Vladimir Putin has provided effective leadership for Russia.
The United States should place economic sanctions on Russia until it grants independence to Chechnya.
The United States should increase financial assistance to help secure Russia’s stockpile of nuclear weapons.
The United States is headed toward another Cold War with Russia.
China’s economic growth should be considered a threat to the United States.
The United States should place economic sanctions on China until it grants the people of Tibet more rights.
The people of Taiwan should declare themselves an independent nation-state.
China should not have been selected to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
Format
Speaker #1 (If a group of 3): Provides a “background” speech of 2 to 3 minutes.
Speaker #2: Provides an “affirmative” speech of 2 to 3 minutes.
Speaker #3: Provides a “negative” speech of 2 to 3 minutes.
After these scheduled speeches (and questioning), other students may speak. It is expected that each class member will deliver at least one additional "speech"/comment/question during the 2+ days that we do our congress.
REMEMBER, the Regional Studies Final Exam is scheduled for Wednesday. Consult the blog entry for all the questions and instructions.
]]>I've given you all a handout that tracks some of the main points and ideas in the chapter. (Of course, half of you haven't even seen the chapter.) You can add any notes to that that you'd like.
Once we've talked about the chapter, the rest of the time will be yours. All groups should be ready for their topic to come up in the Modern Russia and China Student Congress tomorrow.
REMEMBER, there's a blog entry with all the information for the Regional Studies: Final Exam.
]]>I have a handout for you that summarizes many of the key issues/questions that Russia is dealing with now and into the foreseeable future. There also some links below that we might make use of in class today.
The Dismantling of Russia Democracy - The Atlantic
BBC News: Timeline - Chechnya
These articles are all found on a great Russia site, Russia Profile.org
Russia Profile’s Weekly Experts’ Panel: Russia Looking to 2006
Russia Profile Weekly Experts Panel: A New Cold Spell in Russia-U.S. Relations?
]]>We'll have you go over a couple parts of the exam from Friday and then set up a couple things we'll do in these next six days...
First, remember that your 20th Century Russia & China "Take-home" Essays are due today. If you can print them out, great. If not, email them to me as attachments by 3:30 PM Tuesday to avoid being counted late.
Next, I'll have Ms. Murr return the parts of the exam that are corrected. You can go over them and ask any questions. I'll have her collect them back from you.
Third, I'll have her remind you about the upcoming Regional Studies Final Exam. That will be held on Wednesday, June 7th at 8:45 AM. Here is another link to the Regional Studies Final Exam information.
Fourth, you'll get a copy of one chapter (Russia or China) from Harm de Blij's new book, Why Geogrpahy Matters. You need to have that read for Thursday's class. You'll get up to 10 points for your contributions, participation and/or cooperation that day. Be sure to sign the sheet indicating which chapter you have.
Finally, you'll chose a partner/group and sign-up for a topic for the Modern Russia and China Student Congress. You'll follow the directions below and be ready to speak on your topic Friday. (We'll use part of each of the last three days for the Congress and parts of each for final exam preparation.)
MODERN (and FUTURE) RUSSIA AND CHINA...
Tuesday - Introduction, set-up and work time
Wednesday - Overviews of Russia and China
Thursday - "Why Geography Matters" readings - Discussion (CHAPTER DUE HERE)
Friday - MPA Student Congress - (ALL GROUPS SHOULD BE READY HERE)
Monday - MPA Student Congress
Tuesday - MPA Student Congress
Wednesday - Final Exam
WHY GEOGRAPHY MATTERS - readings from the book by Harm de Blij
On Thursday, we'll be looking at the Why Geography Matters chapters on Russia - "Russia - Trouble on the Eastern Front" and China - "Red Star Rising - China's Geopolitical Gauntlet." Those of you who read each chapter will help lead the conversation and teaching. You will each earn up to ten points today. I'll give you all a handout that tracks some of the main points and ideas each chapter. (Of course, half of you haven't even each chapter.) You can add any notes to that that you'd like.
MODERN RUSSIA AND CHINA STUDENT CONGRESS: We'll use a simulated congress to "debate" some of the current issues facing Russia and China. Here are the eight resolutions we will debate.
RUSSIA:
Vladimir Putin has provided effective leadership for Russia.
The United States should place economic sanctions on Russia until it grants independence to Chechnya.
The United States should increase financial assistance to help secure Russia’s stockpile of nuclear weapons.
The United States is headed toward another Cold War with Russia.
CHINA:
China’s economic growth should be considered a threat to the United States.
The United States should place economic sanctions on China until it grants the people of Tibet more rights.
The people of Taiwan should declare themselves an independent nation-state.
China should not have been selected to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
Student Congress Format:
Speaker #1: Provides a “background” speech of 2 to 3 minutes.
Speaker #2: Provides an “affirmative” speech of 2 to 3 minutes.
Speaker #3: Provides a “negative” speech of 2 to 3 minutes.
IF YOU ARE WORKING IN A GROUP OF TWO, YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO THE BACKGROUND SECTION.
After these scheduled speeches (and questioning), other students may speak. It is expected that each class member will deliver at least one additional speech during the 2+ days that we do our congress.
Since we never really got to it in 9th Grade Seminar, you do NOT need to write out a 'resolution' as we attempted to do in that class. Simply take the resolution as worded and speak in favor of or against that.
]]>Remember that everything you need for your take-home essay is found on the separate blog entry: 20th Century Russia and China - Exam Information. The take-home should be turned in on Tuesday when you come to class, or by 3:30 at the latest.
]]>I've relinked the news story from yesterday's blog and the BBC archives... BBC on This Day - June 4, 1989. Massacre in Tiananmen Square
Here is a collection of documents about Tiananmen Square released from the National Security Archives of the United States government. They make for interesting browsing.
Most of our class time, however, will be dedicated to review and test preparation. Remember that everything you need for information about the test is found on the separate blog entry: 20th Century Russia and China - Exam Information.
]]>Mao's Rule over China: You received a copy of the Mao Zedong chapter from our textbook and were asked to complete the Mao study guide. Let's go through this and see if we can make sense of it.
I'll show you some pictures from my book, The Chinese Century. It might help your understanding of the events.
We'll take a closer look at the Cultural Revolution. The Morning Sun website has a lot of very interesting exhibits and activities related to this important and complex period. We'll spend a little time here.
Read this for tomorrow. It's an excerpt from Britain's coverage of the events we will talk about: BBC on This Day - June 4, 1989. Massacre in Tiananmen Square
]]>
World War II and the Chinese Civil War: We will touch briefly on several of the key events from these two periods. Of course, we already did much of this via the China - Chronology assignment.
We'll also take a few minutes to look at events surrounding the "Rape of Nanking". I've compiled accounts of these events from two sources, an independent account and one from Japan. You can download those here.
Mao's Rule over China: You'll get a copy of the Mao Zedong chapter from our textbook that we have used a bit. Pair up or work on your own to complete the Mao study guide. Be sure you work productively on this. We WILL be discussing the answers tomorrow in class.
Wednesday, we'll take a closer look at the Cultural Revolution. The Morning Sun website has a lot of very interesting exhibits and activities related to this important and complex period. Feel free to check some of them out.
20th Century Russia and China Exam information
Regional Studies Final Exam information
Now, it's time for The Long March... You'll receive a written summary of this, so don't worry about taking notes or anything. Your job is to come along, follow orders and not disturb others who might be in class.
Tomorrow, we'll look at Mao's years as ruler of China...
Don't forget that the 20th Century Russia and China Exam is scheduled for Friday. The take-home essay will be due no later than 3:30 PM on Tuesday, May 30th.
]]>First, we can take some time to talk about Current Events. Remember, you should print out your second batch of these before you turn them in. These are worth 20 points.
China - From Revolution to Civil War: Let's quickly get up to the Long March so we can go on it Monday. Download this note guide that I "borrowed" from Ms. Murr...
Twentieth-Century Russia and China - Exam format: This exam will be next Friday. There will be three "in-class" components: multiple choice, identifications and Russia VIPs. In addition, you will have a "take-home" essay due no later that 3:30 PM on Tuesday, May 30th.
Multiple choice: There will be somewhere between 20 and 30 questions again. I'll divide them as evenly as possible between Russia and China.
Identifications: You will write on your choice of 6 of the 8 identifications that appear on the exam chosen from the list below. You may have 10 words of "notes" for each of the 16 possible identifications during 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.
Russia
Karl Marx
March Revolution
Great Purge
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Sputnik
de-Stalinization
glasnost
Chernobyl
China
Sun Yat-sen
Nationalists
Long March
Rape of Nanking
"Hundred Flowers"
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution
Tiananmen Square
Russia VIPs You will be provided with a "name bank" and written descriptions of all 20 of the Russia VIPs. You simply match the name to the description. You do not use any notes on this portion of the test. Here are the 20 names if you want to do a little review...
Ivan the Terrible
Peter the Great
Elizabeth
Catherine the Great
Leo Tolstoy
Nicholas II
Alexandra
Rasputin
Karl Marx
Vladimir Lenin
Leon Trotsky
Joseph Stalin
Sergei Eisenstein
Nikita Khrushchev
Leonid Brezhnev
Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Andrei Sakharov
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Boris Yeltsin
"Take-home" Essay: You will write on your choice of ONE of the questions from the list below. You will need to write this essay outside of class time. The essay must be typed, using the Times or Times New Roman font, 12-point. The essay should be double-spaced (or space and a half) and should not be more than two pages. (You won't be penalized for being "too long" unless you go beyond three pages...) The essay is due NO LATER than Tuesday, May 30th at 3:30 PM.
CAUTION: You must be writing in your own words. If you don't understand what constitutes plagiarism, you need to ask. The questions are designed to be answered in your ideas and words, not those of Wikipedia or anyone else. If you are using a direction quotation, it must be correctly cited. Otherwise, it is the same as plagiarizing. Here's a simple test. "Copy" a section of your writing (maybe a phrase or sentence) into Google and search. If that search leads you back to where you "took notes from," that is plagiarism.
You can answer any ONE of these questions:
A. Identify major consequences of three decades of Stalin's rule upon the Soviet Union in its domestic policy, foreign policy, and economic situations. How should history remember Joseph Stalin?
B. Explain and evaluate the impact of at least three specific events in the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Is the United States justified in its claim to have "won" the Cold War?
C. Explain at least one economic, social, and political factor which led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Would the Russian people be better off if communism had remained in place? Why or why not?
D. Identify major consequences of almost three decades of Mao's rule upon China in its domestic policy, foreign policy, and economic situations. How should history remember Mao Zedong?
E. Explain the major impacts of the Long March, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution on communism and Mao's rule in China. Which of the three do you believe made the greatest impact? Why?
F. Explain at least one economic, social, and political factor that you believe led to China retaining its system of communism while the Soviet Union and others abandoned that system. Do you believe China would be better off if communism had not remained in place? Why or why not?
]]>You will write on two essay questions. Question #1 will be drawn at random at the time of the test. You may select Question #2 from the choices listed below. You may prepare and outline your answers (or take notes) on the sheets that will be provided for each question. That is all that you will be allowed to use on the final exam. Do not expect to be allowed to use your other notes and handouts here.
You can download a Final Exam - Note Sheet that you may bring to the finals. You may bring TWO sheets for the essays. You may use three of the columns for questions 1A, 1B, and 1C. You may use the fourth column for the #2 question that you get to choose. You may NOT go beyond this format. LIMIT YOUR NOTES TO NO MORE THAN 50 WORDS PER "BOX".
ONE of these questions will be selected at random at the time of the exam.
1A. History is made up of the stories of countless individuals. Some of those individuals have had a tremendous impact upon both their time and the future. For each of the four regions we studied, explain and defend your choice for the "most influential person" in that region's history. Which of these figures do you believe was the most influential?
1B. Long-term trends and gradual developments heavily determine the history of a region. At the same time, particular events can have a decisive impact. For each of the four regions we studied, explain and defend your choice for the "most important event" in that region's history. Which of these events do you believe was the most influential?
1C. As we have begun a new century, there is reason for both optimism and concern in many areas of the world. Key issues and trends face all of the areas we studied. For each of the four regions we studies, explain and defend your choice for the most important challenge that region faces. (It may be a particular conflict, a particular location, an outside influence, etc.) Which of these challenges do you believe will be the most difficult to overcome?
You may choose ONE of these questions to write on for the final exam. In each case, it is expected that you will draw on examples from all four of the regions. You will be expected to include a brief introduction and conclusion.
2A. Religion has been, and continues to be, a dominant influence around the world. Explain at least one time when religion had a major influence on the history of each of the four regions we have studied.
2B. Geography affects societies in many ways. For each of the regions we have studied, identify and explain at least one way that geography has been a major factor in the history or current situation in the region.
2C. Discrimination has occurred for various reasons in societies around the world for generations. For each of the four regions we have studied, explain the way in which some type of discrimination harmed the stability or progress of that region.
2D. Societies around the world have long expressed their values and ideas through a variety of forms of artistic and cultural expressions. For each of the four regions we studied, identify and explain the importance of at least one form of this expression that you believe was significant to that region.
2E. Military conflict is often a decisive event in the history of a region. For each of the four regions we studied, identify and explain the significance of your choice as the most important military conflict to have occurred in that region.
2F. Government's treatment of the people has been a recurring theme in our studies. For each of the four regions we studied, identify and explain the significance of one time where you believe a government has violated the rights of its people.
]]>
LAST OF THE RUSSIA VIPs - Be sure that you are a good audience for these presenters. Remember that you have a 'matching' style quiz on all 20 VIPs next week. You could review a bit for that with a friend later in the hour.
2nd Hour: Mikhail Gorbachev (Waleed), Mikhail Baryshnikov (Shawn)
4th Hour: Mikhail Gorbachev (Will), Mikhail Baryshnikov (Jessica), Boris Yeltsin (Matt)
GORBACHEV and the FALL OF THE SOVIET UNION
You will each need a copy of the short reading, as well as the Gorbachev study guide. You can work with a partner if you’d like, but each of you is responsible for having your own set of answers. I may check for completion on Wednesday.
WITH ANY REMAINING TIME...There are a couple options.
First, you have a batch of Current Events due Wednesday.
Second, you can prepare for the Russia Identifications portion of the exam.
Finally, you can work on choosing and beginning to think about the take-home essay question.
I’m now thinking that we will move the 20th Century Russia and China exam back to Thursday, May 25th. The take-home essay will still be due on the 26th.
You have a batch of Current Events due on Wednesday. That will be the last one of the year.
REMAINING RUSSIA VIP PRESENTATIONS These will take place either today or tomorrow, depending on the block... I'll get scores entered for the rest ASAP.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Boris Yeltsin
The Soviet Union in the Cold War: Let's quickly go over the events from last time... The 8 events that you are responsible for are:
Marshall Plan
Berlin Airlift
Korean War
Hungarian uprising
Sputnik
U2 incident
Berlin Wall
Cuban Missile Crisis
Gorbachev and the Fall of the Soviet Union
For those of you who like to go into a little more depth, here are a copy of some of my Khrushchev and Brezhnev notes.
Our main focus today will be on the impact of Mikhail Gorbachev and his reforms on the Soviet Union. We'll talk about this together, but you might also find these Gorbachev notes useful for review and test preparation.
]]>Remember that you have a batch of Current Events due on Wednesday, May 17th.
QUESTION: It would really make more sense if we could do the remaining VIPs (Gorbachev, Baryshnikov, and Yeltsin) on MONDAY, MAY 15th. That's sooner than originally scheduled. Does that work for the presenters? Waleed, Jessica, Shawn, Matt C. and Will D. - If I'm gone Friday, please email me whether you can be ready for that.
THE SOVIET UNION IN WORLD WAR II
We'll sneak that film clip in at some point. Here are the things I want you to understand about Russia's experience in the Second World War. Read both the handout from the textbook and my notes to help your understanding.
Nazi-Soviet Non-Agression Pact
Operation Barbarossa
Battle of Moscow
Siege of Leningrad
Battle of Stalingrad
Impact of World War II
I'm again linking that set of some of my own World War II notes.
THE SOVIET UNION IN THE COLD WAR
Our "topic" for today will be the Soviet Union's involvement in the Cold War. You should understand the basics and significance of the events listed below. Work in a group of two or three, and look up at least four of the events. Use your text and any Internet resources you think might help. We'll chat briefly about these either at the end of the block or on Monday.
Remember that this information will directly help you with one of the essay questions...
Marshall Plan
Berlin Airlift
Korean War
Hungarian uprising
Sputnik
U2 incident
Berlin Wall
Cuban Missile Crisis
For each event, you and your group should understand the following:
* When did it happen?
* Where did the event happen?
* What happened?
* How did the event affect US/ Soviet relations?
* Was there a "winner" or "loser"? Why?
CNN.com has a great website called, suprisingly enough, Cold War. Check it out.
We meet a number of Russia VIPs today: Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Andrei Sakharov.
QUESTION: It would really make more sense if we could do the remaining VIPs (Gorbachev, Baryshnikov, and Yeltsin) on MONDAY, MAY 15th. That's sooner than originally scheduled. Does that work for the presenters?
Here's an on-line collection of images from "The Commissar Vanishes" if you liked the Stalin photos from yesterday.
Here are some of my own World War II notes.
We will also watch some of the video clips on Stalin's early years and World War II. Be sure to ask any questions you have. You'll watch up through the events on World War II.
Remember that you have a batch of Current Events due on Wednesday, May 17th.
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