January 2009 Archives

Lesson #14 - The Outbreak of World War II

By
Mike Vergin
on January 30, 2009 8:00 AM | | Comments (30)
We'll get you up to the outbreak of World War II today, and we'll set up a couple of things that we will tackle next week. Remember that your "Between the Wars" assignment is due today.


The Rise of Adolf Hitler - From Unknown to Dictator of Germany
The History Place website does a good job working through key events in the rise to power of Adolf Hitler. Today, we'll quickly run through the chapters each of you had from The Rise of Adolf Hitler website. Remember, you have a maximum of one minute, and you are responsible for conveying the important parts of your chapter. Please, talk to us. Don't read at us. 

Here are the chapters:
Adolf Hitler is Born
Hitler's Boyhood
Hitler's Father Dies
Hitler Fails Art Exam
Hitler's Mother Dies
Hitler is Homeless in Vienna
Hitler in World War I
War Ends with German Defeat
Hitler Joins German Workers' Party
Nazi Party is Formed
Hitler Named Leader of Nazi Party
The Beer Hall Putsch
Hitler on Trial for Treason
Hitler's Book Mein Kampf
A New Beginning
The Quiet Years
Great Depression Begins
Germans Elect Nazis
Success and a Suicide
Hitler Runs for President
The Republic Collapses
Hitler Named Chancellor of Germany
The Reichstag Burns
Hitler Becomes Dictator of Germany

We'll cover it in other ways, but if you are interested in learning more about what comes "next," I'd recommend their next section: The Triumph of Hitler - Nazi Germany 1933 to 1939. 

If you've never done it, watching some video of a Hitler speech or rally is interesting. Even with the sound off, you can see how charismatic he is. (Seventy years later, much of his manner has been parodied and perhaps lost some of its edge. Imagine what it would have been like back in the 1930s.) YouTube has this speech from 1933.

I'm not, of course, endorsing any of it, but here's an online version of Mein Kampf. 

Interested in a little controversy? (It's also a good lesson in being careful on the internet.) I wanted a link to a clearly formatted, easy to browse version of Mein Kampf so that you could get a feel for his writing if you want. The first link returned by Google is to The Hitler Historical Museum, and it's the one I used above. Since I'd never heard of the museum, I Googled that as well. Here's an interesting article I found:

Do Historians Have a Responsibility to Warn the Public About Misleading Websites?

Do examples like this cause you to think any differently about research and/or the internet?

We'll obviously continue to look at events in which Hitler was involved, but we'll shift from looking at him as an individual to looking at the war itself.


World War II: The Road to War - DBQ Activity - As we dive into the war itself, I've got a pretty good set of document based-questions to help you get a better understanding of what all is going on. We'll let you work on that for a few minutes.


WWYD ("What Would You Do?") - The Road to War in Europe - Here's how this works. You have a set of paper slips. Each has the name of a country (Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States). We will list events in chronological order. If, as any of the three countries you would have taken action at that time, you will "play" that card. We'll discuss your decisions as we go.

First, let's make a list of reasons why these three countries might have preferred to avoid war. Second, let's consider what the policy options were for the four countries.

  • March 1935 - Hitler repudiates Treaty of Versailles
  • March 1936 - German troops move into the Rhineland
  • November 1936 - Axis Powers formed
  • November 1937 - Hitler announces plan for Third Reich
  • March 1938 - Anschluss with Austria  
  • September 1938 - Nazis demand Sudetenland
  • September 29, 1938 - Munich Conference takes place
  • March 1939 - Germany occupies Czechoslovakia
  • September 1, 1939 - Germany invades Poland
  • September 3, 1939 - Great Britain and France declare war on Germany

The Rape of Nanjing - Here's what our book has to say about this event. "Beijing and other northern cities as well as the capital, Nanjing, fell to the Japanese in 1937. Japanese soldiers killed tens of thousands of captured soldiers and civilians in Nanjing." While technically correct, this sterile account does little to capture the true scope of this event.

Download a copy of this account of the Rape of Nanking. The first page is an "outside account" of some key events. The second page starts a really interesting look at the Japanese government's treatment of these events in their own history books, etc.

Here's the homepage for Iris Chang, author of The Rape of Nanking. (Notice that there seems to be no mention of her suicide in 2004.) "New Interest in Japan's War Atrocities, but Why Now?" is an interesting 1998 article from The New York Times.

Here's the site and trailer for a documentary (which I haven't seen) that tells her story: IRIS CHANG: The Rape of Nanking.

Here's a BBC story on the subject - Scarred by History:  The Rape of Nanjing.


The Words of World War II
Here are links to a number of speeches from World War II. You need to select one of them to read and post a blog comment reaction to that speech. Be sure you understand the context of the speech. You can react to the speech's style and/or effectiveness. Or, you can comment upon what it reveals about the particular speaker or their nation, etc. It's pretty open, but I'll expect a comment of a good paragraph or more in length.

Your blog comments should be posted to his blog entry by class time on Monday.

Franklin D. Roosevelt - The Great Arsenal of Democracy
Franklin D. Roosevelt - The Four Freedoms
Franklin D. Roosevelt - Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation
Winston Churchill - Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat
Winston Churchill - We Shall Fight on the Beaches
Winston Churchill - Their Finest Hour
Winston Churchill - The Few


HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, February 2nd

Continue reading in Chapter 32 with Section 2, "Japan's Pacific Campaign." (pp. 931 - 935) The quiz will be fill-in-the-blank.

Your blog comments for the "Words of World War II" should be posted by class time on Monday.


Lesson #13 - The Rise of Fascism

By
Mike Vergin
on January 29, 2009 8:00 AM |

Our look at World War II really begins today with our consideration of the rise of fascism. We'll do a couple quick things at the top here, and then we'll consider fascism directly.

Leadership in World History: We have certainly come a long way since the earliest human societies. Here's a chance to take a little "trip down memory lane..." Pair up with a partner if you'd like. I want you to make a list of ten figures that you would consider to have been "leaders" in world history. 

After you have done that, I want you to go back and make two additional lists. One should be of characteristics you would identify in "effective" leaders. As you can probably guess, the other should be of characteristics you would identify in "ineffective" leaders. I'd like you to have at least ten items on each of the lists. (By the way, I purposely chose labels other that good/bad because I am more interested in what attributes allow people to "lead," rather than in what direction they actually lead people.)


The rise of mass society - By the 1930s, many had come to believe that individualism (and liberalism) were being replaced by what came to be called "mass society." Because it's an important concept in the rise of fascism and other factors, we'll take a quick look at it today. 

Initially, I'd like you to download and read through W.H. Auden's 1939 poem, "The Unknown Citizen." From this, let's see what you think "mass society" might represent.

Here are some of the key characteristics of mass society and mass culture:
  • Democracy had leveled the playing field for all.
  • The "mass man" emerged, and he "is satisfied in being identical to others."
  • Expanded suffrage and literacy made the "mass man" more common.
  • Mass culture became standardized and diffused
  • Mass culture was something to be purchased and passively consumed.
  • Developments like the movies, recorded music and the automobile contributed.
  • Linkages between people became "vertical," rather than "horizontal."
Did this mean that Western civilization was sowing the seeds of its own demise?
To what degree did this contribute to the rise of totalitarianism and fascism?


What is fascism? There are probably few political terms in recent world history that generate as much confusion as "fascism." Its etymology is clear enough - The Italian word fascismo comes from the Latin fasces, which was a bundle of sticks or rods fastened around an axe. This was a symbol of authority in ancient Rome.

Stanley Payne, the author of A History of Fascism, uses a three-part definition for this new belief that emerged as a rival to both communism and liberalism in the 20th century.

I. According to Payne, fascism's primary goal was the regeneration of the nation, a goal that was pursued through extreme forms of nationalism.

II. Payne emphasizes the "fascist negations," as many think it is easier to identify what socialists were against, as opposed to what they are for.
  • They were anti-liberal, believing the nation was the base of society, not the individual.
  • They were anti-communist.
  • They were anti-conservative. (Fascism is usually seen as a right-wing movement, but terms like "radical right" are often used.)
III. Finally, Payne focused on features of style and organization.
  • Fascists created a mass following via the tools and resources of mass society.
  • They used the mass media and public rituals to exalt a single leader and embrace militarism.
  • Mass rallies and demonstrations were used to unify the people.

Working with a definition of fascism: We'll give you a chance to try out another "definition" of fascism here. Download a copy of Fourteen Characteristics of Fascism by Dr. Laurence Britt. (There's apparently some controversy online as whether Britt is actually a "real" political scientist or whether he has a doctorate. Either way, the list is useful for our purposes.)

Using Britt's matrix and working in a small group, I'd like you to try to find examples of as many of the fourteen characteristics of fascism as you can from one (or more) of the following examples of fascism.

  • Hitler and Germany (obviously the easiest to use)
  • Mussolini and Italy (probably the next easiest)
  • Franco and Spain
  • Suharto and Indonesia
  • Pinochet and Chile
Use your text when applicable, as well as doing some internet research. We'll talk about what you've found in a while.


The Rise of Adolf Hitler - From Unknown to Dictator of Germany
The History Place is a website that does a pretty good job working through key events in the rise to power of Adolf Hitler. You are each going to receive a slip with an event or period from Hitler's earlier years. They will correspond to a "chapter" from The History Place's site.

The Rise of Adolf Hitler - This link will take you to "your" chapter. Your job is simple. Tomorrow, we'll go through the events in chronological order. You will present a "Hitler minute" on your chapter. That means you have a maximum of one minute. No projectors, no visuals. You are responsible for conveying the important parts of your chapter.

Talk to us, don't read at us. Decide what is important and relevant to us.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Friday, January 30th

Start your reading in Chapter 32 with Section 1, "Hitler's Lightning War." (pp. 925 - 930) The quiz will be multiple choice.

Your "Between the Wars" assignment is due tomorrow. (That's the poem, artwork or letter described on Monday's blog entry.)

Be ready with your "Hitler minute" for our look at "The Rise of Adolf Hitler" tomorrow.

Lesson #12 - The "World Economic Conference" Simulation

By
Mike Vergin
on January 28, 2009 8:00 AM |

NOTE: In 4th hour, we need to take some time for a survey that MPA is having all students complete. 

Today, we'll hold our simulated "World Economic Conference" with two objectives. First, we'll try to determine the major causes of the Great Depression. Second, we'll turn our attention to our present economic situation and try to figure out whether we are headed for another depression. You'll play a key role in both of these conversations.

Causes of the Great Depression - You were assigned to one of five groups, depending on the color handout you received. Today, we'll hear your group presentations. Remember that it is your responsibility to make the argument that "your" cause was the most significant cause of the Great Depression.

Here are the causes:

    • reparation payments and war debts
    • overproduction in agriculture
    • stock market crash
    • inequitable income distribution
    • protectionism
Following the presentations, we'll attempt to come to a consensus as to which of these causes were most responsible for the Great Depression. After our open discussion, we'll put you in groups and have a vote. Here's how this will work. Each group will have ten "points," and you can assign them however you would like. (For example, you could give 4 points to what you feel is the major cause and 3 each to two others you deem most significant.) We'll see how this comes out.

What do you think of this quote? 
Historian John Garraty - "The Great Depression of the 1930s was a worldwide phenomenon composed of an infinite number of separate but related events." 


Are we headed for another depression? - Unfortunately, this is a very timely issue, as you've all heard the news reports calling current economic conditions, "the worst since the Great Depression" and things like that. You were asked to read the article you received, and you should be ready to discuss its main points. As a big group, we'll try to get a handle on some key issues affecting the future direction of the world's economy.

Here are the titles of the four articles:
  • "Echoes of the Great Depression"
  • "A new Great Depression? It's different this time"
  • "Compare: The Great Depression and Today's Dominoes"
  • "Is today's economic crisis another Great Depression?"

Let's start with these questions:
  • How would you describe the overall tone of your article?
  • What current trends and/or conditions are similar to those leading up to the Great Depression?
  • What current trends and/or conditions are significantly different than those preceding the Great Depression?
  • Realistically, what is the best case scenario for the world economy?
  • What do you feel is the worst case scenario for the world economy?


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, January 29th

Complete your reading in Chapter 31 with Section 4, "Aggressors Invade Nations." (pp. 915 - 919) The quiz will be matching.

Your "Between the Wars" assignment is due on Friday. (That's the poem, artwork or letter described on Monday's blog entry.)

Lesson #11 - The Great Depression

By
Mike Vergin
on January 27, 2009 8:00 AM |

You'll take an extended look at the Great Depression next year in Modern US History, but we'll also consider the global economic slowdown from a worldwide perspective today and tomorrow. After that, World War II will take us through the rest of the unit.


The Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 - Ultimately, 61 nations joined this treaty which claimed to outlaw war as a means of settling disputes. The actual language pledged that each nation would "renounce war as an instrument of national policy." Kellogg and Briand were the representatives of the US and French governments, and the treaty is also often called the Pact of Paris. 

  • In your opinion, was this treaty ever "worth the paper it was printed on?" Why or why not?
  • What do you think motivated nations to join the pact?
  • Is such a pact a realistic option in today's world? Why or why not?


Hyperinflation - Weimar Germany - Not much here to tell you, except that this chart is really pretty amazing. It shows how many German marks were equivalent in value to one US dollar.

July 1914 - 4.2 marks to the dollar 
January 1919 - 8.9 
July 1919 - 14.0 
January 1920 - 64.8 
July 1920 - 39.5 
January 1921 - 64.9 
July 1921 - 76.7 
January 1922 - 1919.8 
July 1922 - 493.2 
January 1923 - 17,972 
July 1923 - 353,412 
August 1923 - 4,620,455 
September 1923 - 98,860,000 
October 1923 - 25,260,208,000 
November 15, 1923 - 4,200,000,000,000 (yes, trillion)

[Source: Gordon Craig, "Germany 1866-1945"]

By late 1923, the German government required 1,783 printing presses, running around the clock, to print money.


The Great Depression - A Global Experience - Although we often use the term in reference to the United States, it is important to remember that this economic collapse of the late 1920s-1930s was truly a global phenomenon.

This iconic image was taken by Dorothea Lange in 1936 near Santa Barbara, California.

migrant_mother.gif

Across the world in India, people were also suffering from the Great Depression's effects.

gandhi_march.jpg

What ideas and images come to mind when you hear the phrase, the "Great Depression?"

Let's take a look at some numbers. We'll have some of you graph on the board the changes in GDP per capita for a number of countries while the rest of us try to answer some questions. (You'll receive a handout for this.)

Perhaps the next logical question is, "How did this all happen?" We'll turn our attention here next.


World Economic Conference - Causes of the Great Depression

Tomorrow, we'll hold a simulated "World Economic Conference" with two objectives. First, we'll try to determine the major causes of the Great Depression. Second, we'll turn our attention to our present economic situation and try to figure out whether we are headed for another depression. You'll play a key role in both of these conversations.

Causes of the Great Depression - You are going to be assigned to one of five groups, depending on the color handout you receive. Each handout explains one of the major causes of the economic slowdown. It gives you very specific information about what your group is expected to present at tomorrow's conference. I'd expect each group's presentation to be a minimum of five minutes. (I'd prefer not to use the projector if we can avoid that.)

Here are the causes:

    • reparation payments and war debts
    • overproduction in agriculture
    • stock market crash
    • inequitable income distribution
    • protectionism
Following the presentations, we'll attempt to come to a consensus as to which of these causes were most responsible for the Great Depression.


Are we headed for another depression? - For many of you, this might be a more important issue. A number of recent articles have raised this issue, and we'll take a look at it during tomorrow's World Economic Conference. You need to read the article you receive, and you should be ready to discuss its main points tomorrow in class. As a big group, we'll return to this overall issue of the future direction of the world's economy.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, January 28th

Continue your reading in Chapter 31 with Section 3, "Fascism Rises in Europe." (pp. 910 - 914) The quiz will be true / false.

Be ready for both parts of tomorrow's World Economic Conference.

Your "Between the Wars" assignment is due on Friday. (That's the poem, artwork or letter described on yesterday's blog entry.)

Lesson #10 - Between the Wars

By
Mike Vergin
on January 26, 2009 8:00 AM | | Comments (18)
We'll cover a variety of topics today and focus on the Great Depression from a worldwide perspective tomorrow. After that, most of our attention for the rest of the unit will be focused on the causes leading up to World War II and the war itself. We're looking at taking the test on Monday, February 9th and Tuesday, February 10th. (I may switch the identifications to Friday, February 6th and Tuesday the 10th for the objective, but I'll let you know for sure.)


Nationalism in India and Southwest Asia - You read about these events for the previous quiz. Basically, the section centered around nationalist and independence movements that led to the creation of four modern nations:  India, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Let's touch base on the India story, which won't actually be finished for a couple chapters...


Next, we'll look at the cases of Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia. You'll be asked to choose one of these three "stories." Take a couple minutes and review the information from your textbook. (I'll list specifics below that you should be sure to cover.) Then, think about answers to the questions below.

  • Turkey - Mustafa Kemal, Ataturk
  • Iran - Persia, Riza Shah Pahlavi
  • Saudi Arabia - Abd al-Aziz Ibn Saud

Questions:
  • In your opinion, was this an example of successful nationalism? Why or why not?
  • How important did an individual personality seem in your situation?
  • What role did religion play in either the old or new society?
  • Looking back, was this a positive transition for the nation? Why or why not?
  • From the United States perspective of today, how should we view these events?


The Mandate System in the Middle East - Next, we'll take a look at a specific agreement that affected the development of the map of the Middle East - the Sykes-Picot Agreement. This was an example of the "mandate" system, where Britain and France were given the authority to "oversee" the development of lands in the former Ottoman Empire after the war.

You'll get a copy of several documents, and they'll help you consider the following questions:

Here's a map of the Sykes-Picot Agreement.

  • Who wrote each document?
  • What was the purpose of each document?
  • Which documents were not meant to be public? Why?
  • Why was the release of the Sykes-Picot Agreement to the public by the Bolsheviks an embarrassment to Britain and France?
  • Was the agreement consistent with the Fourteen Points?  Why or why not?
  • What would President Wilson have thought of the Sykes-Picot Agreement? What would he have thought of the Mandate System in Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations?
  • How would the agreement have been viewed by those living in the "zones" shown on the map?
 
Between the Wars - As you can probably imagine, there was a good deal of uncertainty and confusion in Europe, and much of the rest of the world, at the completion of World War I. Nations lay in ruins, an entire generation had been "lost," and very little of it made sense. The "Enlightenment Project," which is a term used to describe the European view that reason, liberalism and objective truth would guide the world under their leadership, was in shambles. This uneasiness was expressed in a variety or literary and artistic forms. Let's take a quick look at some of them.

First, take a second and remember what you read about the contributions of people like Sigmund Freud and Friedrich Nietzsche, each of whom had challenged that pre-war view of man's rationality and reason. 

The poem, "The Second Coming," by William Butler Yeats (1919) is an effective summary of much of this uncertainty and fear. We'll have you take a look at the poem and see what you think of it. 

Here are some representative examples of emerging art forms during this period. Look at the examples and consider how they represent the feelings of the inter-war period.


"Between the Wars" Assignment - You get some choices here. Whatever you choose, I should get this from you by Friday. Basically, I want you to take a crack at expressing some of these feelings that you think were being felt between the wars. Clearly, rising nationalism, the coming of fascism and totalitarianism, the spread of communism and economic troubles made for an unsettling time.

You can choose from among these options:

  • In the spirit of Yeats' "The Second Coming," compose a poem that you feel is representative of the times. (There should be a minimum of twelve lines.) You should post your poem here.
  • Draw (or sketch or paint or whatever) a picture that you feel is representative of the time and one of the schools of art we looked at.
  • Assume that it is ten years after the end of World War I. You need to "create" a person and write a "letter" (400 or more words) from their perspective. It should look back both at their role in the World War I years (as a soldier, peasant, wife, child, whatever) and some major events since then. You can be from wherever you'd like: Europe, Russia, China, India, the United States or another location. You'd post the letter here as a comment.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Tuesday, January 27th

Please continue your reading in Chapter 31 with Section 2, "A Worldwide Depression." (pp. 904 - 909) This is another of those topics that you will spend much more time with next year in Modern US History.

Your "Between the Wars" activity is due on Friday, January 29th.


Lesson #9 - The End of Imperial China

By
Mike Vergin
on January 23, 2009 8:00 AM |
Our attention shifts from Russia to China today. As in Russia, the imperial era will come to end. From there, however, the two nations follow different paths. It will be almost four decades before communism rules over China under Mao Zedong. Today, we'll consider the end of imperialism and the struggle between the Nationalists and Communists. (You don't get to learn the end of the story until after World War II, as the two sides form an uneasy alliance to fight against the Japanese beginning in 1937.)


The End of Imperial China: When we last left the Qing, their empire was weakened due to both internal rebellion and foreign intervention. Here are some of the key events in the years that follow... Key terms and people are in bold.

1911 - Pu Yi, the last Qing Emperor is overthrown. (Here's the movie link. It won 9 Oscars!)

1912 - Sun Yixian is made president of the new Republic of China.

Sun calls for "Three Principles of the People"
  • nationalism - end to foreign control
  • people's rights - democracy
  • people's livelihood - economic security
His party is the Kuomintang, also known as the Nationalist Party. Sun passes power to General Yuan Shikai, and he basically tries to take over everything and sparks civil war. Warlords ruled various lands in China for the next few years.

1919 - May Fourth Movement - Mass demonstrations showed China's anger over the unfavorable terms of the Treaty of Versailles, particularly that German territory considered to be Chinese was turned over to the Japanese. Many see this as the birth of modern nationalism in China.

1921 - Chinese Communist Party is organized by Mao Zedong and others in Shanghai.

1925 - Jaing Jieshi assumes leadership of the Nationalists after Sun dies. His Kuomintang forces launch raids and attacks against the Communists over the next few years, particularly 1927.

1933 - Communist forces begin the Long March, a 6000-mile journey lasting more than a year.

1937 - Japan invades China, and the struggle between Nationalists and Communists is temporarily set aside to face a common enemy.


The Long March - We'll wrap up today with a little "field trip." (Before the building expanded, we used to take a whole block and do this outside, regardless of weather. I've gotten old and soft since then.) We'll stay inside and take our own very small version of the march today...

By the way, there's been a good deal of recent scholarship questioning some of the claims of the Long March. Rather than worrying about exactly how many miles it was, instead focus on its symbolic value for the Chinese Communists in terms of rallying support and glorifying their past. (Maybe you can think of similar events in US history. Valley Forge?)


HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, January 26th

Nothing fancy here. Please begin your reading in Chapter 31 with Section 1, "Postwar Uncertainty." (pp. 897 - 901) You'll notice that this is a different kind of section from what we have been reading lately...

Lesson #8 - Stalin's Russia

By
Mike Vergin
on January 22, 2009 8:00 AM |
We'll continue examining the changes that take place in Russia (by now the Soviet Union) during the rule of Joseph Stalin. Tomorrow, we'll shift our attention to China in the years between the World Wars.


After Lenin: If you didn't get enough on him yesterday, consult the Lenin Internet Archive. After having been shot and later suffering a series of strokes, Lenin died in 1924. The leading candidates to replace Lenin as leader of the Communist Party were Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. Despite Lenin's "Testament" and caution that Stalin "has concentrated enormous power in his hands, and I am not sure that he always knows how to use that power with sufficient caution," Stalin gained total command of the Communist Party by 1928.

Stalin's Russia: We'll consider a number of aspects of Stalin's rule today. As a backdrop, keep in mind that this is perhaps the best example of a totalitarian state in the 20th century. 

Here are the key traits of totalitarianism as listed in the text:

  • Dynamic Leader
  • Ideology
  • State Control of Individuals
  • Methods of Enforcement
  • Modern Technology
  • State Control of Society
  • Dictatorship and One-Party Rule
Think about how Stalin uses these various traits in creating and sustaining his rule.

Let's get started with an overview of Stalin's rule with a quick DBQ activity - "Stalin: Evaluation of His Leadership."

In addition, here are a few things we need to be sure we touch on:

  • rise to power - feud with Trotsky
  • Industrialization - Five-Year Plans
  • Collectivization - kulaks
  • Great Purge - the "Great Terror"
  • Cult of Personality 
I'll show you some images from the book, The Commissar Vanishes as well. Here is a website that shows you some images from the book.

Here are those other links from yesterday's blog entry:



Interviewing the Russians: If time permits, we'll try to close with one more activity. I'll give you a card with an identity and some key points on it. You'll pair up with another "person" and interview each other. Each of you should, in character, ask questions of the other character. (I'd recommend swapping cards while doing this to help you think of questions.

Here are the roles:
  • Nicholas II
  • Soldier at the front in 1916
  • Alexander Kerensky
  • Vladimir Illyich Ulyanov (Lenin)
  • Priest of the Orthodox Church
  • Worker of the Petrograd Soviet
  • Lev Davidovich Bronstein (Trotsky)
  • Joseph Dzhugashvili (Stalin)

Note that the dates next to their names on the cards are NOT their life spans. It typically is referring to their time in power.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Friday, January 23rd

Finish up your reading in Chapter 30 with Section 4, "Nationalism in India and Southwest Asia." (pp. 887 - 891) 

Lesson #7 - Russia: From Czar to Communism

By
Mike Vergin
on January 20, 2009 8:25 PM |
Our goal for today will be to make sense of Russia's transition from the Romanov Dynasty to a totalitarian, communist state known as the Soviet Union, or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

As I've mentioned, I've taught this material in a couple different classes over the years. I'll share some of my own notes with you so that you can look more in depth at the issues if you would like.


Russia: From Czar to Communism - Initially, let's back it up to the pre-WWI period in Russia. For most of the 19th century, Russia was ruled by czars named Alexander and Nicholas... Here is a set of notes on The Last Czars. Take a look at these for a minute to get a feel for the challenges and issues facing Russia at the time. We can talk about those.

Czar Nicholas II is the last of the Romanovs to rule Russia. Let's take a look at my Nicholas II - Notes and see some of the ways in which he is accused of weakening Russia. Be sure you understand "Bloody Sunday" and the role of Rasputin here.

As you certainly have seen by now, 1917 is the key year for Russia. It is here that Russia undergoes a pair of revolutions. Let's take a closer look at the The Russian Revolutions of 1917. Following these revolutions, Russia (as you read) fights a brutal civil war which ends with the Bolsheviks and Lenin in charge.

Communism in Russia: We'll have you more closely examine some of the ideas that Lenin and the Bolsheviks put into place in Russia. Considering this Introduction to Communism and your reading, as well as your own background knowledge, try your hand at answering these questions.

  • In your opinion, what made communism a good match for Russia? What made it a bad fit?
  • How did the communism Lenin put in place differ from the vision of Marx?
  • Should Lenin be considered a communist? Why or why not?
  • What, if anything, could have been done to make communism more successful in Russia?

Tomorrow, we'll turn our attention to the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin. In preparation for that, you might take a look at some of these resources.



Homework for tomorrow - Thursday, January 23rd

Continue your reading in Chapter 30 with Section 3, "Imperial China Collapses." (pp. 882 - 886) 

Lesson #6 - The Impact of the "Great War"

By
Mike Vergin
on January 20, 2009 8:00 AM |
Certainly an historic day today with the Obama inauguration, whatever you think of him and/or his politics. You might be interested in checking out a couple of the more famous inaugural addresses:




The Impact of the "Great War"

Initially, let's spend a little time with the two handouts from the last session.
Poems: You were asked to read "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen and "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae. Let's hear you reactions to those works.

Genocide: This reading summarized seven acts of genocide probably less familiar to you than the Holocaust of World War II. We'll spend a little time talking about these. Initially, we'll have you break into seven groups, one for each case, for about five minutes. Then, we'll have you come back together to discuss several questions.

Then and Now: The Shaping of the 21st Century: We'll return once more to PBS website The Great War to consider the impact and legacy of this conflict.

We've talked quite a bit about some of the immediate impacts of the war. Let's again brainstorm a list of those. 

Next, we'll look more at how World War I previewed and influenced many of the issues with which we deal today. Then and Now: The Shaping of the 21st Century provides us with a list of these issues. We'll look at those.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, January 21st

Continue your reading in Chapter 30 with Section 2, "Totalitarianism." (pp. 874 - 879) 

Lesson #5 - WWI "Mini-Lessons" Day #2

By
Mike Vergin
on January 16, 2009 8:00 AM | | Comments (34)
Thanks for you flexibility yesterday. We'll hopefully get through the remaining "mini-lessons" on World War I today.

Handouts: Before I forget, I've got a couple of handouts for you today. I think you will find both quite interesting.
Poems: "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen and "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae. Both poems are quite famous, and you can readily find analysis of them online. (Here's some context (not analysis) from Wikipedia for both "Dulce et Decorum Est" and "In Flanders Fields.") I want you to read both and then post a comment to this blog entry before our next class. In a paragraph (or more), explain which poem you found more moving and/or powerful and why you made that choice.

Genocide: The Armenian Genocide that took place in the midst of WWI was, unfortunately, only one of a number of acts of genocide in the 20th century (and the 21st). This reading gives you a quick overview of a number of those acts.

Teaching the Great War - Lesson Plans: Here are links to the Lesson Plans that accompany the PBS series, "The Great War." Each group will be presenting fron the list of the following lessons:


Expectations: Here are the criteria on which all groups will be evaluated.

  • We'll do the lessons in order, and your group needs to be ready when it is your turn.
  • Anticipate a maximum time of fifteen minutes per lesson, and your group will be expected to present for a minimum of ten minutes.
  • You are not expected to teach the exact lesson as found on the website, as most are much too long. Instead, modify that to what you think you can effectively do in a limited time. You are free to use any of the handouts, weblinks, etc. (Assume that students will have their computers on the correct lesson if you want them to link to anything. Otherwise, you also have the projector available.) 
  • You do not need to cover all of the content for that lesson. You decide what you find interesting and/or important. You also decide the way in which you want to cover the material. It can be presentation, discussion, student-driven, etc. Part of this assignment involves figuring out how to teach/share information with others. 
  • You are welcome to incorporate additional resources and materials that you find relevant, but there is no expectation that you will do so.
Another very useful site for many of you is the British Broadcasting Company's World War One.


What follows are a couple of things that we'll take a look at if/as we have time...

Literature of World War I - Probably more than any other conflict, this war produced a rich collection of literature from a wide variety of sources. One book that collected some of the poetry is "The Muse in Arms," which can be accessed at First World War.com. (The earlier link takes you directly to the introduction page. Use the sidebar on the right to access the poems in the 14 different categories.)

Your task is to browse around this collection and select a poem that you find interesting. Be sure to have it available in class tomorrow, as you may be asked to read an excerpt from it.


Propaganda Posters - This is another really interesting aspect of the war. This webpage lists posters by the nation that created them. Your task is to browse around and find an interesting example of the posters from as many different countries as you can. Be ready to share some of the interesting things you find.


Eyewitness to History.Com is a website that features excerpts from people who participated in various historical events. As you might guess, they have an interesting range of short excerpts from participants in World War I. Browse around and read a couple excerpts that really interest you.


HOMEWORK for next session - Tuesday, January 20th

Begin your reading in Chapter 30 with Section 1, "Revolutions in Russia." (pp. 867 - 873) We'll do all of this chapter that short week, so feel free to read ahead if you have some time...

Please read the handout with the two poems and post your blog comment in reaction.

Please read the overview of 20th and 21st century genocides. 

Lesson #4 - WWI "Mini-Lessons" Day #1

By
Mike Vergin
on January 15, 2009 8:00 AM |
Our schedules will vary a bit between the two classes today. We'll start with the quiz, then give you a little time to work on your lesson, and then we'll see how far we get.

Teaching the Great War - Lesson Plans: Here are links to the Lesson Plans that accompany the PBS series, "The Great War." Each group will be presenting fron the list of the following lessons:


Expectations: Here are the criteria on which all groups will be evaluated.

  • We'll do the lessons in order, and your group needs to be ready when it is your turn.
  • Anticipate a maximum time of fifteen minutes per lesson, and your group will be expected to present for a minimum of ten minutes.
  • You are not expected to teach the exact lesson as found on the website, as most are much too long. Instead, modify that to what you think you can effectively do in a limited time. You are free to use any of the handouts, weblinks, etc. (Assume that students will have their computers on the correct lesson if you want them to link to anything. Otherwise, you also have the projector available.) 
  • You do not need to cover all of the content for that lesson. You decide what you find interesting and/or important. You also decide the way in which you want to cover the material. It can be presentation, discussion, student-driven, etc. Part of this assignment involves figuring out how to teach/share information with others. 
  • You are welcome to incorporate additional resources and materials that you find relevant, but there is no expectation that you will do so.
Another very useful site for many of you is the British Broadcasting Company's World War One.


What follows are a couple of things that we'll take a look at if/as we have time...

Literature of World War I - Probably more than any other conflict, this war produced a rich collection of literature from a wide variety of sources. One book that collected some of the poetry is "The Muse in Arms," which can be accessed at First World War.com. (The earlier link takes you directly to the introduction page. Use the sidebar on the right to access the poems in the 14 different categories.)

Your task is to browse around this collection and select a poem that you find interesting. Be sure to have it available in class tomorrow, as you may be asked to read an excerpt from it.


Propaganda Posters - This is another really interesting aspect of the war. This webpage lists posters by the nation that created them. Your task is to browse around and find an interesting example of the posters from as many different countries as you can. Be ready to share some of the interesting things you find.


Eyewitness to History.Com is a website that features excerpts from people who participated in various historical events. As you might guess, they have an interesting range of short excerpts from participants in World War I. Browse around and read a couple excerpts that really interest you.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Friday, January 16th

Please finish up the reading in Chapter 29 with Section 4, "A Flawed Peace." (pp. 858 - 861) The quiz will be matching, and we'll continue with that rotation going forward.


Lesson #3 - The Timeline of the "Great War"

By
Mike Vergin
on January 14, 2009 8:00 AM |
We'll spend out time today going through the timeline of events from World War I. We'll begin the "mini-lessons" tomorrow.

The "Great War" - The Timeline of World War I: Click on the link to download a copy of the matrix that will allow you to take any notes that you'd like as we move through the timeline. (I expect that either this, the maps below or the "Great War" website itself will be the only things we'll see on any computer screens today...)


Expectations: A reminder that these are the things we will be looking for from your group. 

  • You have NO MORE than 8 minutes for your "piece" of the timeline. You will certainly be expected to use at least five minutes.
  • It is not expected that you cover EVERYTHING on the list. Part of your job is to decide what you think is most important for us to know. Assume your audience will have the relevant page of the timeline in front of them as you present.
  • You will be expected to have AT LEAST three visual images accompanying your information. (You don't need to do a full Powerpoint/Keynote, but there should be pictures/maps/etc. as you believe useful.)

Any remaining time is yours to use in preparation for the "mini-lessons." All that information is on yesterday's blog entry.


HOMEWORK for Thursday, January 15th

Continue your reading with Chapter 29, Section 3, "A Global Conflict." (pp. 851 - 856) The quiz tomorrow will be true/false.

We'll do all of the "mini-lessons" on Thursday and Friday. You'll see the specific criteria on which you'll be evaluated on yesterday's blog. (Remember that we'll try to do the first four lessons on Thursday.)

Lesson #2 - The Outbreak of the Great War

By
Mike Vergin
on January 13, 2009 8:00 AM |
After doing some thinking about the best way to approach this, I've decided to try something a little different with our look at World War I. This is also part of the junior year curriculum with Ms. Conway in Modern US History, and I know she does a very good job with it. Rather than try to cover the same ground, we'll go in a slightly different direction, one that puts more of the responsibility on you.

Basically, you and several partners are going to complete two tasks. Tomorrow, we're going to walk through a Timeline of World War I. Then, on Thursday and Friday, each of our groups will have a chance to teach a "mini-lesson" to the rest of the class. Information on both of these can be found below.

Interesting list of the day...The Great War in Numbers


After our quiz, we'll get you organized and give you the balance of the hour to do some preparation. (This will probably be the only class time you get.) Our primary online resource will be the website for the PBS series, "The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century." I'll definitely have the projector available for you to use if you need it. Let me know if there is anything else you need.

The Great War - Timeline: There are obviously historians who spend a lifetime studying the events of World War I. We basically have a week of class time. Because I think it is important to have a sense of the way in which the war unfolded, we'll have you divide up the timeline that accompanies this series. There are eight components:

Expectations: Whichever year/period you get, here are the things we will be looking for from your group. 

  • You have NO MORE than 8 minutes for your "piece" of the timeline. You will certainly be expected to use at least five minutes.
  • It is not expected that you cover EVERYTHING on the list. Part of your job is to decide what you think is most important for us to know. Assume your audience will have the relevant page of the timeline in front of them as you present.
  • You will be expected to have AT LEAST three visual images accompanying your information. (You don't need to do a full Powerpoint/Keynote, but there should be pictures/maps/etc. as you believe useful.)
I would assume most of you will find this more useful tomorrow, but here is a matrix for
The "Great War" - Timeline for World War I. Some of you might find it useful to take some notes in preparation for your part of tomorrow's presentation.


Teaching the Great War - Lesson Plans: Here we'll make use of the Lesson Plans that accompany the PBS series, "The Great War." Each group will select from the list of the following lessons:


Expectations: While individual groups will no doubt do different things, here are the criteria on which all groups will be evaluated.

  • We'll do the lessons in order, and your group needs to be ready when it is your turn.
  • Anticipate a maximum time of fifteen minutes per lesson, and your group will be expected to present for a minimum of ten minutes.
  • You are not expected to teach the exact lesson as found on the website, as most are much too long. Instead, modify that to what you think you can effectively do in a limited time. You are free to use any of the handouts, weblinks, etc. (Assume that students will have their computers on the correct lesson if you want them to link to anything. Otherwise, you also have the projector available.) 
  • You do not need to cover all of the content for that lesson. You decide what you find interesting and/or important. You also decide the way in which you want to cover the material. It can be presentation, discussion, student-driven, etc. Part of this assignment involves figuring out how to teach/share information with others. 
  • You are welcome to incorporate additional resources and materials that you find relevant, but there is no expectation that you will do so.
Another very useful site for many of you is the British Broadcasting Company's World War One.


HOMEWORK for Wednesday, January 14th

Continue your reading with Chapter 29, Section 2, "Europe Plunges into War." (pp. 845 - 849) The quiz tomorrow will be fill-in-the-blank.

Your group should be ready to present its share of the timeline tomorrow.

We'll do all of the "mini-lessons" on Thursday and Friday. You'll see the specific criteria on which you'll be evaluated on tomorrow's blog.

Lesson #1 - The Causes of World War I

By
Mike Vergin
on January 12, 2009 8:00 AM |
Welcome back. We'll jump right in today looking at the causes of the "Great War," or World War I. You'll have the first reading quiz tomorrow.  

Current Events: It is safe to say that a lot has happened since we were last together. (Obama transition, Minnesota recount, Gaza, shoe throwing, the economy, etc.) We can't take all block, but we can certainly talk for a few minutes if you are interested.

Quarter 3 Changes: I'm pondering adding a couple of assignments along the lines of what I do in some other classes, and they are also very similar to what Ms. Conway calls "project points" in 11th grade Modern U.S. History. Basically, you'd be required to do something with one item from each of these categories. (I haven't generated full lists yet, but I had a few questions for you.) In most cases, things that are primarily "American" would be excluded from most of the lists.

  • Literature - You would read an appropriate work of literature from the 20th century.
  • Film - You would watch an appropriate film based on history of the 20th century.
  • Speech - You would analyze (and deliver part of?) a famous or important speech of the 20th century.
  • Art - You would analyze an important work of art from the 20th century.
Basically, you'd probably post reactions on the blog for the actual "turning it in" portion of these assignments. I'm interested in your feedback and/or ideas on this.


The Causes of World War I - This will be our main focus for the day. We'll have you start out briefly working with a DBQ packet called, "Causes of World War I." After you take a look at that, we'll break it down a bit more specifically.

Jigsaw activity - While it is pretty clear that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered World War I, there were underlying factors that made it likely this event could not be contained in the Balkans. You'll look at one of these factors in a group, and we'll form jigsaw groups from there.

In your "expert group," you'll read a short excerpt on one of these:
  • Nationalism
  • Balance of Power / Imperialism
  • Interests of Individual Nations
  • Arms Buildup (Militarism)
As you form the "jigsaw" groups, each of you should share your "school of thought" with the group. Then, your group is to come to a consensus on which TWO of the factors were most important in causing World War I. Someone should be prepared to report these two selections back to the big group.


Literature of World War I - Probably more than any other conflict, this war produced a rich collection of literature from a wide variety of sources. One book that collected some of the poetry is "The Muse in Arms," which can be accessed at First World War.com. (The earlier link takes you directly to the introduction page. Use the sidebar on the right to access the poems in the 14 different categories.)

Your task is to browse around this collection and select a poem that you find interesting. Be sure to have it available in class tomorrow, as you'll be asked to read an excerpt from it.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Tuesday, January 13th

This shouldn't be much of a surprise to you. Begin your reading in Chapter 29 with Section 1, "Marching Toward War." (pp. 841 - 844) The quiz format will be multiple choice.

Select one poem that you find interesting from "The Muse in Arms" and have it ready to share in class. 

Q2 - Lesson #40 - Unit #6 Objective Exam

By
Mike Vergin
on January 9, 2009 8:00 AM |
It is a pretty straight-forward plan for today. You'll take the objective portion of the Unit #6 Exam. It has 60 multiple choice questions and 5 DBQs. 

Remember that your essay should be printed out and turned in to me before you leave school today. If you haven't gotten me your Current Events #2 and/or China: Learning by Doing, you should take care of that today.

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


HOMEWORK for ...

Never mind. Thanks for a good quarter.

Q2 - Lesson #39 - Unit #6 Identifications Exam

By
Mike Vergin
on January 8, 2009 8:00 AM |
If you plan to word-process, you can download a copy of the Unit #6 Identifications exam.


REMINDER: You must be finished with the identifications before you leave class.


Unit #6 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.



HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Friday, January 9th

Remember that you need to turn in both your Current Events #2 and your China: Learning by Doing assignments yet this week.

You have the Unit #6 Objective Exam tomorrow. There are 60 multiple choice questions and five DBQs.

Your Unit #6 Essay should be printed out and turned in to me before you leave on Friday.


Q2 - Lessons #37 & #38 - Unit #6 "Two-Minute" Reviews

By
Mike Vergin
on January 7, 2009 8:00 AM |
Lesson #37
As I mentioned, we'll bypass much of our "last" lesson from Q1 due to time constraints. However, here are a couple of things that some of you might find interesting...

The Mexican Revolution: As you probably picked up from the reading for today, the events in Mexico leading up to, and including, the revolution are very complex. We'll try to make sense of this in two different ways after we take a quick look at some major events.

Timeline - The Road to Revolution:

1821 - Mexico gains independence from Spain
1833 - 1855 - Santa Anna serves four times as president
1835 - Texas settlers revolt against Mexico
1845 - United States annexes Texas
1848 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends Mexican-American War
1861 - Benito Juarez becomes president following civil war
1862 - France sends army, holds power for five years
1876 - 1911 - Porfirio Diaz rules Mexico
1910 - Francisco Madero calls for revolution, Diaz steps down
1911 - Madero becomes president
1913 - General Huerta takes power, Madero assassinated
1915 - Huerta overthrown, Carranza takes power
1917 - Mexico adopts constitution
1919 - Carranza turns on revolutionary allies, ends war


"Campaigning for Power": This seemed particularly appropriate in an election year. The premise is this: It is early in 1910, and the country of Mexico is planning an election for President of Mexico. You are on the campaign staff for one of the figures below. You need to come up with a single sheet "poster" for your candidate. Obviously, it should make clear something about what he stands for, promises to do, or whatever seems appropriate. You can decide whether to use color, pictures, graphics, etc., but it should be in a form you can show on the projector and/or email to me.

  • Benito Juarez (He's dead by then, but he deserves a poster...)
  • Porfiro Diaz
  • Francisco Madero
  • Pancho Villa
  • Emiliano Zapata
  • Victoriano Huerta
  • Venustiano Carranza

Artists Look at the Revolution: We'll try something a little different here with these five artists. All of them were influenced by the events of the Mexican Revolution in one way or another. Your job is to find at least TWO works by "your" artist that you feel show us something meaningful about Mexico from the time that we are studying. Make sure you can readily access these at the projector. You decide what background information we need, etc.

In some cases, I've also listed a particular work by the artist. You don't NEED to make that one of your choices, but they were identified elsewhere as being influenced by the Mexican Revolution.

  • Jose Guadalupe Posada - Catrina Calavera
  • Diego Rivera
  • Frida Kahlo
  • David Alfaro Siqueiros - Echo of a Scream
  • Jose Clemente Orozco - Father Miguel Hidalgo

Lesson #38
We'll spend today doing our review activity. We'll get started right away so that we can get through this all. You can post comments on this blog entry if you'd like to share anything with others. 

UNIT 6: Industrialism and the Race for Empire (1790 - 1914) 

Chapter 25 - The Industrial Revolution (1700 - 1900) 
1 The Beginnings of Industrialization 
2 Industrialization 
3 Industrialization Spreads 
4 Reforming the Industrial World 

Chapter 26 - An Age of Democracy and Progress (1815 - 1914) 
1 Democratic Reform and Activism 
2 Self-Rule for British Colonies 
3 War and Expansionism in the United States 
4 Nineteenth-Century Progress 

Chapter 27- The Age of Imperialism (1850 -1914) 
1 The Scramble for Africa 
2 Imperialism 
3 Europeans Claim Muslim Lands 
4 British Imperialism in India 
5 Imperialism in Southeast Asia 

Chapter 28 - Transformations Around the Globe (1800 - 1914) 
1 China Resists Outside Influence 
2 Modernization in Japan 
3 U.S. Economic Imperialism 
4 Turmoil and Change in Mexico 


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, January 8

Remember that both Current Events #2 and your China: Learning by Doing assignments should come in yet this week.

We'll have the Unit #6 Exam on Thursday and Friday. Thursday will be the Identifications, and you are allowed to bring ten words of notes for each. On Friday, we'll have the Objective Exam. That will consist of multiple choice questions and some document-based questions. Your essay should be printed out and turned in no later than your departure from class on Friday. You can find the essay questions and possible identifications here.

Q2 - Lesson #36 - The United States in Latin America

By
Mike Vergin
on January 6, 2009 8:00 AM |
We'll have our final "regular" lesson today. Wednesday will be our Unit #6 "Two-Minute Reviews," and we'll wrap up with the Unit #6 Exam on Thursday and Friday. (Thursday is the Identification Exam, and the Objective Exam is Friday. You need to turn in the Unit #6 Essay Exam no later than your departure from class on Friday.) More information below on this.


Unit #6 "Two-Minute Review": Our review activity will take place on Wednesday.
Current Events #2: Your final batch of Current Events for the quarter are due tomorrow as well.

The United States in Latin America: Even a casual reading of the assignment for today should make it clear that the United States has a long record of intervention in Latin America. I have not checked all examples on this site for accuracy or anything, but here is a long list of United States interventions in Latin America.

We'll have you look at some editorial cartoons on US foreign policy towards Latin America here as well.

Specifics of which you should be aware:

Discussion: United States Foreign Policy - Then and Now
We've talked, directly and indirectly, about a number of events in the history of American foreign policy over the last couple of weeks. Some of them were quite noble and well-intentioned, others were less so. Here's your chance to talk about events from both then and now.

First, let's focus on "then."
  • Was the United States being imperialistic when it issued the Monroe Doctrine? Why or why not?
  • Was "manifest destiny" justified? Why or why not?
  • Did the US act appropriately in the Mexican-American War? Why or why not?
  • Were US actions in Spanish-American War justified? Why or why not?
  • Were US actions in securing land for and building the Panama Canal appropriate? Why or why not?
  • Was the Roosevelt Corollary justified? Why or why not?

Second, let's turn to the "now."
  • What "limits" should there be on United States' foreign policy? What tools, tactics and strategies are appropriate? Which should not be considered?
  • What external factors should influence our foreign policy decisions? Why?
  • Are we imperialistic? Should we be?

  • What sort of relationship should we pursue with the nations of Latin America?
  • Is it time to end our economic embargo on Cuba?
  • Should we grant Puerto Rico independence? Statehood?
  • Were we correct to turn the Panama Canal Zone over to Panama's control in 1977?


Homework for tomorrow - Wednesday, January 7th:     

Finish your reading for the quarter in Chapter 28 with Section 4, "Turmoil and Change in Mexico." (pp. 822 - 827) The quiz format will be true/false.

Your Unit #6 "Two-Minute Review" will be due on Wednesday.

Your Current Events #2 are also due on Wednesday. You can find the template on earlier blog entries.

The Unit #6 Exam will take place on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, you must complete the Identifications portion of the exam. On Friday, you must complete the Objective Exam. Your Unit #6 Essay is due (printed out and double-spaced) no later than your arrival to class on Friday. More information on the exam is available here.

Q2 - Lesson #35 - Japan Modernizes

By
Mike Vergin
on January 5, 2009 8:00 AM |
Welcome back. For today, you were asked to continue reading in Chapter 28 with Section 2, "Modernization in Japan." (pp. 810 - 813) The quiz format will be back to multiple choice. We'll begin this final week with a look at Japan's modernization of the 19th century. I've found some new resources that are very visual and pretty interesting. 


The "Red-Haired Barbarians" - Japanese woodblock prints
As you might remember, Japan was largely isolated (by choice) from the industrializing world. The Dutch were the only Europeans allowed access to Japan for trade, and that was restricted to the port of Nagasaki. Here's a collection of 40 Japanese woodblock prints depicting Dutch traders and the perceptions of the Japanese of foreigners.

Do this:  Take a few minutes and browse the collection, looking for interesting images. Following that, we can talk about what you've seen.


The West Arrives - Commodore Perry 
In 1853, a US naval fleet entered Japan's main harbor with a letter from US President Millard Fillmore for the Japanese emperor.


Do this: Read the President's letter. Put yourself in the position of Japan's emperor and/or the shogun and briefly outline your response. We'll talk about that a bit. After that, take a look at the Treaty of Kanagawa to see what was decided.

Browse around this very cool site from MIT's "Visualizing Cultures" project: Black Ships and Samurai. Be sure you look at the "Visual Narratives" and watch the "Black Ship Scroll" unfold.


The Meiji Restoration
In 1868, the Tokugawa Shogunate ended when Emperor Mutsuhito began his 45-year reign known as the Meiji era, or the Meiji Restoration.


Do this: Read through the Charter Oath of the Meiji. What role do citizens play in this new vision of government? Does this strike you as democratic?  Why or why not?

Now, skim through the Meiji Constitution of 1889. How well were the promises of the oath fulfilled? To what degree are these documents influenced by the Enlightenment? Are they democratic?  Why or why not?


MIT's "Visualizing Cultures" 
I'd never seen this site before, and I have to say that it is pretty cool. It aims to "wed images and scholarly commentary in innovative ways to illuminate social and cultural history." By coincidence, their first units focus on the time period in Japanese history that we are studying. This is the kind of resource that makes the laptop program worthwhile.

Do this: You'll work with a couple others to look more closely at one of the following "units" and give us a short recap of what you found most interesting. Definitely do the "visual narratives" section.


Homework for next session - Tuesday, January 6th:     

Continue your reading in Chapter 28 with Section 3, "U.S. Economic Imperialism." (pp. 816 - 821) The quiz format will be fill-in-the-blank.

Your Current Events #2 are due on Wednesday, January 7th. (Template)

Your China: Learning by Doing assignments are due by the end of Tuesday, January 6th.

If you are interested in taking advantage of the extra credit opportunity described on Lesson #33, you should post that to the Lesson #33 blog entry yet today.
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