Answer to Question 1
An ideal response will:
1, Explain that, since the end of WWII, even though there have been rivals, the United States has enjoyed a preeminent role in global economics, diplomatic and cultural influence, and military power.
2, Discuss how the events of the 1990sspecifically, the collapse of global communism in Eastern Europe; the end of the USSR; the switch to a market economy by the Chinese; and the embrace of Western economic principles, in particular privatization and foreign investmentserved to enhance the U.S. position as it acted to organize a postCold War global economy.
3, Explain the challenges that have affected the sole-superpower status of the United States, including the resource strain created by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the rapid rise of China as both a military and economic rival.
4, Explain why the United States can or cannot maintain its preeminence in the four areas previously discussed, using specific examples from the text such as the split with our European allies.
5, Provide a clear and effective conclusion.
Answer to Question 2
New Deal