As we finish our lecture on the 1950s this week, I'd like you to follow a link to a very interesting website and do some self-directed research then report back on your findings. At the link http://www.ushistory.org/us/53.asp you'll find and introductory page (which everyone should read) and then a series of illustrated lessons (a-f) on successive pages - just click the "next" button at the top or bottom of the page to look them over. Choose a lesson (for example, 53a, "McCarthyism") and read it then evaluate its message in an essay of your own. Just a note - in 53f "Voices Against Conformity" there is an insufficient summary of the "Kinsey Report". We will talk about Kinsey and his misleading research in class.
As before, your essay should be 200 words and you must also respond to the posts of at least two others (at least 150 words). Thank you and let's do a good job - no assignment next week for spring break!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Homework 3, Due March 23, 2012
While finishing up our World War II unit I'd like to post a homework assignment I usually save until later in the school year. In honor of our drama department I'd like to turn your attention to the topic of culture and arts. While eating lunch at a restaurant, I am often struck by the complete silliness of it all: a crowd of people paying for food and service…and something else – the pleasure of eating tasty food. If we were strictly governed by logic wouldn't we would choose our meals based on nutritional value and cost effectiveness? Mealtime would be similar to recharging a cell phone – plug in, fill up, and go on. But that’s not what we do because, while our needs would be met, another need – the need for enjoyment – would go unfulfilled. So too we are motivated much more than we usually admit by the joy of creative art. One could apply the same standard to the clothes we wear, houses we live in, and many other things we do.
Society is usually defined by culture. When you think of the ancient Egyptians you probably think of their art and architecture (flat people and pyramids). When we talk about the past decades (think 1980s day) we picture the clothes people wore and the music they made. It seems that we are defined by a completely superfluous segment of our lives. (When I first arrived in Britain the TV shows Melrose Place and 90210 were big hits; I was asked several times if those shows were realistic portrayals of life in the US. Because Forrest Gump was in theaters, everyone wanted me to tell them the words to “Sweet Home Alabama”). Look around you…isn’t that just a little unsettling?
For millennia the stage has been a prominent part of human culture. It’s another illogical way that we find enjoyment - and accomplish complex tasks through storytelling. In America the heart of the stage can be found on a New York City street that dates back to the days of New Amsterdam; that street is, of course, Broadway. Every year millions of tickets are sold to the numerous theaters as crowds from around the world travel to see the very best in show business. This week our homework assignment will focus on the history of Broadway since 1900.
Follow the link http://www.talkinbroadway.com/bway101/ and choose an e
ssay about a decade of your choice (1900-1950) and report on your findings. Also comment on your favorite stage production (if you have one). The parameters of this assignment are exactly as every other assignment that has preceded it. Hope you enjoy it!
Society is usually defined by culture. When you think of the ancient Egyptians you probably think of their art and architecture (flat people and pyramids). When we talk about the past decades (think 1980s day) we picture the clothes people wore and the music they made. It seems that we are defined by a completely superfluous segment of our lives. (When I first arrived in Britain the TV shows Melrose Place and 90210 were big hits; I was asked several times if those shows were realistic portrayals of life in the US. Because Forrest Gump was in theaters, everyone wanted me to tell them the words to “Sweet Home Alabama”). Look around you…isn’t that just a little unsettling?
For millennia the stage has been a prominent part of human culture. It’s another illogical way that we find enjoyment - and accomplish complex tasks through storytelling. In America the heart of the stage can be found on a New York City street that dates back to the days of New Amsterdam; that street is, of course, Broadway. Every year millions of tickets are sold to the numerous theaters as crowds from around the world travel to see the very best in show business. This week our homework assignment will focus on the history of Broadway since 1900.
Follow the link http://www.talkinbroadway.com/bway101/ and choose an e
ssay about a decade of your choice (1900-1950) and report on your findings. Also comment on your favorite stage production (if you have one). The parameters of this assignment are exactly as every other assignment that has preceded it. Hope you enjoy it!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Homework 2, Due March 14, 2012
As World War II ended and Americans readjusted to peace, the five years following the war (1945-1950) were among the most significant in our nation's history. Consider some interesting facts by carefully reading the paragraphs below. When you have carefully read the information provided choose two of the questions to respond to in your homework essay. (It's amazing to consider that all these things were happening in one five year span!).
The GI bill sent former soldiers to college, and for the first time in history higher education and the better jobs that it leads to was open middle class and poor Americans (white, for the most part, but this would soon change). Can you pause for a moment and consider how important this has been in making the US the country it is today?
The Nuremburg and Japan trials were conducted and for the first time in world history nations united together to demand justice. Former Nazi and Japanese officials were given legitimate, fair trials and either acquitted or sentenced based on the evidence. The accused criminals had lawyers and access to evidence. The trials were public and the newspapers of the world reported the daily proceedings. Why was it important that these trials (and the executions that followed) were done in such a manner?
The US instituted the Marshall Plan. It might sound normal by today's standards, but at the time it was an extreme departure from anything we'd ever done: US taxpayer dollars were used to help rebuild Europe! Not just charity projects like food and clothing, but we actually paid for the rebuilding of infrastructure so the European economies would survive and get back on track. Considering the fact that the US spent $10 billion a month in Iraq for more than seven years, that idea might not surprise you, but you can imagine that it was a novel idea back then, especially considering how strictly tax dollars were spent in the early days of our country. At the same time the US was completely redesigning the Japanese economy, education system, and military. Is there a justifiable reason to spend your money for the benefit of other countries? Does the US eventually get enough benefit from the investment to justify the cost?
After almost 2,000 years, the nation of Israel was reborn. Jews who had lost everything in Europe were unlikely to return to their home countries, and the Zionist movement was born. Hundreds of thousands of American Jews emigrated to Palestine, and in 1948 Israeli independence was declared. Of all the nations on earth, the US has had no closer relations than our relationship with Israel over the last 60 years. Today the nation of Israel, which is surrounded by enemies and has a large Muslim minority, continues to struggle against regular attacks but still has a vibrant economy and fully functioning society. Do you think the US should continue to be so involved in Israel, and do you think that it is possible to see a peaceful solution to the conflict?
The Iron Curtain descended over eastern Europe and the Cold War began. After the Soviets pushed the Nazi army back into Germany, the Communists never relinquished control over eastern Europe, including East Germany. Freedom and democracy were replaced with harsh dictatorships that lasted for decades - most until the end of the 1980s. For many years more than a million American and Soviet troops stared at each other from just a few yards apart across the East/West border of Germany: an extremely explosive situation that could have erupted into war at any time. (I was a high school student when the Berlin Wall came down and the eastern European countries overthrew the communist dictator governments - what an exciting time to be watching the world events!). How do you think America has changed since the end of the Cold War?
The United Nations was created and a new era of cooperation began. Along with the UN, new organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank emerged so that large nations such as the US could assist poor countries in developing their economies and improve the lives of their citizens (through immunization efforts, for example). Today there is much controversy as to the efficacy of such programs. Is this unhappiness the result of the fact that the problems of the world are just too large and complex to solve, or do you think that these programs are probably effective but our access to news and information just highlights the continued suffering of those in other countries?
The requirements for this assignment are exactly as the one that preceded it - don't forget your comments. God bless!
The GI bill sent former soldiers to college, and for the first time in history higher education and the better jobs that it leads to was open middle class and poor Americans (white, for the most part, but this would soon change). Can you pause for a moment and consider how important this has been in making the US the country it is today?
The Nuremburg and Japan trials were conducted and for the first time in world history nations united together to demand justice. Former Nazi and Japanese officials were given legitimate, fair trials and either acquitted or sentenced based on the evidence. The accused criminals had lawyers and access to evidence. The trials were public and the newspapers of the world reported the daily proceedings. Why was it important that these trials (and the executions that followed) were done in such a manner?
The US instituted the Marshall Plan. It might sound normal by today's standards, but at the time it was an extreme departure from anything we'd ever done: US taxpayer dollars were used to help rebuild Europe! Not just charity projects like food and clothing, but we actually paid for the rebuilding of infrastructure so the European economies would survive and get back on track. Considering the fact that the US spent $10 billion a month in Iraq for more than seven years, that idea might not surprise you, but you can imagine that it was a novel idea back then, especially considering how strictly tax dollars were spent in the early days of our country. At the same time the US was completely redesigning the Japanese economy, education system, and military. Is there a justifiable reason to spend your money for the benefit of other countries? Does the US eventually get enough benefit from the investment to justify the cost?
After almost 2,000 years, the nation of Israel was reborn. Jews who had lost everything in Europe were unlikely to return to their home countries, and the Zionist movement was born. Hundreds of thousands of American Jews emigrated to Palestine, and in 1948 Israeli independence was declared. Of all the nations on earth, the US has had no closer relations than our relationship with Israel over the last 60 years. Today the nation of Israel, which is surrounded by enemies and has a large Muslim minority, continues to struggle against regular attacks but still has a vibrant economy and fully functioning society. Do you think the US should continue to be so involved in Israel, and do you think that it is possible to see a peaceful solution to the conflict?
The Iron Curtain descended over eastern Europe and the Cold War began. After the Soviets pushed the Nazi army back into Germany, the Communists never relinquished control over eastern Europe, including East Germany. Freedom and democracy were replaced with harsh dictatorships that lasted for decades - most until the end of the 1980s. For many years more than a million American and Soviet troops stared at each other from just a few yards apart across the East/West border of Germany: an extremely explosive situation that could have erupted into war at any time. (I was a high school student when the Berlin Wall came down and the eastern European countries overthrew the communist dictator governments - what an exciting time to be watching the world events!). How do you think America has changed since the end of the Cold War?
The United Nations was created and a new era of cooperation began. Along with the UN, new organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank emerged so that large nations such as the US could assist poor countries in developing their economies and improve the lives of their citizens (through immunization efforts, for example). Today there is much controversy as to the efficacy of such programs. Is this unhappiness the result of the fact that the problems of the world are just too large and complex to solve, or do you think that these programs are probably effective but our access to news and information just highlights the continued suffering of those in other countries?
The requirements for this assignment are exactly as the one that preceded it - don't forget your comments. God bless!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Homework 1, Due March 9, 2012
In our continued study of the Second World War, we will turn our attention to the atrocities known as the Holocaust. While many people now know of the horrible slaughter of millions of Jews and other groups, the story has not always been widely understood, and even now some groups are claiming that it never happened.
In class we briefly discussed antisemitism (the hatred of Jews) and its origins. It's rather difficult to imagine that Americans were once generally antisemitic, holding all Jews accountable for the crucifiction of Jesus and continuing the European tradition of blaming Jews for all wide-spread financial woes. The Ku Klux Klan, in addition to the mistreatment of African-Americans, also targeted Jews and Catholics in their abuses. It was only after the revelation of the evils of the Holocaust that most Americans adopted a sympathetic view of the Jewish people.
Jews have lived in America almost since the very first settlers arrived. Because most of the colonies were founded by determined Protestant groups, however, Jews weren't welcomed many places. It was Maryland, with its guaranteed religious freedom for all, and New Amsterdam (New York), with its secular society, where most of the Jewish settlers made their homes. Following World War II hundreds of thousands of American Jews, called Zionists, would emigrate to the new country of Israel, recreating a nation that had been non-existent for almost 2,000 years. They even revived the ancient Hebrew language in order to assimilate all the Jews that would arrive from countries like the US and the Soviet Union and many others. Israel was even governed by a Jewish-American - Golda Meir.
Today millions of Americans claim Jewish heritage. Although there has never been a Jewish-American president or vice-president, Jews have served in every other capacity in government. Because American Jews aren't always possible to identify strictly my physical appearance, many Americans are unaware of this minority group (thank goodness for Adam Sandler's Hanukah song, right?). Still concentrated in New York, some pockets of Jewish Americans cling to the traditions that set them apart in the earlier days of our nation's history. They even speak a language called Yiddish - unique in that it never belonged to a country, and was entirely made up of slang and bits of other languages. (Some of the words have become common in English, such as schmooz and klutz). So even if you think this assignment is megilla, be a mensch - not a nudnik or a neddish - and get it done, mach shnel. Fershtay?
Please go to the National Holocaust Museum education web site - http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/ - and report on one of the articles you find there. Also, if you have visited the holocaust museum or been to a European museum of similar focus, share your experience. The requirements for this assignment include responses to at least two other essays (minimum 150 words). Good luck and God bless!
In class we briefly discussed antisemitism (the hatred of Jews) and its origins. It's rather difficult to imagine that Americans were once generally antisemitic, holding all Jews accountable for the crucifiction of Jesus and continuing the European tradition of blaming Jews for all wide-spread financial woes. The Ku Klux Klan, in addition to the mistreatment of African-Americans, also targeted Jews and Catholics in their abuses. It was only after the revelation of the evils of the Holocaust that most Americans adopted a sympathetic view of the Jewish people.
Jews have lived in America almost since the very first settlers arrived. Because most of the colonies were founded by determined Protestant groups, however, Jews weren't welcomed many places. It was Maryland, with its guaranteed religious freedom for all, and New Amsterdam (New York), with its secular society, where most of the Jewish settlers made their homes. Following World War II hundreds of thousands of American Jews, called Zionists, would emigrate to the new country of Israel, recreating a nation that had been non-existent for almost 2,000 years. They even revived the ancient Hebrew language in order to assimilate all the Jews that would arrive from countries like the US and the Soviet Union and many others. Israel was even governed by a Jewish-American - Golda Meir.
Today millions of Americans claim Jewish heritage. Although there has never been a Jewish-American president or vice-president, Jews have served in every other capacity in government. Because American Jews aren't always possible to identify strictly my physical appearance, many Americans are unaware of this minority group (thank goodness for Adam Sandler's Hanukah song, right?). Still concentrated in New York, some pockets of Jewish Americans cling to the traditions that set them apart in the earlier days of our nation's history. They even speak a language called Yiddish - unique in that it never belonged to a country, and was entirely made up of slang and bits of other languages. (Some of the words have become common in English, such as schmooz and klutz). So even if you think this assignment is megilla, be a mensch - not a nudnik or a neddish - and get it done, mach shnel. Fershtay?
Please go to the National Holocaust Museum education web site - http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/ - and report on one of the articles you find there. Also, if you have visited the holocaust museum or been to a European museum of similar focus, share your experience. The requirements for this assignment include responses to at least two other essays (minimum 150 words). Good luck and God bless!
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