Respond to the following five (5) prompts in the form of paragraphs.

1. Race theory emerged during the Romantic Period as self-proclaimed ‘science’. Based on our readings and class discussions, describe and explain, with specific examples, how and why this ‘science’ failed to live up to its own standards of objectivity.

2. Given our readings and discussions of (1) German Naturphilosophie, (2) philosophically minded men who engaged in scientific pursuits (like Oersted and Priestley), (3) various exploratory expeditions (like Ross’s voyage to the North Pole) and (4) the Romantic poets (like Coleridge), explain in sufficient detail why many of the Romantics were obsessed with the concept of ‘polarity’.

3. Based on our readings and class discussions, explain in sufficient detail the concept of “the Romantic genius/hero”. Explain with sufficient detail why Edward Jenner might be considered such a figure, and why he wanted others to perceive him as such.

4. Based on our readings and class discussions, explain in sufficient detail how the British used vaccination to assuage their imperial guilt in India. Compare this response with the response to imperial guilt involving breadfruit in the West Indies.

5. Based on our readings and class discussions, explain in sufficient detail how “electricity came, in the 1790’s, to be a symbol of revolution” (p. 179) for the Romantics.