P08_HUS- The Nation Prepares for its 4th Centennial Era (1954 – Present)

P08_The Nation Prepares for its 4th Centennial Era (1954 – Present) 

The activity will generally cover the years 1954 through the Present. Of course, there may be a few exceptions that reach to an earlier or later date. Unit08 and Unit09 of the course textbook, as well as additional outside source materials, will offer a skeletal outline with sufficient flesh (pardon the Biology reference) for the period this project will cover.

The 64 years these topics span are squarely within the American Imperium that arose during and after WWII. The nation faces challenges on a global scale given its global presence. While the challenges to US economic and military might are to be expected with a new global responsibility. Challenges have and will materialize that causes all citizens to pause and ponder a question that the Founders undoubtedly debated: What is The United States? Unlike the material aspect of the economy and the military, the question of what ‘We’ are is philosophical. Such a challenge may be the greatest we’ll face in the decades yet to come.

In this project student groups will select and analyze significant challenges of the latter 20th C./ early 21st C. That analysis, shaped by group-level debate, will supply the content for a 35 minute class lesson. The goal is just as much to inform as it is to ignite additional civil debate.

This era in our nation’s history is largely relegated to two branches of our United States History Research Primer. These branches are: The American Imperium and Civics, Society & Us.

Phase I

1. Please open the P08_The Nation Prepares for its 4th Centennial Era mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains branches that provide guidance for the completion of the research project. One branch identifies the general topic areas to focus our research investigations. The list of topic areas appears below.

01 Goals of a “Great Society”
02 Civil Rights as Universal Rights
03 Man on the Moon: Tech Challenges & Tech Successes
04 Supreme Court Decisions (relevant today)
05 Abuse of Power and Authority
06 Terrorism

3. Organize your groups.

A. Choose a group leader. That group leader will be given a score reflecting their ability to successfully guide the group to a successful completion of the project. Group leader positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

B. Choose a speaker. That speaker will be given a score reflecting their speaking performance during the presentation. Speaker positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

C. Setup a communication system so that group members can communicate outside of classroom.

D. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V (full access). If you decide to use Google, you must create a ‘Team Drive’ and share that with Mr.V (full access). This segment of the project is not normally evaluated since it is a practical application of skills previously taught and practiced. However, under certain conditions, it may impact the group’s grade when a member’s contributions must be assessed for other reasons: Attendance/ tardiness issues, erroneous content presented as facts, etc. 

Phase II

1. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in the researching of your assigned topic area. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V. The History Research Primer: Sources and Guidance is also recommended for use.

2. Avoid the temptation to begin constructing the presentation. You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. The construction of the presentation file is primarily an administrative task that can, and should, be done out-of-class. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this and the next phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase III

1. Begin the analysis of your accumulated source documents.

2. The gathering of data has to come to an end or you run the risk of never finishing. The analysis phase requires that you read, listen to (audio source), or view (video source) the content you’ve amassed. Keep the relevant materials and discard what proves to be unhelpful materials.

As you do this, your computer monitor should be split into two windows that allow you to analyze your source and take notes on that source. The notes you create should be available for members of your group to see and comment on in Mindmeister/ Google Drive. It’s important that ‘your’ notes bear ‘your’ name (Mr.V needs to be able to trace the notes to its creator).

You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this and the previous phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase IV

1. Mr.V will have distributed to all group leaders, by now, a rubric outlining how the project will be evaluated. Use that rubric, and the project mindmap to guide your analysis of the sources.

2. Construct and submit the presentation file and Lesson Plan in accordance with the guidance provided by Mr.V.

3.Mr.V will allow you one opportunity to edit the presentation file after viewing it on the large screen. Submit a new file and updated lesson plan before 7PM on the date posted on the course calendar.

Consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

Be sure to…
-Don’t ignore the feedback received from previous presentations. Repeating an error or omission is worse than committing it the first time.

-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.

-Did you provide content your research was intended to reveal? Was it delivered in a manner that the audience can understand? Does your lesson plan (including activity and quiz) reflect the content presented and delivered?

-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at and assimilate it’s data?

-Time limit for the presentation.

-Sources properly credited/ cited.

P08_The Nation Prepares for its 4th Centennial Era Presentations

Below are the presentations created by all the research groups for this project session. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research and presentation.

01. Goals of a “Great Society“ (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

02. Civil Rights as Universal Rights (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

03. Man on the Moon: Tech Challenges & Tech Successes (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

04. Supreme Court Decisions (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

05. Abuse of Power and Authority(Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

06. Terrorism (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

Administrative Data w/ regards to teacher preparation:

Purpose: To continue the refinement of researching skills and streamlining the creation of research findings. We, in this project, expand beyond the one-way presentation model to incorporate the audience as active participants.

Objective: Produce a classroom lesson (presentation, activity, & assessment) of 30 – 35 minutes in length with the exclusive purpose of educating the audience on a particular curriculum topic by inciting questions, discussion, and debate.

Overall Goal: To actualize the ‘Purpose’ and achieve the ‘Objective’ by addressing the following standards:

-RH.11-12: Cite specific text sources.

-RH.11-12.3: Evaluate various explanations to determine which best conforms to text evidence.

-RH. 11-12.7/9: Evaluate and integrate sources appearing in a variety of formats.

-WHST. 11-12.1: Write arguments on specific content.– Honing Presentation Skills

P07_HUS The American Imperium (1939 – 1970)

P07_The American Imperium 

The activity will cover from ~1939 (Great Depression Era) to 1970 (Cold War Era). Of course, there may be a few exceptions that reach to an earlier or later date. For my students, Unit07 of our textbook will offer a good skeletal outline for the period this project will cover.

WWII may be the single-most impactful event in the study of the era that follows. It could be said that the rise of the United States as a World Power, then, a Super Power can only be adequately explained by the events before and immediately after WWII. The development of this “American Imperium” is not exclusively a military matter and we will not be limited to it. In this project we will attempt to dissect the era from 1939 – 1970 by researching the topics listed below, in the fashion of previous projects.

This era in our nation’s history is largely relegated to three branches of our United States History Research Primer. These branches are: The Great Depression, WWII, and The American Imperium.

Phase I

1. Please open the P07_The American Imperium mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains branches that provide guidance for the completion of the research project. One branch identifies the general topic areas to focus our research investigations. The list of topic areas appears below.

01 WWII: The Combatants
02 WWII: History-Shaking Events
03 US Homefront: Japanese-American Internment
04 US Homefront: The Media
05 The Cold War
06 US Postwar Economic Boom

3. Organize your groups.

A. Choose a group leader. That group leader will be given a score reflecting their ability to successfully guide the group to a successful completion of the project. Group leader positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

B. Choose a speaker. That speaker will be given a score reflecting their speaking performance during the presentation. Speaker positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

C. Setup a communication system so that group members can communicate outside of classroom.

D. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V (full access). If you decide to use Google, you must create a ‘Team Drive’ and share that with Mr.V (full access). This segment of the project is not normally evaluated since it is a practical application of skills previously taught and practiced. However, under certain conditions, it may impact the group’s grade when a member’s contributions must be assessed for other reasons: Attendance/ tardiness issues, erroneous content presented as facts, etc. 

Phase II

1. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in the researching of your assigned topic area. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V. The History Research Primer: Sources and Guidance is also recommended for use.

2. Avoid the temptation to begin constructing the presentation. You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. The construction of the presentation file is primarily an administrative task that can, and should, be done out-of-class. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this and the next phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase III

1. Begin the analysis of your accumulated source documents.

2. The gathering of data has to come to an end or you run the risk of never finishing. The analysis phase requires that you read, listen to (audio source), or view (video source) the content you’ve amassed. Keep the relevant materials and discard what proves to be unhelpful materials.

As you do this, your computer monitor should be split into two windows that allow you to analyze your source and take notes on that source. The notes you create should be available for members of your group to see and comment on in Mindmeister/ Google Drive. It’s important that ‘your’ notes bear ‘your’ name (Mr.V needs to be able to trace the notes to its creator).

You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this and the previous phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase IV

1. Mr.V will have distributed to all group leaders, by now, a rubric outlining how the project will be evaluated. Use that rubric, and the project mindmap to guide your analysis of the sources.

2. Construct and submit the presentation file in accordance with the guidance provided by Mr.V.

3. Mr.V will allow you one opportunity to edit the presentation file after viewing it on the large screen. Submit a new file before 7PM on the date posted on the course calendar.

Consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

Be sure to…
-Don’t ignore the feedback received from previous presentations. Repeating an error or omission is worse than committing it the first time.

-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.

-Did you provide content your research was intended to reveal? Was it delivered in a manner that the audience can understand?

-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at and assimilate it’s data?

-Time limit for the presentation.

–Sources properly credited/ cited.

P07_The American Imperium Presentations

Below are the presentations created by all the research groups within our US History course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation.

01. WWII: The Combatants (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

02. WWII: History-Shaking Events (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

03. US Homefront: Japanese-American Internment (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

04. US Homefront: The Media (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

05. The Cold War (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

06. US Postwar Economic Boom (Period 2, Period 10)

Administrative Data w/ regards to teacher preparation:

Purpose: To continue the refinement of researching skills and streamlining the creation of research findings. The project guidelines can be found by clicking the node link.

Objective: Produce a presentation of 8 – 10 minutes in length with the exclusive purpose of educating the audience on a particular topic of the course curriculum.

Overall Goal: To actualize the ‘Purpose’ and achieve the ‘Objective’ by addressing the following standards:

-RH.11-12: Cite specific text sources.

-RH.11-12.3: Evaluate various explanations to determine which best conforms to text evidence.

-RH. 11-12.7/9: Evaluate and integrate sources appearing in a variety of formats.

-WHST. 11-12.1: Write arguments on specific content.

– Honing Presentation Skills

P06_HUS The Roaring 20s and Great Depression

P06_The Roaring Twenties and Great Depression 

The activity will cover from ~1920 (End of the Progressive Era and advent of the ‘Roaring Twenties) to 1945 (the end of wartime, WWII, economic expansion). Of course, there may be a few exceptions that reach to an earlier or later date.

The post-war (WWI) economic expansion has some connection the Gilded Age pro-business policies of the Federal government. However, the start and end of WWI did impact the economy with respect to capacity and products being produced. The wealth of Gilded Age elites will be, generally, significantly washed away by the storm of the Great Depression.

Social and government , under the stress of two world wars and a roller coaster economy can’t remain untouched. If one looks closely, there are stark examples of a multi-tiered transition. The society/ government from pre-WWI, through post-WWI, Great Depression, and WWII eras is changing under the stress while exerting a force of change of its own. What emerges from 1945 is a United States that even our youth, today, can see a lineage to.

This era in our nation’s history is not selectively isolated in our United States History Research Primer. Instead, students are required to expand the reach of their research to ‘Eras’ that precede, proceed, or overlap the years from 1920 through 1945.

Phase I

1. Please open the P06_The Roaring 20s and the Great Depression mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains branches that provide guidance for the completion of the research project. One branch identifies the general topic areas to focus our research investigations. The list of topic areas appears below.

01 The FBI and the Red Scare (1st Incarnation)
02 Hollywood’s View of the World 
03 Rise of the KKK (2nd/ 3rd Incarnation)
04 Consumerism and Advertising
05 Gender Norms
06 The Harlem Renaissance

3. Organize your groups.

A. Choose a group leader. That group leader will be given a score reflecting their ability to successfully guide the group to a successful completion of the project. Group leader positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

B. Choose a speaker. That speaker will be given a score reflecting their speaking performance during the presentation. Speaker positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

C. Setup a communication system so that group members can communicate outside of classroom.

D. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V (full access). If you decide to use Google, you must create a ‘Team Drive’ and share that with Mr.V (full access). This segment of the project is not normally evaluated since it is a practical application of skills previously taught and practiced. However, under certain conditions, it may impact the group’s grade when a member’s contributions must be assessed for other reasons: Attendance/ tardiness issues, erroneous content presented as facts, etc. 

Phase II

1. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in the researching of your assigned topic area. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V. The History Research Primer: Sources and Guidance is also recommended for use.

2. Avoid the temptation to begin constructing the presentation. You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. The construction of the presentation file is primarily an administrative task that can, and should, be done out-of-class. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this and the next phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase III

1. Begin the analysis of your accumulated source documents.

2. The gathering of data has to come to an end or you run the risk of never finishing. The analysis phase requires that you read, listen to (audio source), or view (video source) the content you’ve amassed. Keep the relevant materials and discard what proves to be unhelpful materials.

As you do this, your computer monitor should be split into two windows that allow you to analyze your source and take notes on that source. The notes you create should be available for members of your group to see and comment on in Mindmeister/ Google Drive. It’s important that ‘your’ notes bear ‘your’ name (Mr.V needs to be able to trace the notes to its creator).

You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this and the previous phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase IV

1. Mr.V will have distributed to all group leaders, by now, a rubric outlining how the project will be evaluated. Use that rubric, and the P06_Roaring 20s and Great Depression project mindmap to guide your analysis of the sources.

2. Construct and submit the presentation file in accordance with the guidance provided by Mr.V.

3. Mr.V will allow you one opportunity to edit the presentation file after viewing it on the large screen. Submit a new file before 7PM on the date posted on the course calendar.

Consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

Be sure to…
-Don’t ignore the feedback received from previous presentations. Repeating an error or omission is worse than committing it the first time.

-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.

-Did you provide content your research was intended to reveal? Was it delivered in a manner that the audience can understand?

-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at and assimilate it’s data?

-Time limit for the presentation.

–Sources properly credited/ cited.

P06_The Roaring 20s and Great Depression Presentations

Below are the links to presentations created by all the research groups within our US History course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation.

01. The FBI and the Red Scare- 1st Incarnation (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

02. Hollywood’s View of the World (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

03. Rise of the KKK- 2nd/ 3rd Incarnation (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

04. Consumerism and Advertising (Period 2, Period 10)

05. Gender Norms (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

06. The Harlem Renaissance (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

P05_HUS Progressive Era-A Time for Change

P05_Progressive Era- A Time for Change

The activity will cover a period of time from ~1877 (End of Reconstruction) to 1920 (advent of the ‘Roaring Twenties). Of course, there may be a few exceptions that reache to an earlier or later date.

The period marks another watershed period for the nation. The successes and failures of the Recontruction policy of the Federal government established the foundation for the succeeding era: The Gilded Age. The age is marked by an economic expansion partially energized by a developing Business-Government partnership. For more than a quarter-century that partnership witnessed the rise of national corporations with an economic dominance we’ve come to associate with trusts/ monopolies. This growing power over the economic engine of the nation creates an atmosphere where laws, or any semblance of ethical conduct, is set aside for increased profits. The Business-Government partnership is not conducive to a self-regulating economic system.

The accumulation of wealth into the hands of a small, economically elite, fraction of the population contributes to a ‘Have and Have Not’ social picture. Philanthropy becomes an increasingly benevolent product of this disparity, but it’s unable to level the playing field for the ‘Have Nots’. Civil unrest, peaceful and deadly, pushes the nation’s leadership to reconsider the Gilded Age partnership with ‘Business’. Those leaders, from the larger than life characters (Teddy Roosevelt) to unionizing coal miners who lost their lives in shoot-outs, were integral in asking for reforms and executing ‘Calls to Action’ that created “The Progressive Era.”

This era in our nation’s history is labeled ‘The Gilded Age *** Progressive Era’ in our United States History Research Primer.

Phase I

1. Please open the P05_The Progressive Era mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains branches that provide guidance for the completion of the research project. One branch identifies the general topic areas to focus our research investigations. The list of topic areas appears below.

01 Labor
02 Environment
03 Law: US Constitution & Federal Statutes
04 Foreign Affairs
05 National Finance
06 Prohibition

3. Organize your groups.

A. Choose a group leader. That group leader will be given a score reflecting their ability to successfully guide the group to a successful completion of the project. Group leader positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

B. Choose a speaker. That speaker will be given a score reflecting their speaking performance during the presentation. Speaker positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

C. Setup a communication system so that group members can communicate outside of classroom.

D. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V (full access). If you decide to use Google, you must create a ‘Team Drive’ and share that with Mr.V (full access). This segment of the project is not normally evaluated since it is a practical application of skills previously taught and practiced. However, under certain conditions, it may impact the group’s grade when a member’s contributions must be assessed for other reasons: Attendance/ tardiness issues, erroneous content presented as facts, etc. 

Phase II

1. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in the researching of your assigned topic area. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V. The History Research Primer: Sources and Guidance is also recommended for use.

2. Avoid the temptation to begin constructing the presentation. You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. The construction of the presentation file is primarily an administrative task that can, and should, be done out-of-class. You will have no more than 5 class periods to perform this phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase III

1. Begin the analysis of your accumulated source documents.

2. The gathering of data has to come to an end or you run the risk of never finishing. The analysis phase requires that you read, listen to (audio source), or view (video source) the content you’ve amassed. Keep the relevant materials and discard what proves to be unhelpful materials.

As you do this, your computer monitor should be split into two windows that allow you to analyze your source and take notes on that source. The notes you create should be available for members of your group to see and comment on in Mindmeister/ Google Drive. It’s important that ‘your’ notes bear ‘your’ name (Mr.V needs to be able to trace the notes to its creator).

You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase IV

1. Mr.V will have distributed to all group leaders, by now, a rubric outlining how the project will be evaluated. Use that rubric, and the P05_Progressive Era project mindmap to guide your analysis of the sources.

2. Construct and submit the presentation file in accord with the guidance provided by Mr.V.

3. On the first class day after submitting your presentation file, Mr.V will allow you one final opportunity to edit the file after viewing it on the large screen. If the edits are substantial, submit a new file before 7PM that evening.

Consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.

-Did you provide the content your research was intended to reveal? Was it delivered in a manner that the audience can understand?

-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at and assimilate it’s data?

-Time limit for the presentation.

–Sources properly credited/ cited.

P05_The Progressive Era Presentations

Below are the links to the presentations created by all the research groups within our US History course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation.

01. Labor (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

02. Environment (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

03. Law: US Constitution & Federal Statutes (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

04. Foreign Affairs (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

05. National Finance (Period 2, Period 10)

06. Prohibition (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

Pr02b4_Ancient Rome: Rise of Christianity and the Collapse of the Empire in the West (Slide by Slide Description)

Pr02b4_Ancient Rome: Rise of Christianity and the Collapse of the Empire in the West (Slide by Slide Description)

Click on Pr02b4_Ancient Rome: Rise of Christianity and the Collapse of the Empire in the West to view the slides that accompany these descriptions.

Cover Slide: “SPQR”. Represents republican Rome’s creed. As an acronym, it stands for “Senatus Populusque Romanus” => The Senate and People of Rome. Such a phrase/ Acronym would be affixed at the end of official documents and public monuments.

We enter the period of gradual decline and ultimate collapse of the empire in the Western half. The eastern half, later to be known as the Byzantine Empire, will continue on for another nine centuries. If we were to mark off the period of Roman decline and collapse, we would first have to decide what the signs of ‘decline’ are. This would be beyond the scope of our course. Instead, we’ll look at a few of the major decisions in the empire’s two to three centuries before the collapse that later came to aggravate the conditions that brought on a political collapse.

Slide #2: Our first crisis decision is about the Roman institution of Slavery. (There are parallels in the Roman institution with the institution of Slavery as practiced in the United States.)

Do you see any problem with maintaining a high population of enslaved peoples who are kept under control with brutal regulations?

Slide #3: A painting of crucified rebellious slaves from Spartacus’ Slave Army.

Slide #4: Under the rule of an Emperor, the Roman government never adequately solved the problem of who would be the next emperor. Except for a ~100 year period where each emperor hand-picked a successor (adopted as a ‘Son’- think of what Julius Caesar had done with Octavian), transfer of power from one emperor to the next was often accompanied with violence and civil war.

Why do you suppose anyone would plunge their society into violent chaos just to be Emperor?

Slide #5: The Five Good (Adopted) Emperors.

Nerva begins the process that ends with Marcus Aurelius. Augustus (Octavian), as the first emperor, starts a period known as the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) that lasts until the end of the reign of the Five Good (Adopted) Emperors.

Slide #6: Another critical period of Rome’s history involves the issue about the empire’s geographic size.

In the United States, much has been debated about the security of the nation’s borders. Rome had a problem with it’s borders and thus became concerned about the empire’s physical size.

A solution to the problem was enacted by Emperor Diocletian- The Tetrarchy.

What difficulties do you see materializing from a division of the empire into four, semi-autonomous regions with their own local ruler with the title of ‘Caesar’?

Slide #7: Maps that are related to the problem of an empire that’s too large to govern efficiently.

The map in the bottom-center shows a city that one emperor, Constantine, uses as a ‘new’ eastern capital for the empire in the 4th C.

In essence, the empire is divided into two large parts: The Western portion- governed from Rome, and the Eastern portion- governed from Byzantium.

Slide #8: For most of Rome’s history, it reflected similar religious beliefs to other ancient civilizations- Polytheistic, nature-based faiths. The emperors Galerius and Constantine make major social changes in this field. The faith developing from the teachings of a Jewish Rabbi (to become Christianity) become increasingly accepted in Roman society. A persecuted faith gradually becomes the empire’s official faith under the reign of the Emperor Theodosius in the 4th-5th C. At that time the government’s position flip-flops. A formerly persecuted faith becomes the official faith of the government and once accepted faiths become targets of persecution.

What disruptions might you envision for a society that makes such a change?

Slide #9: The issue of troublesome borders comes back to haunt the empire in the 5th C. for the final time. Peoples who were once controlled by Rome’s mighty armies become ‘invaders’. These become the mislabeled ‘Barbarian’ invasions.

While these incursions were often violent, border security doesn’t always involve the movement of violent people. Can movement of people across borders, if done in a non-violent fashion, still endanger a society?

Slide #10 – 13: These slides highlight the divided development of the two former halves of the once mighty Roman Empire.

The Western half becomes divided among the ethnic groups represented by the (Barbarian) invaders in the 5th C.
The Eastern half continues on. Modern historians have labeled this remaining half as the BYZANTINE EMPIRE (records indicate that the people stilled referred to themselves as ‘Roman’). It’s capital city being the one Emperor Constantine established as the Eastern Capital in the 4th C.- Byzantium. It would later be renamed Constantinople.

These two halves will pursue divergent religious and political paths. Slides 11 – 12 illustrate some of the religious differences via the priests of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Eastern Christian Church) and the Roman Catholic Church (Western Church). Both of these ‘Churches’ still exist today.

P02b_HGS-The Classical World

P02b_The Classical World

The activity will cover a period of time from ~8th C. BCE to 6th C. CE (with a few exceptions that may reach beyond). The period marks the beginning, height, and decline of the Classical Era. Many of the foundational elements of our philosophical and political world are established and developed in this period.

You are expected to use the sources found within the World History Research Primer and the History Research Primer Sources & Guidance that are accessible via the ‘Resources’ section of this website. Any other sources must approved by Mr.V via a Schoology message. Approvals can only be done during the second half of the research projects duration. Since our course uses a textbook for reading assignments, it can be used as a source without prior approval (Textbook chapters that relate to the content of this project are Ch. 05 through 09). However, the content requirements for this research project will not be fully served by your textbook and must be significantly augmented by other sources.

Guidance:
Phase I

1. Please open the P02b_The Classical World mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

The mindmap contains six branches labeled for the topic areas being explored. The list of topic areas appears below.

01 China
02 Greece
03 Rome
04 Africa
05 South Asia/ India
06 Americas

Open the branch that is assigned to your group. You’ll see that ‘focus statements’, meant to surgically dissect the issue, have been incorporated. These statements are ‘true’ statements and only meant to help guide you to the information you should be uncovering.

The events, places, or circumstances that your group will explore will pave our path to understanding certain milestones. In essence, each branch of the mindmap is a contributory element to this era of World History.

2. Organize your groups.

A. Assign tasks to group members.

B. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V as before. If you decide to use a different application to keep your group’s research task organized, it must have ‘Can-Edit’ sharing capabilities for Mr.V. Mr.V must be able to observe the digital collaboration, NOT JUST a working copy of the final product (which is a PowerPoint presentation).

C. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in revealing the truths of the focus statements. The sources, as before, are to come from the Research Primers, course textbook, and any additional source you verify with Mr.V.

3. Presentation: Phase II of the project will introduce the product of our findings: An Audio/ Visual Presentation given by one speaker and aided by ‘group experts’. When the initial research phase (Phase I) ends, consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

A. The last slide of your presentation will consist of a Works Cited list. The format for compiling such a list is explained and illustrated on the Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab website. To access that resource, refer to the History Research Primer Mindmap Portal in the ‘Resources’ section of this website for the link. Be sure to use the 2016 MLA formatting standard that is offered on the site.

B. Use the focus statements provided in the mindmap to analyze the data gathered. These focus statements will be of particular importance in addressing the questions that Mr.V will ask at the end of each presentation.

C. Consider the construction of your presentation. Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.
-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at?
-As you enter text onto your slides, be sure to highlight the terms that are from the textbook assignments in the pertinent chapter. Your textbook assignments (vocabulary) are required to be incorporated in the text of your presentation slides.

-Consider the time limit for the presentation (8 – 10 minutes)

D. Choose a group member to act as the speaker during the presentation with a ‘tech’ assistant to advance the slides in the presentation. The person you choose to speak MUST NOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN for your group.

E. The Presentation file must…

-Be in a PDF format. Google Slides, macOS, and WindowsOS users must export their file as a PDF.
-Label your file: P02b_Topic-Pd#. (Example: P02b_Rome-03 means that this is a P02b project on Rome from Period 3).
-Attach your presentation file to an email message you send to worldhistoryreview(AT)outlook.com.
-The file must be in Mr.V’s possession by 7 PM the day before your group presents. It is the group’s responsibility to ensure the file ‘opens’ and displays the content in a manner that the group desires. Mr.V cannot correct those types of errors.

F. The Rubric Mr.V will complete as you give your presentation is accessible here.

The Results of P02b_The Classical World

I will make accessible the presentations created by all the research groups within our course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation. To see the presentations of Period 3 students, click on the link ‘Pd 03’. For Period 5 students, click ‘Pd 05’.

A compilation of questions that Mr.V asked each presenter will appear below the associated topic heading.

To be posted…

 

P03_HUS-A New Birth

P03_A New Birth

The activity will cover a period of time from 1849 to 1877 (with a few exceptions that may reach beyond). The period marks a watershed period for the nation. The nation before this period IS NOT the nation after this period (which is the nation we are familiar with today). The period is overwhelmingly dominated by the moral question of slavery and the the Constitutional relationship between the federal government, States, and the people. The linking of the former with the latter creates a national crisis that the Civil War had to resolve.

This era in our nation’s history is labeled ‘The Civil War’ in our United States History Research Primer. Our current understanding of the American government and its relationship to the creed described in the Declaration of Independence is formulated at this time. 

Guidance:
Phase I

1. Please open the P03_A New Birth mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains six branches labeled for the topic areas being explored. The list of topic area appears below.

01 The Civil War
02 Slavery
03 Expansion/ Movement
04 “Words Matter”
05 Constitutional Matters
06 Reform Movements

3. Open the branch that is assigned to your group. You’ll see that focus statements, meant to surgically dissect the issue, have been incorporated. The events, places, or circumstances that your group will explore will pave our path to understanding the nation’s milestones as it struggles to define and implement its creed. In essence, each branch of the mindmap is a contributory factor to the tumult of the period. 

4. Organize your groups.

A. Assign tasks to group members.

B. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V as before. If you decide to use a different application to keep your group’s research task organized, it must have ‘Can-Edit’ sharing capabilities with Mr.V.

C. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in deciphering the focus statements. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V.

5. Phase II of the project will introduce the product of our findings: An Audio/ Visual Presentation. When the initial research phase (Phase I) ends, consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

A. Use the focus statements provided in the P03 Mindmap to analyze the data gathered. These focus statements will be of particular importance in addressing the questions that Mr.V will ask at the end of each presentation.

B. Consider the construction of your presentation. Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.
-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at?
-Time limit for the presentation (15 – 20 minutes)

C. Choose a group member to act as the speaker during the presentation with a ‘tech’ assistant to advance the slides in the presentation. The person you choose to speak MUST NOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN for your group. You can access a copy of the rubric Mr.V will use to evaluate your work here.

D. Looking Ahead

In the final project, we will attempt to mesh all the skills we’ve practiced plus a couple of new ones. In P04 we will add 1. Audience Interaction, 2. An MLA citation slide within the presentation file, and 3. Questions/ Answers from the general audience.

The Results of P03_A New Birth

I will make accessible the P03 presentations created by all the research groups within our US History course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation.

Below each presentation link is a compilation of questions Mr.V may ask presenters after they have spoken.

To be updated…

01 The Civil War

P03 01_Civil War-Pd09 Grp06

P03 01_Civil War-Pd10 Grp01

Q. How did the huge death tolls from battles impact the communities and nation at whole?

Q. How does the development of the camera impact the way the nation experiences the war?

Q. In what way were the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg similar in a military and philosophical way?

Q. Describe the ‘Grand Strategy’ of the Union to defeat the Confederacy. What did this strategy target to bring an end to the Confederate war effort?

Q. How did immigrants groups, like the Irish, view the war especially as it related to their future aspirations?

02 Slavery

P03 02_Slavery-Pd09 Grp01

P03 02_Slavery-Pd10 Grp06

Q. Despite the widespread knowledge of the physical, emotional, and moral degradation imposed by the institution of slavery, the enslaved population did not uniformly labor on the same tasks. What forms of slave labor did the South States (and Northern States) entertain?

Q. The Civil War split the nation in several ways. The split was as visible in political party platforms as it was geographically. Where did the dominant political parties of that day stand on the issue of Slavery?

Q. Who were the leaders in fighting the institution of slavery and by what vehicle did they do it?

Q. What evidence is there that the constitutional mandate to end the international slave trade did little to damage the slave institution in the United States?

03 Expansion/ Movement

P03 03_Expansion-Pd09 Grp05

P03 03_Expansion-Pd10 Grp04

Q. How were Native Americans impacted by the Westward migration of American citizens during this era?

Q. What did treaties, like the Treaty of Ft. Laramie, promise Native Americans and the US Government? What is the track record for keeping the promises made in these treaties?

Q. While westward movement of Americans has been occurring since the colonial era, what could cause a spike in the numbers traveling West?

Q. How was the view that ‘The West” held the key to a better future  impact a group like the Mormons?

Q. Expansion during this era was not always West and not always on the continent proper. To what extent is this era witnessing the birth of future imperial aspirations?

04 “Words Matter”

P03 04_Words Matter-Pd09 Grp03

P03 04_Words Matter-Pd10 Grp02

Q. How did President Lincoln’s goals evolve between March 1861 and April 1865?

Q. How did the battles of Antietam (1862) and Gettysburg (1863) offer President Lincoln an opportunity to reorient the nation’s goals in the war?

Q. Where did President Lincoln believe that the core beliefs of the American nation were revealed to the world? How did the Gettysburg Address make this known to the nations?

Q. How did ‘religion’ drive the ‘pro-’ and ‘anti-‘ slavery sides of the nation further apart in the years before the Civil War? How did the Methodist Church of the United States a victim of this divide? How did John Brown justify violence in the cause to end the slave institution?

Q. How does Frederick Douglass demonstrate the pride, hypocrisy, and future hope of the American creed in his speech “What to a Slave is the 4th of July?”?

05 Constitutional Matters

P03 05_Constitutional Matters-Pd09 Grp04

P03 05_Constitutional Matters-Pd10 Grp03

Q. To what extent was ‘Secession’ a disputed Constitutional issue in the period prior to the Civil War? 

Q. To what extent is the Constitution reinforcing the view that Slaves are not citizens and, in fact, are ‘property’?

Q. How was the Missouri Compromise undermined and in so doing open the West to Slavery and violence?

Q. What was necessary to ensure that any rights/ liberties gained by former slaves from were not lost in the post-war era?

06 Reform Movements

P03 06_Reform Movements-Pd09 Grp02

P03 06_Reform Movements-Pd10 Grp05

Q. How did the war effort encourage economic activity?

Q. Why were women increasingly appearing in ‘industrial settings’ Outside the home?

Q. How does Henry David Thoreau, and other Transcendentalists, expose new challenges presented by an increasingly industrial society?

Q. How would you prove that certain reform movements, like Abolitionism, was diverse in its membership and methods of protest?

Q. How did the Freedmens’ Bureau attempt to address the limitations and restrictions that marked the institution of slavery in the United States?

P02_HUS-The Young Nation’s Growing Pains

P02_The Young Nation’s Growing Pains

The activity will cover a period of time from 1789 to 1850 (with a few exceptions that may reach beyond). The period marks the initial phase of the American experiment in governance. The challenges, debates, conflicts, etc. that bookmark portions of the period act to redirect the nation’s developmental course.

This era in our nation’s history is labeled ‘The Young Nation’ in our United States History Research Primer. The nation of today is a product of the trials and tribulations of the nation that George Washington introduced to the world in 1789.

This period is marked by an endless series of ‘firsts’. It’s as if minor legal issues, immigrant rights, and Native American relations impact the nation’s development disproportionate to the scale of the event. Since they are ‘firsts’, they carry the gravitas of precedent for a nation that still has more than a century and a half to reach our present time. If we wish to explore the origins of core tenets in United States democratic philosophy, we have to venture into this period of time.

Guidance:
Phase I

1. Please open the P02_The Young Nation’s Growing Pains mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains six branches labeled for the topic areas being explored. The list of topic area appears below.

01 Developing Divisions
02 Finance and Economy
03 Military Conflict
04 Technology, Innovation, Exploration
05 The National Government Evolves
06 Africans, Native Americans, Immigrants

3. Open the branch that is assigned to your group. You’ll see that questions, meant to surgically dissect the issue, have been incorporated. The events, places, or circumstances that your group will explore will pave our path to understanding the nation’s milestones as it matures. In essence, each branch of the mindmap is an example of the ‘growing pains’ the United States experiences. Each crisis shapes the nation into what we see today. But, it’ll take more than a century of crisis to do it.

4. Organize your groups.

A. Assign tasks to group members.

B. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V as before. If you decide to use a different application to keep your group’s research task organized, it must have ‘Can-Edit’ sharing capabilities with Mr.V.

C. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in responding to the questions. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V.

5. Phase II of the project will introduce the product of our findings: An Audio/ Visual Presentation. When the initial research phase (Phase I) ends, consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

A. Use the focus statements provided in the P02 Mindmap to analyze the data gathered. These focus statements will be of particular importance in addressing the questions that Mr.V will ask at the end of each presentation.

B. Consider the construction of your presentation. Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.
-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at?
-Time limit for the presentation (10 – 15 minutes)

C. Choose a group member to act as the speaker during the presentation with a ‘tech’ assistant to advance the slides in the presentation. The person you choose to speak MUST NOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN for your group.

The Results of P02_The Young Nation’s Growing Pains

I have made the P02 presentations created by the students of Mr.V’s US History course available for review by everyone. To see the presentations of Period 9 students, click on the link ‘Pd 09’. For Period 10 students, click ‘Pd 10’.

A compilation of questions that Mr.V asked each presenter appears below the associated topic heading.

01 Developing Divisions (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. Why were compromises made during the Constitutional Convention necessary if the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union didn’t require them?

Q. Why is the Bill of Rights critically important for the ratification of the US Constitution?

Q. How did the ‘slavery’ debate, which predated the US Constitution, become adapted to fit the Federalist v. Anti-Federalist debate?

02 Finance and Economy (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. Why is the nation’s growth making it difficult to to form a ‘national’ economy?

Q. Why is the the First Bank of the United States a solution and a problem for the young federal government?

Q. To what extent is the ‘America Plan’ a recognition of the nation’s “sectionalism”? How did the War of 1812 make these regional differences a ‘national’ issue?

03 Military Conflict (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. How is the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe a portent for future Westward expansion by the United States?

Q. What evidence exists that Shay’s Rebellion (1786-1787) and the Whiskey Rebellion (1791-1794) were ‘symptoms’ of other issues the central government is grappling with?

Q. Aside from quelling the uprising, what was at stake for the young nation in addressing Shay’s and The Whiskey Rebellions?

Q. How did President George Washington’s warning, during his farewell speech, prove true in the developments leading to the War of 1812?

04 Technology, Innovation, Exploration (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. To what extent was the Cotton Gin a catalyst for Westward expansion?

Q. With respect to the Federal System (Federalism), what role did the 1792 Militia Act play in making the nation ‘One’?

Q. How does Eli Whitney’s technological and innovative qualities/ skills entangle him in Westward expansion, expansion of slavery, and the 1792 Militia Act?

05 The National Government Evolves (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. How does the inscription (below) reflect Chief Justice Marshall’s view of the judiciary’s powers?

“It is Emphatically the Province and Duty of the Judicial Department to say what the Law is.” – Marbury v. Madison, 1803.

Q. In the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, what were the criteria for identifying who is ‘alien’ and who is ‘citizen’?

Q. How did the Nullification Crisis (1832 – 1837) challenged Federalism and test the authority of the President of the United States?

06 Africans, Native Americans, Immigrants (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. The 3/5 Compromise was ostensibly a way to include African slaves in the population numbers of a State. Thus, increasing representation within the House of Representatives for slaveholding States. However, what did the article within the US Constitution state (directly or indirectly) about the status of Native peoples?

Q. The Amistad slave ship and its human cargo was a problem for the young nation. The appearance of the ship and the subsequent Supreme Court case (1839-1841) challenged the nation’s founding principles and the law forbidding international slave trade (1808). How did a slaveholding society (millions of slaves were in bondage in the US at the time) justify freeing the Africans on the ship and still keep millions enslaved?

Q. Is the Carlisle School eradicating Native cultures or Americanizing Native peoples?

Q. How did the plight of Wong Kim Ark, and the subsequent Supreme Court case (1873-1898), help refine who is a citizen?

P01_The United States Constitution

I. Setup
Create an additional child node (off the central idea) for the ‘Preamble’ and each ‘Article’ of the actual document. Label each of the nodes respectively: Preamble, Article #1, Article #2, Article #3, etc. until you have all 7 Articles. Remember, each Article may have ‘Sections’ within them. You must branch off your Article nodes into Section nodes as necessary.

A. Assign a member of your group to a certain Article or the Preamble in the original document.
B. The assigned student must ‘translate’ the given Preamble or Article (or it’s Sections) into plain, simple, 21st C. English. Assume you are translating for another person who does not have your background knowledge. Write your translation in the mind map node dedicated to that Preamble/ Article (Section).
C. Any student that may have completed their assigned translation should be editing the writing of other group members who are still translating or reviewing someone else’s translation.

Tip: When translating (for brevity, conciseness, and clarity) the translated text is often shorter (fewer words) than the original.

II. Dissection of the US Constitution begins.

Unlike the Declaration of Independence, but similar to The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the US Constitution was to be a framework for a new government. In this instant, the Constitution is supposed to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation. We can assume that this was the case because one framework (Constitution) replaced the other (Articles of Confederation) in 12 years time.

Like all sovereign nations, there are certain things we can expect a nation to have the power to do. In addition, the conditions under which a nation performs it’s duties changes over time. We should always consider how a government’s authority is affected by the changes in the circumstances that develop over the centuries. I submit these questions to your group so that they may be used as a ‘scalpel’ in your dissection of the document.

The accuracy and completeness of the document’s translation by your group will be ‘put to the test’ as you zero-in on the relevant Article/ Section.

A. What is the relationship between the States and the central government? Who is ‘sovereign’?

B. In what context is Slavery mentioned or alluded to, if any?

C. How long is the membership within this union supposed to last?

D. How will ‘new’ states be created and admitted into the union?

E. How are government debts to be paid?

Under no circumstances are you to believe that these five questions are the ONLY questions that the author(s) of this document had. For brevity sake, I limited this segment of our investigation to these important questions.

III. Word Cloud Analysis

Using a word cloud generating application, create a word cloud of your document. Insert an image of that word cloud into your mindmap and complement it with an analysis of the word cloud. What could have been the overriding issues of the document author(s)?

IV. Presentation Focus Question

Look at the phase II questions I gave your group. These questions were meant to aid in discovering the governing framework envisioned by the authors. As a point for comparison with another group’s document, be prepared to offer a concise description of the author’s intent/ desire regarding:

-Slavery?
-Raising funds (pay debts, pay government efforts like military, etc.)?
-The nature of the union/ confederation? (State to State, State to Congress, All the States to Congress, etc.)

P01_The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

I. Setup
Create an additional child node (off the central idea) for the ‘Preamble’ and each ‘Article’ of the actual document. Label each of the nodes respectively: Preamble, Article #1, Article #2, Article #3, etc. until you have all 13 Articles.

A. Assign a member of your group to a certain number of Articles in the original document.
B. The assigned student must ‘translate’ the given Article into plain, simple, 21st C. English. Assume you are translating for another person who does not have your background knowledge. Write your translation in the mind map node dedicated to the Article you were assigned.
C. Any student that may have completed their assigned translation should be editing the writing of other group members who are still translating or reviewing someone else’s translation.

Tip: When translating (for brevity, conciseness, and clarity) the translated text is often shorter (fewer words) than the original.

II. Dissection of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union begins.

Unlike the Declaration of Independence, but similar to the United States Constitution, the Articles of Confederation was to be a framework for a new government. In this instant, the Articles of Confederation is supposed to convert the former 2nd Continental Congress framework into a functioning government that can take it’s place among the nations of the world, as an ‘equal’.

Like all sovereign nations, there are certain things we can expect a nation to have the power to do. In addition, the conditions under which a nation performs it’s duties changes over time. We should always consider how a government’s authority is affected by the changes in the circumstances that develop over time. I submit these questions to your group so that they may be used as a ‘scalpel’ in your dissection of the document.

The accuracy and completeness of the document’s translation by your group will be ‘put to the test’ as you zero-in on the relevant Article/ Section.

A. What is the relationship between the States and the central government? Who is ‘sovereign’?

B. In what context is Slavery mentioned or alluded to, if any?

C. How long is the membership within this union supposed to last?

D. How will ‘new’ states be created and admitted into the union?

E. How are government debts to be paid?

Under no circumstances are you to believe that these five questions are the ONLY questions that the author(s) of this document had. For brevity sake, I limited this segment of our investigation to these important questions.

III. Word Cloud Analysis

Using a word cloud generating application, create a word cloud of your document. Insert an image of that word cloud into your mindmap and complement it with an analysis of the word cloud. What could have been the overriding issues of the document author(s)?

IV. Presentation Focus Question

Look at the phase II questions I gave your group. These questions were meant to aid in discovering the governing framework envisioned by the authors. As a point for comparison with another group’s document, be prepared to offer a concise description of the author’s intent/ desire regarding:

-Slavery?
-Raising funds (pay debts, pay government efforts like military, etc.)?
-The nature of the union/ confederation? (State to State, State to Congress, All the States to Congress, etc.)