Baradat Readings

What are your initial impressions of Baradat? Write a critical review of the first few chapters of Baradat's Political Ideologies. Please support your opinion with well reasoned analysis and evidence!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

This is why we need to study geography!

Henry VIII

Please respond to the following, making sure that you keep in mind the criteria for the blog responses (see your rubric):

What key elements was each side successful in arguing?
What did your side do well?
What were your weaknesses?
How did/did this exercise contribute to your understanding of the impact of the Reformation?

Christopher Columbus (Latin), Cristoforo Colombo (Italian), Cristóbal Colón (Spanish), Cristóvão Colombo

How should we as a society view Columbus? Should he be celebrated? Vilified? Something else? Why?

Responses due by Friday

Yet another view of the man we call Columbus. Pretty interesting - take a look.

Period 8 - Brilliant Approach or ADD History??

Take a look at The James Burke Institute's Knowledge Web. Is Burke on to something or just, in the words of Tom "suffering from History ADD." Both? What does he share in common with David McCullough? (Make the Connections, ha...ha).

Baba's Word

Discuss/Evaluate Baba Brinkman's introduction to his Rap Canterbury Tales project. Does his work make Chaucer more accessible to a new generation or provide a better understanding of Chaucer? On the development of literature in Britain? Are Brinkman's translations any less "scholarly" than those you read in the Penguin Canterbury Tales? Share your thoughts on The Rap Canterbury Tales!

Due Monday 9/22

The Quintessential Renaissance Man

Who would you nominate as the 20th/21st century Da Vinci and WHY?

Due Friday 9/19

Goodbye Lenin '08

Respond to one of the following:*

1) How would you characterize Alex's mother, Christiane, as a mother and a citizen of the GDR? In what ways are these two roles intertwined for her and her children? Does her affection for and devotion to the GDR make her seem sympathetic or odd (or both)?*

2) Discuss the director's use of literary devices such as sarcasm and irony to address the social, political and economic realities facing East Germans in 1989/90. Is he effective? Use specific examples from the movie to illustrate your points.

3) It's 2008. How does Alex Kerner view the last decade and a half of his life? What struggles has he faced as Germany has unified and entered into the EU? Is "the West" the paradise he expected?

Alternative Assignment for those missing Goodbye Lenin.

Watch CNN Cold War Episode 23 & 24

Respond to the following: What changes allowed the revolutions in 1989 to succeed where others had failed? Did the reality of change meet people's expectations?

Gallery Visit '08

Select one of the following to respond to:

1 - Select any of the images we viewed last Friday. What were your initial impressions? Why have you selected this image? How might studying the work yield a greater understanding of the historical period and vice-versa? If you did not attend the trip, visit one of the sites below and examine a work online to complete the assignment.

http://artgallery.yale.edu/

http://ycba.yale.edu/education/edu_fellowships.html

2 - Choose any two works that we viewed and compare them. You do not need to worry about researching art terminology, but talk about why you chose these specific works, what you observed and aspects you can relate to discussions we have had over the course of the year.

How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed

"Slavenka Drakulic has been called the Simone de Beauvoir of Eastern Europe, and this book is a testament as to why." Robin Morgan

We read two excerps, "A Chat with My Censor" and "How We Survived." What do these chapters reveal about ordinary life under a communist regime? What are three things the author said that you think are important? How do panty hose, shoeboxes, cans and old pants relate to the title of the final chapter? Is this picture of communism what you expected?

Her Life Through Their Eyes

The Tragedy of the Marshall Plan???

What is your analysis of the argument put forth in The Tragedy of American Diplomacy? Rethinking the Marshall Plan? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this thesis? Limit your responses to 2 pages MAX. There is an excellent site, http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/ , that includes video interviews with several key figures in Cold War politics. See in particular Episodes 2, 3 & 4.

Responses due Friday 5/2.

Versailles Conference 2k8

Reflective Journal Response. The rubric for evaluating your reflective writing is in the public folder. PLEASE NOTE: I cannot access the rubric from home either. Sorry.

Respond to the following prompts: (Due by Wednesday 3/19) Did the Versailles Conference process enhance your understanding of the political, social and economic issues facing the world in the aftermath of the Great War? What aspects did you find particularly engaging? Was negotiating difficult? (If so, what might this tell us of the circumstances facing nations who were truly invested in the process?) Were problems left unresolved? What questions or issues were left unaddressed? What would you change? What other issues would you like to raise in the post-conference class discussion?Keep in mind, I am looking for quality responses that satisfy the requirements of the rubric. Length is up to you.

There isn't any such thing as the past.

According to David McCullough, why should we study history? What are your thoughts on his interview with Roger Mudd.