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Ashton Hoff Middle and Secondary Schooling November 28, 2008 Prior Knowledge Interview: What students know and the shocking realities about what they don’t… When teaching students it is vital to understand their prior knowledge and past experiences; if they were all experts in a particular topic than it would be superfluous to spend two weeks teaching it. However students are rarely conscious during school hours, let alone experts in any one particular topic. It is with this mindset that I interviewed two high school students to assess what they knew about certain aspects of social studies. The students were randomly given ten sets of pictures and asked to place them in chronological order. As they determined where each picture went they explained their reasons and what they knew about each picture. This was then followed up with an interview about various topics in social studies. The transcripts for both interviews can be found at the end of this essay. Both students are fifteen year old, high school boys, currently enrolled in World History II (in other words from the year 1500 A.D. up to the present day). In addition to these similarities both are extremely active—student A plays football, baseball, and is an active hunter while student B plays soccer, swimming, and is active in boy scouts striving to become an eagle scout. Both are extremely interested in history as a subject; however their interests centers on different topics—student A enjoys learning about the Civil War, while student B enjoys World War II and more modern history. After interviewing both students I came up with three broad discoveries or conclusions. First, the answers given were oftentimes generic or predictable, with both students demonstrating a hesitance to share unique and individual response. Second, although both students expressed a high interest in history as a subject neither one knew much about the role of historians or their methods. In other words, they had a limited understanding of historiography and what it means to actually do history rather than read about it. The final discovery I made throughout this process was that both students had trouble analyzing the pictures and really seeing history come alive. It was as if neither student could truly empathize with the plight of past generations. In the next few sections I will further explore these conclusions and examine the instructional implications of each. After examining each conclusion, I will provide a few suggestions and examples of instructional strategies that I believe could help both students in their historical studies. One of the first things you can see throughout both transcripts is that both of these boys have grown up in an environment where students are encouraged, if not required, to regurgitate the same answers. Student A stated almost all pro-American statements. Every question about the most significant men in history and the most significant documents in history has an answer was always ringing with patriotism. The only woman he could think of was Sacagawea, another American hero! Student B took a different approach, by answering with things he had recently learned in his current history class. His documents included things from his recent unit on the enlightenment, such as the Social Contract and the Leviathan. He also included Catherine the Great, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Peter the Great in some of his answers—again all things he learned about in his world history class. In many ways these results should have been less than surprising many people have noticed this trend and written about its impact. History classrooms across America have stifled individual thinking and not allowed students any opportunity to think rationally, critically, or in general at all. Instead they are subjected to mindless, monotonous vocabulary lessons that they resist learning at all costs (Loewen, 2007; Korbin, 1996). I saw this from both of my interviewees as they struggled with saying what they really thought. It was as if their humble opinion wasn’t good enough because it didn’t come out of a book. Student A, at one point, mentioned that he wanted to put Lincoln’s assassination or West Virginia becoming a state as one of his most significant events but dismissed this idea. I assume he felt these were both ‘wrong’ answers; the creation of West Virginia isn’t significant enough in the minds of most people and Lincoln’s assassination is so tragic that putting it as a significant event tarnishes this American martyr. Student B showed a similar reluctance to say what he was thinking when he commented that he felt bad saying the dropping of the atomic bomb was a significant event. All of these answers given by both students are legitimate, significant historical events that many historians have been writing about for years. So then why do students show this reluctance to speak their minds? The answer is that students never see this side of history. The side where there is debate amongst historians and ambiguity in sources. Instead all these students read about (if they read it at all) is the generic, predictable histories they find in their textbooks. Although many people have written about this phenomenon sweeping history classrooms, the question really becomes what teachers can do about it to improve the situation. There are two main ways we can help our students to overcome this mindless learning of history. First, I think both of these students would benefit from analyzing a variety of primary sources, which many authors have advocated using in historical studies (Loewen 2007; Korbin, 1996). By examining a variety of primary sources student A could see a truer perspective of Lincoln and how he has been immortalized in our minds only after his death. In fact, by giving them a variety of letters, diary entries, and government documents, students could construct a picture where they see that many in the North felt Lincoln was a at times a dictator stifling the rights of citizens for the war effort. I think primary sources would go a long way in correcting some of the problems associated with these students’ answers but it can’t validate the students’ answers and make them feel as if there opinion matters. With this in mind, I advocate including a few Structured Academic Controversies. This method allows students to see a variety of opinions and the way historians look at these topics. They can see the ambiguities associated with a certain topic, and hopefully begin to understand that no topic has a right answer. They can feel confident in their ideas and opinions because in reality, no one really knows for sure. For an example of a Structured Academic Controversy that might benefit students see Handout 1. By seeing a variety of opinions, encouraging critical thinking, and examining primary sources, perhaps students would develop their own thoughts instead of regurgitating the same answers because they think that is what they are supposed to say. Another aspect of these interviews that can be observed, is that students have no idea what is the objective of history is, or what historians do. Both interviewees had a limited understanding of any historiography despite the fact that both have a high interest in history, as you can notice by the numerous films and television programs they had viewed about history. Student A had no idea what a primary or a secondary source was, while student B had a better grasp on that particular question but still struggled with explaining the concept. In addition, both students had no clue as to what historians do; they see history as more of a hobby not a valuable skill. An interesting question would have been is history important, or is it as important as your other subjects? I think both of these answers would have demonstrated that students have a hard time identifying the skills required to be a historian or the valuable lessons they are learning. Obviously this lack of understanding about historiography has led many students to see it as boring or not useful to their daily lives, and in a way they are right. If history is taught as fact after fact, “memorize this and that” then it is useless. However, if the skills that are used in history are developed and refined than it can be wonderfully useful because it fosters critical reading, writing, and thinking. Although it is easy to point out that without teaching students about historiography, they are doomed to spend an eternity viewing history as irrelevant and impractical, the question becomes what to do about it? How can teachers fix this problem of lack of student engagement, cover all the necessary material, and touch on some historiography? The solution to this is to teach history as mystery. This technique allows students to construct their own knowledge and has been shown to increase student engagement. Educators have used this technique in their classrooms and had tremendous success (Gerwin & Zevin, 2003). After all it is fun to play detective, to gather evidence and come to a conclusion based on these things. By examining this process even closer a remedy can also be found for the problems associated with historiography. This technique and process is how actual historians go about solving historical problems and writing all their books. This is history as historians do it on a daily basis. When students are placed in this role and have to examine each piece of evidence think of the sophisticated skills they will be using. First they have to know the difference between a primary and secondary source, which they will learn as they examine the difference between a diary entry and a book about that diary entry. When they begin to evaluate this part of the mystery and say to themselves ‘hmm, which is more credible: the actual diary entry or this book’, then they have just begun to examine bias. They are critical thinking when they try to solve the mystery and they are developing their own opinions using critical reading and writing, because these mysteries have no wrong or right answers. As long as students can support their conclusions with evidence, then they are well on their way to doing history rather than just reading it passively (Gerwin & Zevin, 2003). Consider for a moment the picture of Tiananmen Square student uprising. This is a mystery that creators dream of, because so much work is already done for you by the government of China. A mystery could be created based around the question what happened at Tiananmen Square to a particular student. I don’t think it would be hard to find a Chinese student who is still missing or whose whereabouts are unknown. It would be even better to find a student leader, who was still missing. The exact number of students who died or were imprisoned are unknown, the Red Cross and the Chinese government both claim radically different numbers. In addition, much of what happened to many of the Chinese students is clouded in mystery. What happened to them? Where did they go? By giving students newspaper articles of Chinese students who claim to have spent years in prison, the conflicting numbers, the fear and distress of the Chinese students days before the end of the Tiananmen Square massacre, teachers can watch as their students try to reconcile these ambiguities and develop what they believe really happened. They are playing the part of historians and dealing with the frustrations of inadequate sources. One of the best parts of this interview process was examining the variety of responses to the pictures. I was particularly interested in the process that took place when students encounter a picture they didn’t know right away. Both students A and B make excellent grades in history, so I assumed both would examine the picture. In fact, I was shocked by how quickly they gave up when they encountered something they didn’t know, or an aspect of the picture that didn’t fit into their schema. This happened on numerous occasions but what shocked me even more is the lack of empathy they felt for the people in these pictures. It seemed hard for them to truly analyze the picture deeply enough to step into the shoes of another and really see history come to live. Student A gave only one word answers when asked what life would have been like for the individuals in the picture. His answers were thinks like crappy, crappier, better than that last picture, etc. They lacked any thought or empathy for the people in the picture. At first I thought this was because the interview was long and maybe the student was tired until I saw student B make similar mistakes. Student B gave very detailed answers about what life would have been like for the individuals in the picture but he kept coming back to this idea of the middle class. No matter what was happening in the picture he always talked about the middle class, which makes sense because he is from a middle class family (in fact both students are). However the shocking thing for me was that he hailed the middle class as the epicenter of where people would want to be without truly examining the picture to see the plight of the people. Some further analysis took place as new questions were asked and the interview continued, but this astounded me. I thought empathizing with people would be the easy part because students think about how they would feel. So what is the consequence of students who can’t examine a picture enough to step into history? The same lack luster history that students have always learned. Numerous authors have written about the impact of emotion of the study of history, citing it as a source of engagement for students and a way to make students see history as a relevant, powerful subject worth their time (Loewen, 2007; Bower & Lobdell & Owens, 2005). How can we make student care? What methods can we do to engage them and make them see history come alive? These are questions that have haunted history teachers for years and the best strategies that I have observed are those advocated in History Alive!. It sounds cliché but it is even there in the name, history works to come alive for students as they move through a variety of strategies to help them. There are two methods I think could help students to empathize with others and really analyze pictures. First, a technique known as visual discovery, where each student takes a role in the picture, acts it out, and the class is able to ask question of the brave actors to engage the entire classroom. The teacher uses powerful images and asks questions to guide students to the discovery. By interacting with the image they are able to apply what they have learned in a new and different way. This technique allows the students to critically view the images and brings to life the compelling images. A sample of this technique can be seen in Handout 2 (Bower & Lobdell & Owens, 2005). In addition to visual discovery another History Alive! Technique that can be useful when trying to get students to emotionally connect, is experiential exercises. This technique centers around teachers creating short memorable experiences that take students back in a simulation of what actually happened allowing students the opportunity to express their feelings. Both of my interviewees as well as all students would benefit from such a technique, because it allows history to be more than the facts they memorize from a worksheet. For example, consider student B’s habit of referring back to the middle class and not really empathizing with the lower classes. Consider his answer for the women working during WWI which he thought was a picture for the Industrial Revolution—true he mentions long hours and low pay, but he ends on a positive when mentioning that motor vehicles came out of this time period. While interviewing him I got the impression he had no idea about the true nature of long hours and low pay, but was simply regurgitating these as factoids rather than examining what that would feel like. What if he participated in an experiential where he had to massively reproduce a simple drawing on an assembly line with his peers, with loud noises in the background, a student who was kneeled down as if a child, another student falling asleep on the line from the long hours, another student not able to speak English. What if the assembly line dealt with such problems as one of the ‘workers’ being fired and the rest of the team having to pick up the slack—all the while the constant loud noises and yelling of a teacher in their ear? Do you think they would be better equipped to empathize with the plight of workers during the Industrial Revolution? Many teachers have used these short exercises with enormous success because they allow students to experience history rather than try to regurgitate facts on a test (Bower & Lobdell & Owens, 2005). The problems of these two students are in no way special or unique to their particular circumstances. Neither one lives in the same neighborhood, goes to the same school, or even lives in the same state! They are both experiencing common problems associated with many social studies classrooms across the country. They are taught the same generic, cookie cutter version of history, never given the opportunity to develop any of the skills of a historian or basic understanding of historiography, and potentially worst of all they don’t see history come to life and empathize with past generations. There is one common result of all of these conclusions—history is viewed as a boring topic that no one has any desire or interest to learn about because it fails to challenge the mind as history should. Although this is a depressing notion when a person thinks about the states of teaching history, it can also be hopeful. It is hopeful in the sense that there are ways to fix these oversights of others. By encouraging students to see a variety of historical opinions, using primary sources, teaching history as historians actually go about creating it, using visual discovery and experientials to make history emotional and truly move students, educators can repair the damage and make history worthwhile for students. It is important to remember that teachers always have it in their power to make a change, and these techniques are some of the ways I plan on doing just that. References Bower, B., Lodell, J., & Owens, S. (2005). Bringing learning alive! The tci approach for middle and high school social studies. United States: Teachers' Curriculum Institute. Gerwin, D., & Zevin, J. (2003). Teaching U.S. history as mystery. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Kobrin, D. (1996). Beyond the textbook: teaching history using documents and primary sources. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Loewen, J. (2007). Lies my teacher told me: Everything your American history textbook got wrong. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Pictures Taken From Eyeballing tiananmen square massacre. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from Eyeballing Tiananmen Square Massacre Web site: http://cryptome.cn/tk/tiananmen-kill.htm Leighextence. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from Leroy a Paris Web site: http://www.extence.co.uk/983leroybronze.html (2007, August). The louverture project. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from An Overview of the Haitian Revolution Web site: http://thelouvertureproject.org/index.php?title=An_Overview_of_the_Haitian_R evolution Virginia Historical Society. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from Contact and Conflict Web site: http://www.vahistorical.org/sva2003/abduction.htm Robert clive. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from History and Politics Web site: http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/British/Clive.html Warsaw-life.com. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from The Ghetto Fights! Web site: http://www.warsaw-life.com/poland/warsaw-ghetto-uprising Schnews of the world. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from Independent Sources in Palestine Web site: http://www.schnews.org.uk/sotw/palestine.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ (this is where the Industrial Revolution picture came from) (May, 2008). On this day in history: First world's fair, 1851. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from The Modern Historian Web site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/hfront2_02.shtml Death in snow, 1905. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from 1st-Art-Gallery-Own A Masterpiece Web site: http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Vladimir-EgorovicMakovsky/Death-In-Snow,-1905.html Appendix A The Photos What Photo Is? The Kidnapping of Pocahontas, 1612 British in India, 1757 Enlightenment Salon, late 18th century Picture Haitian Revolution, 1801 Crystal Palace, London, 1851 Russian Revolution— Bloody Sunday, 1905 Women during World War I, 1914 Nazi Germany, 1930s Tiananmen Square, 1989 Intifada—Gaza Strip, 2000 Appendix B Student Transcripts Prior Knowledge—Student A Transcript Placed Pocahontas picture first then Gaza Strip Picture last Why? That is how I’ve always learned it in school….Pilgrims came before Tanks What do you know about the pictures? This one is the Pilgrims and the Indians This one is a Tank Placed Third Picture—Crystal Palace in the middle Why? Doesn’t look as recent as the other two, people are dressed differently What do you know about the picture? Nothing Placed Fourth Picture—Enlightenment placed in between the Pocahontas and Crystal Palace Why? It looks older than the Pilgrims but not as recent as this one What do you know about the picture? It is the signing of the Declaration of Independence because they look like George Washington Placed Fifth Picture—British in India placed in between Enlightenment and Crystal Palace Why? British taking over Africa or India because of the British flag and the elephant….oh and the turbans so probably India What do you know about the picture? Nothing Placed Sixth Picture—Tiananmen Square Massacre placed in between Tanks and Crystal Palace Why? That is in China, I know because that is Mao something…Mao Zedong What do you know about the picture? It happened in the 1990s , in China that is it Placed Seventh Picture—Haitian Revolution placed in between British India and the Crystal Palace Why? I guessed What do you know about this picture? Some country trying to take over Africa Placed Eight Picture—WWI Women placed in between the Crystal Palace and Tiananmen Square Why? I know that is the Industrial Revolution! Because of the factories and machines and because that happened in the 1800s What do you know about the picture? Well I already said it was the Industrial Revolution Placed Ninth Picture—Kristalnacht placed in between the WWI women and Mao Zedong Why? That is one of the World Wars, can see the soldiers with the guns What do you know about the picture? Hitler was killing the Jews it was one of the World Wars…..World War I, I think if I am correct Placed Tenth Picture—Russian Revolution placed in between the Crystal Palace and the WWI women Why? I guessed What do you know about the picture? I know nothing about it Final Order Real Order 1. Pocahontas 1. Pocahontas 2. Enlightenment 2. British India 3. British India 3. Enlightenment 4. Haitian Revolution 4. Haitian Revolution 5. Crystal Palace 5. Crystal Palace 6. Russia Revolution 6. Russian Revolution 7. WWI women 7. WWI women 8. Kristalnacht 8. Kristalnacht 9. Tiananmen Square 9. Tiananmen Square 10. Intifada 10. Intifada Did you think this was easy or hard to do? What things made it easy or hard? It was easy, pictures knew most of them the hard thing was to put them in order because they didn’t’ have any dates on them Which pictures do you think are the most interesting? Why? This one of the Declaration of Independence because it is American History How do you think your life would have been different if you had been alive at this time? Pointed to Russian Revolution picture: I don’t know because, I don’t know what it is…it looks like a plague 1. Pocahontas awful 2. Enlightenment Better than the first 3. British India About the same 4. Haitian Revolution About the same 5. Crystal Palace Better than the first because the British not taking over and they have fancier clothes 6. Russian Revolution Bad because there is a dead guy right there 7. WWI women Pretty good 8. Kristalnacht Bad for them kind of people still bad though 9. Tiananmen Square Good that was in the 1970s 10. Intifada Looks good History 1. Among your school subjects where would you rank history in terms of your interest over the years (top, middle, bottom)? Why? Middle because I like math better but I like it better than science because science is hard 2. What is history? History is the past….um….and the culture of past civilizations 3. Why do we study history? To learn about the past and understand the future 4. What do historians do? Teach us about history and to study history…..that is like asking a chemist what they do…duh….chemistry (laughter) 5. What is a primary source? …..(several moments) a very good, important, source What is a secondary source? Um the second source (in a questioning voice)?? 6. What do they think are three most historically significant events in history? Why? I might not be able to say a couple….. a. Signing of the Declaration of Independence…that was in 1776 Why? Because America was created b. The Alamo Why? Because we got Texas I’m not allowed to say Lincoln’s assassination or West Virginia becoming a state c. Ending of the American Revolutionary War Why? We became our own country away from Great Britain 7. Who are the three most historically significant people in history? Why? a. Stonewall Jackson Why? One of the best generals in America but was shot by his own men….which sucks b. Lee Why? For same reasons as above…he should have been on the 50 dollar bill c. Washington Why? Because of the youtube song (laughter) and he is the first President and head in the Revolutionary War 8. Who are the three most historically significant women in history? Why? a. Sacagawea Why? Explored the Western side of the United States I don’t know any others… 9. What are the three most historically significant documents in history? Why? a. Declaration of Independence Why? Declares our independence from Great Britain b. Constitution Why? Because it is our government or basis of it at least c. Bill of Rights Why? Rights of American citizen 10. Imagine that you could meet and talk with someone from the past. Who would it be? What questions would you ask them? Why? Because you can’t actually do that how could you find out the answers to your questions? I would meet with Washington….ask him how he felt about being elected President back then, because it is important to me. I could go to the internet or Mr. Hodges,….(pause) or books 11. Have you ever seen a film or TV show, outside of school, on a historical topic? If so, what was it? Did you wonder if it was historically accurate? Did you do anything to check on its accuracy? Yes, I’ve seen We Were Soldiers, Alamo, Private Ryan, Gods and Generals, Black Hawk Down, the Patriot…..a lot of them; Yes I asked Mr. Hodges (teacher last year) if it was accurate 12. Do you ever discuss things that happened before 1975 with your friends? If so, what topics? No not really Government 1. Among your school subjects, where would you rank government and civics in terms of your interest over the years (top, middle, bottoms)? Why? Bottom….that class looks hard, I haven’t taken it yet 2. Why do we study government and civics? Learn about government and America….the American government 3. What is democracy? What other types of government are there? Our democracy….well that is like the Electoral College, power spread throughout people…like in Greece There are monarchy, dictatorship, there is communism, is tyranny same thing….there are a couple others I can’t think of them now 4. What are the main features of the American political system? (probe for branches of government, functions of government, etc.) Executive, Legislature, Judicial…and states are governed the same way….don’t know anything else I haven’t taken that class yet 5. What are the rights and responsibilities of citizens in our country? Like the Bill of Rights (freedom of Speech)…I don’t know about responsibilities….uh oh to follow government laws 6. What role does the government play in your everyday life? I don’t know…blank, confused stare Content Questions 1. When did the American Civil War take place? Who was involved? What were the causes? Why is this event significant? What were the effects of the war? 1861-1865…Americans, North and South wait no reverse that South and North, or Confederation and Union…Causes: slavery, money, manufacturing plants, President Abraham Lincoln (South didn’t want him)…West Virginia created ended slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln was shot…Effects: South couldn’t vote, all blacks stayed in the South because too poor to move North into the cities, but some of them still did 2. When did World War I take place? What were the causes? Who was involved in this war? What were the names of the opposing sides? Where was this war fought? When did the United States become involved? Why? What were some of the effects of the War? 1911…Causes: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Hitler killing the Jews…Germany, and pretty much everybody; it is a World War….Axis and Allies…fought in Europe, Asia, and Africa maybe...it was on a game I can’t remember….1912 when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor…Effects: the Depression 3. When did World War II take place? What were the causes? Who was involved in this war? What were the names of the opposing sides? Where was this war fought? When did the United State become involved? Why? What were some of the effects of the War? Um….I don’t know, I think that was the one with Japan….Causes: Japan again…involved Japan, Germany, and everybody....I don’t know Pearl Harbor…Effects: umm don’t know 4. When was the Great Depression? What were the causes? How did the Depression impact the lives of the people? Whom did the Great Depression affect? Where did the Great Depression occur? How long did the Depression last? In what ways did people and the government try to overcome the problems of the Depression? In the 1920s (questioning??) Causes: World War I, Stock Market Crash….people lost their jobs and money, felt like everything expensive….affected American families…occurred in America….I don’t know how long it lasted….I don’t know Prior Knowledge—Student B Transcript Placed Pocahontas picture first then Gaza Strip Picture last Why? Because this is the Mayflower, I know because of the Indians, New World all that stuff, and the tank because the tank and road are modern What do you know about the pictures? This is the Mayflower and this is a man stopping a tank Placed Third Picture—Kristalnacht in the middle Why? The soldiers helmets are German, the boy has a polish cap and I have seen this picture before What do you know about the picture? Polish children in the Nazi’s Hitler, either rounding up prisoners for a concentration camp or Americans liberating the concentration camp Placed Fourth Picture—Crystal Palace placed in between Pocahontas and Kristalnacht Why? Well can’t really see it that much….I wish the pictures were better! But the clothing makes it look like a lavish lifestyle What do you know about the picture? I think it is the lavish lifestyle of American businessmen, it is so lavish it might be at Versailles or something like that Placed Fifth Picture—British in India placed between Pocahontas and the Crystal Palace Why? I know it is the British taking over India because of the elephants, the Indians and the flag….it looks like the Imperialistic Era What do you know about the picture? Well they conquered India later and had America first, the British went in and took over India Placed Sixth Picture—Haitian Revolution placed in between Crystal Palace and Kristalnacht Why? This is in South….oh no….what is the name of that war; You see the musketeers so they are British and the soldiers with puff ball hats What do you know about the picture? Britain taking over Africa and they are fighting in the desert, Zulu War or something I saw it in a movie Placed Seventh Picture—Tiananmen Square placed at the very end of the timeline after Gaza Strip Why? North Korean or Chinese dictatorship…..I can see the dictator’s picture in the background What do you know about this picture? More modern and it is the people all under this one man Placed Eight Picture—WWI women placed in between Haitain Revolution and Kristalnacht Why? Oh that is the Industrial Revolution I know because I see gears/ machines and what not and women in the workshop and that was during or right before World War II What do you know about the picture? Women didn’t have any rights till men were at war so that is the only reason they would be working Placed Ninth Picture—Enlightenment placed between British India and Crystal Palace Why? That is the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, Continental Congress, because the way they are dressed looked like Revolutionary times (relooks at picture)….oh I do see a woman though, so I don’t know What do you know about the picture? I don’t know much about this one…They are discussing something so that is why I think it is something for the American Revolution…not really sure Placed Tenth Picture—Russian Revolution placed in between the Haitian Revolution and the WWI women Why? It looks like Soviet flags, there are dead people showing…this was pre WWII around the time of the Great Depression…yeah they just show all the red flag What do you know about the picture? This is the Russian Revolution, communist regime so the whole country was in turmoil Final Order Real Order 11. Pocahontas 1. Pocahontas 12. British India 2. British India 13. Enlightenment 3. Enlightenment 14. Crystal Palace 4. Haitian Revolution 15. Haitian Revolution 5. Crystal Palace 16. Russia Revolution 6. Russian Revolution 17. WWI women 7. WWI women 18. Kristalnacht 8. Kristalnacht 19. Intifada 9. Tiananmen Square 20. Tiananmen Square 10. Intifada Did you think this was easy or hard to do? What things made it easy or hard? Most of it was pretty easy, but some of these pictures might be flipped up….bigger pictures would have made it better. It was easier because of the clothing styles you can see in the pictures. It was hard some of them I didn’t recognize because they aren’t known to me. Which pictures do you think are the most interesting? Why? I like the Haitian Revolution, the Nazi one, the Tank, and Tiananmen Square. I like Haitian Revolution because it is a battle scene and really captures the moments. The Nazi one I like because I enjoy World War II and I understand it. The Tank is another powerful image that I think really captures the moment because it is a man standing up to a tank. I like the Tiananmen Square picture because it is of a dictator, it is the modern world and it looks like a bunch of people under the one man’s picture. I also think the statue is pretty cool. How do you think your life would have been different if you had been alive at this time? Pointed to Russian Revolution picture: a lot crapper; It happened just before the Great Depression and post World War I so it was really hard times, In Russia you could either have been killed because you were on the wrong side or you could be dealing with a dictator under a communist regime 11. Pocahontas Happened in the early 1600s and this is the first landings…they made settlements and you can see what they are wearing….lots of people were fighting over America. There was a transfer of goods between America and Europe—disease and all that. There were many wars in Europe. This is before the glorious revolution and English Revoltuion. They were funded by King James…um not sure about that one though…people were searching for gold/wealth. There was a very little middle class; they wealthy were really wealthy and the poor had barely enough to get by….they had a short life, a lot of them got sick and died on the ships, and of course all those wars in Europe 12. Enlightenment I really don’t know much about this one…something dealing with the American Revolution but not sure. It is in the mid to late 1700s and they are discussing things because of their wigs and outfits Life varied a lot because there wasn’t a lot of middle class. Upper class on plantations….in France it was something like 97% on 6% of the land (not a hundred percent on that one)…very compacted for the lower classes 13. British India Mid 1700s during Imperialism they conquered India later than America. It was important you get as much land as possible….they had absolute monarchy back home who can get the best trade routes—lots of competition in Europe People in this picture were the same as in the last picture—disease people were dying, Indians resented them…not at first but later…England became a powerful nation. 14. Haitian Revolution Africa was fighting England so this was mid to late 1800s…um life would be better because the middle class was beginning to develop in France/England pretty much all over and nation’s were getting wealthier 15. Crystal Palace This happened during Industrial Revolution, they have top hats and suits so they are like Carnegie or Rockefeller, monopolies that kind of stuff. They are shopping in this elegant building…I guess it was mid 1800s Life for factory workers they worked long hours for minimum pay, so not too great but business owners were wealthy because they gained from the factory worker’s problems Actually I’d like to flip some of these around….switch the Industrial Revolution that came before the Russian Revolution…I’m really torn about these two 16. Russian Revolution Middle of World War I to the end of World War I, it is bad because a lot of people had died in the Napoleonic and World War I. Then the communist were taking over and the whole country was in turmoil 17. WWI women working This is either the Industrial Revolution or women working in World War II Life would have been pretty bad while the men were at war because Germany was taking over the world I imagine it was pretty scary If this is the industrial Revolution there were long hours, low pay…but motor vehicles were coming off the assembly lines—they had just been invented oh wait is that right. America….and well I guess the whole world….was industrializing 18. Kristalnacht Germany had a tight grip on Europe/ bad people, well in Hitler’s opinion, were being sent to concentration camps where they worked until they died….happened in the 1940s and early 40s. Germany almost takes over Russia Life was scary because you never knew when Hitler will send in the SS to round up your family and they had the final say 19. Tiananmen Square I think this was in the 1990s this might even be Tiananmen Square…it looks like a bunch of oriental people under the dictators picture Life is really not great because there is no power under dictatorships 20. Intifada Actually this might be the Persian Gulf because there is a desert in the background…it is much more modern because tanks Life was getting better because it is towards the end of the Cold War so Russia was capitulating, a nuclear war was less eminent History 13. Among your school subjects where would you rank history in terms of your interest over the years (top, middle, bottom)? Why? It is the most interesting but unless I want to teach I can’t really use it so I see it as more of a hobby. I like it because you learn about the mistakes people have made….it isn’t necessarily a mockery of people’s stupidity but kind of…. I really don’t know why but I have always been interested especially in World War II and post-WWII. 14. What is history? History is the summing up…no…the telling of the recorded past of mankind 15. Why do we study history? So we don’t make the same mistakes…you have to know how we got to where we are 16. What do historians do? Learn more about the past, look up important documents and try to decipher it and stuff like that 17. What is a primary source? oh God I remember learning about this….I can’t remember so I will just say the first thing that comes to mind….it is the main source where you get all your ideas…like the Declaration of Independence but I don’t really know What is a secondary source? Like a reading, or a paper, it is something someone writes about the Declaration of Independence 18. What do they think are three most historically significant events in history? Why? a. Glorious Revolution Why? Because it is a period of time when absolute monarchs were invisible and one of the most powerful monarch was overthrown without bloodshed b. Atomic Bomb being dropped…I feel terrible saying that Why? It was a new age of warfare, new weaponry and way to fight and it ended World War II c. Fall of the Berlin Wall Why? It was the end of the Cold War, and marks the end of the USSR, the end of communism…well it is still sort of in China…but not a dominant form of government 19. Who are the three most historically significant people in history? Why? a. Peter the Great Why? Develop Russia into a national power….they had been around but like a second hand country and he advanced them built a navy and got them on the map Which one came up with democracy…. b. Einstein Why? One thing is that he helped develop atomic warfare and that was a big change in history c. FDR Why? He was president through some of the worst times in American history…he was through the Great Depression and he basically wrapped up World War II…only President to serve 4 terms well about three and a half 20. Who are the three most historically significant women in history? Why? Oh crap….the one philosopher….drawing a blank a. Lady that preached women’s rights, the philosphes…(Mary Wollstonecraft is who he is talking about) Why? She was the first one to thing of women’s rights b. Catherine the Great Why? She modernized Russia and takes away all the feudal ties (Long pause) c. Queen Elizabeth I Why? She was a good one because she was a different kind of Queen and everyone liked her 21. What are the three most historically significant documents in history? Why? Would documents include the Leviathan and all them….I wish I could group them all together a. Leviathan Why? The first major document about government and preached that people are naturally wicked and must give up rights to be governed (I’m paraphrasing here) b. Social Contract Why? Document that stated people give up there free will for protection…you give up your rights to have better protection c. English Bill of Rights Why? It was the first limitation place don King’s didn’t do anything because king’s didn’t follow it but it was a turning point 22. Imagine that you could meet and talk with someone from the past. Who would it be? What questions would you ask them? Why? Because you can’t actually do that how could you find out the answers to your questions? Eisenhower…I really don’t have any questions…well how did he achieve defeat over Nazi Germany? Because that is a pretty massive feat….I could look it up online or listen to my history teacher (that really isn’t supposed to be a suck up answer) 23. Have you ever seen a film or TV show, outside of school, on a historical topic? If so, what was it? Did you wonder if it was historically accurate? Did you do anything to check on its accuracy? Saving Private Ryan, Letters of Iwo Jima, Windtalkers, Cold Hill….that civil war one, Flags of our Fathers, Patton, Band of Brothers Didn’t really check on accuracy because some you can tell…like when one American takes down a thousand Japanese troops like in Windtalkers you know that isn’t true or when the good guys die that is more accurate, like Band of Brothers where one guy dies every episode I didn’t’ do anything to check except I did read Band of Brothers…it was a good book 24. Do you ever discuss things that happened before 1975 with your friends? If so, what topics? We talked about Catherine the Great and the horse Cholera—I had to do a disease because of a project and we talked about it because I learned you shit 15 gallons a day! Government 7. Among your school subjects, where would you rank government and civics in terms of your interest over the years (top, middle, bottoms)? Why? Bottom because all that is boring and I don’t’ care about what people believe in….politics is boring because my dad gets all anal and I hear about it all the time 8. Why do we study government and civics? Learn more about ideas and other forms of government 9. What is democracy? What other types of government are there? People rule the government and there is complete freedom, gets power from the people Monarchy Dictator Communism Fascism Theocracy (is that a form?) Would a feudalistic be a form?? 10. What are the main features of the American political system? (probe for branches of government, functions of government, etc.) Capitalistic, democracy, three branches of government—legislative, judicial, executive….legislative makes laws, judicial is the courts, executive is the president…constitution, Bill of Rights Has to have the people’s consent and laws must get pass all three branches 11. What are the rights and responsibilities of citizens in our country? You want me to read off the Bill of Rights!! Petition, bear arms, gather/assemble, religion, press, speech, right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, right to vote….those are the only ones I can think of now Responsibilities are to vote and rise up against the government if it doesn’t carry out its duties 12. What role does the government play in your everyday life? It doesn’t run my life and that is how it should be There are taxes but that doesn’t impact me, welfare, retirement all those programs, has to occasionally bail out companies but it doesn’t do too much and that is how it should be Content Questions 5. When did the American Civil War take place? Who was involved? What were the causes? Why is this event significant? What were the effects of the war? 1860s, Union and Confederates—America…it was caused by slavery, territory, taxes on imports, the Industrial North and the farmland South, it changed the shape of America and ended all those disputes, it was the bloodiest war in US History….south was industrialized during Reconstruction because they rebuilt it 6. When did World War I take place? What were the causes? Who was involved in this war? What were the names of the opposing sides? Where was this war fought? When did the United States become involved? Why? What were some of the effects of the War? 1914-1918, Causes: alliances across Europe and the assassination of Francis Ferdinand…everybody involved France, Germany, England, US towards the end, Italy, Serbia (little Bulgarian countries), Ottomans, Asia—don’t hear about it much but they fought there, Austria-Hungary….Central Powers vs. Allies….US involved with the sinking of the Luisitana and an intercepted Mexican message and several other little things got involved in 1916-1917…Effects: everyone bullied up on Germany, Austria-Hungary broke up, the Great Depression resulted because everyone’s economy wasn’t as hot as they thought 7. When did World War II take place? What were the causes? Who was involved in this war? What were the names of the opposing sides? Where was this war fought? When did the United State become involved? Why? What were some of the effects of the War? 1939-1945, Causes: Hitler rose to power because of the Great Depression, he invaded Poland and when France got mad he invaded them, Fascism had developed in Europe and Japan took over small countries invaded them and made them colonies, invaded Philippines and bombed Pearl Harbor, and Hitler invaded Russia…Germany, Italy, France, the whole world involved but it was more global than World War I, also in Africa Italy was there but they sucked, Japan involved….Axis vs. Allies…US involved after 1941 when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor…Effects: US and USSR rose as superpowers, the new atomic age and the start of the Cold War, Germany was divided into two countries…technically four but 3 democratic and 1 communist 8. When was the Great Depression? What were the causes? How did the Depression impact the lives of the people? Whom did the Great Depression affect? Where did the Great Depression occur? How long did the Depression last? In what ways did people and the government try to overcome the problems of the Depression? Right after…well no…the mid 1920s-1930s countries came out at differ times…Causes: inflation, people blamed Germany after WWI and made them pay, poor because Germany printed more money causing inflation…people were ridiculously poor, people turned to those who promised aid, the rise of Hitler and Mussolini, those were the two big ones and the Japanese government…whoever promised a way out….development of benefits for American citizens…the entire world was impacted everyone was poor, occurred in the entire world….about 10 to 15 years maybe not that long but a long time, it was a Depression…..created a lot of community service type programs, I learned about them in the 6th grade…FDR tried things even if some were illegal, developed Social Security and healthcare which are still around although in trouble today but that is another story… Consider how Student B in his interview said he felt bad about saying the Atomic Bomb was a significant event but what if he examined the controversy that still exits amongst philosophers, historians, and those who study international law…..would it make him feel better about his answer to know that he was in good company? Handout1 First give students two articles…one that explains the benefits of dropping the atomic bomb and the second that asserts it wasn’t beneficial then have them feel out this handout Was the dropping of the Atomic Bomb a necessary evil? Yay/Yes-Identify some key points to support your arguments (be ready to share them with your group) Questions: Listen to the opposing Point of View as they present and develop some clarifying questions to ask. After having students go through both points of view, ask them to develop their own consensus….this allows them to explore their own opinions and those of their group members, hopefully this will help students see that everyone has an opinion and as long as it is supported it is viable! Was the dropping of the Atomic Bomb a necessary evil? Group Response: What did you agree on? What do you disagree on? Individual Response: What do you personally think? If you look at the interview of Student A, he had real trouble with this picture. He had never seen it before, had no idea what it was, so he guessed on its position and said he knew no further details…..Consider know how this exercise and similar Visual Discoveries, would have helped him look for clues in the picture! Handout 2 Project this image for all students to see….examine it as a class, read some first hand accounts of Bloody Sunday. Ask student volunteers to play the following parts and the rest of the class to think up questions to ask… • Father Gapon (The man in the center with the chest wound) • Dead man on the side • Five or Six Students to be the huddled masses • Woman with the child on the right