social structure and cultural response to political issues. Bah!