September 2008 Archives

Lesson #25 - Industrial Revolution Discussion

By
Mike Vergin
on September 30, 2008 8:00 AM |
I'll have a handout for you with both our "roster" of characters and the specific questions with which we'll begin our discussion. We'll plan on at least fifteen minutes for each of the three "sections" of our overall conversation. We'll take time for introductions at the start of each of the three panels.


The Industrial Revolution: Beginnings
Jethro Tull
Robert Bakewell
John Kay 
Eli Whitney 
James Watt 
Robert Fulton
John McAdam 
Richard Trevithick

Questions for this first panel:
  • What do you think was the most important cause of the Industrial Revolution?
  • Why England?
  • Was industrialization inevitable? If so, why don't we see it outside Europe at this time?
  • Was increased population a cause or an effect of the Industrial Revolution? Explain.
  • Would the world have been better off without the shift from an agrarian to an industrial outlook in much of the world?
  • Which development was the most crucial to the Industrial Revolution?
  • Which of the inventions of the Industrial Revolution most affects us today?


The Industrial Revolution:  Effects
Elizabeth Caskell 
William Cooper 
Ned Ludd
Michael Thomas Sadler 
victim of cholera outbreak 
Birmingham coal miner 
Francis Cabot Lowell 
Lucy Larcom 

Questions for this second panel:
  • Industrialization: Was it worth it?  Why or why not?
  • Was the effect of the Industrial Revolution the same on men and women?
  • Which affected life the most: the French Revolution or the Industrial Revolution?
  • How much of the suffering and difficulties of the Industrial Revolution could have been easily prevented?
  • Was greed the primary cause of the revolution's negative impacts?
  • What, if anything, could reasonably have been done to improve the lives of workers and citizens during the time of the Industrial Revolution?
  • How did the Industrial Revolution change society?


The Industrial Revolution:  Responses
Adam Smith 
David Ricardo 
Thomas Malthus 
John Stuart Mill 
Robert Owen 
Charles Fourier 
Karl Marx 
Friedrich Engels 

Questions for this third panel:
  • To what extent was "your" work a reaction to the Industrial Revolution?
  • In your mind, was the Industrial Revolution positive or negative?  Why?
  • How could the negative effects of industrialization been minimized?
  • What should be the relationship between the workers and the factory owners?
  • Are their ethical and/or human rights issues at stake here in the Industrial Revolution?
  • How and when should government intervene in the affairs of business?
  • Did the Industrial Revolution cause an increase in global inequality?  Why or why not?
  • What are the most lasting impacts of the Industrial Revolution?

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, October 1st  

Please start your reading in Chapter 26 with Section 1, "Reforming the Industrial World." (pp.  747 - 750) The quiz will be true/false.

No hurry to get started, but your Cartoons: Industrialization and Imperialism assignment is due on Friday, October 10th. Directions are on yesterday's blog.

Lesson #24 - People on the Move: 19th Century Migration

By
Mike Vergin
on September 29, 2008 8:00 AM |
Welcome back. If those of you who didn't conference with me want a copy of a grade printout with your current status, I've got those.

We'll be setting up a couple of activities today, and we'll also be taking a slight detour from our look at the Industrial Revolution and its aftermath. We'll be back to that as our main topic for tomorrow.

As a warmup, let's do this one that we didn't get to on Friday...

Charts and graphs and other things, Oh my! (That's a version of the "Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!" exchange from The Wizard of Oz... Just thought you might want to know.) I've got five sheets containing various styles and sorts of information. You'll get one of them, and we'll share what we've got...


Industrial Revolution - Discussion
I posted this on the website on Friday, but we didn't get to it. Tomorrow, we'll host a discussion on a variety of topics related to the Industrial Revolution. You will be assigned a role for this. Basically, your "character" will be most involved in one of the three phases of the discussion, and those phases will mirror the three DBQs: beginnings, effects and responses. We'll draw for roles, and you'll have some time today to get ready for this.

The Industrial Revolution: Beginnings
Jethro Tull (p. 717)
Robert Bakewell (p. 718)
John Kay (p. 718-719)
Eli Whitney (p. 720)
James Watt (p. 721)
Robert Fulton (p. 720)
John McAdam (p. 721)
Richard Trevithick (p. 721)

At the beginning, you will be asked to briefly introduce yourself. We want to know who you are and how you contributed to the Industrial Revolution. (Figure around 1 minute or so.)

The Industrial Revolution:  Effects
Elizabeth Caskell (p. 724)
William Cooper (p. 724/DBQ)
Ned Ludd (p. 726)
Michael Thomas Sadler (DBQ)
victim of cholera outbreak (p. 724)
Birmingham coal miner (p. 725)
Francis Cabot Lowell (p. 729)
Lucy Larcom (p. 730)

At the beginning, you will be asked to briefly introduce yourself. We want to know how you were affected by the Industrial Revolution, as well as what you believe should be done.

The Industrial Revolution:  Responses
Adam Smith (p. 724)
David Ricardo (p. 735)
Thomas Malthus (p. 735)
John Stuart Mill (p. 735)
Robert Owen (p. 736)
Charles Fourier (p. 736)
Karl Marx (p. 736)
Friedrich Engels (p. 736)

At the beginning, you will be asked to briefly introduce yourself. We want to understand your basic position, as well as what, if anything, you believe should be done in response to the Industrial Revolution and its effects.

You'll be provided with specific topics and questions for the rest of the discussion tomorrow.


Cartoons - Industrialization and Imperialism
In this assignment, you will produce two cartoons of your own in editorial/political cartoon style. One will be on industrialization (or a closely related issue) and one will be on imperialism (or a specific example). These will both be due on Friday, October 10th.

Here are the guidelines:
  • My preference is for each cartoon to be in black ink on 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.
  • (If you choose to use color, that is fine, but I won't be able to turn it into a color overhead.)
  • You may use multiple panels, but most cartoons of this style are usually a single panel.
  • Text on the cartoon may be typed (cut and paste) or hand-written, but must be legible.
  • Your ideas are more important than artistic excellence, but there should be evidence of appropriate effort. 
  • You will be evaluated on adherence to topic, effectiveness of "message", creativity and execution.
If you want some additional samples, you might check these sites out:


Migration - 19th Century People on the Move
We'll do a couple of quick activities here on the movements of people around the world in the 19th century.

Remember that we identified "push" and "pull" factors that affected migration patterns last year. We'll use that idea again today. In addition, we'll take a look at the different types of migration.

  • internal
  • external
  • chain
  • temporary
You can work on getting ready for tomorrow's discussion with any remaining time...


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Tuesday, September 30th  

Please finish up your reading in Chapter 25 with Section 4, "Reforming the Industrial World." (pp.  734 - 740) It's a longer section, and the quiz will be fill-in-the-blank.

We will have our Industrial Revolution - Discussion tomorrow. Remember that you have an assigned role from which you will be speaking.

No hurry to get started, but your Cartoons: Industrialization and Imperialism assignment is due on Friday, October 10th. Directions are above.



Lesson #23 - The Industrial Revolution's Impact

By
Mike Vergin
on September 25, 2008 8:00 AM |
We'll wrap up this week with a sort of overview of the Industrial Revolution. Early next week, our focus will be on several reactions to industrialization.


The Industrial Revolution - "Oral DBQ Essay Thingies"
We'll give you five minutes to touch base in your groups from yesterday, and then we'll go through the three different "essays" as a sort of introductory activity to this chapter.
Your "essay" should be in an outline style form, but it need not flow smoothly or be perfectly worded. Each of you will be expected to talk.

You were asked to incorporate these:
  • Some sort of attention getter or "hook" for a first line. (Tell us why you chose what you did.)
  • Thesis that is responsive to your specific topic. (This should be carefully phrased, not just made up on the spot.)
  • A minimum of three body paragraphs
  • Each paragraph should be clearly in support of your thesis.
  • Each paragraph should refer to evidence from at least two of the documents.
  • You should document which sources you are using.
  • You should have a concluding paragraph that ties things together.

The Industrial Revolution: Beginnings
"Why did the Industrial Revolution begin in England?"
The Industrial Revolution: Effects
"Evaluate the positive and negative effects of the Industrial Revolution."
The Industrial Revolution: Responses
"How were the evils of the Industrial Revolution addressed in England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?"
You'll each get a copy of the other two packets, so you'll have a complete set of these assignments to use for notes and information.


Thinking about a Role: I sometimes assign you roles for our discussions. Early next week, we'll spend some time talking about the Industrial Revolution and its effects. You will each speak from a perspective, either real or imagined. I'm going to let you choose/create your role within some guidelines. Monday, you'll be asked to commit to a "character" for a conversation that will probably take place on Wednesday. Think about this and come prepared with the names of one or more "real" people you want to represent or a "type" of person you want to represent.


Powerpoint "Introduction": We're going to try something a little different today, and I want your feedback on its value. We're going to watch an overview PowerPoint presentation on Industrialization and Its Consequences. This is from the A World History for Us All curriculum that I have borrowed a number of things from. The idea is that you might watch this at the start of what they call, "Big Era 7: The Modern Revolution." I think some of it is really good (some kind of goofy), and it does a good job of linking the ideas we've been studying to industrialization while previewing some of what is to come.


Charts and graphs and other things, Oh my! (That's a version of the "Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!" exchange from The Wizard of Oz... Just thought you might want to know.) I've got five sheets containing various styles and sorts of information. You'll get one of them, and we'll share what we've got...


HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, September 29th

Please read Chapter 25, Section 3, "Industrialization Spreads." (pp. 729 - 733)  That's it. Of course, you can read ahead if you have time, but there's no other assignment.  We'll be back to multiple choice for the quiz.

Lesson #22 - The Industrial Revolution

By
Mike Vergin
on September 24, 2008 8:00 AM |
Welcome to Unit #6. Consider yourself officially 1/4 of the way done with World History 10. (Or, if you prefer, all but our newest sophomore are 5/8 of the way done with World History 9/10.)

Sorry to have to start out with a quiz today, but we need to keep things going. The good news is that you'll have no homework this long weekend other than reading a single section...

I'm planning to have at least the multiple choice portion of the quizzes graded, so we can hopefully review those. Remember that I need back those quiz packets from a number of you...


Current Events - I always enjoy getting a chance to talk some current issues and events with you. We can take a bit of time today for that. Basically, I'd like each of you to think of your "best" story from the assignment that you did for Monday. We'll briefly share those, and perhaps we can dig a bit deeper on a few of them.

The Industrial Revolution - We're going to try this one a little differently. Since you just came off an essay and a set of DBQs, we're going to try and combine those two skills. We're going to break into six groups of roughly four people. I have three different DBQ activities related to the Industrial Revolution. Basically, each group is going to prepare to "talk" an essay tomorrow.  

These are the three DBQs and their essay topics:

The Industrial Revolution: Beginnings
"Why did the Industrial Revolution begin in England?"

The Industrial Revolution: Effects
"Evaluate the positive and negative effects of the Industrial Revolution."

The Industrial Revolution: Responses
"How were the evils of the Industrial Revolution addressed in England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?"

Today, each group should work through their DBQ packet, keeping in mind the essay topic they will address tomorrow.

Your "essay" should be in an outline type form, but it need not flow smoothly or be perfectly worded. In fact, each of you will be expected to talk.

Please incorporate these:
  • Some sort of attention getter or "hook" for a first line. (Tell us why you chose what you did.)
  • Thesis that is responsive to your specific topic. (This should be carefully phrased, not just made up on the spot.)
  • A minimum of three body paragraphs
  • Each paragraph should be clearly in support of your thesis.
  • Each paragraph should refer to evidence from at least two of the documents.
  • You should document which sources you are using.
  • You should have a concluding paragraph that ties things together.

Remember, you DO NOT need to write this all out. Think of it as sharing your planning with us. Obviously, we have two goals for this. First, we can think specifically about putting together a history essay. Second, we can start to learn about the Industrial Revolution and its impact on the world.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, September 25th

Please read Chapter 25, Section 2, "Industrialization." (pp. 723 - 728) Matching is the quiz format.

I expect you'll more or less finish in class, but each group should be ready to "present" their essay preparation tomorrow.

Lesson #21 - Unit #5 Objective Exam

By
Mike Vergin
on September 23, 2008 8:00 AM |
It is a pretty straight-forward plan for today. You'll take the objective portion of the Unit #5 Exam. It has 60 multiple choice questions and 5 DBQs. (I should have the multiple choice portions graded by tomorrow.)

If you have not yet finished your essay, you need to do that as well.

Also, I need to be sure to get back your packet of reading quizzes that I returned for you to review.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow: Wednesday, September 24th

Ms. Murr would tell you that only a real meanie assigns homework the night of the exam. I guess that makes me a meanie... 

Please read Section 1 in Chapter 25, "The Beginnings of Industrialization." (pp. 717- 722) This is a relatively short quarter, so we need to keep going. (We are going to need to double up once on the reading as it is.)  The format for this quiz should be true/false.

Lesson #20 - Unit #5 Identifications and Essay Exams

By
Mike Vergin
on September 22, 2008 8:00 AM |
If you plan to word-process, you can download a copy of the
Unit #5 Identifications answer sheet.


REMINDER: You must finish the identifications before you leave class. Start with those. You do NOT need to be done with the essay. (You'll be asked to either email or print out what you have at the end of the hour. You can finish tomorrow.)


Unit #5 Identifications: You'll receive (or download) a handout from which you will write on your choice of 5 of the 8 identifications that appear. You may have 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.


Unit #5 Essay Exam - Questions and Format - You'll also write your in-class essay. The actual essay will be written, by hand or word-processed, in class. 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.

You may bring in a sheet of paper with up to 100 words on it. (You do not need to count the words in the actual question itself in that total...) If you choose to hand-write, I will provide you with paper for that.


1. We considered the reigns of a number of absolute monarchs. Choose THREE specific monarchs and evaluate the impact of their reigns. Overall, was absolutism a positive or negative force in the Europe of the time?

2. The Enlightenment was a time of significant changes in thinking and values. Identify and evaluate the significance of what you consider to be the THREE most significant contributions of the Enlightenment. Which specific figure do you believe best embodied the spirit of the Enlightenment? Why?

3. We studied the causes of political revolution in places such as England, the American colonies, France, Haiti and Mexico. Choose THREE of these revolutions and evaluate whether each was justified. Which of the revolutions that you discuss do you believe was ultimately the most successful? Why?


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Tuesday, September 23rd

You have the Unit #5 Objective Exam tomorrow. There are 60 multiple choice questions and five DBQs.



Lesson #19 - Unit #5 "Two-Minute" Reviews

By
Mike Vergin
on September 19, 2008 8:00 AM | | Comments (2)
We'll spend today doing our review activity. We'll get started right away so that we can get through this all.

UNIT 5:  Absolutism to Revolution (1500 - 1900)

Chapter 21:  Absolute Monarchs in Europe (1500 - 1800)
1  Spain's Empire and European Absolutism
2  The Reign of Louis XIV
3  Central European Monarchs Clash
4  Absolute Rulers of Russia
5  Parliament Limits the English Monarchy

Chapter 22:  Enlightenment and Revolution (1550 - 1789)
1  The Scientific Revolution
2  The Enlightenment in Europe
3  The Enlightenment Spreads
4  The American Revolution

Chapter 23:  The French Revolution and Napoleon (1789 - 1815)
1  The French Revolution Begins
2  Revolution Begins Reform and Terror
3  Napoleon Forges an Empire
4  Napoleon's Empire Collapses
5  The Congress of Vienna

Chapter 24:  Nationalist Revolutions Sweep the West (1789 - 1900)
1  Latin American Peoples Win Independence
2  Europe Faces Revolution
3  Nationalism
4  Revolutions in the Arts


HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, September 22nd

Remember that your Current Events are now due no later than class time on Monday, September 22nd. You can either email them as an attachment or print them out. You can download a template on Lesson #15. There's more information on that lesson, and you can find an explanation of the world history themes on this page.

We'll have the Unit #5 Exam on Monday and Tuesday. Monday will be the Identifications and Essay. On Tuesday, we'll have the Objective Exam. That will consist of multiple choice questions and some document-based questions. You can find the essay questions and possible identifications here.

Lesson #18 - MPA Romanticism and Realism Arts Festival

By
Mike Vergin
on September 18, 2008 8:00 AM |
"Romanticism and Realism Arts Festival" - Welcome. Today, we'll take some time to consider some of the new movements in the arts that we've been reading about. 

I was going to change the order a little, but I suppose we'll stick with this. It's the way they appear in the readings, so that might be helpful to you in terms of review, etc. Figure that no one should take more than five minutes for their presentation.
 
  • art of El Greco and Velazquez
  • Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes
  • art of Rembrandt van Rijn
  • Moliere's comedic plays
  • baroque art and architecture
  • music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  • music of Ludwig van Beethoven
  • British romantic poets (choose among Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, John Keats)
  • Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  • opera of Giuseppe Verdi and/or Richard Wagner
  • Louis Daguerre and the daguerreotype
  • works of Charles Dickens
  • art of Claude Monet
  • art of Edgar Degas
  • art of Pierre-Auguste Renoir  

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Friday, September 19th

You are done with the reading for Unit #5. Congratulations.

Remember that your Current Events are due on Friday, September 19th. You can either email them as an attachment or print them out. You can download a template on Lesson #15. There's more information on that lesson, and you can find an explanation of the world history themes on this page.

Your part of the Unit #5 Two-Minute Review should be ready to go for Friday.

We'll have the Unit #5 Exam on Monday and Tuesday. Monday will be the Identifications and Essay. On Tuesday, we'll have the Objective Exam. That will consist of multiple choice questions and some document-based questions. You can find the essay questions and possible identifications here.

Lesson #17 - The Rise of Nationalism

By
Mike Vergin
on September 17, 2008 8:00 AM |
Since you've all got several things coming up, we'll make sure we stop whatever it is we are doing with at least a half-hour left in the block. Here's a reminder of what is coming up:

  • Thursday - "Romanticism and Realism Arts Festival"
  • Friday - Unit #5 "Two-Minute" Reviews, Current Events due
  • Monday - Identification and Essay Exam
  • Tuesday - Unit #5 Objective Exam
Following the quiz, we'll touch base on any questions you have regarding the test format. Then we'll return to nationalism for a bit, picking up a couple of specific examples. 


The Rise of Nationalism
As we start, we'll have you spend about ten minutes with a DBQ packet that provides a nice overview. 

At the risk of incorrectly summarizing your thoughts, our class "definitions" from yesterday seemed pretty much along these lines.

The "critical attributes" of nationalism include:
  • loyalty to a nation is above other loyalties or individual interests
  • believing a certain group has a shared or collective identity
  • valuing a collective identity based on history, culture, language, race, and/or ethnicity
  • political claims (land, independence, sovereignty, etc.) are made on behalf of a defined nation

Now that we have this general consensus, let's look at the various types of nationalist movements. (We'll come back to this topic in future units...) I'm combining what our textbook has in the chart on page 692 with an excerpt from Michael Hechter at The Nationalism Project. Here's one version of a "typology" of nationalisms:

  • unification - merging politically divided but culturally similar lands
  • separation (or peripheral) - culturally distinct group resists being added to a state or tries to break away
  • state-building - culturally distinct groups form into a new state by accepting a single culture
  • irredentist - attempt to extend the boundaries of a state by incorporating territory of an adjacent state occupied principally by "co-nationals"

Let's see how we do with these different types. Try to classify each of these historical or current nationalist movements by type.

  • 19th century Italy and Germany
  • the early United States of America
  • 19th-20th century breakups of thh Austrian and Russian empires 
  • current Iraq - Kurds, Sunni, Shiites
  • modern Tibet
  • advocates for "One" Korea
  • Russia's troop movements into Georgia this past summer
  • French-speaking citizens of Quebec
Some questions for you:
  • On balance, is nationalism a positive or negative force? Why?
  • Should patriotism be considered a type of nationalism?
  • Where in the modern world are we seeing the strongest forces of nationalism?
  • Does nationalism exacerbate problems of racism in the world? Why or why not?

Finally, we need to at least mention the most important aspects of the two classic stories of unification nationalism in 19th-century Europe: Italy and Germany.

Italy - Sardinia's King Victor Emmanuel II and his Prime Minister Camillo di Cavour drove the Austrians out of most of northern Italy with the help of the French. Giuseppe Garibaldi worked to unite the south before joining forces with the Sardinian King. Rome became the capital of a united Italy by 1870. (The pope kept control of what is know Vatican City.)

italy_nationalism.jpeg
Garibaldi is presenting "boot" of Italy to the king of Sardinia. (1860 British cartoon)


Germany - Here, the Prussian state led the process. Otto von Bismarck became prime minister in 1862. His "realpolitik" approach gave him near dictatorial powers, and he pledged to rule by "blood and iron." Wars with Austria and France rallied support of the German peoples, and the Second Reich was established in 1871 with Kaiser Wilhelm I in control.

bismarck_cartoon.jpg
Otto von Bismarck juggling images of war and peace on a see-saw labeled "European Politics" with powder keg and artillery piece visible. (1887 cartoon from US)

Want a challenge? Draw your own cartoon related to a historical or current example of nationalism. (Sounds like a good idea for some type of future assignment... This would be good practice for you.)


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, September 18th

Please finish your reading in Chapter 24 (and Unit #5!) with Section 4, "Revolutions in the Arts." (pp. 698 - 701) The quiz is fill-in-the-blank.

Your contribution to the "Romanticism and Realism Arts Festival" needs to be ready to present tomorrow. I'll have the computer projector available, but you need to let me know if you need anything else.

Remember that your Current Events are due on Friday, September 19th. You can either email them as an attachment or print them out. You can download a template on Lesson #15. There's more information on that lesson, and you can find an explanation of the world history themes on this page.

Your part of the Unit #5 Two-Minute Review should be ready to go for Friday.

We'll have the Unit #5 Exam on Monday and Tuesday. Monday will be the Identifications and Essay. On Tuesday, we'll have the Objective Exam. That will consist of multiple choice questions and some document-based questions. You can find the essay questions and possible identifications here.

Unit #5 Exam - Identifications and Essay Questions

By
Mike Vergin
on September 16, 2008 8:00 AM |

Unit #5 Identifications: On Monday, September 22nd, you will write on your choice of 5 of the 8 identifications that appear on the Unit #5 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.

Philip II
divine right
Louis XIV
Thirty Years' War
Oliver Cromwell
Galileo Galilei
social contract
John Locke
philosophe
enlightened despot
Reign of Terror
Napoleon Bonaparte
creoles
nationalism
Otto von Bismarck


Unit #5 Essay Exam - Questions and Format - You'll write an essay as part of the Unit #5 Exam. This essay will be written in class on Monday, September 22nd. Below you can find both the questions from which you will choose and the format for the essay portion on the Unit #5 Exam. The essay is worth 30 points.

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. You may bring 100 words of notes for the essay topic of your choice.


1. We considered the reigns of a number of absolute monarchs. Choose THREE specific monarchs and evaluate the impact of their reigns. Overall, was absolutism a positive or negative force in the Europe of the time?

2. The Enlightenment was a time of significant changes in thinking and values. Identify and evaluate the significance of what you consider to be the THREE most significant contributions of the Enlightenment. Which specific figure do you believe best embodied the spirit of the Enlightenment? Why?

3. We studied the causes of political revolution in places such as England, the American colonies, France, Haiti and Mexico. Choose THREE of these revolutions and evaluate whether each was justified. Which of the revolutions that you discuss do you believe was ultimately the most successful? Why?

Lesson #16 - The Beginnings of Nationalism

By
Mike Vergin
on September 16, 2008 8:00 AM |
First up today will be some information about the Unit #5 exam that is scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday. You can find this on a separate blog entry... We'll also use this opportunity to draw for your Unit #5 Two-Minute Review assignments. Those will be due on Friday.


Finishing the "Atlantic Revolutions" - You were asked to do two very brief readings in preparation for the activities that we didn't get to yesterday. We'll start with those.

After the Revolution - Now what?: It seems fair to evaluate whether the "revolutionaries" lived up to the promises of liberty they once called for once they have assumed power. 

I gave each of you a document from one of the revolutions we have been considering. As you look at the documents, consider these questions.

1. How does each new government in the Atlantic world define citizenship?

2. What rights were guaranteed by the government and to which groups of people?

3. Which documents mention liberty?

4. How is slavery changed or maintained?

5. What kinds of powers does each new government assume? How are those powers divided among branches of government?


Revolutionary Rhetoric - Did it spread?: You also got a copy of a text produced by the leaders of one of two later revolutionary groups of the early twentieth century: the Young Turks and the Chinese revolutionaries. Consider these questions.

  • How does each document define liberty?
  • How does each document define citizenship?
  • What do the constitutions say about education?

We'll wrap up with a quick look at a map of Latin America and a brief consideration of the revolutions of 1848. If you want to know a lot more about the specifics on the 1848 Revolutions, you can check out this timeline. Timeline - Revolutions of 1848


The Rise of Nationalism - As you will read tonight, your textbook calls nationalism "the most powerful idea of the 1800s." We're going to work towards defining the concept today, and we'll look at the examples of Italy and Germany tomorrow.

I'm going to give you a handout with paragraphs of three examples of nationalism. I want to use these "case studies" to derive a definition of nationalism and its key attributes.

Let's compare notes and come up with a definition. We'll also through in the concept of the nation-state and make a list of some of the results (positive and negative) of nationalism.

Finally, I'll have you consider the back side of the handout. Here are three more examples. In each case, evaluate whether or not we are talking about an example of nationalism here. We'll discuss these.


"Romanticism and Realism Arts Festival" - On Thursday, we'll take some time to consider some of the new movements in the arts that we've been reading about. You'll have a chance to share with us a topic of interest. (Some of these aren't technically part of either "Romanticism" or "Realism," but I like the alliteration in that title...)

You (or you and a partner) will choose from this list (or suggest another appropriate topic).

  • art of El Greco and Velazquez
  • Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes
  • art of Rembrandt van Rijn
  • Moliere's comedic plays
  • baroque art and architecture
  • music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  • music of Ludwig van Beethoven
  • British romantic poets (choose among Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, John Keats)
  • Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  • opera of Giuseppe Verdi and/or Richard Wagner
  • Louis Daguerre and the daguerreotype
  • works of Charles Dickens
  • art of Claude Monet
  • art of Edgar Degas
  • art of Pierre-Auguste Renoir
I'll have a projector available. Obviously, you can do music, visuals or whatever you find appropriate, but there should be something for us to listen to or see as appropriate. Figure that no one should take more than five minutes for their presentation. 


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, September 17th

Please continue your reading in Chapter 24 with Section 3, "Nationalism - Case Study: Italy and Germany." (pp. 692 - 697) The quiz is multiple choice.

Your contribution to the "Romanticism and Realism Arts Festival" needs to be ready to present on Thursday.

Remember that your Current Events are due on Friday, September 19th. You can either email them as an attachment or print them out. You can download a template on Lesson #15. There's more information on that lesson, and you can find an explanation of the world history themes on this page.

Your part of the Unit #5 Two-Minute Review should be ready to go for Friday.

We'll have the Unit #5 Exam on Monday and Tuesday. Monday will be the Identifications and Essay. On Tuesday, we'll have the Objective Exam. That's will consist of multiple choice questions and some document-based questions.

Lesson #15 - The Atlantic Revolutions

By
Mike Vergin
on September 15, 2008 8:00 AM |
Here's a good example of the difference between a "Western Civilization" perspective and a "World History" perspective. Often, the American and French Revolutions are taught as the "culmination" of the Enlightenment. Here, however, we'll also be looking at a variety of revolutions throughout the "Atlantic World" during this time period. In particular, we'll add the Caribbean and Latin America to our attention today.

We'll test next Monday and Tuesday on Unit #5. I'll have more information available regarding the format tomorrow. Expect something very similar to last year.

Current Events: I'm sure many of you were hoping that I forgot... I didn't. We'll do them a little bit differently this year. The Advanced Placement course in World History emphasizes five themes. (You'll remember that our text has a different list.) You can find a page with explanations of the themes of world history for more complete explanations. It's simple. You'll do five stories, one from each of the themes. Reading the subheadings under each theme should help you come up with plenty of ideas. 

As with last year, you can download a Current Events template. You'll be expected to follow the format very closely. These are worth a total of 20 points. Current Events #1 will be due at the start of class on Friday, September 19th.


The Atlantic Revolutions - overview jigsaw: We'll continue our look at the revolutions today. First, we are going to do a jigsaw focusing on the success of four particular revolutions in producing the ideas of liberty (freedom) and equality. The four revolutions we'll look at are: American, French, Haitian and Venezuelan revolutions.

First, you and a group will look at one of the revolutions. You'll evaluate how well it achieved the goals of freedom and equality.

Second, you'll hear about each revolution and complete a comparison activity.


The Revolutionary "Coffeehouse": Like the salons of the Enlightenment, the coffeehouse of the 18th and 19th century Europe was often a place for discussion of ideas such as "liberty" and "revolution." That's a long way from the Caribou and Starbucks of today...

Your group will initially look at several very brief excerpts on "liberty" from Locke and Montesquieu. Think about how they define the term. Next, you'll decide whether "liberty," in the form of political independence from the previous regime, would solve the problems identified in these writings.

As you consider the questions below, make use of the relevant documents.

• What were the complaints against the existing governments?

• To what extent did the revolutionaries use Enlightenment writings in defending their causes, especially with regard to the word "liberty?"

• If you were a colonist in Boston, would you argue for revolution after the Stamp Act?  What considerations would affect your opinion?

• If you were a lawyer in Paris, would you argue for revolution after the Estates General began to meet? What considerations would affect your opinion?

• If you were a peasant from the region of Dourdogne, would you argue for revolution after the Estates General began to meet? What considerations would affect your opinion?

• If you were a free person of color who owned a plantation on Saint Domingue, would you argue for revolution after the French Declaration of the Rights of Man were published? What considerations would affect your opinion?

• If you were a lawyer in Mexico, would you argue for revolution after Father Hidalgo called for the overthrow of the Spanish crown? What considerations would affect your opinion?


After the Revolution - Now what?: It seems fair to evaluate whether the "revolutionaries" lived up to the promises of liberty they once called for once they have assumed power. It might be helpful to think of liberty both in terms of "political independence" and "personal freedom." Let's consider these questions:

  • Will the leaders want to restrict liberty for groups they view as threatening their own economic or political liberty: women, people of African descent, slaves, native peoples, some minority religious groups?
  • What would the leaders gain by restricting liberty?
  • What might they lose?

I'll provide you with some documents from each of the revolutions we have been considering. As you look at the documents, consider these questions.

1. How does each new government in the Atlantic world define citizenship?

2. What rights were guaranteed by the government and to which groups of people?

3. Which documents mention liberty?

4. How is slavery changed or maintained?

5. What kinds of powers does each new government assume? How are those powers divided among branches of government?


Revolutionary Rhetoric - Did it spread?: You'll get a copy of some texts produced by the leaders of two later revolutionary groups of the early twentieth century: the Young Turks and the Chinese revolutionaries. Your job is to read your set for tomorrow's class and be prepared to discuss these questions.

  • How does each document define liberty?
  • How does each document define citizenship?
  • What do the constitutions say about education?


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Tuesday, September 16th

Please continue reading in Chapter 24 with Section 2, "Europe Faces Revolutions." (pp. 687 - 691) 

Your Napoleon Acrostic should be posted as a comment on Lesson #14 before the start of tomorrow's class.

You should have read your excerpt (Turkey or China) for the "Revolutionary Rhetoric" exercise described above.

You have your first set of Current Events due on Friday, September 19th. The format is explained above. 

Lesson #14 - The Rise and Fall of Napoleon

By
Mike Vergin
on September 12, 2008 8:00 AM | | Comments (36)
We'll wrap up our look at the French Revolution and Napoleon today. Next week, our attention will turn to the waves of revolutions and nationalism that sweep the west, or the Atlantic world. I hope everyone has an enjoyable and relaxing homecoming weekend.


French Revolution - Cast of Characters
You were asked to "cast" the characters below using figures from a particular genre, profession, group or whatever. Ideally, your choices will help reveal your understanding of the roles these figures played in the French Revolution. Let's hear from some of you...

  • member of the First Estate
  • member of the Second Estate
  • member of the Third Estate
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  • King Louis XVI
  • Marie Antoinette
  • Parisian woman rioting over bread prices
  • radical member of Legislative Assembly
  • moderate member of Legislative Assembly
  • conservative member of Legislative Assembly
  • Jean-Paul Marat
  • Charlotte Corday
  • Jacobin
  • Georges Danton
  • Maximilien Robespierre
  • Napoleon Bonaparte


The Political Spectrum - From Left to Right and In-Between Remember that the terms "left" and "right" to describe political views dates back to factions that sat together in the Legislative Assembly hall. Then, the "radicals" sat on the left, a term used today for those who typically are more in favor of change, the liberals. On the right were the "conservatives," the term we still use today for those more likely to want fewer changes. In the center were the moderates.

Let's take a minute to see where you fall. First, I'll show you a political spectrum and invite you to guess where you will end up. Then, you can take a quiz and see where your answers place you.  There are many versions on-line, but we'll take the "World's Smallest Political Quiz." (Note that the survey is hosted on a libertarian political site. The survey itself, however, is developed to be non-partisan and has been taken more than 11 million times. If you want to read a lot more about the methodology of the survey, go to their Frequently Asked Questions.) We'll walk through the questions together to make sure everyone understands them.


Napoleon: PBS Video - I've mentioned it before, but PBS really does an excellent job with their websites that accompany shows they produce. Here are some of the features from their series on Napoleon that you should check out.

  • Introduction: This is worth watching. It will get you to a menu when it ends.
  • Timeline: Key events with links to additional information.
  • Campaigns and Battles
  • Weapons and Units of the Grand Armee
  • Interactive Battlefield Simulator: Try to win the Battle of Waterloo. You can be either Napoleon or Wellington.
  • Perspectives on Napoleon: You can read what some people have to say about Napoleon.
  • Watch Napoleon Video Clips: You can pick from several scenes here.
  • Send a Napoleon Postcard: Who wouldn't want to receive one of these?

    •  

    Napoleon's Russia Campaign: As you read, Napoleon's invasion of Russia was perhaps his greatest military error. It took a tremendous toll, both actual and psychological, on his Grand Army. Fewer than 1 in 40 soldiers returned to France. The Russians, of course, also suffered great damage, both from the French forces and their own strategy of scorching the earth.

    We're going to take a look at the invasion by considering a single "information graphic," or chart, produced by Charles Minard in 1869. Edward Tufte of Yale University, perhaps the world's expert in information design, considers it "the best statistical graphic ever drawn."

    Image of Napoleon's Russia Campaign: Yes, this is in French. However, you should still be able to figure some things out from looking at this version.  

    Here's Tufte's description of what is happening.

    "Beginning at the left on the Polish-Russian border near the Niemen River, the thick band shows the size of the army (422,000 men) as it invaded Russia in June 1812. The width of the band indicates the size of the army at each place on the map. In September, the army reached Moscow, which was by then sacked and deserted, with 100,000 men. The path of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow is depicted by the darker, lower band, which is linked to a temperature scale and dates at the bottom of the chart. It was a bitterly cold winter, and many froze on the march out of Russia. As the graphic shows, the crossing of the Berezina River was a disaster, and the army finally struggled back into Poland with only 10,000 men remaining. Also shown are the movements of auxiliary troops, as they sought to protect the rear and the flank of the advancing army. Minard's graphic tells a rich, coherent story with its multivariate data, far more enlightening than just a single number bouncing along over time. Six variables are plotted: the size of the army, its location on a two-dimensional surface, direction of the army's movement, and temperature on various dates during the retreat from Moscow" (p. 40).

    Here are some "revisions" done to the graphic to try and show additional information or to clarify the information already there.

    Napoleon in Acrostic: An acrostic is a poem or other writing where the first letters of each line (or paragraph, etc. in some cases) spell out another message. For example:

    Kind hearted teacher of ninth-grade seminar
    Always trying to make everyone happy
    Teaching speech and debate
    Interesting and amusing conversationalist
    Excellent teacher and friend

    Miles away so I can make fun of her
    Unique and one-of-a-kind
    Really enjoying life in the Czech Republic

    Ready to have her second baby

    Your job: As you've probably guessed, you'll do one for Napoleon Bonaparte. Here's the wrinkle. "Napoleon" should all be about his background and/or rise to power. "Bonaparte" should all be about his decline and fall from power and/or his historical impact. You should post your acrostic as a comment on this entry.


    HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, September 15th  </