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CHAPTER
20
Modern Chapter 11
Hands-On History Activity
Enlightenment and Revolution in
England and America
Revolutions in
Government
of information and create their cartoons,
posters, songs, poems, and letters.
OBJECTIVES
IMPLEMENTATION
1. Discuss the project with the class, emphasiz-
After completing this activity, students will be
able to:
ing the creativity, challenge, and importance
of creating a political and ideological campaign. Begin by asking students to read
Chapter 20, highlighting the philosophers
and politicians and their important ideological contributions. Then distribute copies of
the Planning Guidelines, Standards for
Evaluating Work, and Task Sheet to students. Review these materials with the class
and give them a time frame for completing
their research and developing their campaign materials.
• Better understand ideas concerning the
nature and the organization of governments
• Better understand the fundamental principles
and underlying philosophies of governments
• Research social and political philosophies,
grasp their importance, and effectively present them to others
OVERVIEW
In this activity students will be asked to develop
political campaign materials: political cartoons,
slogans, and banners; poems and songs; and
letters to the editor. Imagine that it is the
United States in the not-so-distant future, and
that there is a movement afoot to weaken the
Congress, eliminate the Supreme Court, and
give broad, sweeping, and nearly absolute
power to the President and the Executive
branch of government. The class is against this
new “absolutism.” Supporting their beliefs, students will develop political materials based on
the writings of the great political and social
philosophers who helped create the revolutions
in government that brought an end to the Age
of Absolutism. Based on the writings of a
philosopher they select to research, students
can choose to write a letter to the editor, create
a political cartoon or banner, or write a poem
or song. On the assignment’s due-date, the created materials can be posted around the classroom and used to prompt discussion.
2. Review the basic premise of a threatened
return to the Age of Absolutism, and
review the list of politicians and philosophers from which students may select.
3. Outline the scope of the research and
development assignment: Students select
two philosophers to research. Based on
what they learn, they will all write “letters
to the editor” opposing absolutism. Each
student will also select to create one other
element: a cartoon, poem or song, poster,
or banner.
4. Review the various sources for research,
including libraries and the Internet.
5. Review the format for writing a letter to the
editor. Review the format of various materials students can choose to create.
6. Decide and outline how you would like to
handle the presentation of the letters and
other materials; and the class discussion as
well.
PLANNING
Suggested Time Plan to spend at least two
45-minute class periods and one homework
assignment on this activity.
Resources Students will find sources at
libraries and on the Internet.
Preparation Be sure that students have
enough time to investigate all available sources
ASSESSMENT
To evaluate students’ work, use the Standards for
Evaluating Work, along with Rubric 30: Research,
Rubric 17: Letters to Editors, Rubric 26: Poems
and Songs, Rubric 27: Political Cartoons, Rubric
28: Posters, and Rubric 34: Slogans and Banners.
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Chapter 20, Hands-On History Activity, continued
Planning Guidelines
Imagine it is the not-so-distant future. America is under attack by a number of outside forces and disastrous internal economic problems. There is a political movement
afoot to weaken the Congress, eliminate the Supreme Court, and give the President
broad, sweeping, and almost absolute power. You and your classmates are absolutely
against this movement. You see it as a horribly wrong-headed return to the failures
and abuses experienced during the Age of Absolutism. The class assignment is to
wage a campaign against “absolutism.” Your individual assignment is to select two
great political philosophers from the list below. Then, based on their writings,
develop two elements of the campaign: a letter to the editor, and your choice of a
poster, political cartoon, a slogan and banner, or a poem or song. The resulting campaign materials can be posted around the classroom and used to prompt class discussion of the issue.
1. Read the chapter thoroughly and then research the ideas and political philosophies of two of the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
John Locke
Baron de Montesquieu
Voltaire
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Mary Wollstonecraft
Thomas Jefferson
2. To help guide your research, decide which philosophers’ ideas will be the basis of
your letter to the editor, and which you think will provide the basis for a political
cartoon, poster, song, poem, or banner.
3. Think about the level of detail and the specific quotes, photos, and drawings that
might be included.
4. Using the library, the Internet, and other sources, research your two choices’ ideological contributions and specific quotes in argument against absolutism.
5. When you have completed your research, write your letter to the editor.
6. Create your political cartoon, poster, banner, song, or poem.
7. Review the research and prepare to participate in a class discussion of absolutism.
8. As directed, assist in coordinating the presentation of the campaign’s elements.
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Chapter 20, Hands-On History Activity, continued
Standards for Evaluating Work
EXCELLENT
• Research is very thorough and identifies the major thoughts and ideological contributions of the chosen philosophers. All sources are well documented.
• The letter to the editor is extremely well written, with excellent interpretation and
accurate quotes of the chosen philosopher.
• The other campaign material created—poster, cartoon, banner, song, or poem—
is extraordinarily well done, and provides excellent interpretation and accurate
quotation of the chosen philosopher.
• Participation in the class discussion demonstrates outstanding preparedness.
ACCEPTABLE
• Research is adequate and identifies thoughts and ideological contributions of the
chosen philosophers. Many sources are documented.
• The letter to the editor is well written, with good interpretation and accurate quotes
of the chosen philosopher.
• The other campaign material created—poster, cartoon, banner, song, or poem—
is well done and provides good interpretations and accurate quotations.
• Participation in the class discussion demonstrates preparedness.
UNACCEPTABLE
• Research is incomplete and fails to identify the major thoughts and ideological contributions of the chosen philosophers. Sources are not well documented.
• The letter to the editor is poorly written, with faulty interpretation and inaccurate
quotes of the chosen philosopher.
• The other campaign material created—poster, cartoon, banner, song, or poem—
is poorly done and provides inadequate interpretation and inaccurate quotation of
the chosen philosopher.
• Participation in the class discussion demonstrates a lack of preparedness.
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Name
Class
Date
Chapter 20, Hands-On History Activity, continued
Task Sheet
Check off the following tasks as you complete the activity:
❑ 1. Read the chapter thoroughly and then choose to research the ideas and political philosophies of two of the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
John Locke
Baron de Montesquieu
Voltaire
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Mary Wollstonecraft
Thomas Jefferson
❑ 2. To help guide your research, decide which philosopher’s ideas will be the basis
of your letter to the editor, and which you think will provide the basis for a
political cartoon, poster, song, poem, or banner.
❑ 3. Think about the level of detail and the specific quotes, photos, and drawings
that might be included.
❑ 4. Using the library, the Internet, and other sources, research your two choices’
ideological contributions and specific quotes in argument against absolutism.
❑ 5. When you have completed your research, write your letter to the editor.
❑ 6. Create your political cartoon, poster, banner, song or poem.
❑ 7. Review the research and prepare to participate in a class discussion of
absolutism.
❑ 8. As directed, assist in coordinating the presentation of the campaign’s
elements.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Holt World History: The Human Journey
80
Hands-On History Activities