AMH 2020: American History Since 1877 – Assessment 2: Analytical Essay Write a 1,200-to-1,500-word essay that analyses the impact of the Cold War on American society, with particular attention to conformity as a response to fear, government authority, and shifting social norms. Draw on specific examples from The Catcher in the Rye, The Atomic Café, Howard Zinn’s Chapter 16, and the Baby Boom era.
Assessment Context This task sits in Week 8 of AMH 2020 and builds directly on the unit’s coverage of post-1945 America. Students have already examined the Truman Doctrine, the Red Scare, suburbanisation, and cultural sources from the period. The essay requires you to connect government policies, popular culture, and everyday life to show how fear of communism shaped expectations of loyalty and normal behaviour.
Learning Outcomes Identify and evaluate the social, political, and cultural effects of the Cold War on American life between 1945 and 1960. Analyse primary and secondary sources to support a clear historical argument. Explain how fear and authority influenced individual and group behaviour in the early Cold War period. Communicate historical analysis in a well-structured essay that meets academic referencing standards. Task Instructions Produce a 1,200-to-1,500-word analytical essay that responds to the following question:
How did the Cold War encourage conformity in American society, and what tensions arose for those who resisted it?
Your essay must:
Include a clear thesis statement in the introduction that directly addresses the question. Discuss conformity through government actions (Truman’s loyalty order and Zinn Chapter 16), cultural representations (The Atomic Café and Eisenhower/Johnson speeches), literary critique (The Catcher in the Rye), and demographic trends (the Baby Boom). Use at least four specific examples or scenes from the set sources to support your points. Explain the difference between compliance, identification, and internalisation where relevant, referencing psychologist Herbert Kelman’s framework. Conclude by assessing whether conformity provided safety or limited personal freedom. Reference all sources using APA 7th edition, including the four set texts and at least two additional scholarly sources. Submission: Upload as a Word document (.docx) via the Canvas assignment link by 11:59 pm on Sunday of Week 8. Late submissions incur a 5% penalty per day.