Download Possible Topics for 20th and 21st Century Topics

Possible Topics for Human Rights Project
1. Armenian Genocide (1915-22)
a. Young Turks and Ottoman Empire’s Role
b. Treatment of Armenians
c. Response of USA (Ambassador Morgenthau), Other Countries
d. Denial of responsibility of Turkish Government into Modern Day
(Controversy inside and outside of Turkey)
2. Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin (1924-53)
a. Joseph Stalin's Imposed Famine in Ukraine Holodomor (1932-33)
b. Treatment of Ukrainians
i. Death of Political, Cultural Elites
c. Use of Gulags for Political, Religious Opponents
d. Use of Murder on Opponents, POWs
3. The Holocaust (1939-45): Use of Propaganda
a. Joseph Goebbels
b. Hitler Youth Programs
c. Enactment of Nuremberg Laws (1935)
d. Boycotts: Kristallnacht (1938)
e. Modern Day Anti-Semitism (Holocaust Denial)
4. The Holocaust (1939-45): Imprisonment
a. Life in Ghettos
b. Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
c. Auschwitz
d. Life in concentration camps
i. Medical Experiments
5. The Holocaust (1939-45): Groups Affected
a. Children of the Holocaust
i. Kindertransport
ii. Hidden Children
iii. Elie Wiesel (Night)
b. Poles
c. Gypsies/ Roma
6. The Holocaust (1939-45): Political Opponents/ Resistance
a. Sophie Scholl & the White Rose (“Sophie Scholl and the Final
Days”)
b. Religious Opposition
i. Ex. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
c. Political Opposition
d. Righteous Gentiles
i. Ex. Oscar Schindler (“Schindler’s List”), Raoul Wallenberg,
Community of Le Chambon, Irena Sendler
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Woodstown Middle School
2011-12 World History I
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Human Rights Topics
Language Arts & Social Studies Project
Human Rights Unit
Possible Topics for Human Rights Project
7. 1970s: Uganda (1971-1978) & Cambodia (1975-79)
a. Uganda
i. Government of Idi Amin (“Last King of Scotland”)
(Murder of Political Opponents)
ii. International Response to Uganda
b. Cambodia
i. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge
1. Year Zero
2. Killing Fields (“The Killing Fields”)
ii. International Response to Cambodia
8. Former Yugoslavia (1992-99)
a. Role of Slobodan Milošević and Serbian Nationalists
b. Bosnia
i. Ethnic Cleansing of Bosnian Muslims by Bosnian Serbs
c. Kosovo (1996-99)
i. Attempted Ethnic Cleansing of Albanian Muslims by Ethnic
Serbs
d. NATO, US, International Response
9. South Africa: Apartheid (1948-1994)
a. Colonization and the origins of Apartheid
b. Political Opposition
i. African National Congress
ii. Steven Biko
iii. Nelson Mandela
iv. Desmond Tutu
c.
Economic Restrictions/gains
i. Segregated Housing/ Ghettos
ii. Education
1. 16 June 1976
d. 1994 Elections (“Invictus”)
10. Rwanda (1994)
a. Tutsi and Hutu Historical Background
i. (1965-72) In neighboring Burundi Tutsi commit genocide
against Hutu population
b. Disputed Crash/ Assassination of Rwandan President triggering ’94
Genocide
c. Genocide of Tutsi, Moderate Hutu By Rwandan Hutu Radicals
(“Hotel Rwanda”)
i. Use of Propaganda in 100 Day Genocide
d. International Response
i. United Nations
ii. French indirect involvement in Genocide?
iii. Justice and Reconciliation
http://woodstown.schoolwires.net/Page/2211
Woodstown Middle School
2011-12 World History I
2
Human Rights Topics
Language Arts & Social Studies Project
Human Rights Unit
Possible Topics for Human Rights Project
11. Darfur Region of Sudan (2004-)
a. Role of Sudanese Government
b. Jangaweed and treatment of Darfurians (“The Devil Came on
Horseback”)
c. International Response
i. Role of China, US, United Nations,
ii. Independent Organizations (Save Darfur, etc.)
d. Independence of South Sudan and threats of Civil War
12. The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
a. Bartolomé de las Casas and Beginning of African Slavery in New
World
b. In Africa: Means of capture
c. On the Atlantic: Ship Conditions/norms (“Amistad”)
d. Slavery in the New World: Slave Market
e. Abolitionists
i. Ex. Wilbur Wilberforce (“Amazing Grace”)
13. North America: Native Americans
a. European Colonization
b. Interaction Between People (disease/war)
c. Manifest Destiny: Move to Reservations
d. Aftermath: Reservation Life
14. Ireland: Potato Famine
a. Land Issues
b. Discrimination within Ireland
i. Irish Catholics vs. Protestants
ii. British vs. Irish
c. Potato Famine
d. Immigration to America
15. China
a. China Annexing Tibet (1950-59)
i. Treatment of Buddhist Monks
ii. Systematic Destruction of Tibetan Culture, Religion
b. China’s “Great Leap Forward” (1959-61)
i. Government Actions that led to great famine
1. Three Years of Natural Disasters
c. China’s "Cultural Revolution" (1966-76)
i. Chairman Mao Zedong
ii. Gang of Four
iii. Use of Propaganda by Communist Gov’t.
iv. Effects on Chinese Culture, Religion
http://woodstown.schoolwires.net/Page/2211
Woodstown Middle School
2011-12 World History I
3
Human Rights Topics
Language Arts & Social Studies Project
Human Rights Unit