March 2009 Archives

Q4 - Lesson #2 - The Outbreak of the "Great War"

Mike Vergin

on March 31, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

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 and Thursday, we're going to walk through a Timeline of World War I. Then, next Monday and Tuesday, 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 be the only class time you get for the timeline portion.) 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 little more than 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 12 minutes for your "piece" of the timeline. You will certainly be expected to use at least eight 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, April 1st

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 Monday and Tuesday. You'll see the specific criteria on which you'll be evaluated on tomorrow's blog.

Q4 - Lesson #1 - The Causes of the "Great War"

Mike Vergin

on March 30, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

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. 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, March 31st

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.

Lesson #38 - Unit #8 "Two-Minute" Review

Mike Vergin

on March 11, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

We'll spend our last day together reviewing the material from this unit. If you want to post anything to the blog, you can do it on this entry.

Remember, I will not be at the Final Exam, so ask if you have any questions about that process.

Congratulations on surviving two years. (OK, one for Anika...) I had a good time doing these two courses for the first time with this group.

UNIT 8: Perspectives on the Present

Chapter 33: Restructuring the Postwar World (1945 - Present)
    1    Cold War: Superpowers Face Off
    2    Communists Take Power in China
    3    Wars in Korea and Vietnam
    4    The Cold War Divides the World
    5    The Cold War Thaws

Chapter 34: The Colonies Become New Nations (1945 - Present)
    1    The Indian Subcontinent Achieves Freedom
    2    Southeast Asian Nations Gain Independence
    3    New Nations in Africa
    4    Conflicts in the Middle East
    5    Central Asia Struggles

Chapter 35: Struggles for Democracy (1945 - Present)
    1    Democracy
    2    The Challenge of Democracy in Africa
    3    The Collapse of the Soviet Union
    4    Changes in Central and Eastern Europe
    5    China: Reform and Reaction

Chapter 36: Global Interdependence (1960 - Present)
    1    The Impact of Science and Technology
    2    Global Economic Development
    3    Global Security Issues
    4    Terrorism
    5    Cultures Blend in a Global Age

HOMEWORK for next session - Friday, March 13th

Your packet of Chapter 36 quizzes should be turned in yet today. Yes, you are free to use your book as you complete them.

Remember that you write the Unit #8 Essay out of class, and they are due no later than upon your arrival to the Final Exam on Friday, March 13th.

The Extra Credit - World History Film option, should you choose to do it, is due no later than Wednesday, April 1st.

Lesson #37 - China after Tiananmen Square

Mike Vergin

on March 10, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

This is it. It's your last "regular" lesson in World History 9/10. We will take a look at the events in China in the midst of 1989, the same year the Berlin Wall fell in Germany and European communism was on the retreat. In China, the outcome will be different.

"One Year After Protests, An Enforced Silence on Tibet" - This Time magazine story looks at the 50th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising which led the Dalai Lama to flee Tibet for refuge in India. March 10th marks the 50th anniversary of that uprising.

China: Tiananmen Square and After

Let's take a quick look at some of the events leading up to Tiananmen Square.

"It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice." - Deng Xiaoping
"Poverty is not socialism. To be rich is glorious." - Deng Xiaoping
"Reform is China's second revolution." - Deng Xiaoping

To try and make sense of the events surrounding Tiananmen Square, let's try and answer these questions.

What led the students to gather in Tiananmen Square?
What options did the government have in dealing with the protesters?
What happened in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989?
What was the reaction of the world to these events?
Why did events unfold in this manner in China?

"Massacre in Tiananmen Square" - BBC on This Day (June 4, 1989) This is the actual story that appeared on BBC News.

Here is a set of documents about Tiananmen Square released from the National Security Archives of the United States. They make for interesting browsing.

Here is the website for the documentary film, "Tiananmen: The Gate of Heavenly Peace."

China After Tiananmen: Twenty years have passed since the events of 1989, and China has certainly undergone rapid change since then. We can briefly discuss the general direction of those changes, and there are some links below in which you may be interested.

"Chinese learned to live with reform" - This BBC story looks at the legacy of Deng's reforms thirty years after they were put in place.

"Taiwan Flashpoint" - Check this out if you're interested in learning more about China's position on Taiwan and the potential threat posed in the region.

"Where next for post-Games China?" - This takes a look at China's options following the end of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

Any remaining time is yours to work on whatever needs working on...

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, March 11th

Your packet of Chapter 36 quizzes should be turned in by Wednesday, March 11th. Yes, you are free to use your book as you complete them.

Lesson #36 - Communism's Fall in Europe

Mike Vergin

on March 9, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

Welcome back for the last week of our two-year journey... We'll check in on changes in Eastern and Central Europe today, before wrapping things up with a look at events from Tiananmen Square forward in China tomorrow. We'll also aim to get you some working time and a chance to hit the highlights from Chapter 36 before Wednesday's final "Two-Minute" Review.

Any questions on these? Unit #8 Exam - Identifications and Essay Questions
Here's a link to the Extra Credit - World History Film opportunity...

Changes in Central and Eastern Europe: This is the material you read for Friday's quiz. Since many of you are probably planning some travel these next couple weeks, we'll use that theme to approach the stories of these nations.

You are several others will be assigned a country. Your job is to prepare us a "travel guide" of sorts for that country. However, we won't be asking questions like, "Where should we stay?" and "What should we eat?" Instead, focus on the following:

If at all, how did the fading of communism affect your country?
How did the country reassert its independence after the decline of the Soviet Union?
What have been some of the key challenges facing your country?
Who are the people, groups and/or events we absolutely should know?

These are the countries which we will be "touring" together today:

Poland
Hungary
Germany
Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Romania
Yugoslavia (see below)

By the way, in an attempt to minimize confusion, here's the current status of the former Yugoslavia. These countries have been created: Bosnia and Herzogovina, Croatia, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but its status is still in dispute. (The United States does recognize its independence.)

We'll save China for tomorrow.

Looking Toward the Future: Much of Chapter 36 is about making the bridge from the past to the future. I'm going to ask small groups of you to do the same with the individual sections. I want you to think about what five questions about the material you'd like to know the answers to as you return (or not) in 2021 to celebrate your 10th Anniversary of your MPA Graduation. (By the way, my oldest daughter should be graduating that year...)

So, for "your section" from Chapter 36, what five questions do you want answered by the time of your MPA 10-Year Reunion?

36:1 - The Impact of Science and Technology
36:2 - Global Economic Development
36:3 - Global Security Issues
36:4 - Terrorism
36:5 - Cultures Blend in a Global Age

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Tuesday, March 10th

Congratulations, you have no more "regular" reading assignments or in-class quizzes...

Your packet of Chapter 36 quizzes should be turned in by Wednesday, March 11th. Yes, you are free to use your book as you complete them.

Remember that you write the Unit #8 Essay out of class, and they are due no later than upon your arrival to the Final Exam on Friday, March 13th.

Unit #8 Exam - Identifications and Essay Questions

Mike Vergin

on March 6, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

Unit #8 Identifications: On Friday, March 13th, you will write on your choice of 5 of the 8 identifications that appear on the ID portion of the Final (Unit #8) 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, as you will not be able to use 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.

containment
Marshall Plan
Cultural Revolution
Khmer Rouge
Fidel Castro
Ayatollah Khomeini
Nikita Khrushchev
Partition of India
intifada
Six-Day War
Taliban
PRI
apartheid
glasnost
Tiananmen Square

Unit #8 Essay Exam - Questions and Format - You'll write an essay as part of the Final (Unit #8) Exam. This essay should be turned in no later than at your arrival to the Social Studies Final Exam on Friday, March 13th. Below you can find both the questions from which you will choose and the format for the essay portion on the Unit #8 Exam. The essay will be evaluated on the usual 30 point scale, and that score is doubled in PowerSchool.

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.

* I want them printed out. (Double spaced, please.) Printing double-sided is fine.

A. Identify and explain the significance of the three specific events that you feel best represent the overall nature of the Cold War. Is the world of today more or less safe than the Cold War world? Why?

B. On Lesson #24, you were introduced to the "Doomsday Clock." (Here's the timeline. It is currently set for five minutes to midnight.) Identify and explain the significance of three factors/issues that you think should be considered foremost in deciding where to set the clock in the near future. Two years from now, what time do you think the Doomsday Clock should read? Why?

C. Imagine that you have been given complete control of the Middle East peace process. Explain your recommendation or position on each of these three issues: the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, the future of the Old City of Jerusalem, and the status of the security barrier built by Israel along the West Bank. Five years from now, will the Palestinian / Israeli situation be more or less peaceful than it is today?

D. To many, the Cold War is the dominant theme of the post-World War II world. Setting aside events that took place between the superpowers, identify and explain the significance of the three world events that you believe will come to be recognized by historians as the most important of the last half of the 20th century. Which specific individual do you believe best epitomizes the post-World War II world?

Lesson #35 - Work Day / Final Exam Preparation

Mike Vergin

on March 5, 2009 9:21 PM | Permalink

As I said, you'll have all of today to get some work done after you finish the reading quiz. Here are some additional specifics... Remember that you do have one "final" reading quiz on Monday with the final section on China from Chapter 35.

Current Events: Remember that your final batch of Current Events is due to me today. You can either print them out or submit them as an email attachment.

Chapter 36 Reading Quizzes: You'll receive a set of the five quizzes that accompany the reading assignments in Chapter 36. These are due back to me by Wednesday, March 11th. You are welcome to use your book as you complete these, but I do expect that everyone does their own work on these.

Unit #8 "Two-Minute" Reviews: OK, I got the message loud and clear. You want to do a review on Wednesday. We'll have you draw your assignments for those today. I will also post a blog entry for you to use. (I'd recommend that you work to separate what you believe is most important from the "background" information and focus on the former.

Unit #8 Identifications and Essay Exam Questions - This link will take you the IDs and essay choices for this unit. Remember that the essay is completed outside of class, and it should be printed out and turned in to me no later than your arrival at the Social Studies Final Exam on Friday, March 13th. You will do the identifications as part of the final exam. You'll be allowed the typical ten words of notes, but you will be expected to hand write these. (See me if you think you need an exception to this.)

OK, that should be more than enough to keep you busy today... Enjoy the weekend.

HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, March 9th

Please do the final "regular" reading assignment of your World History career by reading Chapter 35, Section 5, "China: Reform and Reaction." (pp. 1059-1063) The quiz will be matching.

Your packet of Chapter 36 quizzes should be turned in by Wednesday, March 11th. Yes, you are free to use your book as you complete them.

Lesson #34 - The Collapse of the Soviet Union (& Communism)

Mike Vergin

on March 5, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

Remember that you will basically have a work day tomorrow after your reading quiz... You'll know all the choices for the essay questions and identifications as well. You should either print out or email your Current Events by the end of the day on Friday as well.

Since we went right up to the end of class time yesterday, we can backtrack and take any questions or comments on apartheid and/or AIDS.

The Collapse of the Soviet Union and the Fall of Communism - Our focus shifts today to an event that, had you asked me about it two years earlier, I never would have expected to see happen. The fall of the Soviet Union both significantly changed the world's political outlook, but it also dealt a fatal blow to communism's chances of competing with capitalist and democratic systems. We'll try and make sense of these events today...

Before we go too far, I want you to put yourselves in the position of a Soviet citizen, say a member of the Communist Party, in 1985. Pair up with those around you and brainstorm a list of complaints and criticisms you have about your lives. (Consider this your 9.5 Theses, if you will...) It might help to think in terms of social, economic and political issues. Think about both the Soviet Union in particular and communism in general.

Let's take a few minutes now to browse a set of Gorbachev notes that I've used when teaching this topic in other classes. (It will download as a Microsoft Word document, and you're free to use it to take some notes if that would be helpful... That's a hint.)

Here are some events I believe you need to understand to make sense of all this...

Gorbachev and Reform

glasnost

Chernobyl

perestroika
demokratizatsiya

ethnic tensions in the republics

rise of Boris Yeltsin

August Coup - 1991

December 25, 1991 - end of the Soviet Union

Commonwealth of Independent States

I'm interested in your opinions on these questions...

Which factors were more important in the ending of the Soviet Union? Internal or external?
Should Gorbachev be remembered as a hero or a failure?
Is Russia better off without communism?
Is the world safer now than during the era of the Cold War?
Should communism be, in the words of Reagan, left on the "ash heap of history?"

Here's what Time had to say when it named Gorbachev one of the 100 Most Important People of the Century.

Here's a local professor's essay recalling Gorbachev's 1990 visit to Minnesota.

Gorbachev remains active as head of the Gorbachev Foundation.

Russia since 1991 - We've talked about Putin a number of times these past two years. Let's talk briefly about some of the issues that Russia has faced since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Boris Yeltsin (1991 - 1999)
rise of the oligarchs
economic transitions

Chechnya (1991 - 2002) - insurgency continues

Moscow theater hostage crisis (2002)
Beslan school hostage crisis (2004)

Vladimir Putin (President 2000 - 2008) (Prime Minister 2008 - )
Dmitry Medvedev (President 2008 - )

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Friday, March 6th

Please continue your reading in Chapter 35 with Section 4, "Changes in Central and Eastern Europe." (pp. 1052-1058) The quiz will be true / false.

Remember that your final batch of Current Events are due on Friday, March 6th. You can download this template for your Final Set of Current Events. (Remember, you are picking stories from particular areas, not according to the AP History themes we had been using.)

Lesson #33 - South Africa During and After Apartheid

Mike Vergin

on March 4, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

Before we return to Africa one more time, we need to finish up some pieces from our "25 Not Quite Random Things about Latin America" activity. Let's try to do that quickly.

Your reading for today focused on the challenges of democracy in Africa. We can touch base on the Nigeria story, but the country of South Africa will be our focus for today. In particular, we'll examine the system of apartheid that was in place for decades. After that, we'll consider the threat AIDS is posing in many areas of the world by considering the case study of sub-Saharan Africa.

Apartheid in South Africa - When we last left South Africa, it had become an independent member of the British Commonwealth between the world wars. In 1948, the Afrikaner-led Nationalist Party came to power advocating a system of apartheid. For more than four decades, this become one of the most notorious governmental systems in the world.

How did apartheid work?
What was the damage done by apartheid?
How was apartheid opposed? (Internally? Externally?)
How was the system of apartheid dismantled?

Timeline of Apartheid -

1948 - National Party institutes apartheid
1950 - race classification, Group Areas Act passed, ANC banned
1960 - Sharpeville Massacre
1964 - Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment
1976 - Soweto Uprising - 600 killed
1977 - Stephen Biko killed in police custody
1980s - international pressure increases
1986 - state of emergency
1989 - F.W. de Klerk becomes president
1990 - Mandela released, ANC unbanned
1994 - Mandela elected president in free elections

The colored areas on the map show the "homelands" or Bantustans where the black African population of South Africa was forced to live during the apartheid decades.

AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: While certainly a worldwide crisis, AIDS has struck most severely in Sub-Saharan Africa. We'll take a look at the extent of the crisis using a set of overheads that look at the "numbers" behind the crisis. (These particular overheads are from 2000, so the specific numbers are no longer accurate. However, they certainly make certain points effectively. You can find updated information below.)

Some questions for us to consider:

Why has AIDS hit Sub-Saharan Africa so heavily?
What might be done to slow the epidemic?
Should (or how should) the outside world help in dealing with the effects of the epidemic?

Here are some additional resources on AIDS:

"Death Stalks a Continent" - Time, (2001) - As the front page says, "This is a story about AIDS in Africa. Look at the pictures. Read the words. And then try not to care."

If you want some straight-forward information, the Global Issues - AIDS in Africa site is a good one to use.

"Worldwide AIDS epidemic slowing, says UN" - The Guardian, July 29, 2008. This is one of many articles suggesting that the epidemic may be slowing. (Don't confuse that with being cured.)

"FRONTLINE: The Age of AIDS" - This 2006 PBS site looks at the worldwide aspects. The timeline and map features are both interesting.

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, March 5th

Please continue your reading in Chapter 35 with Section 3, "The Collapse of the Soviet Union." (pp. 1046-1051) The quiz will be fill-in-the-blank.

4th Hour - "25 Not Quite Random Things about Latin America"

Mike Vergin

on March 3, 2009 8:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)

This would be the place for 4th hour students to post their blog entries on Latin America...

2nd Hour - "25 Not Quite Random Things about Latin America"

Mike Vergin

on March 3, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)

This is the place for 2nd hour students to post their blog entries on Latin America...

Lesson #32 - Checking in with Central Asia and Latin America

Mike Vergin

on March 3, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

That may be the strangest lesson title yet... These two areas have relatively little in common, except that one closed Chapter 34, and the other began Chapter 35. We'll check in on some key events in both regions.

Before anything else, we can debrief a bit about yesterday's Jerusalem 2009 Peace Conference. In particular, I am interested in home this activity changed or reinforced your attitude toward the Middle East and/or any of the particular sides. As I mentioned, I intend to offer you a choice of essay questions (take home) that includes one on the Middle East.

Remember that you have a batch of Current Events due on Friday, March 6th. (I will be out that day, so you can expect that it will be largely a work day.) You'll know all the Unit #8 Identifications and Essay Questions by then. My plan is that we'll do the Chapter #35 quizzes the regular way. For Chapter 36, you will receive a packet of the five quizzes on Friday, and you can complete them on your own as assignments between then and Wednesday's final day of class.

Central Asia - As you read in Chapter 34, a number of the nations of Central Asia were created in the aftermath of the breakup of the Soviet Union. We can check in very briefly with both the Transcaucasian and Central Asian states, but then we'll focus a little bit more on Afghanistan.

Latin America - I'll be honest when I tell you that the period from the end of World War II to the 1980s in Latin America is hardly one of my specialties. However, we'll do an activity below that should hit many of the most salient and important specifics from that period up to today in Latin America.

First, I think it is interesting to take a minute and consider what the book establishes as four key practices in a democracy.

free elections
citizen participation
majority rule, minority rights
constitutional government

Whether you are looking at Latin America or elsewhere, consider the factors conditions that might both foster and threaten these practices. Let's hear some of your ideas.

Facebook comes to Latin America... I think I've told you that I have never seen either Facebook or MySpace. That doesn't mean that I've been living in a cave and haven't heard about the "25 Random Things about Me" fad. In that spirit, we're going to try and introduce you to "25 Not Quite Random Things about Latin America" as a quick assignment.

You will select one of the "things" below, and there are two components to the assignment.

First, you will have one minute (no more) to explain your thing, and its significance to the class. We will try and get as many of those in today as we can, hopefully starting with 2 minutes left in class.

Second, you will be expected to make a blog posting of 100-150 words or so regarding your topic. Give us the basic facts and significance of your item. If you want to include a link to something useful, feel free to do that. (These blog postings should be made on the entries provided, and they are due before class time tomorrow.)

Here's the Facebook-inspired list of "25 Not Quite Random Things about Latin America":

Juan and Evita Peron - Argentina
"Dirty War" - Argentina
"Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo" - Argentina

Evo Morales - Bolivia

"Lula" da Silva - Brazil

Salvador Allende - Chile
Augusto Pinochet - Chile
Isabel Allende - Chile

Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Colombia
FARC - Colombia
Plan Colombia - Colombia

Fidel Castro - Cuba
Guantanamo Bay - Cuba

"Papa Doc" and "Baby Doc" Duvalier - Haiti
Tonton Macoute - Haiti

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) - Mexico
Frida Kahlo - Mexico
Tlatelolco Massacre - Mexico
Chiapas - Mexico
NAFTA - Mexico
Vicente Fox - Mexico
Zapatista Army of National Liberation - Mexico

Manuel Noriega - Panama

Operation Condor - "Southern Cone" dictatorships

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

Remember that we looked at some of the Cold War events in Central America already, so that's why terms like Contra and Sandinista are not on the list...

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, March 4th

Please continue your reading in Chapter 35 with Section 2, "The Challenge of Democracy in Africa" (pp. 1040-1045) The quiz will be multiple choice.

Your contribution to the "25 Not Quite Random Things about Latin America" blog posting is due before the start of class time tomorrow. My expectation is somewhere between 100 to 150 words, and no credit will be given if it is not expressed in your own words. (You can go up to 250 or so words if you are really interested in your topic, but more than that is probably overkill.)

Lesson #31 - Jerusalem 2009 Peace Conference

Mike Vergin

on March 2, 2009 8:00 AM | Permalink

Welcome to today's "Jerusalem 2009 Peach Conference." We have gathered in the shadow of the Temple Mount / Noble Sanctuary in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem. Our goal is to make meaningful progress toward a peaceful resolution of the crisis between Israelis and Palestinians.

Here is the format: - We'll allow groups ten minutes to meet to plan strategy and discuss issues of importance. After that, we will return to the large group. Members of "The Quartet" will assist in moving through the agenda.

Remember to strive to be consistent with your role. You do not need to turn only to your "leaders" to speak. Everyone here should have a voice, but "agreements" need only be agreed to by the respective leaders.

Agenda for the Jerusalem 2009 Peace Conference:

Strategy Planning (10 minutes)

Opening Statements: