May 2011 Archives

Lesson #40: African Slave Trade

By Katie Murr on May 31, 2011 9:45 PM | No Comments

Our major topic for today will be the African Slave Trade. 

The Atlantic slave trade

Consider these to be guiding questions as we look at the Atlantic slave trade:

  • How did the Atlantic slave trade begin?
  • How did the slave trade function?
  • What was the impact of the slave trade?
I've got a variety of resources here to help familiarize you with various aspects of the Atlantic slave trade. 

Here's are two excerpts from the PBS series, "Africans in America." The first is on The Atlantic Slave Trade and the second is on The Middle Passage.

Timeline of Slavery This covers some of the major events in the slave trade, particularly those involving the United States.

The Atlantic Slave Trade and Slave Life in the Americas: A Visual Record is a series of more than 1000 images collected by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.


The Debate over Reparations

Here's an article that, while getting a little old, helps introduce you to the debate over reparations in the United States:

In order to discuss this as a group, we'll frame the issue in the following resolution. We'll start by assigning you to one side (affirmative or negative), but you'll later be free to express your own opinion.

Resolved: that the United States should pay monetary reparations to African-American descendants of slaves and to African nations whose development was impacted by the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Let's hear what you have to say on this topic...


HOMEWORK:

Please finishing your reading for the year with "The Columbian Exchange and Global Trade."  It's Section 4 of Chapter 20. Your final reading quiz of the year will be matching.

Lesson #39: Europe and the Americas

By Katie Murr on May 30, 2011 9:02 PM | No Comments

Today, we'll discuss/debate the impact of Europeans upon the Americas...

First, we'll go back to the material on China and Japan.

China: You are adviser to Emperor Qian-long (p. 539), who ruled from 1736 to 1795. It is 1775, and he asks your opinion as to whether or not he should decrease restrictions against Dutch and British traders. At that time, they were required to pay tribute and to "kowtow" before the emperor, and they were allowed access only to special ports. Do you recommend making it easier to trade?

Japan: It is 1615, and you are an advisor to Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Trade has brought cannons, goods and Christian missionaries to your shores from Portugal and elsewhere. Some want you to drive the foreigners out, and you actually banned Christianity three years earlier. Should Japan seal its borders (except for the port of Nagasaki, which the shogun controls) and become a "closed country"?


Europe comes to the Americas We'll spend the rest of the class holding a discussion on Spain's empire in the Americas. 

These are some resources that you might find useful:

Here are some questions to get us started:

  • Should history remember Christopher Columbus as a "hero" or a "villain?" Why?
  • Should the United States celebrate Columbus Day? Why or why not?
  • Is teaching a "Columbus Myth" (whatever that means) to young children necessarily a bad thing? Why or why not?
  • Is it unpatriotic to challenge conventional wisdom on a figure like Christopher Columbus?

  • Are high school history teachers trying too hard to be "politically correct"? Should they be?
  • Does the media try too hard to be "politically correct"? Should they change their ways?

  • Are the "conquistadors" guilty of genocide? Crimes against humanity? Others?
HOMEWORK:

Please read Section 2 of Chapter 20 for tomorrow.  Complete the quiz at home.  Read Section 3 of Chapter 20 as well.  You will have a quiz on this material in class tomorrow.

Read the following articles to prepare for a debate that we will have tomorrow.  The first article is getting a little old, but it helps introduce you to the debate over reparations in the United States:

Lesson #38: Isolation versus Engagement

By Katie Murr on May 26, 2011 3:01 PM | No Comments

We will review the timelines that you produced last night.  Our goal will be to review not only the material from chapter 19, but to look for any patterns in the information.  Be prepared to share some of the events that you added to your timelines.

Memo to an Emperor / Shogun: You can choose to work with ONE partner on this if you would like. As you know, both China and Japan chose policies of isolation for centuries. You're going to be placed at a key point in the history of one of these two cultures, and you will draft a memo for the ruler as to whether or not you believe that isolation is the best policy. Here are the two scenarios from which you may choose, and the specific instructions are below.

China: You are adviser to Emperor Qian-long (p. 539), who ruled from 1736 to 1795. It is 1775, and he asks your opinion as to whether or not he should decrease restrictions against Dutch and British traders. At that time, they were required to pay tribute and to "kowtow" before the emperor, and they were allowed access only to special ports. Do you recommend making it easier to trade?

Japan: It is 1615, and you are an advisor to Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Trade has brought cannons, goods and Christian missionaries to your shores from Portugal and elsewhere. Some want you to drive the foreigners out, and you actually banned Christianity three years earlier. Should Japan seal its borders (except for the port of Nagasaki, which the shogun controls) and become a "closed country"?

Instructions for the "memo": Once you have chosen your scenario and decided on your position, you need to draft your memo. First, it should have an appropriate greeting for your emperor/ shogun. Your memo needs to consist of

1.  A central argument (answer to the question/thesis)

2.  Three major arguments (or "bullet points" if you like memo-speak) in support of your central position. 

**Each supporting argument should be explained in a minimum of three good sentences.

These memos are due Tuesday.

Homework:

Reading Chapter 20, Section 1 for Tuesday.

Finish your memo for Tuesday.

Unit #4 Essay Exam - Questions and Format - You'll also write one more essay as part of the Unit #4 Exam. This essay will be turned in NO LATER than your arrival at the final exam. Below you can find both the questions from which you will choose and the format for the essay portion on the Unit #4 Exam.

Format: The actual essay will be written, by hand or word-processed. You should prepare for a five-paragraph essay. That means that you should include an introduction (with a clear thesis statement), three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. (Note that the questions lend themselves to such a format. That is on purpose.)

Remember that the questions are not designed for you to tell us everything you have learned. Focus on what the question is requiring you to do.


1. YOU MAY CHOOSE EITHER THE RENAISSANCE OR THE REFORMATION FOR THIS QUESTION. DO NOT CHOOSE BOTH OR "MIX AND MATCH."

The Renaissance/ Reformation was a time of profound change for the people of Europe. Identify and explain what you believe to be the three most significant impacts and/or legacies of the Renaissance/ Reformation. What single historical figure do you believe best epitomized the spirit of the Renaissance/ Reformation? Why?

2. Identify and explain what you believe were the three most significant motivations that led to the Age of Exploration in Europe and elsewhere. What historical figure do you believe best symbolizes the spirit of this period? Why?

3. The voyages of Christopher Columbus to the Americas certainly had lasting impacts. Identify and explain what you believe are the three most significant consequences of the voyages of Christopher Columbus. Do you believe he should be remembered as a hero or a villain? Why?

Identifications:  For the final exam, you will write on your choice of 5 of the 8 identifications that appear on the Unit #4 exam chosen from the list below. You may bring 10 words of "notes" for each of the 15 possible identifications to the exam. (Printed out; not on your computer.) You will need to turn in these notes, and I reserve the right to count symbols, acronyms, etc. as one or more words. Each of the five identifications is worth 5 points.

A good identification is typically in the range of 4 to 6 sentences in length. (You do need to write in complete sentences.) You should demonstrate both an understanding of just who / what the ID "is" and place it in the appropriate historical context. In addition, you need to explain the significance of the ID. In other words, answer the "So what?" question.

Quetzalcoatl
Machu Picchu
humanism
Michelangelo
The Prince
Johann Gutenberg
John Calvin
Jesuits
Suleyman the Lawgiver
Akbar
Zheng He
Tokugawa Shogunate
Hernando Cortes
middle passage
Columbian Exchange

Lesson #37: Age of Exploration Continued

By Katie Murr on May 26, 2011 8:50 AM | No Comments

Today's lesson will be a continuation of what we started yesterday. Tomorrow, we'll focus more on China and Japan's decisions to turn inward toward isolation at this time period. This Age of Exploration (and its consequences) is basically our topic for the rest of the way.

Here's where we left off... I'll give you a few minutes to meet with the others who had the same voyage(s), and then we'll hear from all the groups.

Conquest of the Oceans:

  • Treasure fleets of Zheng He
  • Prince Henry sends ships along the African shore
  • First voyage of Cristobal Colon (aka Christopher Columbus)
  • de Gama's sea voyage to India
  • Magellan circumnavigates the world

Using both the notes and the sources, try to figure out answers to these questions:

    1. Who ordered or authorized the voyage?
    2. What reasons were given for making the voyage?
    3. How was the voyage paid for?
    4. What were the attitudes of the voyagers towards the people they met?
    5. What problems were encountered with people they met?
    6. Who benefited from the voyage? How?
I've got a couple of general questions for you following these "reports."

Key Terms, Places, and Events:
Dutch East India Company, Netherlands, Batavia on Java, Amsterdam, English East India Company

HOMEWORK:

**Timeline - Chapter 19: I'm surprised we've gotten to this point in the year without me having you create a timeline. I think they are a great way to see comparisons and contrasts between events and over time. It's not about memorizing the dates, but rather about seeing how the events occur in relation to each other.

You should download a Chapter 19 - Timeline. Depending on how fancy you want to be, you can use shading, borders, "paint" features, etc. in Microsoft Excel. Or, you can simply use it to place the information correctly. Notice that I've given you one example for each of the three cultures or "sections" from the chapter.

Your job is to add additional events, periods, reigns or whatever it is that you find important.

  • Europe: I'd expect a minimum of ten additional events from the material in Section 1 of Chapter 19 as well as Section 1 in Chapter 20. (Coincidentally, you're asked to read that as homework for Tuesday.)
  • China: Add a minimum of six additional entries from Section 2 in Chapter 19.
  • Japan: Add a minimum of six additional entries from Section 3 in Chapter 19.
Once you've finished, look back for relations between events. Are there any conclusions that you can draw from this sort of visual representation?

**Read Chapter 19, Section 3 for tomorrow.

Lesson #36: Age of Exploration

By Katie Murr on May 25, 2011 9:13 AM | No Comments

The Age of Exploration: We'll do a number of things to try to understand how and why the Europeans (particularly the Spanish and Portuguese in the beginning) began to venture further from home, forever changing the course of history.

For those of you thinking about the reading and the Unit #4 Objective Exam, I'd be sure I could define the following terms and answer the following questions:

Defining terms: "God, Gold and Glory," Prince Henry the Navigator, Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, Treaty of Tordesillas, Dutch East India Company

  • What motivated the Age of Exploration?
  • What scientific and technical advancements made the Age of Exploration possible?
  • What were the early claims of the Portuguese? The Spanish? Others?


"Seeing" the World: This first activity will help us see just how differently people saw the world of five hundred years ago as opposed to the GoogleEarth outlook of today. Pairs of you will get a copy of a map to show us on the overhead. (If you want a better look at the little writing on your map, go to the original source at A World History for Us All and scroll down to pages 22-30.)


Preparing for the Voyage: First, let's make sure we've "packed" what we need in terms of new technologies and knowledge...

Discussion question #1: If you were planning a long-distance sea voyage during the second half of the 15th century to little-known destinations along unknown routes, what problems with the physical environment would you expect to have to deal with during the voyage? What problems of human-to-human relations would you expect to have to deal with on board and on arrival at your destination? What might you do to minimize or deal with these problems?

Discussion question #2: What personality traits do you think would have been helpful to the long-distance mariners of the 15th and 16th centuries? How would they have been helpful? Who, if anyone, in modern society is called upon to possess a similar set of qualities?

Discussion question #3: How accurate is this statement? "It was adopting and adapting the ideas and technologies of earlier times and other peoples, rather than anything they came up with on their own, that made possible the long distance voyages of the Iberian mariners in the 15th and early 16th centuries."

Discussion question #4: How would you rank the following in terms of importance to voyages such as (#1) da Gama's reaching India and returning and (#2) Columbus' crossing the Atlantic and returning? Explain why.

  • Technological changes in European ship design after about 1400
  • Existence of reasonably reliable east-west and west-east wind systems
  • Changes in the representation of the world on European maps after about 1400
  • Europeans learning to use the stars/ planets to establish their latitude and distance from the equator
  • Having guns available on shipboard
  • Personal characteristics of those undertaking the voyages


Conquest of the Oceans: We'll make you all "specialists" in one of five voyages from the Age of Exploration.

  • Treasure fleets of Zheng He
  • Prince Henry sends ships along the African shore
  • First voyage of Cristobal Colon (aka Christopher Columbus)
  • de Gama's sea voyage to India
  • Magellan circumnavigates the world

Using both the notes and the sources, try to figure out answers to these questions:

  1. Who ordered or authorized the voyage?
  2. What reasons were given for making the voyage?
  3. How was the voyage paid for?
  4. What were the attitudes of the voyagers towards the people they met?
  5. What problems were encountered with people they met?
  6. Who benefited from the voyage? How?
Homework:  
-Read Chapter 19, Section 2 for tomorrow.
-Read the account of your explorer's voyage.

Lesson #35: Muslim Gunpowder Empires

By Katie Murr on May 24, 2011 7:00 AM | No Comments
Today, we'll turn our attention to the empires of the Muslim world found in Chapter 18. There's a perception that, after the Middle Ages, the rise of European power and military might meant that they modernized while the Islamic world was left behind. However, when measured by size, population or military power, the so-called "gunpowder empires" of the Ottomans, Safavids, and the Mughal rivaled or exceeded in power any of the states of Europe. As the age of warfare by well-trained men on horseback gave way to the cannons and guns of a new time, these Muslim empires reached the peak of their power.


Our plan for today will be simple. You'll work on one of the three empires for a period of time in class. Then, we'll bring everyone together and look for comparisons across and contrasts among the three. You should download a copy of The Muslim "Gunpowder" Empires to help you in your work. The information in your text should be sufficient to answer virtually all of the questions, but you are free to look online as well for additional help.

Homework:

Read Chapter 19, Section 1 for tomorrow.

Lesson #34: Ren/Ref Round

By Katie Murr on May 23, 2011 11:01 AM | No Comments

Welcome to the Third Annual MPA Renaissance and Reformation Round Table. This will be a graded discussion. You'll find your seat at your name tag.

I may group folks differently, but here is our cast of characters.

Baldassare Castiglione
Desiderius Erasmus
Francesco Petrarch
Giovanni Boccaccio
Girolamo Savonarola
Isabella d'Este
Johann Gutenberg
Leonardo da Vinci
Lorenzo de Medici
Michelangelo Buonarroti
Niccolo Machiavelli
Raphael Sanzio
Thomas More
Vittoria Colonna
William Shakespeare

Elizabeth I
Henry VIII
HRE Charles V
Ignatius of Loyola
John Calvin
Martin Luther
Pope Leo X
John Knox

We can begin with questions like the following:

  • What conditions were necessary for the Renaissance and Reformation to have occurred?
  • How did the Renaissance impact you? What were its greatest strengths? What were its biggest drawbacks?
  • Was the Renaissance really a "new" time, or was it simply a continuation of the Middle Ages?
  • How did the Church influence the Renaissance? How was it influenced by the Renaissance?
  • Did the Renaissance really affect life for the "average" person? Why or why not?

  • Who should be considered the epitome of the Renaissance Man (Woman)? Would it be possible for someone today to match his/her achievements? Explain.
  • What work of art or literature best epitomizes the Renaissance?

  • In what ways was the the Reformation foreshadowed by Renaissance thinking?
  • Was the Reformation necessary? Why or why not?
  • Was the Reformation a positive or negative development? Why?
  • How should history judge Martin Luther?
  • Did the Reformation really affect life for the "average" person? Why or why not?
  • Where should blame be placed for the blood that was spilled in the name of religion during the Reformation?

  • Which event has proven to be more historically significant, the Renaissance or the Reformation? Why?
  • Is America undergoing either a Renaissance or Reformation today? Should America undergo one or both of these movements today? Why?


HOMEWORK:

You should read Chapter 18, Section 3 ("The Mughal Empire in India") for class time tomorrow.

Work on your section of the Muslim Gunpowder Empires chart for tomorrow. You will also have some time to work in class. You should download a copy of The Muslim "Gunpowder" Empires to help you in your work. The information in your text should be sufficient to answer virtually all of the questions, but you are free to look online as well for additional help.

Lesson #33: Reformation through rap?!

By Katie Murr on May 19, 2011 10:01 PM | No Comments

The Impact of the Reformation

We'll lead off with the set of performances that we set up yesterday...

Henry VIII and the Anglican Church (p. 492)
Elizabeth restores Protestantism (p. 494)
Calvin continues the Reformation (p. 495)
Calvinism spreads (p. 496)
Ignatius and the Jesuits (p. 498)
Reforming Popes (p. 499)

Question: What are the implications of using the term Catholic Reformation and opposed to Counter Reformation? Which do you prefer? Why?


Christian Denominations - Now that we've had both of the major splits that will occur in the Christian faith, we'll take a few minutes to look at two graphic representations of the various branches of the religion.

Homework:

Read section 18.2 for Monday.

Be prepared for the Renaissance-Reformation Roundtable.  Think about the following to determine if you are ready to go.  

  • How did the Renaissance impact you? What were its greatest strengths? What were its biggest drawbacks?
  • Was the Renaissance really a "new" time, or was it simply a continuation of the Middle Ages?
  • How did the Church influence the Renaissance? How was it influenced by the Renaissance?
  • Did the Renaissance really affect life for the "average" person? Why or why not?
  • Was the Reformation necessary? Why or why not?
  • Was the Reformation a positive or negative development? Why?
  • Did the Reformation really affect life for the "average" person? Why or why not?
  • What conditions were necessary for the Renaissance and Reformation to have occurred?
  • Is America undergoing either a Renaissance or Reformation today? Should America undergo one or both of these movements today? Why?

Lesson #32: Incas and Reformation

By Katie Murr on May 19, 2011 8:49 AM | No Comments

We will finish our last Americas presentation with the Incas.  Then, we will move on to learning more about the Reformation.

Reformation and Counter-Reformation



More events from the Reformation:
Some of you will like this, but it might drive others of you crazy. You're going to be assigned an event from the Reformation. Your group will have your choice of the following ways to transmit to us the "big picture" of what happened.

    1. Dramatic skit
    2. Opera scene
    3. Pantomime
    4. Rap song
    5. Straight-forward "lecture"
In all cases, you'll have about 15 minutes to prepare, and then we'll go through the events in order.

  • Henry VIII and the Anglican Church (p. 492)
  • Elizabeth restores Protestantism (p. 494)
  • Calvin continues the Reformation (p. 495)
  • Calvinism spreads (p. 496)
  • Ignatius and the Jesuits (p. 498)
  • Reforming Popes (p. 499)

I'll help make sure you all get the "facts" you need for each of these events, but this should help you with the "big picture."

Question: What are the implications of using the term Catholic Reformation as opposed to Counter Reformation? Which do you prefer? Why?


HOMEWORK:

You should be reading Chapter 18, Section 1, "The Ottomans Build a Vast Empire," for tomorrow's class. The quiz will be true/false.

Fourth Quarter Extra Credit

By Katie Murr on May 18, 2011 9:48 AM | 10 Comments
Basically, you have two options to receive ten extra credit points.

OPTION ONE:  Film Watching

DISCLAIMERS: I'm simply listing films that I believe are appropriate choices. I am including a range of ratings and content. While I have seen some of the films on the list, I have not seen them all. There may be content in some that you find objectionable.  Before you watch a film that is rated "R," you must have your parents contact me (email, note) and give me permission for you to do so. I trust that you can do a quick Google search to figure out if the film is both interesting and appropriate for you.


I am trusting that you will select a film you haven't seen and that you will actually watch it in its entirety. You are welcome to get together with others in my classes to watch a film. (Everyone needs to do their individual blog posting, however.)


DUE DATE: I want these posted to the blog no later than 5 PM on June 9.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER: After watching the film, consider the following questions and post your answers to THIS blog page.

  • What film did you watch?
  • What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
  • How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
  • What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)
You don't need to write a book, but I'd expect a couple of decent paragraphs or so...

FILM LIST: I will certainly add more titles to the list as they come to me. (I will consider suggestions as well.) I might also add some brief descriptions if/when I get a chance. For now, here is a start of films that I consider choices for the assignment.

  • Mohammed, Messenger of God (1977 - PG)
  • Alexander Nevsky (1938 - Not Rated) This is an OLD Russian film. It's considered a classic, but it's not a modern "Hollywood" film at all.
  • Alfred the Great (1969 - M)
  • The Lion in Winter (1968 - It's called perhaps the "greatest" of the classic medieval films.)
  • Henry V (1989 - version of Shakespeare's play)
  • A Man for All Seasons (1966 - life of Thomas More)
  • Elizabeth (1988 - R)
  • Braveheart (1995 - R)
  • Luther (1974 - NR)
  • Ran (1985 - R) Japanese film version of King Lear
  • Kingdom of Heaven (2005 - R) 
  • 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992 - PG13)
  • The Mission (1986 - PG)
  • Shakespeare in Love (1998 - R)

OPTION TWO: Visiting one of two local exhibits.

You have the option of visiting the King Tut exhibit at the Science Museum or the Titian exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and answering the following questions about the exhibit:

  • What exhibit did you visit?
  • What elements of "World History" were touched on by the exhibit?
  • How did the exhibit reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
  • What did you think of the exhibit? (Comment on whatever you would like.)
DUE DATE: I want these posted to the blog no later than 5 PM on June 9.

Lesson #31: Aztecs and the Reformation

By Katie Murr on May 18, 2011 9:18 AM | No Comments
We will complete the second of our Americas presentations with our Aztec group.  Then, we will move on to learning more about the Reformation.

Reformation and Counter-Reformation


Let's make sure all the Luther material we were supposed to go over yesterday makes sense to people...

More events from the Reformation:
Some of you will like this, but it might drive others of you crazy. You're going to be assigned an event from the Reformation. Your group will have your choice of the following ways to transmit to us the "big picture" of what happened.

    1. Dramatic skit
    2. Opera scene
    3. Pantomime
    4. Rap song
    5. Straight-forward "lecture"
In all cases, you'll have about 15 minutes to prepare, and then we'll go through the events in order.

  • Henry VIII and the Anglican Church (p. 492)
  • Elizabeth restores Protestantism (p. 494)
  • Calvin continues the Reformation (p. 495)
  • Calvinism spreads (p. 496)
  • Ignatius and the Jesuits (p. 498)
  • Reforming Popes (p. 499)

I'll help make sure you all get the "facts" you need for each of these events, but this should help you with the "big picture."

Question: What are the implications of using the term Catholic Reformation as opposed to Counter Reformation? Which do you prefer? Why?


HOMEWORK:

You should read the last section in chapter 16 for tomorrow.

Lesson #30: Introduction to the Americas and the Reformation

By Katie Murr on May 17, 2011 8:44 AM | No Comments
Today is a hodgepodge day.  After we take our quiz, we will listen to our Maya  presentation. Finally, we will also continue to introduce the Reformation by going over the following information.

Introduction to the Reformation

We'll look at Martin Luther today, saving Henry VIII and the rest for tomorrow's class. By the time we are finished, you should be sure that you understand the following terms.

Defining terms: Martin Luther, indulgences, Friar Tetzel, Wittenberg, 95 Theses (1517), Reformation, Pope Leo X, papal bull (1520), HRE Charles V, Diet of Worms (1521), Edict of Worms (1521), Prince Frederick the Wise, Peasants' Revolt, Protestant, Peace of Augsburg (1555)

These are the questions we'll work to answer:

  • What were the underlying social, political, economic and religious causes of the Reformation?
  • How did Luther challenge the Church? What ideas were at the base of his teachings?
  • How did the Catholic Church react to Luther's challenge?
  • What was the impact of Luther and his actions?
  • Martin Luther - site from PBS Empires
  • Martin Luther's 95 Theses - October 31, 1517
  • Exurge Domine - Condemning the Errors of Martin Luther - Pope Leo X - 1520
  • Martin Luther - excerpts from speech at Diet of Worms - 1521
  • Martin Luther - "The Jews and Their Lies" - 1543 NOTE: One thing that is often overlooked in Martin Luther's career is a strong degree of Anti-Semitism in his writings. These excerpts have been posted at a site called the Jewish Virtual Library, and they are linked here not to shock, but rather to get you to think about how these type of writings influence your opinion of Luther.
Homework:
-Please read Chapter 16, Section 3 for tomorrow.  It is on the Aztecs.
-If you are in the Aztec group, be ready to present tomorrow.
-The Renaissance and Reformation Round Table is on Monday.

Lesson #29: Renaissance Concluded, Reformation Begun

By Katie Murr on May 15, 2011 8:54 PM | No Comments
I will give you some time to work on your presentations at the beginning of the hour.  That will ensure that I don't teach right through the time that I promised to you! (No matter what I do, I can't un-bold this section.  Grrrrrrr.)

Introduction to the Reformation

We'll look at Martin Luther today, saving Henry VIII and the rest for tomorrow's class. By the time we are finished, you should be sure that you understand the following terms.

Defining terms: Martin Luther, indulgences, Friar Tetzel, Wittenberg, 95 Theses (1517), Reformation, Pope Leo X, papal bull (1520), HRE Charles V, Diet of Worms (1521), Edict of Worms (1521), Prince Frederick the Wise, Peasants' Revolt, Protestant, Peace of Augsburg (1555)

These are the questions we'll work to answer:

  • What were the underlying social, political, economic and religious causes of the Reformation?
  • How did Luther challenge the Church? What ideas were at the base of his teachings?
  • How did the Catholic Church react to Luther's challenge?
  • What was the impact of Luther and his actions?
  • Martin Luther - site from PBS Empires
  • Martin Luther's 95 Theses - October 31, 1517
  • Exurge Domine - Condemning the Errors of Martin Luther - Pope Leo X - 1520
  • Martin Luther - excerpts from speech at Diet of Worms - 1521
  • Martin Luther - "The Jews and Their Lies" - 1543 NOTE: One thing that is often overlooked in Martin Luther's career is a strong degree of Anti-Semitism in his writings. These excerpts have been posted at a site called the Jewish Virtual Library, and they are linked here not to shock, but rather to get you to think about how these type of writings influence your opinion of Luther.
Homework:

Please read Section 16.2 on the Mayans for tomorrow.

Obviously, you need to be ready for your group's presentation.

You should continue working to prepare for your part in the Renaissance/Reformation roundtable.  In order to prepare, you need to research your assigned role.  It is not enough to read the Wikipedia section on your person.  Instead, you need to study both general information about your person and what your person actually wrote/said/painted/sculpted.  As you participate in the roundtable, I will be listening for references to specific primary sources as well as for your ability to accurately portray your person's perspective.  Obviously, some of you will need to be more creative than others.  For example, Savonarola was dead before the Reformation even began, so whoever portrays him will have to take what he knows about Savonarola to make an educated guess about Savonarola's opinions on the Reformation.  You will have very little time to work on this in class, so you should be working on this throughout the week.

Lesson #28: Art and Work

By Katie Murr on May 13, 2011 9:16 AM | No Comments
First, we will finish our Renaissance Art Festival.  After yesterday's presentations, I am confident that you will retain this information!

Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa (1502) 
Hieronymus Bosch - The Garden of Earthly Delights (1503 - 1504) 
Michelangelo - David (1504) 
Michelangelo - Holy Family (1506) 
Michelangelo - Creation of Man (Sistine Chapel - 1510) 
Raphael - School of Athens (1510) 


Second, I want to give you a long term assignment relating to the Renaissance and Reformation.  On Monday, May 23, we'll spend a class summarizing the Renaissance and Reformation. You'll be asked to represent one of the major figures from the time during this discussion. You'll be provided with more guidelines as to specific topics. For now, work on figuring out "who" you are, your views on the "big issues" of the times, and your historical legacy. 

Renaissance Figures 
Desiderius Erasmus 
Francesco Petrarch 
Girolamo Savonarola 
Isabella d'Este 
Johann Gutenberg 
Leonardo da Vinci 
Lorenzo de Medici 
Michelangelo Buonarroti 
Niccolo Machiavelli 
Raphael Sanzio 
Thomas More 
William Shakespeare 

Reformation Figures 
Elizabeth I 
Henry VIII 
HRE Charles V
Ignatius of Loyola 
John Calvin 
Martin Luther

Pope Leo X

Finally, you will have the remainder of the hour to work on your presentations for next week.  Remember, the schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, May 17: Mayan Empire presentation (+ Reformation)
Wednesday, May 18: Aztec Empire presentation (+ Reformation)
Thursday, May 19: Incan Empire presentation (+ Reformation)


Homework:

-You do NOT have a reading assignment for this weekend.  Thank me in whatever ways you see as appropriate.

-Work on your presentations on the Maya, Aztec, Inca. 

-Begin researching your person for the Renaissance/Reformation.  Be on the lookout for primary sources about/from your individual.  These will be especially helpful to you.

Lesson #27: Renaissance Art Festival

By Katie Murr on May 12, 2011 8:42 AM | No Comments
We will spend the first part of the day with Machiavelli, perhaps the first political scientist in history.  We will examine a few of his conclusions and whether or not they can apply to the present-day political world.  We will also briefly look at the following information:


Johann Gutenberg and the printing press - Don't underestimate the significance of this advancement in Germany around 1440. Although the Chinese had invented movable type centuries earlier, Gutenberg combined a number of advancements to make a printing press capable of making large numbers of books quickly and cheaply. Like the Internet in our time, it revolutionized the way knowledge was made available and spread.

* #1 Event of the Millennium - Gutenberg Prints the Bible - Life magazine ranked the top 100 events of the millennium between 1000 and 2000 CE. Here's the whole list.
* Project Gutenberg - This is an online library of more than 17000 books available for free download.
* The Gutenberg Bible (1455) - Here's information on a copy of the bible at the University of Texas.

Finally.....

Renaissance Art Festival - Welcome to our annual Renaissance Art and Architecture Festival. You've got a couple minutes to come up and tell us about your work of art/architecture. These are worth 10 points, and I will feel free to penalize poor audience behavior.

Your presentation might consider items like these, as they apply: 

  • Name of the work
  • Name of the artist
  • Date of the work (location of creation)
  • Description of the work and its creation
  • Interesting information about the process of its creation
  • Interesting information about materials, style, approach, etc.
  • What makes this a "Renaissance" work of art/architecture?
  • What Renaissance values, ideas and/or themes does the work depict?
  • What is the significance of this work?
  • What was its impact during the time when it was created?
  • What has been the subsequent impact of the work?
  • Where, if anywhere, can the work be seen today?
  • What is your reaction to the work? What do you think of it?

Renaissance Art and Architecture 
Brunelleschi - Duomo (Florence: 1420 - 1436) 
Jan van Eyck - Arnolfini Wedding (1434) 
Perugino - Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter (1480 - 1482) 
Leonardo da Vinci - Vitruvian Man (c. 1485 - 1492) 
Leonardo da Vinci - The Last Supper (1495 - 1497) 
Michelangelo - Pieta (1500) 
Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa (1502) 
Hieronymus Bosch - The Garden of Earthly Delights (1503 - 1504) 
Michelangelo - David (1504) 
Michelangelo - Holy Family (1506) 
Michelangelo - Creation of Man (Sistine Chapel - 1510) 
Raphael - School of Athens (1510) 



Connection to Today: We've talked a little about the role of patronage in the art of the Renaissance. We have also talked about its significance in the "civic life" of Florence and other cities. Today, while patronage takes many forms, one that has generated a spirited debate is that of governmental funding for the arts. Let's talk about that a bit as time permits...

Here's the homepage for the National Endowment for the Arts. The site features a list of "Exemplary projects funded since 1965" that you might find interesting.

It is currently estimated that each American taxpayer ends up "contributing" less than $1 of their taxes to the NEA.

In the late 1980s, an artist named Andres Serrano generated much controversy for art produced after he received a $15,000 NEA grant. I've linked you to a page of Senate testimony used in a college philosophy course lesson on this topic.

  • Should the US government use public money to fund the arts? Why or why not?
  • Should there be limits imposed on what types of art will be funded? If so, how?
  • What should be government's role, if any, with respect to art?
HOMEWORK:

Please read Section 17.4 for tomorrrow.

You should be preparing for your Americas presentation.

Lesson #26: Introduction to the Renaissance

By Katie Murr on May 10, 2011 8:46 PM | No Comments
Introduction to the Renaissance Most of what we do with the Renaissance will be with written and visual sources. However, we'll spend a few minutes together going over the basics.

  • What was the Renaissance?
  • When did the Renaissance occur?
  • Why was the early Renaissance concentrated in Italy?
  • What new values and ideas were expressed in the Renaissance?
  • How did the forms and techniques of art change in the Renaissance?
A couple of quick side trips: Medieval painting: I think it is easier to appreciate the art of the Renaissance if we have something to compare it to. Here are some medieval art works. (Remember there is also a rich tradition in architecture and other forms of expression. These mainly show a contrast in painting styles and subject matter.) 

Here's a 13th-century painting of the popular "Madonna with Child" style. 
Here's a work by Giotto, generally considered the first or fore-runner of Renaissance artists. 
The Baptistery (Florence): a case study: The Baptistery is believed to be the oldest building in Florence. Keeping with the Renaissance spirit, a competition was announced to design the decorative bronze panels for the new North Doors in 1401. Seven sculptors completed, but Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi were the finalists for their interpretations of the Old Testament story of Abraham and Isaac. Ghiberti was judged the winner, Brunelleschi left for Rome in anger, and Ghiberti spent the next 21 years creating what Michelangelo called, "The Gates of Paradise." Typical of the spirit of the time, Ghiberti carved his image above the doors, modestly calling them "the most singular work that I have ever made." The original doors now can be found in the Bargello Museum of Florence, as copies are now on the North Doors of the Baptistery itself. 

Renaissance Art Festival Tomorrow, you'll present on a work of art or architecture from the list below. You'll be asked to introduce and explain your work. Figure about 3 minutes per work. 

Your presentation should consider items like these, as they apply: 
  • Name of the work
  • Name of the artist
  • Date of the work (location of creation)
  • Description of the work and its creation
  • Interesting information about the process of its creation
  • Interesting information about materials, style, approach, etc.
  • What makes this a "Renaissance" work of art/architecture?
  • What Renaissance values, ideas and/or themes does the work depict?
  • What is the significance of this work?
  • What was its impact during the time when it was created?
  • What has been the subsequent impact of the work?
  • Where, if anywhere, can the work be seen today?
  • What is your reaction to the work? What do you think of it?

Renaissance Art and Architecture 
Brunelleschi - Duomo (Florence: 1420 - 1436) 
Jan van Eyck - Arnolfini Wedding (1434) 
Perugino - Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter (1480 - 1482) 
Leonardo da Vinci - Vitruvian Man (c. 1485 - 1492) 
Leonardo da Vinci - The Last Supper (1495 - 1497) 
Michelangelo - Pieta (1500) 
Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa (1502) 
Hieronymus Bosch - The Garden of Earthly Delights (1503 - 1504) 
Michelangelo - David (1504) 
Michelangelo - Holy Family (1506) 
Michelangelo - Creation of Man (Sistine Chapel - 1510) 
Raphael - School of Athens (1510) 

NOTE: I used Wikipedia for the images to provide some consistency and because they do a good job of crediting their sources and/or showing that the image is in the "public domain." 

Renaissance and Reformation Round Table Next week, we'll spend part of a class summarizing the Renaissance and Reformation. You'll be asked to represent one of the major figures from the time during this discussion. You'll be provided with more guidelines as to specific topics. For now, work on figuring out "who" you are, your views on the "big issues" of the times, and your historical legacy. 

Renaissance Figures 
Desiderius Erasmus 
Francesco Petrarch 
Girolamo Savonarola 
Isabella d'Este 
Johann Gutenberg 
Leonardo da Vinci 
Lorenzo de Medici 
Michelangelo Buonarroti 
Niccolo Machiavelli 
Raphael Sanzio 
Thomas More 
William Shakespeare 

Reformation Figures 
Elizabeth I 
Henry VIII 
HRE Charles V
Ignatius of Loyola 
John Calvin 
Martin Luther 
Pope Leo X

Five Authors of the Renaissance (and One More) to Remember:
This is, of course, a completely arbitrary list made by me. However, I think most would agree that these are definitely some of the key figures of the literature of the Renaissance.

Dante is generally regarded as the link from the Middle Ages. His most famous work was The Divine Comedy, and he wrote in the vernacular (Italian). More on him next year...

  • Petrarch - "father of humanism," famous for sonnets, Laura was his muse (ideal)
  • Boccaccio - wrote The Decameron - stories of young Florentines fleeing the plague
  • Erasmus - Christian humanist from Holland, wrote The Praise of Folly
  • Thomas More - English friend of Erasmus, wrote Utopia
  • William Shakespeare - Elizabethan Age, greatest playwright of all to many


Words of the Renaissance - I've got a series of short excerpts from Renaissance authors. We'll have some dramatic readings (with explanations). Here are the selections:

  • On the Dignity of Man - Giovannia Pico della Mirandola
  • Self-Portrait of a Universal Man - Leon Battista Alberti
  • The Courtier - Baldassare Castiglione
  • Rules of Etiquette - Giovanni della Casa
  • Sonnet - Petrarch
  • Advent Sermon - Girolamo Savonarola

You and a partner will take one of these. You have ten minutes to figure out what you've got. As we go through them, two things should happen. One of you will introduce the work and tell us why it is a good example of Renaissance literature. (Refer to specific values and ideas if you can.) The other of you will read us part of the selection. (Since they vary in length, I'd suggest aiming for something around a dozen lines. Use your judgment. In some cases, a summary of the narrative may seem more appropriate.)


Johann Gutenberg and the printing press - Don't underestimate the significance of this advancement in Germany around 1440. Although the Chinese had invented movable type centuries earlier, Gutenberg combined a number of advancements to make a printing press capable of making large numbers of books quickly and cheaply. Like the Internet in our time, it revolutionized the way knowledge was made available and spread.

* #1 Event of the Millennium - Gutenberg Prints the Bible - Life magazine ranked the top 100 events of the millennium between 1000 and 2000 CE. Here's the whole list.
* Project Gutenberg - This is an online library of more than 17000 books available for free download.
* The Gutenberg Bible (1455) - Here's information on a copy of the bible at the University of Texas.


HOMEWORK:

Please read Section 17.3 for tomorrrow.

You should be preparing for your Americas presentation. 

Your "entry" into the Renaissance Art Festival needs to be ready to go for tomorrow. 

Lesson #25: Work Day

By Katie Murr on May 10, 2011 8:36 AM | No Comments

Following our reading quiz, you've got the period to work with your group to get ready for the presentation early next week.

Maya, Aztec and Inca - Early American Empires

Here is the schedule. Each group is responsible for being ready on the correct day.
Tuesday, May 17: Mayan Empire presentation (+ Reformation)
Wednesday, May 18: Aztec Empire presentation (+ Reformation)
Thursday, May 19: Incan Empire presentation (+ Reformation)

Your group will have about 15-20 minutes of class time on your date. (Presentations shorter than 10 minutes or longer than 25 may be penalized.) Your "presentation" is expected to include the following elements.

  • an outline of the material in your section (1 page maximum) for a class handout
  • at least 10 visual images to project in class
  • a 3 - 5 minute "introduction" to your empire
  • a 3 - 5 minute "focus" on a topic of particular interest
  • a brief discussion among group members on the question: "Were the ____ civilized? Why or why not?" (You can disagree with each other.)
  • anything else relevant that you would like to include

Figure that each of the 5 components are worth 5 points maximum. You get another potential of 10 for your use of class time in preparation and your attentiveness as an audience member. There are another five points you can earn for the "anything else" or overall impression, etc. That's a total of 40, but we'll make it half that for the grade book. So, it's worth 20 points.


HOMEWORK:

You should be reading Chapter 17, Section 2 for tomorrow.  Don't worry!  We will actually discuss the Renaissance tomorrow.

Remember that your group presents early next week.

Lesson #24: North American Cultures

By Katie Murr on May 9, 2011 9:16 AM | No Comments

Chapter 16 takes a look at some of the "People and Empires in the Americas, 500 - 1500." This fourth (and final for the year) unit is called "Connecting Hemispheres," so you probably have some idea of where we are headed. This chapter, however, will focus only on events in the Americas that precede the arrival of Columbus and others.

We're going to do things a little bit differently here. After an introduction to the chapter today, we're going to sort of set it aside for almost a week. You'll all be part of a group focusing on one of the three "big" empires of the Americas: Maya, Aztec and Inca. We'll turn to Chapter 17, "European Renaissance and Reformation," but we'll come back to these American empires after that. Make sense? It should as we get going...


We'll do a couple of quick activities to kick things off here.

Spheres of Interaction: First, one of the common misconceptions about the early Americas is that small pockets of people were living in isolation with no contact among them until the Europeans come along. We'll take a look at some evidence that may lead you to rethink that conclusion.

You'll get a handout on trade goods found in one of three areas: Eastern North America, Mesoamerica and the Andes. Work with people with the same group to sort the items into three categories: food, raw materials, manufactured items. We'll get these listed on the board.

Consider these questions: Which items are most likely to be locally produced and which have come from some distance? What considerations influence your predictions?

Next, we'll give you a couple minutes to think about geography. For your region, make a list of both advantages and obstacles geography provides for your region in terms of trading.

Finally, what evidence or hypotheses do we have to suggest that these spheres actually did interact?

Choosing an Empire - As I mentioned, we'll be embarking on a project on the three great empires of Mesoamerica and South America in the pre-Columbian period.  We'll get you assigned to one of three groups and assign each group an empire. The rest of the time is yours to look at the information in your section and/or check out the book and reviews below.

Maya, Aztec and Inca - Early American Empires: Here is the schedule. Each group is responsible for being ready on the correct day. 

Friday, May 13: Work day 
Tuesday, May 17: Mayan Empire presentation 
Wednesday, May 18: Aztec Empire presentation 
Thursday, May 19: Incan Empire presentation 
Your group will have about 15-20 minutes of class time on your date. (Presentations shorter than 10 minutes or longer than 25 may be penalized.) Your "presentation" is expected to include the following elements.

  • an outline of the material in your section (1 page maximum) for a class handout
  • at least 10 visual images to project in class
  • a 3 - 5 minute "introduction" to your empire
  • a 3 - 5 minute "focus" on a topic of particular interest
  • a brief discussion among group members on the question: "Were the ____ civilized? Why or why not?" (You can disagree with each other.)
  • anything else relevant that you would like to include


HOMEWORK:

Please read 17.1, "Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance," for tomorrow. There will be a reading quiz.

Work on gathering information for your civilization presentation.

Lesson #21: Two Minute Reviews

By Katie Murr on May 4, 2011 8:57 AM | No Comments

UNIT THREE TEST DIRECTIONS:

As we discussed in class yesterday, your unit test will be tomorrow and Friday (May 5 and 6).  Tomorrow, you will complete the Identifications and the Document-Based Questions.  The directions for the identifications are as follows:

Unit #3 Identifications: You will write on your choice of 5 of the 8 identifications that appear on the exam chosen from the list below. You may bring 10 words of "notes" for each of the 15 possible identifications to the exam. You will need to turn in these notes, and I reserve the right to count symbols, acronyms, etc. as one or more words. Each of the five identifications is worth 5 points.

A good identification is typically in the range of 4 to 6 sentences in length. (You do need to write in complete sentences.) You should demonstrate both an understanding of just who / what the ID "is" and place it in the appropriate historical context. In addition, you need to explain the significance of the ID. In other words, answer the "So what?" question.

Muhammad
Qur'an
Caliph
Justinian
Primary Chronicle
Tatar Yoke
Song Dynasty
Kublai Khan
The Tale of Genji
Charlemagne
Lay investiture
Crusades
Magna Carta
Hundred Years' War
Mali

The multiple-choice test will be on Friday, May 6.  That test will cover all of the material that we have studied since the beginning of the quarter.

You will complete your essay at home.  That must be emailed to me by 5 PM on Saturday, May 7.  The directions for the essay test are as follows:

Format: You should prepare for a five-paragraph essay. That means that you should include an introduction (with a clear thesis statement), three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. (Note that the questions lend themselves to such a format. That is on purpose.)

Remember that the questions are not designed for you to tell us everything you have learned. Focus on what the question is requiring you to do.

1. Islam has grown to become the world's second largest religion. In separate body paragraphs, identify and explain your position on each of the following: the major reason(s) Islam spread so quickly in its first century, the way in which Islam treated the people of its new empire, and the most significant impact(s) Islam had on the culture of the medieval world. Does Muhammad deserve his place atop Michael Hart's list of the "most influential persons in history?" Why or why not?

2. Identify and explain at least three specific ways in which the Mongols changed the course of world history. Should Genghis Khan (Chinggis Han) be remembered as a hero or a villain? Why?

3. Assume that you have been named "Historian for the Day." You are given the task of renaming the Middle Ages. Using at least three reasons to support your choice, select the term or phrase that you think best describes the Middle Ages. How important do you believe "labels" such as these are for students of history?

(Note that you are free to use one of the terms discussed in class (Dark Ages, Age of Faith, Age of Feudalism, Golden Age), or you may come up with one of your own.)

Lesson #20: West African Trading States

By Katie Murr on May 3, 2011 9:21 AM | No Comments

We'll finish our look at the trading kingdoms of West Africa today.  This will mark the end of unit 3!

Trading Kingdom Top Tens: Our three groups were responsible for creating a "Top Ten" list on one of three important West African trading kingdoms: Ghana, Mali, or Songhai. Today, each group will share its list with the groups representing the other two kingdoms. The BBC website, The Story of Africa: West African Kingdoms might be useful. You can download a template for the West African Trading Kingdom Top Tens if you still need one.

Homework:

-Prepare for the two-minute review activity for tomorrow.

-Continue studying for Thursday and Friday's test.

Lesson #19: West African Trading Kingdoms

By Katie Murr on May 1, 2011 4:47 PM | No Comments
After we finish our debate about the Middle Ages, today's focus will be on Africa and Chapter 15. You'll have the bulk of the hour to work on two tasks.

Trading Kingdom Top Tens: Initially, we'll divide into three groups. Each will be responsible for creating a "Top Ten" list on one of three important West African trading kingdoms: Ghana, Mali, or Songhai. On Thursday, your group will share your list with the groups representing the other two kingdoms. You decide what is important enough to go our your list. Section 2 of Chapter 15 will be a good resource, and some of you may like using the BBC website, The Story of Africa: West African Kingdoms. You can download a template for the West African Trading Kingdom Top Tens.

Trading Kingdoms Study Guide: There aren't a lot of primary source documents that have survived from these trading kingdoms, but this activity will acquaint you with some of the most famous. You'll get a packet containing four of these documents. You can download a study guide that contains a number of questions. You may work with one partner if you'd like, but everyone should have their own set of answers. 


HOMEWORK:

You should read the last section in Chapter 15 for tomorrow.  You will have a quiz on this section.

Continue studying for this week's test.
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