Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Cold War Presentations

 


 

Cold War Presentations
  • We are going to be doing a set of presentations where each of you will be assigned a portion of the cold war to present to the class.  This will serve as a preview exercise to the next two films we are going to watch about the Cold War.
  • Here is a little introduction to get you started: Go to this link by clicking the following image of the mushroom cloud and click through the Cold Overview ALL THE WAY TO THE END!  (There are multiple pages)

  • After completing that, click the following links (the movie cover pictures) to see the overview of the two films that we are going to watch.  One is a serious and historically accurate portrayal of the Cuban Missile Crisis (Thirteen Days) and the other is a fictional depiction of what would have happened, Red Dawn (the original, older version because the new version does not apply in the same way.) 
           
  • You will be working with the rest of your classmates to present an overall view of the Cold War.  This will be in the format of a Google Presentation.  I will create this presentation and share it with you.  The following list is the list of topics that will be presented and who will be presenting them (If you click on the title, it will take you to a website with the exact items that will be presented).  The linked site provides not only the information but will also provide the format for which you will use:
  1. Introduction to the Cold War - Sydney
  2. The Seeds of Conflict - Emily
  3. Europe Divided - Dante
  4. Societies Transformed - Paige
  5. The Asian Hemisphere - Harrison
  6. Escalation and Complication - Ethan
  7. Detente and Dissolution - Mario
  8. Aftermath of the Cold War - Austin
Here are the requirements for the presentation:
  • Must be 4 - 6 minutes in length
  • Must be creative
  • Must have at least one reasonable cited source or more per slide
  • No more than 4-5 items on a slide
  • Have a study guide of some variety that can be passed out to students (9 copies which includes one for me.)  
  • Can include a video (but will not count towards 4-6 minutes
  • All slides must have multiple animations
  • Must have correct punctuation
  • Will include a participation portion of the grade for insightful questions and critiques of other students work.  


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Holocaust WebQuest



In 1933, the Jewish population of Europestood at over nine million. Most European Jews lived in countries that Nazi Germany would occupy or influence during World War II. By 1945, the Germans and theircollaborators killed nearly two out of every three European Jews as part of the "Final Solution," the Nazi policy to murder the Jews of Europe. Although Jews, whom the Nazis deemed a priority danger to Germany, were the primary victims of Nazi racism, other victims included some 200,000 Roma (Gypsies). At least 200,000 mentally or physically disabled patients, mainly Germans, living in institutional settings, were murdered in the so-called Euthanasia Program.
As Nazi tyranny spread across Europe, the Germans and their collaborators persecuted and murdered millions of other people. Between two and three million Soviet prisoners of war were murdered or died of starvation, disease, neglect, or maltreatment. The Germans targeted the non-Jewish Polish intelligentsia for killing, and deported millions of Polish and Soviet civilians forforced labor in Germany or in occupied Poland, where these individuals worked and often died under deplorable conditions. From the earliest years of the Nazi regime, German authorities persecuted homosexuals and others whose behavior did not match prescribed social norms. German police officials targeted thousands of political opponents (including Communists, Socialists, and trade unionists) and religious dissidents (such as Jehovah's Witnesses). Many of these individuals died as a result of incarceration and maltreatment.


1) The word “genocide” was a new word…how did it come to be? Where did it come from?
2) Define genocide in your own words.
3) What time period did the Holocaust happen in?

4. What “levels” or types of people were drawn to the beliefs of Hitler and the Nazi Party?
5. How did these events lead to the rise to power of the Nazi Party?
a. Treaty of Versailles
b. Stock Market Crash in New York
c. Nazis lose support in Parliamentary elections

6. What was Hitler’s term for the “master race?” Describe this type of person.
7. What types of German citizens were victims of the Nazi Party?
8. What did German scientists and physicians do to further the idea of “a perfect race?”
9. What was the racial purity law?

10. What is anti-Semitism?
11. What are some of the beliefs that are different in the Jewish and Christian religions?
11. When did anti-Semitism begin? What happened?
12. What other nations treated Jews as scapegoats (placed the blame on them)? {describe two}
13. Who was Karl Lueger? What did he believe?

14. According to the Nuremberg Law of 1935, how did the German government decide if someone was Jewish? What
was the problem with this law?
15. What did the German government require of Jews in German society?
16. Why did the Nazi’s moderate their anti-Jewish attacks before the 1936 Olympic Games?
17. What happened after the Olympic Games to the German Jews?

18. What happened on November 9, 1938? What caused the violence?
19. What was the result of the Night of Broken Glass? What happened to the Jews then?

20. What countries accepted the most Jewish refugees?

21. Why did the US not allow more refugees to come into the country before WWII?
22. By 1938, how many Jews had left Germany?
23. What was the Wagner-Rogers bill?

24. What was the goal of the “Final Solution?”
25. How did the Nazi’s hope to achieve the “Final Solution?”

26. What is a ghetto? Describe it?
27. How many ghettos existed in German occupied territories?
28. Describe the largest ghetto.

29. Describe the picture and explain people are treated.

30. Describe how the conditions worsened.
31. What does Abe do? Where does he go? Why?

32. What were the first Nazi concentration camps?
33. What was the primary purpose of these camps?

34. Describe what happens to most “workers.”

35. What happened at most of these camps?Death Marches
36. Why were people forced to go on these marches?

37. Describe this photo. What would be a good caption for it.

38. Choose three images. Tell what it is and then describe them.

39. Which county was the first to liberate the concentration camps?
40. When Auschwitz was liberated, what was found besides sick and exhausted prisoners?
41. Describe what the American army journalist saw at Dachau.
42. Why did so many surviving prisoners die within a few days of being freed?

43. Describe one hardship survivors had to face.

44. Read the poem and summarize what it is about.


45. If you were going to teach about the Holocaust; what would you include?  Why?

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Roaring 20's/The Jazz Age


Using the websites provided, answer the following questions about important people, places, and events of the 1920s.

Movies in the 1920s: http://www.1920-30.com/movies/

1. Which format was used for movies of the 1910s and 1920s?
2. Locate at least one film in which the following actors and actresses starred:

  • Charlie Chaplin 
  • Mary Pickford 
  • Douglas Fairbanks 
  • Al Jolson 

3. What was significant about the movie The Jazz Singer?

1920's Culture : 

4. The 1920s was a time of great numbers of inventions.  After looking at this site, http://www.buzzle.com/articles/inventions-of-the-1920s.html, pick 3 inventions that interested you the most and explain why it was of interest to you.

5. Define the following slang terms: http://local.aaca.org/bntc/slang/slang.htm

  • “cat’s meow” 
  • “a clam” 
  • “dry up” 
  • “flivver” 
  • “fly boy”
  • “goofy” 
  • “hoofer” 
  • “juice joint”
  • "flat tire"
  • "Bee's knees"
  • "Swanky"
  • "Torpedo"
  • "jalopy"
6. Write 5 ways to describe a flapper: http://www.ushistory.org/us/46d.asp

  •  
  •  

  •  
  •  
7. Click on the pictures for the following gangsters to see their pages.  Beside their names, explain their significance to organized crime in the United States (I am looking for three significant points for each person.)

  • Al Capone 

  • Carlos Gambino

  • John Joseph Gotti
8. What makes a person a gangster?

History of Jazz: 
Click on the picture


Click on the picture


9. What city was Louis Armstrong from?
10. What city is considered to be the birthplace of jazz?
11. Name and describe the contribution of 2 other jazz musicians.
12. Name two locations in the New York City that were popular jazz clubs.
13. What dance craze was popular during the 1920s?

Look at these two sites before answering the questions:




14. What is the definition of "Harlem Renaissance?"
15. What are each of the following people famous for?
  • Louis Armstrong
  • Duke Ellington 
  • Billie Holliday
16. Name three leading athletes for each of the following sports:
  • Baseball
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • Horse Racing
17. Who were two famous aviators of the day and what made them famous?
18. Name three types of autmobiles that were popular in the 1920s

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The World Wars


INTRODUCTION 
An assassination in Sarajevo in 1914 sparks a global conflict. Over the course of the next thirty years, enormous bloodshed and destruction engulfs the world. Roosevelt. Hitler. Patton. Stalin. Mussolini. Churchill. Tojo. De Gaulle. MacArthur. The World Wars™ shows how the experiences of these men during the World War I era shaped them as they rose to power as world leaders. While some harnessed their power in the name of democracy in World War II, others emerged as the most infamous villains the world has seen. This character-based series looks at this tumultuous period of warfare through the actions of these iconic leaders. The series examines the two wars along one timeline starting in 1914 and continuing to 1945, covering key turning points along the way. Narrated by two-time Oscar® nominee Jeremy Renner, this series offers a compelling way for students to learn about these pivotal decades in world history, featuring stunning CGI visuals and gripping dramatic scenes. Interviews with leading historians and contributors like General Colin Powell, former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, Senator John McCain and former British Prime Minister John Major shed light on this transformative era.



VOCABULARY
Define the terms below before watching this series.

  1. Cavalry
  2. Casualty 
  3. Guerilla
  4. Ruthless
  5. Amphibious
  6. Stalemate
  7. Redemption
  8. Militia
  9. Pacifist 
  10. Holocaust
  11. Attrition
  12. Ideology
  13. Reparations
  14. Armistice
  15. Extremism
  16. Propaganda
  17. Putsch
  18. Blitzkrieg
  19. Anti-Semitism


EPISODE ONE: TRIAL BY FIRE

International conflict erupts in the wake of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire, in June 1914. A complex web of alliances among nations is triggered and a war of unprecedented scale breaks out a month later. Over the course of the next four years, an entire generation is shaped by this war. World War I eventually involves dozens of countries, introduces new technologies of war, and leaves behind millions of casualties. George Patton, Charles De Gaulle, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Douglas MacArthur, Benito Mussolini, Hideki Tojo, Franklin Delanor Roosevelt and Adolph Hitler are men who come of age during these years. In this episode viewers learn about the experiences of these men, the costs and consequences of warfare, and the ways World War I set the stage for on-going world conflict.



  1. Which nations made up the Central Powers and the Allies during World War I? (Create a chart of these nations to refer back to as you study WWI and WWII.) 
  2. What was George Patton’s innovation in the battle against Pancho Villa in Mexico? Why was this invention such a big turning point in modern warfare? 
  3. What were some of the characteristics of trench warfare? Why do you think the “stalemate” continued for so long? 
  4. When did the United States enter World War I? What was the significance of the entry of the U.S. into the war? 
  5. What was the Gallipoli campaign and why was it so important? What role did Churchill play and how do you think it affected his life and career? 
  6. What role did Russia play during World War I? How do you think Stalin was shaped by the Russian Revolution? 
  7. What is a “war of attrition” and how does this phrase apply to WWI? 
  8. What were some of the leadership characteristics of George Patton and Douglas MacArthur? Do you think they had characteristics common in many leaders? Discuss. 
  9. How did World War I finally end? What were the major outcomes of the war? 
  10. How do you think Hitler’s experiences in WWI shaped him as a person and a leader? What ideological philosophies did he develop after the war?



Primary Source Activity: The Zimmermann Telegram
One of the motivators for the U.S. to enter World War I was a secret telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico. This telegram was intercepted and deciphered by the British in January 1917. The following month, the British released the telegram to President Woodrow Wilson, and the contents were published widely in newspapers. Americans were shocked to learn that Zimmermann had tried to convince Mexico to join Germany in the war effort in return for U.S. territory Germany believed Mexico could seize from the U.S.
Transcript of Zimmermann Telegram (1917) (Decoded message text of the Zimmermann Telegram) From 2nd from London # 5747. “We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal or alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the President’s attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace.” Signed, ZIMMERMANN.



  1. What does the telegram reveal about Germany’s plans regarding submarine warfare? 
  2. What role does Zimmermann want Mexico to play in World War I? Do you think Mexico would have agreed to this plan if given the opportunity? 
  3. Why do you think the Zimmermann telegram provoked the U.S. to enter World War I? What were some of the other factors that contributed to the U.S. declaring war against Germany in April 1917?

Episode 1 - Map Activity



  1. Which countries remained neutral in World War I? 
  2. How far east did the Germans advance in World War I?

EPISODE TWO: A RISING THREAT

Emboldened by his experiences in battle, Adolf Hitler mobilizes membership in the Nazi Party and formulates his plan for a nationalist Germany to regain power. Benito Mussolini rises to the helm in Italy, leading the National Fascist Party. Meanwhile, Franklin Delano Roosevelt ushers the U.S. through the crisis of the Great Depression. In Japan, the quest for expansion and international power leads to increased militarization. Hideki Tojo rises up the ranks. Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany in 1933 and by 1939 the world explodes into war. After forming a Nonaggression Pact with Russia, Hitler attempts to conquer Europe, with Japan and Italy as allies. Churchill, now British Prime Minister, does his best to keep Britain from total collapse while the U.S. weighs the consequences of entering the war.


  1. Who were the Axis and Allied powers during World War II? Create a chart of these alliances to refer back to as you study this period. 
  2. Why do you think Hitler was so successful in mobilizing others to follow him? What were his main goals and how did he plan to achieve them? 
  3. Why did FDR choose to curb military funding during the New Deal? Do you think this was the correct decision at the time? Discuss. 
  4. Why did Mussolini decide to invade Ethiopia? How did this decision tie in with his larger plans for Italy? 
  5. Why do you think Stalin decided to form a pact with Hitler in August 1939? 
  6. What was the political strategy known as “appeasement”? Do you think it was effective during World War II? Discuss. 
  7. How would you describe the differences between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill in their approach to leadership during the early years of World War II? 
  8. Why do you think Roosevelt did not push to involve the U.S. in World War II right away? Do you think this was the right decision? Discuss. 
  9. What were some of the main goals of Japan in the years before and during World War II? Who was Hideki Tojo and how did he help achieve these goals during this era? 
  10. This episode ends right before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. At this moment in the war, what would you predict as the outcomes of the conflict? Discuss.



Primary Source Analysis: FDR’s “Four Freedoms Speech”
On January 6, 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his Annual Message to Congress which later became known as his “Four Freedoms Speech.” In this address, Roosevelt outlined the critical importance of American support to Britain during World War II. Below is an excerpt from his address.

President Franklin Roosevelt’s Annual Message (Four Freedoms) to Congress (1941): Excerpt
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world. That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called new order of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb. To that new order we oppose the greater conception—the moral order. A good society is able to face schemes of world domination and foreign revolutions alike without fear.
  1. What are the four freedoms Roosevelt describes in this speech? Why were these freedoms at risk at the time he delivered his speech? 
  2. Roosevelt describes the “new order of tyranny.” What do you think this phrase refers to and what does Roosevelt see as the alternative? 
  3. Which of the “four freedoms” do you think are most important, and why?
Episode 2 - Map Activity
  1. When did the attack on Pearl Harbor take place? Based on this map, why do you think the attack was strategically important for the Japanese? 
  2. Where are the Aleutian Islands located? Did you know there were battles that took place on U.S. soil during World War II?
EPISODE THREE: NEVER SURRENDER

Shockwaves reverberate throughout the U.S. after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The U.S. officially enters the war. The Allies must stop both Japan and Germany. Mussolini is overthrown and the Allies win a few key victories including the Battle of Midway. Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet in Tehran late in 1943 to strategize. The Allies wrest control of Western Europe back from Hitler in June 1944 through one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history: D-Day. Patton drives his army toward Berlin. His troops make a gruesome discovery, locating concentration camps and revealing the horrific crimes of the Nazis. Tragically, FDR dies as the nation’s future hangs in the balance. Harry S. Truman becomes president. After the Allies resist his final onslaught, Hitler commits suicide and Germany exits the war. In August 1945 Truman does the unthinkable in an effort to end the conflict—he orders atomic bombs to be dropped on Japan. The war has finally ended. But how will the world rebuild, and will a lasting peace be possible? 
  1. When and why did the United States enter World War II? 
  2. How would you describe the relationship between FDR and Churchill? What were some of the important decisions they made together during World War II? 
  3. Why do you think Mussolini failed to maintain power in Italy? 
  4. What do you think were Stalin’s major goals during World War II? How did he work with Roosevelt and Churchill to achieve these goals? 
  5. Why was the D-Day plan so risky? Why do you think the Allies were able to achieve success? 
  6. Patton is remembered as one of the greatest generals in U.S. history. Based on what you learned in this episode, do you agree with this assessment of Patton? Discuss. 
  7. What was Hitler’s “Final Solution”? What role did the Germany military and citizenry play in helping achieve this plan? When and how was it thwarted? 
  8. What was the state of the world at the end of World War II? What plans were put in place to help rebuild? 
  9. At the end of this episode, the war has ended but peace is not a given. Imagine you do not know what happened after 1945. Would you predict that peace was possible? Discuss. 

Primary Source: Transcript of Joint Address to Congress Leading to a Declaration of War Against Japan (1941) (Excerpt)

In this speech to Congress, delivered the day after the Pearl Harbor bombing, President Roosevelt describes the attack and asks for a declaration of war against Japan.

Mr. Vice President, and Mr. Speaker, and Members of the Senate and House of Representatives: Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack. It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island. Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation. As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole Nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph— so help us God. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

  1. In this address President Roosevelt describes the Pearl Harbor bombing as a “date which will live in infamy.” What do you think he means by this phrase? Do you agree with his assessment? 
  2. What does Roosevelt say about the status of diplomatic negotiations with Japan at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack? Do you think diplomatic solutions might have still been possible if the attack had not taken place? 
  3. What does Roosevelt say about the possibility of American victory in World War II? Why do you think he included these words of encouragement in his speech?
Episode 3 - Map Activity
  1. Where did the D-Day invasion take place? Based on this map, why was this such an important strategic victory for the Allies?
  2. Based on the distances of some of the Allied advances, why do you think motorized vehicles were so important in World War II?


Thursday, March 5, 2015

WWI Web Quest

Historical Context:
World War I was supposed to be the war that ended all wars. Instead, it set the stage for future conflicts throughout the 20th Century. The people of the time called the conflict the Great War, and they believed that there would never again be another like it. Although the United States tried to remain neutral, it was eventually drawn into the conflict. The war had a profound effect on the nation, and touched upon many aspects of American life. When the war ended, the United States, and the world, was changed forever.

Your task: Download the "packet" and save it.  As you find the answers to all of the questions, save them in your packet.  This packet, once completed will be saved and emailed to me at shipdog65@gmail.com.  It will be due back to me in one week. PACKET

Area 1: Choosing Sides and War Plans:
1. Find a blank map of Europe in 1914.  On this map label the following (digital would be better, but if you have to print it out, it is acceptable).

2. Write down the 6 major Allied Powers, the 4 major Central Powers, and the 6 major Neutral Powers.

Allied Powers (6)         Central Powers (4)         Neutral Powers (6)
__________________ ___________________ ___________________
__________________ ___________________ ___________________
__________________ ___________________ ___________________
__________________ ___________________ ___________________
__________________ ___________________ ___________________
__________________ ___________________ ___________________

3.What were the central powers and the allies called BEFORE the war?
_________________________________________________________________________________

4.Which side did the United States eventually join? Why?
_________________________________________________________________________________

5.Which country switched sides just before the war started? Why?
_________________________________________________________________________________

6.List AND describe the five long-term causes of World War I.

  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  



7.What was the spark that led to the immediate cause of World War I?
_________________________________________________________________________________

8.Who was General Schlieffen and what was his plan for World War I? What was his country trying to avoid by implementing this plan?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Area 2: Weapons of War:

1. List AND describe 4 weapons introduced in World War I. Be sure to explain their effectiveness and how they are used.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

2. What is propaganda? List at least 4 reasons propaganda posters were used?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

3.What nation produced the most posters throughout World War I?
______________________________________________________________________

****Create your own propaganda poster.

Area 3: Life in the Trenches:

1. What is trench foot? What caused trench foot?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. What affects did it have on the body? What was the remedy for it?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. Read the diary entries from Thomas Frederick Littler and answer the following:
a. Describe some common repetitive (repeated) themes (tasks) of trench life.
b. Define stalemate. How does the definition of this word describe life in the trenches?

A. _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

B. _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

4. What was No Man’s Land? (Please be sure to describe at least 3 distinct features.)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Area 4: America enters the War:

1. What was the LUSITANIA? What is the significance of the LUSITANIA in the war? How many people died and were there any Americans on board?
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. How many Allied and Neutral ships were lost to submarines in 1917? How many Allied and Neutral ships were sunk by submarines between 1914-1918?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the Zimmerman Telegram and who wrote it? Why did Americans feel threatened by this telegram? (Think Monroe Doctrine – not sure what this is – LOOK IT UP!)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

4. In the Telegram, what did the German government decide to begin on Feb. 1, 1917? What was promised to Mexico in the Telegram?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

5. When does the United States declare war on Germany? Who was John J. Pershing?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

6. What was the Brest-Litovsk Treaty? How did it affect the fighting on the Western Front? (Think Schlieffen Plan)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Area 5: Results of the War:

1. What was the name of President Wilson’s Speech to Congress on January 8, 1918?
_______________________________________________________________________

2. Through the points mentioned in the above article, how does Wilson address:

  • Imperialism
  • Militarism
  • Navigation of the Seas
  • International Trade
  • Self-Determination (What does this mean?)
  • League of Nations

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

3. How does the U.S. Congress feel about the League of Nations? Why is this League set up for failure?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

4. In Articles 231 and 232 of the Treaty of Versailles, what is Germany responsible for?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

5. What happened to most of Wilson’s Points in the final draft of the Treaty of Versailles? Why?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

6. What country lost the most soldiers, and has the most missing? How many American soldiers died and what was the total number of soldiers who died in the war?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

7. When did the war end? When was the Treaty of Versailles signed? Why are these dates significant?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

8. Why did this attitude of an unfair peace and U.S. non involvement in the League of Nations help set up the foundations for a new world conflict?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Men Who Built America End Assignment





Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, Henry Ford - their names are synonymous with innovation, big business and the the American Dream.  These leaders sparked incredible advances in technology while struggling to consolidate their industries and rise to the top of the business world.  The Men Who Built America chronicles the connections between these iconic businessmen and explores the way they shaped the country, transforming the U.S. into a global superpower in just 50 years.  
Tracing their roles in the oil, stell, railroad, auto, and financial industries, this series uses stunning CGI and little known stories to examine the lives of these iconic tycoons.  How did these leaders advance progress, and what were the costs and consequences of American industrial growth?  What role did everyday Americans play in this growth, and how were their voices heard?  This series is an excellent companion for courses on business, American history, and the Industrial Revolution.  
Episode 1:  A New War Begins
As the nation attempts to rebuild following the destruction of the Civil War, Cornelious Vanderbilt is the first to see the need for unity to regain America's stature in the world.  Vanderbilt makes his mark in shipping and then the railroad industry.  Railroads stitch together the nation, stimulating the economy by making it easier to move goods accross the country.  But Vanderbilt faces intense competition early on, showing that captiains of industry will always be challenged by new innovators and mavericks.
Terms to Define: 
  • ARCHETYPE
  • ENTREPRENEUR
  • INFRASTRUCTURE
  • INGENUITY
  • INNOVATION
Questions to answer:
  1. Some may have called the United States a "failed experiment" after the Civil War.  Why?
  2. What role did Vanderbilt play in helping the country rebuild after the Civil War? (Check video link after #4)
  3. What is a hostile takeover?  How did Vanderbilt deal with this kind of competition?
  4. What major industries emerged in the decades after the Civil War?
  5. Thomas Nast created cartoons criticizing the robber barons for their role conflicts in the railroad industry wars.  What does the cartoon below reveal about the railroad wars?
  6. Alternately, search for another Nast cartoon and analyze it.  This question is worth 2 points.  1 point for the hyperlink to your cartoon and 1 point for the analysis on the cartoon.   
This video will help with number 2.


Episode 2:  Oil Strike 
Vanderbilt expands his enterprises, realizing that oil is the nation’s next crucial commodity. The demand for oil is high and Vanderbilt knows that it will be an important item for his trains to transport. He turns to a young oilman from California named John D. Rockefeller to make a deal that will work for both businessmen, but rivalries emerge between them. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil has become one of the nation’s first monopolies. A financial panic in 1873 shows that the American economy is on shaky ground even as it expands.

Terms to Define: 
  • ETHIC
  • MODERNIZATION
  • MONOPOLY
  • REFINERY
  • REVENUE
Questions to answer:
  1.  (Watch the video clip at the end of the questions first.  It will help you to answer them.)What does it mean to “beat the odds,” and how is John Rockefeller an example of this concept?
  2. What is refining oil, and why was it so important when oil first became a popular commodity?
  3. Standard Oil was one of the nation’s first monopolies. What is a monopoly? Why do you think leaders like Rockefeller wanted to shut out competition?
  4. What was the Panic of 1873?
  5. In this episode, viewers learn about the Panic of 1873. Research this economic crisis and write a short essay about the causes and consequences. 
This video will help answer the above questions.


Episode 3:  A Rivalry is Born
Andrew Carnegie is an immigrant from Scotland who arrives in the u.S. with his parents and starts working at age 12. He finds a patron in railroad executive Tom Scott who teaches him about the business. Scott hires him to build a bridge over the Mississippi River to link East and West. Carnegie agrees even though the project carries risk. He finds his answer in steel. The bridge opens in 1874. Before Carnegie realizes the full potential of steel, his mentor Scott dies in a state of humiliation over the success of John D. Rockefeller’s oil pipeline. Carnegie vows to have his revenge and best Rockefeller. With the steel industry thriving, u.S. cities start to grow. But can Carnegie stay at the top of his game?

Terms to Define: 
  • CAPITALIZE
  • DECIMATE
  • OMINOUS
  • SURGE
  • UNPRECIDENTED 

Questions to answer:
  1. What was the Bessemer steel process and how did it transform the construction industry?
  2. Why were infrastructure projects such as bridges and roads so important to American growth?
  3. Why do you think Carnegie and Rockefeller became rivals?
  4. What did they have in common and what divided them?
  5. Andrew Carnegie published an essay entitled “Wealth” (later titled “The Gospel of Wealth”) in which he discussed his views on capitalism. Read an excerpt from this essay at http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5766 and write a 1 paragraph response to this explaining what Carnegie felt were the "responsibilities of wealth. 
This video will help you with the above questions. 

Episode 4:  Blood is Spilled
Carnegie hires Henry frick to help him achieve his goal of dominating the steel industry and besting Rockefeller. The partnership seems promising, but frick is pushing workers to  a breaking point. Meanwhile, the Johnstown flood of 1889 leaves 2,000 people dead, and Carnegie’s South fork fishing  & Hunting Club faces blame. Worker unrest culminates in a massive strike at the Homestead Steel plant in 1892. Violence ensues when frick calls in the Pinkerton security agency. The strike is a major turning point in American labor history, showing how workers would fight for fair wages and conditions when faced with injustice.  Carnegie is determined to make up for these scars on his reputation.

Terms to Define: 
  • ANARCHIST
  • INDUSTRIAL
  • MAGNATE
  • MERCENARY
  • PROGRESSIVE
Questions to answer:
  1. What caused the Johnstown flood? What were some of the outcomes of this disaster? What role did the American Red Cross play?
  2. Do you think Henry frick was a good leader? Why or  why not?
  3. Why did workers strike at the Homestead Steel plant? Why was the strike an important turning point in American history?
  4. Do you think Carnegie was responsible for the Johnstown flood and the Homestead strike? Why or why not? 
  5. The Johnstown flood was one of the worst disasters in American history.  Read these stories from the New York Times: johnstownpa.com/History/hist30.html.  Research the flood online and write a short 1 paragraph essay about the flood and its outcomes, including the role of the Red Cross.
Watch this video on the Homestead Strike 

Episode 5:  A New Rival Emerges
   
While Carnegie and Rockefeller continue to battle, J.P. Morgan arrives on the scene and establishes a bank in New York City that has one goal: to further the technological advancements of America through finance. As he builds his empire and consolidates industries, Morgan decides to take a big risk. He enlists inventor Thomas Edison to help bring electricity to every home and business in the country. Rockefeller continues to expand his Standard Oil Company and aims to keep kerosene as the dominant resource powering electricity. Regardless of these competitive dynamics, American infrastructure is growing and cities are on the rise.

Terms to Define: 
  • COMPENSATION
  • EMPIRE
  • LIABILITY 
  • PATENT 
  • RESOLVE
  • VOLTAGE
Questions to answer:
  1.  What were some of the challenges Carnegie faced? Do you think he could have avoided these difficulties?
  2. What were J.P. Morgan’s major areas of business? Why was he such an important figure in U.S. history?
  3. What role does risk play in big business? What kinds of risks did Carnegie and Rockefeller take? 
  4. View this short video to learn more about J.P. Morgan and the rise of American finance.  

Episode 6:  Owning it All
With an investment from Morgan, the Edison Electric Company is created and begins wiring homes in New York. A rival, Nikola Tesla, soon emerges with a different technology for electric light. A battle between Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) power ensues. Morgan eventually buys out Edison and forms General Electric which adopts AC power, setting the stage for the next several decades of electric power.  Meanwhile, there is increasing unrest among American  workers as the gap between the rich and the poor grows.

Terms to Define: 
  • BEDROCK
  • HORSEPOWER
  • PRIVATE SECTOR
  • STREAMLINE
  • VIABLE
  • VULNERABILITY
  • WATERSHED
Questions to answer:
  1.  What is the difference between AC and DC power?
  2. W hat do you think of Morgan’s decision to buy out Thomas Edison?  Do you think this desicion was fair to Edison?
  3. Why was J.P. Morgan's ability to loan funds to the federal government so important?  Do you agree with the commentator that this was an "act of nationalism"?
  4. What is Morganization?  Why was this approach an important and notable feature of the American economy?
  5. After visiting this site to view a photo gallery of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, write a one-two paragraph essay explaining the importance of the event in U.S. and world history.  World's Fair Photo Gallery




Episode 7:  Taking the White House
Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Morgan have gone unmonitored for decades, but American politicians are about to change that.  They want to guard against monopolies and an unbalanced use of power.  The men, some lifelong enemies, come together with a play to gain influence with the White House.  Their candidate, William McKinley, wins the White House and passes legislation favorable to big buisness.  Morgan and Carnegie create U.S. Steel, the first billion-dollar company in the U.S. while Rockefeller takes control of 90% of North American oil.  


Terms to Define: 

  • ANTI-TRUST
  • CAPITAL
  • ELITE
  • LUCRITIVE 
  • NICHE
  • PROSPERITY
  • RUTHLESS
Questions to answer:

  1. Why were American workers upset at the time of the 1896 election?  How did William Jennings Bryan attempt to address some of their concerns?
  2. Why did the business tycoons put their support behind William McKinley?  Were they successful?
  3. What does ant0trust mean?  Do you agree with the strategy of breaking up businesses that become very dominant in one industry?
  4. Click on this link and watch the video: Morgan Video.  Then take a look at the Sherman Anti-Trust document from the National archives here: Sherman Anti-Trust Act.  After completing these two items, answer the following question:  What does it say about monopolies, and what punishments did it suggest for violators?  
Episode 8:  The New Machine
After McKinley is assassinated, Theodore Roosevelt becomes president and quickly passes a series of regulations increasing oversight of American business. Henry ford devises the plan for a gas-powered car, and he launches the assembly line as an innovative method of production. He targets the middle class with his Model T and changes the landscape of America.  The Panama Canal opens up new trade routes. Rockefeller is put on trial for anti-trust violations. He loses in court and his company, Standard Oil, is one of the first monopolies broken up by the u.S. government. J.P. Morgan helps to establish the federal Reserve and cements his legacy as the father of modern capitalism. He and other big business leaders become major philanthropists. As the U.S. Army sets sail for Europe in World War I, one thing is clear…these men didn’t discover America, they built it. 

Terms to Define: 
  • DURABLE
  • MONOPOLY
  • PHILANTHROPY
  • SUPERPOWER
  • UTILITARIAN
Questions to answer:
  1. W hy was the election of President Theodore Roosevelt  so significant? What were some of the major changes he made?
  2. What were some of Henry Ford’s key innovations?
  3. Why was the Panama Canal such an important project?
  4. What is philanthropy? Do you think all business leaders are obligated to also be philanthropists?
  5. The Child Labor Act of 1916 was developed to eliminate the abuse of children in the workforce.  View the Child Labor Act and read the text as well as viewing the related photos by Lewis Hine linked on the National Archives Site by clicking here: National Archives.  In two paragraphs, write a short essay about child labor violations and the importance of this act.  
Click on the following pictures for futher viewing about the contributions of these two men.
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