homework for April 30

For tonight, read pages 1013-1020; stop at the section on Latin America.  We won't be talking about this section much, so be sure to read closely.

The test will be held on Monday, not on Friday.  It will cover chapters 33-36 and consist of 40 multiple choice questions and an essay outline.

homework for April 29

For tonight, watch the first 29 minutes of the documentary Stalin Man of Steel, linked up here and available on YouTube at: http://youtu.be/OfhjV5E0j1o

Then, to add further cheer, watch the first 22 minutes of the biography of Mao that is linked up here. It has been taken down from YouTube, but may be available elsewhere on the web.

Ponder similarities and differences between these two men, both as individual humans and as political leaders. We'll talk about them a bit in class tomorrow.

Homework over april vacation

We've read up to page 927 in chapter 33.  The consequences of imperialism and some of the Japanese and US actions are covered in the rest of the chapter, so if you have questions about today's content, feel free to read the remaining pages for greater clarity.

Over the vacation, read chapters 34 (World War I) and 35 (the age of anxiety/inter-war period). We will touch on those chapters when we return, but not in any depth, so you are on your own for that content.

That will give us chapters 33-35, and we will cover 36 the week we are back.  I'm planning for a test on those chapters (same format as before: 35 multiple choice questions and an essay outline) on Friday, May 2, a date that won't be negotiable, so do plan ahead.

If you wish, you may complete the book/film report for an extra essay grade, but there is no requirement that you do so over this vacation.  Should you choose to submit it, the grade will be entered into the essay category of your mark.  Should you choose to submit it and it is poorly done, it will hurt your mark.  Should you choose to not do it, it won't hurt you at all.  Choose wisely!

And have a great vacation.  It will be a crazy two weeks when we get back, so rest up!

Homework for April 15

For tonight, read pages 910-919 in the textbook.  Ask yourself: when have I ever read 900+ pages of a textbook before? Pat yourself on the back...

Homework for April 14

For tonight finish up making your map.  Then look at it and write down any questions that you have that come up from looking at the finished map.

You can use this map as a model, or you can pick another one off the interwebs.

homework for the weekend of April 11

For the weekend, read pages 909-915.

Your test on Monday will take 45 minutes.

It will consist of 35 multiple choice questions, and an outline of either a change over time or a compare and contrast essay. (there will not be choice).

The test will cover material in chapters 29-32. Be sure to look at the blog's past posts for pages that you need from each chapter!

Homework for April10

For tonight, read the excerpt from The White Man's Burden on page 913. Answer the italicized question on your blog.

Some clarification

Hi folks-

A few emails usually means that there are more questions, so just to clarify:

• Each one of you needs to create your own, unique political cartoon.
• Cartoons should be visible, but not huge--a regular sheet of paper will do! (81/2 x 11)
• The political cartoon must come from the empire you were assigned to in your group. It should not incorporate all the empires!
• Most political cartoons are not like cartoon strips with multiple panels, they exist in only one panel.
• Most political cartoons work on a metaphorical level, not a literal level, so you can feel free to exaggerate to make a point!

A recent example:

In class for April 8 and 9th

EMPIRES IN DISTRESS Project

There will be four groups around the room.  Each group is responsible for creating something (paper or digital) that communicates information about the Empire in distress to share with the rest of the class. There are categories below, but in general, you are to address the following questions:

1. What the problems are, when they arise and why they arise;

2. What the proposed reforms are when they arise;

3. Who the players are on both sides--for and against reform;

4. What the outcome is both short term and long term: If the reforms fail, why do they fail?  If they succeed, why do they succeed?

The group’s creation is to be shared with the class by the end of the period on Wednesday.

As an individual, you are responsible for composing a political cartoon that represents either the issues/problems or the reforms for your empire. This cartoon is on a topic of your choosing; the group does not need to all do the same thing! This cartoon must be done on paper, to be handed in at the start of the class on Thursday.  The cartoon must be accompanied by two typed paragraphs; the first should explain the historical context of the cartoon, and the second should be an explanation of the cartoon itself. (Imagine telling a person who can't see it what it contains.) This is to be printed out and ready to hand in on Thursday as well.  The cartoon will not be graded on the basis of your artistic abilities!

Some prompts to guide your thinking:

What are the problem(s) the empire faces?

Who in the empire is affected by these problems?

Who are these troublemaker(s)

Ottoman: Muhammad Ali (1805-1848), Young Turks

Russian: the Intelligentsia, The People’s Will,

Chinese: Hong Xiuquan, British Opium Traders, The Boxers

Japanese: Commodore Matthew C. Perry

Who are the reformer(s)

Ottoman: Sultan Mahmud II, Tanzimat

Russian: Tsar Alexander II, Sergei Witte

Chinese: Self-Strengthening Movement, Emperor Guangxu, Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao

Japanese: Emperor Mutsuhito/Meiji,

Who are these resistor(s)

Ottoman: Religious conservatives, Abdul Hamid II

Russian: Tsar Nicholas II

Chinese: Empress Dowager CiXi

Japanese: none in Japan! (why is that???)

Rubric for the cartoon is linked up here. The item you share with the class is not going to be graded.

Groups:
Japan 1 -- Nikhil, Paul, Aman
Russia 1 -- Michael, Eric, Hammad
China 1 -- Colin, Prateek, Danny
Ottoman 1 -- Twinkle, Jay, Hiren, Anu

Japan 2 -- Kevin, Praveen, Xavier
Russia 2 -- Ashwini, August, Yash
China 2 -- TJ, Harsha, Ansh
Ottoman 2 -- Stuti, Julia, Manas

Homework for April 7

For tonight, feel free to skim over 892-900, about China. We didn't get to discuss the Boxer Rebellion in class, so be sure to pay closer attention to 898-899.  Then read Lin Zexu's letter to Queen Victoria on page 895 and answer the italicized question on your blog.

Homework for April 4

over the weekend, read pages 887-892 (Russia) and pages 900-904 (Japan)

Homework for April 3

For tonight, please read pages 879-887 in the textbook. You can skip page 886.

Homework for April 2

For tonight, read about the global impact of industrialization, pages 836-842, and then check out what's going on in our neighbor to the north on pages 853-854 and 864-865.  Be sure to hum "O Canada" while reading...

homework for April 1

For tonight, read the Communist Manifesto. You can skim over much of it, but pay close attention to the last part: where he lists the components of the changes to society. It is linked up here.