The Teaching of History Part 5

47. Is it a secure investment?

48. What is its average rate of interest?

49. By whom is a national bank chartered?

50. May it issue paper money?

51. When was the first National Banking Act pa.s.sed?

52. Why?

53. Why should banking business be profitable under the act?

54. What advantage did the Government expect to receive in pa.s.sing the act?

55. Are deposits guaranteed?

56. May States emit bills of credit?

57. Is it const.i.tutional for banks chartered by the State to emit bills of credit?

58. Do they do so to-day?

59. Why?

Obviously as the year advances, the list of questions for review grows longer. An increasing amount of time should therefore be devoted to work of this sort.

_They will insure a better acquaintance with great men and women_

The most superficial observation will suffice to convince anyone that high school graduates know very little about the great men and women of history. The character sketches suggested earlier in the chapter, supplemented with occasional reviews, will do much to improve this condition. These drills may be conducted by asking for brief statements on the greatest service or the most distinguishing characteristic of the great men and women met with in the course. The same thing is accomplished by reversing the process and asking such questions as,--"Who was the American Fabius"? or "The Great Compromiser"? or the "Sage of Menlo Park"? etc. Questions on the authorship of great doc.u.ments, the founders of inst.i.tutions, the organizers of movements, reformers, philosophers, artists, statesmen, generals, accomplish the same purpose.

_They will be economical of time_

There are a vast number of review questions answerable with _yes_ or _no_. The student's knowledge of the subject may be quickly discovered and a rapid review conducted by a series of such questions. The following list on American history will ill.u.s.trate the method:--

1. Was Cromwell's colonial policy helpful to the American colonies?

2. Did the Revolution of 1688 have any effect on the colonies?

3. Were the Huguenots excluded from Canada?

4. Were the Writs of a.s.sistance used in England?

5. Did America ever have a theocracy?

6. Did the rule of 1756 affect the people of the colonies?

7. Was the Sugar Act legal?

8. Was there any effort to amend the Articles of Confederation?

9. Does funding a debt lessen it?

10. Did Hamilton's measures tend to centralize power?

11. Did the members of the Const.i.tutional Convention exceed their instructions?

12. Is a cabinet provided for in the Const.i.tution?

13. Does the Const.i.tution of the United States prevent a State from establishing a religion?

14. Is it possible for a State to repudiate its debts?

15. Does the const.i.tutional provision for uniform duties protect the Territories?

16. Was impressment practiced in England?

17. Did the Whigs favor internal improvements?

18. Did the North favor the Force Bill of 1833?

19. Did Ma.s.sachusetts favor the Tariff of 1816?

20. Did the Republican party stand for the abolition of slavery in 1860?

21. Did the Emanc.i.p.ation Proclamation free all the slaves in the United States?

22. Did the working-men of England favor the South during the Civil War?

23. Was it necessary for the South to resort to the draft?

24. Could a man in 1860 consistently accept both the Dred Scott decision and the doctrine of popular sovereignty?

25. Did Lincoln's a.s.sa.s.sination have any effect on the reconstruction policy?

26. Does the Federal Const.i.tution compel negro suffrage?

27. Was the Anaconda System successful?

28. Was a President of the United States ever impeached?

29. Were the claims for indirect damages in the Alabama claims allowed?

30. Did Calhoun favor the Compromise of 1850?

31. Did Thaddeus Stevens favor the Fifteenth Amendment to the Const.i.tution?