Unit #8: June 2010 Archives

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

Congratulations on surviving two years of World History at MPA.

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 the end of the quarter...

Your Current Events should be turned in today.

Your packet of Chapter 36 quizzes should be turned in by the end of tomorrow.
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 Thursday.

The Extra Credit - World History Film option, should you choose to do it, is due no later than the end of Thursday, June 10th.

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 from last year looks at the 50th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising which led the Dalai Lama to flee Tibet for refuge in India. March 10th marked the 51st 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:  More than 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 next session - Monday, June 7th

Current Events are due today. I'll also put your Unit #8 quiz packets together. You can pick those up from me today if you want them for the weekend.

We'll start the "Two Minute" reviews for Unit #8 on Monday.

Your packet of Chapter 36 quizzes should be turned in Tuesday. 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 Thursday, June 10th.

The Extra Credit - World History Film option, should you choose to do it, is due no later than the end of Thursday, June 10th.

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 Thursday, June 10th.

Please read Chapter 35, Section 4, "Changes in Central and Eastern Europe." (pp. 1052-1058) The quiz will be matching.

Your final batch of Current Events is due on Friday, June 4th.

Your packet of Chapter 36 quizzes should be turned in by Tuesday, June 8th. Yes, you are free to use your book as you complete them.

Unit #8 Identifications: On Thursday, June 10th, 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
Korean War
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 Thursday, June 10th. 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. 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 six 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?

We'll start with the 35:2 quiz for those of you who chose not to take it on Friday.

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.

Here is the 2009 report of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. There are a lot of links to statistics and resources.

"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.