Submitted work by Linda Lake
Analyzing Objects
Porcelain
Musket Ball
Smallpox
Nail
Reaper
Shirtwaist
Transistor
Coffee
Record
Tire
Dishwasher
Dress
Stereograph
Stone
Shoe
Question 1:
Historical thinking is the ability to research, analyze, and comprehend the specified event within its historical context. Multiple and varied sources should be examined noting content and author for perspective, motivations, and purpose of original document. Cognitive and perspicacious collating of data must be utilized by the historian (or teacher) to weed out an unbiased account that is free from any obscured predilections or distortions. It is only by using critical thinking skills that a past event can be viewed in the future as accurately as possible.
Question 2:
Historical thinking by students is usually hampered by a lack of interest in the topic. Commonly, a student views the material presented in an apathetic manner and does not seek to make a proximate connection between the historical event and their own identities. By introducing a relevant object (s) into the conversation, the student has no choice but to "touch", "hear", or "see" what is being presented, even if it is not the actual object, but in some other form such as a picture, sound recording, or film. Questions that lead the student into an internalization of the object should be asked in an open dialogue. Once the student is able to make an emotional connection to the object and thus demonstrate its relevance to the historical material presented, he/she will then be more inclined to remember it and hopefully want to explore more about the event/person. Optimally, the event will be actualized and can then be further developed into more complex realizations about its relationship to other and/or future events.
Redirect: /content/what-historical-thinking
Module Id: 689
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Tuesday, July 6, 2021 - 14:25
Question 1:
Upon first observation, the object appears to be a Victor Record Co. recording of Young America written by Bayes and Norworth. By appearance, the record is black with a blue and silver label in its center. In the biggest letters the words "Victor Record" is written across the middle of the label. In the very center of the record is a hole surrounded by the words, "Price $1.00 in U.S.A." Below the word "Record" is the word "Soprano" written in very small letters. Directly beneath the hole in the record is the words, "Young America" and below that in smaller letters, (Bayer-Norworth). It is followed by another line with the words "Nora Bayes" in letters the size of "Young America" and "with orchestra" in smaller letters beneath it. The following line contains the number "70015." Above the center hole in the record is a picture (more like an etching) of a sitting dog with his head cocked in front of a machine with the label "Victor" on its side. The machine has a large bell shaped object on its topside with an arm that follows to a square bottom piece. On top of the bottom piece is another square (more oblong cubed-shaped) with what appears to be a record on its top. These is also another arm that emanates from the top side of the oblong cube shape to a bit above the record. Directly under the machine are the words, "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. followed by letters that I can only make out "Md 1" and "Marca Industrial Registrade." Above the picture at the top of the label written in a half circle around its edges are the words, "Awarded first prize Buffalo, St. Louis, and Portland Expositions." On the bottom of the record are four lines of words: the first line in larger letters "Victor Talking Machine Co. Camden, N.J." The next three lines describe patent information such as the pricing of the record, the patent numbers, contact information at Victor Talking Machine, Co., and a legal warning about copyright infringement. The black rubber or vinyl part of the record looks to be in good shape although the grooves are not visible in the picture. The only visible item in the black part is the number 70015 which was also located on the label. Around the hole in the record, the blue label appears to have white worn spots. A few scattered white worn spots can also be seen in several places on the label; however, there does not appear to be excessive wear on the record or the label. In conclusion, my impression of the object based on the information on the label, is that this is a recording of a song called "Young America" written by Nora Bayes and Norworth (Jack), as vocalized by Nora Bayes accompanied by an orchestra. As evidenced by the picture of the talking machine with the dog, the name of the company and address, the blue label, the exposition information, and the patent statement, I believe that the recording would be circa 1910-1912.
Question 2:
This object can be used to connect to several broader themes in American history. It can be used (and played, if sound recording is available) in studying the history of recorded music in America, as well as a comparison to the music of today. It can also be used in teaching such topics as "American Life in the early Twentieth Century"; "Industrialization and Manufacturing in the early Twentieth Century;" "Leisure Time Pursuits in the early Twentieth Century;" "The History of an American Corporation: from Victor Talking Machine Co. to Radio Corporation of America;" and "How Iconic Images are used in Advertising."
In the broadest sense, this object can also be used as an example of a propaganda tool to promote Americanism after an extensive period of immigration from European countries to America. The song itself is called, "Young America." At the time I believe this recording was probably made, nearly three fourths of the population of New York City (America's largest city) were immigrants (or first generation born Americans) from mostly southern and eastern European countries. Most of these immigrants could not speak the English language and culturally, were very different from those the generations of people that considered themselves "native" Americans. Further, the large influx of these foreigners were viewed to be using American resources (such as jobs) that were in short supply. As a result, animosity grew between the "native born" and the foreigners--discrimination and hate abound. This song, "Young America" could be an attempt to condition the "native born" to embrace these immigrants and show them their "value" as part of the new "Young America."
In the broadest sense, this object can also be used as an example of a propaganda tool to promote Americanism after an extensive period of immigration from European countries to America. The song itself is called, "Young America." At the time I believe this recording was probably made, nearly three fourths of the population of New York City (America's largest city) were immigrants (or first generation born Americans) from mostly southern and eastern European countries. Most of these immigrants could not speak the English language and culturally, were very different from those the generations of people that considered themselves "native" Americans. Further, the large influx of these foreigners were viewed to be using American resources (such as jobs) that were in short supply. As a result, animosity grew between the "native born" and the foreigners--discrimination and hate abound. This song, "Young America" could be an attempt to condition the "native born" to embrace these immigrants and show them their "value" as part of the new "Young America."
Redirect: /content/record-resources
Module Id: 1128
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 - 16:51
Question 1:
The object in the picture appears to be a dishwasher, circa 1950's. It is most probably white enameled metal with a front square door opening. It has an attached, possibly chrome, handle in the upper middle of the door. The dishwasher has two wire racks inside: one square-looking rack on its bottom, and a rounder one extending from the top. Both racks appear to have a sliding mechanism in order that the racks can be slid out from the washer's body. It also looks like there is an arm, possibly a spray arm, connected to the upper side of the washer extending into the middle. The remainder of the dishwasher is an empty-appearing white square space. There is also a black, probably rubber, gasket around the perimeter of the outside square of the inside of the dishwasher. At the very top of its outside edge there appears to be some sort of metal, which is possibly a clip door closure. Below the door is a metal rectangle which could be where the mechanism of the washer is contained. The dishwasher itself is built into the cabinetry of the section of kitchen shown in the picture. The counter directly over the machine appears to be made of stainless steel. A black cord extends into a double wall mounted electrical outlet. To the right of the dishwasher, there is a white cabinet door with a vent panel and handle. It is not possible from this picture to determine the material of the cabinetry, but it is in all probability, white painted wood or metal given the time period. Above this cabinet is another rectangle that has a rounded handle. Over this, is a stainless steel or chrome sink, faucets, and splash guard that extends partially up the wall. On the left side of the dishwasher there is a smaller white cabinet door with two same-sized rectangles situated above it. Since there is only a drawer pull on one of the rectangles, it is possible that this is either one large drawer or two smaller ones. Above this is a counter probably made of Formica given the age of the kitchen. Further on down this counter is what looks like it could be a blender. The wall in the pictured section of kitchen is covered in ceramic 4 x 4 tiles. As this photo is done in black and white, it is difficult to determine what color they are, however, they do not appear to be either black or white. Over the sink there is a double window that opens vertically and has a metal lock attachment between the two windows and a handle on the left side of its frame. Plain sheer curtains hang over the window. A cabinet with two visible doors and no handles hangs over the counter to the left of the dishwasher. Across from this counter, a corner of an object can be seen. From its appearance and markings, it is most probably a stove. The floor in the picture is completely blacked out, therefore it is difficult to ascertain any of its details.
Conclusion: From all visible aspects, this appears to be a section of a modern kitchen featuring a dishwasher, circa 1950's.
Conclusion: From all visible aspects, this appears to be a section of a modern kitchen featuring a dishwasher, circa 1950's.
Question 2:
This object can be connected to broader themes in American history. It can be used to study: "The Changing Roles of Women in America"; "Modernization of American Culture"; "Industrialization and Mass Production in Post-War Era America"; "How Modernization and Technology Created More Leisure Time in American Households"; along with many other topics relating to social, cultural, and economic changes during 1950's America.
However, for me, this object could most effectively represent an opportunity to teach students about the Cold War Era and George F. Keenan's strategies for a Policy of Containment. Specifically, this object can be an ingress into the historic Kitchen Debates which took place during the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union . This event, between the then American Vice-President, Richard M. Nixon, and the Soviet Union's First Secretary, Nikita Khrushchev, was held on July 24, 1959 at the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow. This object could be used to generate discussions that would explore how diplomatic and economic methods are often employed by the US State Department to resolve grievances which can, in many instances, effectively forestall military action against or by other nations.
However, for me, this object could most effectively represent an opportunity to teach students about the Cold War Era and George F. Keenan's strategies for a Policy of Containment. Specifically, this object can be an ingress into the historic Kitchen Debates which took place during the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union . This event, between the then American Vice-President, Richard M. Nixon, and the Soviet Union's First Secretary, Nikita Khrushchev, was held on July 24, 1959 at the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow. This object could be used to generate discussions that would explore how diplomatic and economic methods are often employed by the US State Department to resolve grievances which can, in many instances, effectively forestall military action against or by other nations.
Redirect: /content/dishwasher-resources
Module Id: 1093
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Friday, July 9, 2021 - 15:01
Question 1:
The object appears to be a microscopic image of (according to the description of the Module) the smallpox virus. The image contains three or four cells. All are either roundish or oval-like in shape. As the picture is in black and white and not a color stain, it is difficult to see much inside each of the cells. However, the cell walls are visible in each. In the largest and most oval cell, a bone-shaped center can be clearly observed. This is most probably the virus, as it appears, to me, to be an anomaly in the normal structure of a cell. There are also filament-like structures in the image. There are also several other "blots" in the image; however, not being familiar with more than rudimentary biology, I do not know what they are or what they represent.
Question 2:
This object can be used in several broader themes in American history, such as teaching, "The Development and Use of Vaccines in America"; "The Effects of a Viral Epidemic on American History"; or "How a Mass Vaccination Program can Virtually Eradicate a Deadly, Contagious Disease, along with any number of other themes that could be explored.
However, once again, my hypothesis on this object gravitates toward my expertise in Military History. In this vein, the broader theme that springs to my mind is the use of this virus, and others just as deadly, in the development of biological warfare. Attempts to use biologics as a weapon of war are almost as old and world-wide as warfare itself. But, this class is about American history, therefore, it is the use of smallpox as a biological weapon in this country that could be explored. Specifically the image calls to mind Pontiac's War 1763-1766. During this Indian/British/Colonists war, a battled known as "The Siege of Fort Pitt" transpired during the months of June/July 1763 in the region now known as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The objective of the siege was to rout the British soldiers from the fort and thus reclaim the territory for the Native Americans. The original outbreak of Smallpox occurred quite naturally among the British soldiers held in the fort. However, realizing that the Native Americans had shown to be susceptible to the virus, William Trent, commanding captain of the fort, devised a scheme to infect the tribes. He accomplished this by providing, in a supposed gesture of goodwill, two Delaware Indians who were at the fort for a meeting, with blankets and a handkerchief tainted with Smallpox from the military hospital.
This theme could also be expanded to include efforts during the twentieth century by the US military to develop biological weaponry and delivery systems for use in World War II, against the Russians in the Cold War, and in each subsequent war and hostility until the present time. Despite the 1972 Biological Weapons convention and subsequent treaty, biologics are still being developed and tested in the United States and worldwide. Questions could be explored such as the morality of using this technology and how it compares ethically with the use of conventional or nuclear weapons.
However, once again, my hypothesis on this object gravitates toward my expertise in Military History. In this vein, the broader theme that springs to my mind is the use of this virus, and others just as deadly, in the development of biological warfare. Attempts to use biologics as a weapon of war are almost as old and world-wide as warfare itself. But, this class is about American history, therefore, it is the use of smallpox as a biological weapon in this country that could be explored. Specifically the image calls to mind Pontiac's War 1763-1766. During this Indian/British/Colonists war, a battled known as "The Siege of Fort Pitt" transpired during the months of June/July 1763 in the region now known as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The objective of the siege was to rout the British soldiers from the fort and thus reclaim the territory for the Native Americans. The original outbreak of Smallpox occurred quite naturally among the British soldiers held in the fort. However, realizing that the Native Americans had shown to be susceptible to the virus, William Trent, commanding captain of the fort, devised a scheme to infect the tribes. He accomplished this by providing, in a supposed gesture of goodwill, two Delaware Indians who were at the fort for a meeting, with blankets and a handkerchief tainted with Smallpox from the military hospital.
This theme could also be expanded to include efforts during the twentieth century by the US military to develop biological weaponry and delivery systems for use in World War II, against the Russians in the Cold War, and in each subsequent war and hostility until the present time. Despite the 1972 Biological Weapons convention and subsequent treaty, biologics are still being developed and tested in the United States and worldwide. Questions could be explored such as the morality of using this technology and how it compares ethically with the use of conventional or nuclear weapons.
Redirect: /content/smallpox-resources
Module Id: 954
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Saturday, July 10, 2021 - 12:47
Question 1:
This object appears to be a woman's shirtwaist circa 1890's. It seems to be made of a white linen or cotton fabric with thin vertical pin striping of a contrasting color (the picture is black and white, therefore cannot determine exact colors). It has a thin choker collar that buttons at the neck, along with four small white, plain buttons down its front. A crisscross tie belt is around the waistline of the shirt. The sleeves are long with horizontal striped matching cuffs. The garment is very tailored throughout and ends just below the waistline.
Question 2:
This object immediately brings to my mind the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 in New York City that killed almost 150 people (mostly women and children) and injured many more. This shirtwaist has an indelible link to the movement and subsequent sweeping state and federal reforms that regulated the workplace environment and safety precautions. As a result of an investigation into factory working conditions, several Progressive Era labor unions pressed their government representatives into passing local, state, and federal laws regarding such areas of concerns as working conditions and employee safety, child labor, working hours, and fire prevention standards.
Another broad theme that comes to my mind is "The Fight for Women's Rights and Suffrage during the 1890's through 1920." The shirtwaist as a fashion statement went against all women's fashion prior to its introduction. This shirt, modeled after a man's shirtwaist, was a radical departure from the frilly, cascading, ultra feminine clothing of the preceding history of women's fashions. The garment, often paired with a long, very straight, dark skirt, caused a stir in the general public as it appeared that women not only wanted the rights and privileges of a man, but wanted to "look like men, too." In fact, the shirtwaist became the "uniform" of sorts representing the independence desired by many of the era's suffragettes and working women.
Another broad theme that comes to my mind is "The Fight for Women's Rights and Suffrage during the 1890's through 1920." The shirtwaist as a fashion statement went against all women's fashion prior to its introduction. This shirt, modeled after a man's shirtwaist, was a radical departure from the frilly, cascading, ultra feminine clothing of the preceding history of women's fashions. The garment, often paired with a long, very straight, dark skirt, caused a stir in the general public as it appeared that women not only wanted the rights and privileges of a man, but wanted to "look like men, too." In fact, the shirtwaist became the "uniform" of sorts representing the independence desired by many of the era's suffragettes and working women.
Redirect: /content/shirtwaist-resources
Module Id: 950
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 - 12:58
Question 1:
These objects all appear to be types of transistors. All are different sizes and have different pin configurations. My guess is that they are vintage transistors.
Question 2:
This object can be connected to broader themes in American history such as the transition from the use of vacuum tubes to transistors, how transistors transformed the world of electronics; how transistors made cell phones, laptop computers, smart TVs possible'; how the transistor enabled space travel; and how the use of transistors changed the military.
Redirect: /content/transistor-resources
Module Id: 1146
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Saturday, July 17, 2021 - 17:50
Question 1:
The object in the picture appears to be almost perfectly round and made of some sort of stone or metal. It is difficult to tell the color, but it appears to be a darkish gray with small white specks. It is also difficult to tell if it is made of lead or iron. There is nothing else very distinctive about the object, but there is a portion of a ruler that as best I can determine shows the object to be approximately one and one half inches in diameter. I assume, from the title of the object, it must be a representation of a musket ball--possibly circa Revolutionary or Civil War.
However, as a military historian, I am a bit confused by this picture and its title description. While it is more accurate to measure shot by caliper (or weight), this appears to be measured by a tape type ruler. According to this ruler, the diameter of the object is approximately one and one half inches. As such, it could not be a musket ball. Musket ball calibers during the Revolutionary War ranged from .39 to .80 inches and during the American Civil War, due to the use of the Minie ball, the average round musket ball was .69 inches. At 1.50 inches, this ball is too large for a musket ball. Also, there appears to be no sprues or mold seams which makes me think the ball is more iron than lead, especially since the patina looks to be darker rather than the lighter gray found on lead balls. To the best of my knowledge, I would determine that this object was most probably either quilted shot from the Revolutionary War or canister grapeshot from the Civil War. I would be extremely interested to know the source of this picture.
But, for all intents and purposes of this module exercise, I will continue to assume, as the module title infers, this is a musket ball of underdetermined origin and date.
However, as a military historian, I am a bit confused by this picture and its title description. While it is more accurate to measure shot by caliper (or weight), this appears to be measured by a tape type ruler. According to this ruler, the diameter of the object is approximately one and one half inches. As such, it could not be a musket ball. Musket ball calibers during the Revolutionary War ranged from .39 to .80 inches and during the American Civil War, due to the use of the Minie ball, the average round musket ball was .69 inches. At 1.50 inches, this ball is too large for a musket ball. Also, there appears to be no sprues or mold seams which makes me think the ball is more iron than lead, especially since the patina looks to be darker rather than the lighter gray found on lead balls. To the best of my knowledge, I would determine that this object was most probably either quilted shot from the Revolutionary War or canister grapeshot from the Civil War. I would be extremely interested to know the source of this picture.
But, for all intents and purposes of this module exercise, I will continue to assume, as the module title infers, this is a musket ball of underdetermined origin and date.
Question 2:
This object can be connected to such broad themes in American history as "The Artillery and Weaponry of the 17th, 18th, and mid-19th Centuries America;" "The Minie ball vs. the musket ball;" "The Use of Rifled Bullets vs. Smoothbore and Round Shot;" "The Evolution of American Weaponry and ammunition from Colonial Era to the Present;" and of course, the themes of the Revolutionary and Civil War themselves. If this in is, in fact, quilted or canister shot, it could also be broadened into using the theme of the history of heavy artillery throughout American history.
Expanding the theme even further, it could include the "History of Battlefield Medicine," especially during the Civil War Era.
Expanding the theme even further, it could include the "History of Battlefield Medicine," especially during the Civil War Era.
Redirect: /content/musket-ball-resources
Module Id: 955
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 21, 2021 - 15:26
Question 1:
This object appears to be an old and worn envelope that is postmarked Richmond, VA. It is difficult to read the date: the month is obscured, but the day is clearly the 7th, and the year looks to be 1861. It is hand addressed to E. E. Alexander, Esq. , P.M. Pickens C.H., S. C. The envelope's sender is the Confederate States of America Post Office Department, Auditor's Office. In the top left corner, it is printed, "Free--Official Business." The hand written name is A. Moise, Jr. Actg, then printed Auditor.
This envelope appears to be one of the US postal service's "Official Business" envelopes that former US postal department employees did not return to Washington as required. Instead, they turned them over to the Confederate government who had them embossed with "Confederate States of America" in Old English lettering in the top right corner. This would date this letter after June 1, 1861, the date the CSA postal system began. A. Moise, Jr. was, in fact, a postal auditor for the Confederacy (as was his father, Aaron Moise) and most probably was conducting a required postal revenue audit. More than likely, E. E. Alexander was the Postmaster of Pickens Court House, South Carolina.
This envelope appears to be one of the US postal service's "Official Business" envelopes that former US postal department employees did not return to Washington as required. Instead, they turned them over to the Confederate government who had them embossed with "Confederate States of America" in Old English lettering in the top right corner. This would date this letter after June 1, 1861, the date the CSA postal system began. A. Moise, Jr. was, in fact, a postal auditor for the Confederacy (as was his father, Aaron Moise) and most probably was conducting a required postal revenue audit. More than likely, E. E. Alexander was the Postmaster of Pickens Court House, South Carolina.
Question 2:
The most obvious theme in my mind would be the establishment of the Confederate Postal System. However, taking it broader, it could include the establishment of the Confederate government and its functions. Broader still, the object could be used to discuss South Carolina as the first secession state; the secession of the southern states; Ft. Sumter, South Carolina; and the Civil War itself. In the broadest sense: South Carolina's Declaration of Secession dated December 20, 1860, declared the issues of slavery to be their primary reason for leaving the Union. Therefore, this object could also be used to lead into many slavery related issues.
Redirect: /content/mail-resources
Module Id: 1021
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Thursday, July 22, 2021 - 21:42
Question 1:
I believe that my initial hypothesis of what constitutes historical thinking is accurate and needs no revision. However, in viewing the instructional material presented, it occurred to me that another detail could be inserted: the examination and exploration of secondary sources that are more current than the event itself and that incorporates an analysis based on the author's research and subsequent knowledge or events. Secondary sources that are written many years, decades, or even centuries after an occurrence can shed particular understanding of an event that could not be illuminated at or near its occurrence as insightfully as when it is contemplated at a distance. However, I must stress that no matter when an event is analyzed it cannot be tainted with bias that emits from future cultural, social, or political mores.
Question 2:
One item that I can add to my initial hypothesis that was gleaned from the instructional material is that an object can add clarity to a student's perception of a historical event or person. Students that are avid learners or interested in a particular subject may have already made inchoate assumptions about an event or person. Further, these assumptions may or may not be accurate or complete. However, adding objects, such as the advertisement placed by Thomas Jefferson for the return of his runaway slave or the slave-related articles found at Monticello, may either augment or revise their vision of one of America's founding fathers and the ostensibly contradictory words he wrote in the Declaration of Independence.
Redirect: /content/connections-essay-historical-thinking
Module Id: 689
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Tuesday, July 6, 2021 - 15:39
Question 1:
Although I still believe that this record could be used in several of the manners I described in my original response, I am pleasantly surprised that my broadest interpretation was on the mark. I have studied the use of propaganda in music, films, and various forms of the media from the pre-Revolutionary Era to the end of the Cold War, and found that, while unfamiliar with the lyrics of this song, I can surmise from its title and the time period I believed it was from, as being indicative of the tools used to attempt to convince, in this case, "native Americans" to accept the new immigrants as "Americans" and not to classify them as another race. From the research materials provided, especially the transcript of "Young America," I can establish a factual basis for my hypothesis.
The one revision that I would make to my hypothesis would be that while it could be used as a propaganda tool for assimilation of the southern and eastern Europeans, it could also be an example of the continued discrimination that existed (and not attempted to be changed) of the Asian and African-American communities in the early twentieth century.
The one revision that I would make to my hypothesis would be that while it could be used as a propaganda tool for assimilation of the southern and eastern Europeans, it could also be an example of the continued discrimination that existed (and not attempted to be changed) of the Asian and African-American communities in the early twentieth century.
Question 2:
The first resource that comes to mind is an excellent DVD series done by PBS entitled, "Faces of America." Another resource is the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island website. For a virtual experience, a resource could be a virtual tour of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York City which gives an "inside view" of immigrants that came to the city. Further, the internet can be searched for pictures of artifacts immigrants brought with them to America which could generate discussions on why those few items were so important as to be retained and what, if the students had to give up everything to move to another country, would they themselves bring with them. Other websites could be searched out that would inspire discussion on why immigrants from particular countries came to America, and where these immigrants migrated within the United States after their arrival at a port of entry.
Redirect: /content/record-connections-essay
Module Id: 1128
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 - 18:34
Question 1:
Propaganda is most probably the biggest and most effective instrument used by any government to sway or create public opinion, either positively or negatively, on any event, policy, or action taken by that government for its own purposes or designed against another nation to either support or condemn its actions or policies. Never before, in my opinion, was this tool utilized as aggressively and comprehensively as it was during the Post World War II and Cold War Eras in American and World history. Both the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as the world's only superpowers after the war. While they both possessed strong economic and military systems, their political and economic ideology, along with their visions for global dominance were contradictory and discordant. Cognizant of the principle of Mutually Assured Destruction, both nations hesitated to use their military might to win the battle of Capitalism/Democracy versus Communism and instead relied upon propaganda techniques in their diplomacy to demonstrate to their own people and the world that their political and economic ideology was superior. This approach to creating world dominance by the spread of their own ideology was evidenced in most of the research tools presented during this module. From the Soviet and American positions during and after World War II, the creation of the Iron Curtain, the implementation of the Marshall Plan, the development of luxury goods, and even the debate over the role of women in society and industry, both superpowers fought their cold war in every economic, cultural, and political battlefield imagined--even outer space.
As a result of my review of the research materials presented, I think that in addition to the teaching themes I suggested, other topics could be explored such as: the intrinsic differences between capitalist and communist economic systems and democratic and communist political systems and why one cannot coexist within the other.
As a result of my review of the research materials presented, I think that in addition to the teaching themes I suggested, other topics could be explored such as: the intrinsic differences between capitalist and communist economic systems and democratic and communist political systems and why one cannot coexist within the other.
Question 2:
I think that the resource materials presented in this module complimented and supported my prior knowledge of the Cold War. During my graduate studies in military history, the Cold War Era was a prominent area of analysis; therefore, I possess extensive knowledge of that period in American history. However, the materials were enjoyable, informative, and served to remind me of how onerous and volatile that almost forty-five years were. The material also gave me pause to contemplate the lasting outcomes and consequences those events had and will still have on the future social, cultural, economic, and political developments our nation and the global community experiences.
Redirect: /content/dishwasher-connections-essay
Module Id: 1093
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Friday, July 9, 2021 - 17:15
Question 1:
While all of the resources provided in this Module point to many of the themes in the vein of what I had suggested in the first part of my hypothesis: "The Development and Use of Vaccines in America "The Effects of a Viral Epidemic on American History"; or "How a Mass Vaccination Program can Virtually Eradicate a Deadly, Contagious Disease," I do not think that they are the only or even the best themes that this object could represent.
I believe that this may be a missed opportunity to educate our students (especially high school students) on the reality of the relationship between the Pre-Revolution North American colonies and post-Revolution America with the Native American tribes. Although it has become very popular to make our children culturally and socially aware of the injustices and discrimination perpetrated against the various groups of immigrant peoples who involuntarily and voluntarily came to our nation, very little has been done to mitigate or dispel the myths and legends these children have come to believe about the indigenous populations. While we appropriately seek to educate the oppressive and brutal of the past perpetrated upon the African-Americans and now, even endeavor to shed light on the harsh realities of the Asian immigrant, we fail to adequately address the extremely brutal treatment of the American Indian. Most children by high school age are only aware of the "Thanksgiving Story," "John Smith and Pocahontas," and stories of the "Wild West." Most of their images and ideas come from Hollywood westerns and Disney fantasies. Little attention has been paid to the hard reality of what it took to actualize the ideology of "Manifest Destiny." It is important to note that while most every non-WASP immigrant group that came to this country, either voluntarily or involuntarily, suffered various degrees of repression, brutality, discrimination, and outright racism, no other other group of peoples were a direct target of a nationwide program of genocide. Ethnohistorian Henry Dobyns, in his 1966 paper, "Estimating Aboriginal American Population" placed the pre-contact population of these peoples at between 9.8 and 12.2 million. Prior to the passage of the Dawes Act in 1887, Demographic Historians, J. David Hacker and Michael R. Haines estimated that 85% of the indigenous population had been eradicated by that time and that the race was doomed for extinction.
Further, in todays very unkind national and worldwide environment, it is also a disservice to our children not to enlighten them about the brutalities and inhumanities perpetrated upon the peoples of the world (and this country) in the name of war, religion, equity, and political achievement. Many of these actions are carried out using some sort of biologic. With more and more attention and research being conducted by worldwide governments, underworld figures, and bio-terrorists, students need to be aware of and taught to critically think about options for the future for themselves and subsequent generations.
I believe that this may be a missed opportunity to educate our students (especially high school students) on the reality of the relationship between the Pre-Revolution North American colonies and post-Revolution America with the Native American tribes. Although it has become very popular to make our children culturally and socially aware of the injustices and discrimination perpetrated against the various groups of immigrant peoples who involuntarily and voluntarily came to our nation, very little has been done to mitigate or dispel the myths and legends these children have come to believe about the indigenous populations. While we appropriately seek to educate the oppressive and brutal of the past perpetrated upon the African-Americans and now, even endeavor to shed light on the harsh realities of the Asian immigrant, we fail to adequately address the extremely brutal treatment of the American Indian. Most children by high school age are only aware of the "Thanksgiving Story," "John Smith and Pocahontas," and stories of the "Wild West." Most of their images and ideas come from Hollywood westerns and Disney fantasies. Little attention has been paid to the hard reality of what it took to actualize the ideology of "Manifest Destiny." It is important to note that while most every non-WASP immigrant group that came to this country, either voluntarily or involuntarily, suffered various degrees of repression, brutality, discrimination, and outright racism, no other other group of peoples were a direct target of a nationwide program of genocide. Ethnohistorian Henry Dobyns, in his 1966 paper, "Estimating Aboriginal American Population" placed the pre-contact population of these peoples at between 9.8 and 12.2 million. Prior to the passage of the Dawes Act in 1887, Demographic Historians, J. David Hacker and Michael R. Haines estimated that 85% of the indigenous population had been eradicated by that time and that the race was doomed for extinction.
Further, in todays very unkind national and worldwide environment, it is also a disservice to our children not to enlighten them about the brutalities and inhumanities perpetrated upon the peoples of the world (and this country) in the name of war, religion, equity, and political achievement. Many of these actions are carried out using some sort of biologic. With more and more attention and research being conducted by worldwide governments, underworld figures, and bio-terrorists, students need to be aware of and taught to critically think about options for the future for themselves and subsequent generations.
Question 2:
One of the largest drawbacks of using any type of single-model theory or lens to explain or understand history is a disadvantage to say the least, and at the most, dangerous and misleading. While simply analyzing the mortality rate of a disease during a particular period in time and plotting it against cherry-picked historic events may paint a picture that provides evidence for a researcher's or historian's thesis, it does not elucidate the entirety of that disease, the time period, or the events. Disease as a singular lens in which to view and understand history should not be contemplated without researching and incorporating other approaches such as geographic, school of thought, environmental, ethno-demographic, subaltern, and even economic histories. It is only then, by evaluating the disease related thesis and scientific and/or medical histories against the backdrop of these other schools can a historian realize clarity upon this topic.
Redirect: /content/connections-essay-smallpox
Module Id: 954
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Sunday, July 11, 2021 - 11:35
Question 1:
Aside from fashion-related themes and the 1911 shirtwaist factory fire and subsequent occupational safety reforms, this object can be used to study the Progressive Era Women's Rights and Suffrage Movement, as well as the inception and work of labor unions to institute change in working conditions and standards for all American workers.
Although the fire and its subsequent investigation was the sentinel event that spearheaded public outrage over the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory's labor and environmental conditions, the factory had been since 1909, the target of working condition complaints lodged by the Ladies International Garment Workers' Union and the American Federation of Labor. In the fall of that year, a joint convention was held that inspired more than twenty thousand workers from about five hundred factories in New York to walk off the job in an organized strike that would continue until demands regarding working hours, wages, and safer working conditions were agreed to by the factory owners. Although a portion of the offending factories capitulated almost immediately, the owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory refused the demands, and, instead, organized an owners' or manufacturers' union to fight against them. Shortly after this event, feminists Alva Belmont and Anne Morgan and their suffrage groups added to the fray by expanding the plight of women's labor unions into a women's rights issue, which brought the New York City labor issue into an expanded public eye. With this added publicity and resulting negative public opinion, many of the garment factories caved into the demands for improvements. However, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory owners remained staunchly against any changes, and eventually forced their workers to end their strike without any gains. After the fire, it was these same women's suffrage groups that pushed for an investigation of the company and lobbied political and public support for the eventual sweeping reforms that were enacted.
Although the fire and its subsequent investigation was the sentinel event that spearheaded public outrage over the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory's labor and environmental conditions, the factory had been since 1909, the target of working condition complaints lodged by the Ladies International Garment Workers' Union and the American Federation of Labor. In the fall of that year, a joint convention was held that inspired more than twenty thousand workers from about five hundred factories in New York to walk off the job in an organized strike that would continue until demands regarding working hours, wages, and safer working conditions were agreed to by the factory owners. Although a portion of the offending factories capitulated almost immediately, the owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory refused the demands, and, instead, organized an owners' or manufacturers' union to fight against them. Shortly after this event, feminists Alva Belmont and Anne Morgan and their suffrage groups added to the fray by expanding the plight of women's labor unions into a women's rights issue, which brought the New York City labor issue into an expanded public eye. With this added publicity and resulting negative public opinion, many of the garment factories caved into the demands for improvements. However, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory owners remained staunchly against any changes, and eventually forced their workers to end their strike without any gains. After the fire, it was these same women's suffrage groups that pushed for an investigation of the company and lobbied political and public support for the eventual sweeping reforms that were enacted.
Question 2:
Other questions or concerns that might be raised concerning labor safety, not addressed in this Module, could be the discriminatory working practices that were imposed against the African-Americans, Native Americans, and immigrant groups, specifically those from southern and eastern Europe, as well as Asia. For example, questions could be raised concerning the railroad industry and the unregulated and dangerous working conditions of the Japanese and Irish laborers or the Italian mine and factory workers. Additionally, questions could be posed about the proliferation of dangerous jobs performed by children, especially those of immigrant children, in many of the early 20th century industries.
Redirect: /content/shirtwaist-connections-essay
Module Id: 950
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 - 14:42
Question 1:
The transistor developed by Bell Laboratories in 1947, is said to be the most important invention of the 20th century. Prior to its invention, vacuum tubes were used to conduct electricity. although an innovation in itself, these tubes proved to be bulky and needed to be replaced on a regular basis. Transistors, however, were small and rarely burned out. Over the coming decades, transistors were able to be made smaller and smaller, requiring less space and more efficiency.
Broad themes that could be connected to these transistors, other than those mentioned in my first hypothesis, could be a study of the first computer, made in 1946, that was powered by nearly 17,500 vacuum tubes. While this computer was an electronic marvel, it weighed more than 50,000 lbs and took up an entire building. A theme could be to follow the evolution of the computer from ENIAC to the current models. Another theme could be a discussion of Gordon Moore's law, who predicted that the number of components on an intergraded circuit would double every year masking electronic equipment that was faster, more reliable, and less expensive.
Broad themes that could be connected to these transistors, other than those mentioned in my first hypothesis, could be a study of the first computer, made in 1946, that was powered by nearly 17,500 vacuum tubes. While this computer was an electronic marvel, it weighed more than 50,000 lbs and took up an entire building. A theme could be to follow the evolution of the computer from ENIAC to the current models. Another theme could be a discussion of Gordon Moore's law, who predicted that the number of components on an intergraded circuit would double every year masking electronic equipment that was faster, more reliable, and less expensive.
Question 2:
The first question I would ask students is, "What is the purpose of a patent? What does it protect?" Many people believe that a patent protects the idea of a thing, whereas, in reality, it only protects the particular design of the thing and not the innovation itself. Other questions could be asked such as, "What is the particular object in the patent?" "Is it a new idea or an improvement on an existing invention?" "What is the purpose of the object?" "When was it patented?" "What did it mean to replace or do?" "How has that object changed over time?" "How has that object made life easier or different in the future?" "What elements are contained in the patent?" "Why should someone get a patent?" and "How has this patent effected American history during the 20th/21st century?" This list of questions could go on and on and be driven by the students' responses to previous questions.
Redirect: /content/transistor-connections-essay
Module Id: 1146
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Sunday, July 18, 2021 - 09:29
Question 1:
Before I answer the question, I would like to address my Question 1 Hypothesis response. On the resources page, there is a citation for the musket ball picture. When I click on the link it tells me the page is "Resource not found." Also, accessing the U. S. National Park Service Digital Library, I still cannot locate the source picture. Neither does a google image search reveal the original source document. C'est la vie. Therefore, I will, for my rethink response, just think of the object as a circa Revolutionary War musket ball.
While I still do think that many of my broader themes are relevant, I also think that the inclusion of military drill and line formations, along with battlefield tactics as a result of the weaponry of the Revolutionary Era would be an excellent additional theme. As the resources document, Colonial/Revolutionary War Era weaponry was cumbersome and difficult to load (most soldiers were expected to complete two to three volleys a minute) and it took much training to accomplish. Additionally, there were issues of wet or damp flint, loading position of the muzzle loader, and the battlefield conditions. While it is not uncommon that guerilla tactics were used during the war, a line formation was the strategy of choice for both the Continental and British Armies. This had a dual purpose: It allowed the lines to shoot and fall back to reload; and it helped to compensate for the inaccuracy of the muskets by providing a volume of shot which was more effective against oncoming line or cavalry shot.
To go a little further, a theme could also be used that would explore Battlefield tactics and strategies of the Colonial/Revolutionary Era versus those of modern warfare.
While I still do think that many of my broader themes are relevant, I also think that the inclusion of military drill and line formations, along with battlefield tactics as a result of the weaponry of the Revolutionary Era would be an excellent additional theme. As the resources document, Colonial/Revolutionary War Era weaponry was cumbersome and difficult to load (most soldiers were expected to complete two to three volleys a minute) and it took much training to accomplish. Additionally, there were issues of wet or damp flint, loading position of the muzzle loader, and the battlefield conditions. While it is not uncommon that guerilla tactics were used during the war, a line formation was the strategy of choice for both the Continental and British Armies. This had a dual purpose: It allowed the lines to shoot and fall back to reload; and it helped to compensate for the inaccuracy of the muskets by providing a volume of shot which was more effective against oncoming line or cavalry shot.
To go a little further, a theme could also be used that would explore Battlefield tactics and strategies of the Colonial/Revolutionary Era versus those of modern warfare.
Question 2:
Some excellent resources can be found at the Museum of the American Revolution website: hhtps://www.amrevmuseum.org/learn-and-explore which contains virtual tours of the museum, as well as, virtual exhibits, interactive features, virtual tours, videos, documents, and classroom resources and guides for students and teachers.
Another source is the Library of Congress website at https://loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/american-revolution-1763-1783 which contains a broad range of 18th century documentation on this topic.
Another source is the Library of Congress website at https://loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/american-revolution-1763-1783 which contains a broad range of 18th century documentation on this topic.
Redirect: /content/musket-ball-connections-essay
Module Id: 955
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 21, 2021 - 16:29
Question 1:
After reviewing the research provided in this module, it seems that this Civil War Era envelope could be used for several broad themes I listed in my hypothesis. As it is a Confederate postal service envelope, it could be used to discuss the CSA postal system, and the CSA's governmental functions in general. Also, since the letter is addressed to a South Carolinian address, it could also be used to discuss Southern secession, the events and significance of Ft. Sumter, and the Civil War itself. Further, since the address is South Carolina, this object could be used to discuss the Southern economy and the large rice, cotton, and tobacco plantations of the South, leading into the issues of African slavery and abolitionism in both the Antebellum and Civil War years.
Question 2:
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the resources in this module regarding this issue, as an American Military, American Revolution, and Civil War historian, most of the resources and/or the material presented was not new to me. However, if I viewed the resources through a teaching lens, the material is quite good. While the issues of slavery is discussed at different points throughout elementary and secondary education, the fact that the slave trade and the use of slaves were fully entrenched long before the Antebellum years (and in many parts of the world) is not made as clear. However, the resources presented comprehensibly demonstrates this concept. Further, the materials also made apparent that slavery, while a contradiction to our constitution, was such a controversial issue at the conventions that to attempt to resolve it completely then, most likely, would have resulted in the formation of two separate nations instead of one United States. Therefore, I think that by reviewing the resources in this module, someone would develop a more enhanced understanding of the events.
However, again using my scholarly experience in this topic, it is my opinion that there were some essential materials left out of the module that would serve to present a more rounded view of the events. First, most students are left with the idea that the Northern states were strictly Anti-Abolitionists and the Southern States were strictly Pro-Slavery. This was not altogether true. Untaught to our students is that while much of the Anti-Abolitionist sentiment existed in the Union, nine of those states still owned approximately 450,000 slaves at the time of the 1860 census. This was in many cases due to a gradual plan of emancipation that was driven more by the changing economics of the region than Anti-Abolitionist ideology. Second, while much of the Southern states were Pro-Slavery, that again was economically driven. While the Northern States depended upon industry to fuel its economy, the Southern states were primarily agricultural. Their cash crops such as rice, tobacco, and cotton were very labor intensive and the plantation system established to grow these economic crops could not be converted to the same labor management systems the North employed in their industries overnight (or even in the short term). In the Antebellum years, compromises were the primary solution to these sectional issues; however, as more states began to join the United States and the face of the political parties began to change, compromises were less and less successful. Finally, these issues became unresolvable.
While I don't think elementary and secondary school students need to have college-level depth of understanding on the slavery or Civil War issues in America, it is important that it not be presented as an exclusive Northern Abolitionist versus Southern Pro-Slavery, white versus black, racial driven issue. The pendulum that has driven racism since the end of the Civil War has swung too deeply in either direction over the past 156 years and instead of creating a color blind cohesive nation, it has fueled just the opposite. Issues of racism, I believe, cannot be resolved attempting to correct the injustices of the past during a future time. Instead, Americans must recognize that black, white, yellow, red, or any mix in between are fellow Americans. As such they are all equal under the constitution, under the skin, and in God's eyes. For the injustices of the past to be resolved, we must leave the past in the past and move forward toward a future when skin color is no more important or relevant than eye or hair color.
However, again using my scholarly experience in this topic, it is my opinion that there were some essential materials left out of the module that would serve to present a more rounded view of the events. First, most students are left with the idea that the Northern states were strictly Anti-Abolitionists and the Southern States were strictly Pro-Slavery. This was not altogether true. Untaught to our students is that while much of the Anti-Abolitionist sentiment existed in the Union, nine of those states still owned approximately 450,000 slaves at the time of the 1860 census. This was in many cases due to a gradual plan of emancipation that was driven more by the changing economics of the region than Anti-Abolitionist ideology. Second, while much of the Southern states were Pro-Slavery, that again was economically driven. While the Northern States depended upon industry to fuel its economy, the Southern states were primarily agricultural. Their cash crops such as rice, tobacco, and cotton were very labor intensive and the plantation system established to grow these economic crops could not be converted to the same labor management systems the North employed in their industries overnight (or even in the short term). In the Antebellum years, compromises were the primary solution to these sectional issues; however, as more states began to join the United States and the face of the political parties began to change, compromises were less and less successful. Finally, these issues became unresolvable.
While I don't think elementary and secondary school students need to have college-level depth of understanding on the slavery or Civil War issues in America, it is important that it not be presented as an exclusive Northern Abolitionist versus Southern Pro-Slavery, white versus black, racial driven issue. The pendulum that has driven racism since the end of the Civil War has swung too deeply in either direction over the past 156 years and instead of creating a color blind cohesive nation, it has fueled just the opposite. Issues of racism, I believe, cannot be resolved attempting to correct the injustices of the past during a future time. Instead, Americans must recognize that black, white, yellow, red, or any mix in between are fellow Americans. As such they are all equal under the constitution, under the skin, and in God's eyes. For the injustices of the past to be resolved, we must leave the past in the past and move forward toward a future when skin color is no more important or relevant than eye or hair color.
Redirect: /content/mail-connections-essay
Module Id: 1021
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Friday, July 23, 2021 - 17:15
Title: SPED Paraprofessional History Department
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Activity: Virtual Tour of Smithsonian Institution National History Museum
Topic: Paleolithic Era to the Agricultural Revolution
Students could be taken on a virtual tour of the museum and each of the Paleolithic Era/Agricultural Revolution exhibits could be examined individually by each student and as a class. items in the exhibit can be analyzed by asking students thought provoking questions that would be designed to lead the class into connecting related material previously provided through lectures/readings to the objects they are viewing. Discussions could also be encouraged to stimulate ideas about how the object may have been made, by whom, and for what purpose. Further, students could be challenged to connect the object to something that similarly exists today, and possibly theorize about the object's evolution from the Paleolithic/Agricultural Revolution Era model to its present form.
Topic: Paleolithic Era to the Agricultural Revolution
Students could be taken on a virtual tour of the museum and each of the Paleolithic Era/Agricultural Revolution exhibits could be examined individually by each student and as a class. items in the exhibit can be analyzed by asking students thought provoking questions that would be designed to lead the class into connecting related material previously provided through lectures/readings to the objects they are viewing. Discussions could also be encouraged to stimulate ideas about how the object may have been made, by whom, and for what purpose. Further, students could be challenged to connect the object to something that similarly exists today, and possibly theorize about the object's evolution from the Paleolithic/Agricultural Revolution Era model to its present form.
Redirect: /content/analyzing-objects-wrap
Module Id: 689
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 - 09:58
Title: Paleolithic Era to the Agricultural Revolution
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Activity: Virtual Tour of Smithsonian Institution National History Museum
Topic: Paleolithic Era to the Agricultural Revolution
Students could be taken on a virtual tour of the museum and each of the Paleolithic Era/Agricultural Revolution exhibits could be examined individually by each student and as a class. items in the exhibit can be analyzed by asking students thought provoking questions that would be designed to lead the class into connecting related material previously provided through lectures/readings to the objects they are viewing. Discussions could also be encouraged to stimulate ideas about how the object may have been made, by whom, and for what purpose. Further, students could be challenged to connect the object to something that similarly exists today, and possibly theorize about the object's evolution from the Paleolithic/Agricultural Revolution Era model to its present form.
Topic: Paleolithic Era to the Agricultural Revolution
Students could be taken on a virtual tour of the museum and each of the Paleolithic Era/Agricultural Revolution exhibits could be examined individually by each student and as a class. items in the exhibit can be analyzed by asking students thought provoking questions that would be designed to lead the class into connecting related material previously provided through lectures/readings to the objects they are viewing. Discussions could also be encouraged to stimulate ideas about how the object may have been made, by whom, and for what purpose. Further, students could be challenged to connect the object to something that similarly exists today, and possibly theorize about the object's evolution from the Paleolithic/Agricultural Revolution Era model to its present form.
Redirect: /content/analyzing-objects-wrap
Module Id: 689
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 - 10:00
Title: Immigration
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Activity: Identifying cultural assimilation in today's America
Topic: Immigration
Students can utilize both personal experience and the internet to locate examples of cultural assimilation that can be found in today's America as a result of immigration. Students can first be shown an item on the internet, such as a common food item like pizza. Questions designed to elicit discussions of what immigrant culture is associated with the item can also be supplemented with student internet searches to trace the history of the item and the evolution of its acculturation. Other examples of enculturation might be word adoption into the English language, clothing styles, music, art, dance, and any number of other things that the students may discover. This could also lead to a discussion on what it means to be an "American," and at what point do they consider an immigrant no longer an immigrant, but "American." A challenge to the students could be to discuss the current treatment of immigrants and if they think immigration should be controlled and why.
Topic: Immigration
Students can utilize both personal experience and the internet to locate examples of cultural assimilation that can be found in today's America as a result of immigration. Students can first be shown an item on the internet, such as a common food item like pizza. Questions designed to elicit discussions of what immigrant culture is associated with the item can also be supplemented with student internet searches to trace the history of the item and the evolution of its acculturation. Other examples of enculturation might be word adoption into the English language, clothing styles, music, art, dance, and any number of other things that the students may discover. This could also lead to a discussion on what it means to be an "American," and at what point do they consider an immigrant no longer an immigrant, but "American." A challenge to the students could be to discuss the current treatment of immigrants and if they think immigration should be controlled and why.
Redirect: /content/record-wrap
Module Id: 1128
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 - 19:08
Title: The Innocuous Dishwasher
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Activity: Understanding Diplomatic Tactics in a Effort to Forestall Military Action
Topic: The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union
Students could be shown a picture of a 1950's era modern kitchen, complete with its then technologically advanced, work-saving complement of appliances that were said to be found in the "average" American household. Questions could be asked of the students that would lead them into a discussion of how they thought these objects related to the classroom lectures and readings about the Cold War and the United States' Policy of Containment. They could then be shown a video of the Kitchen Debates between then Vice-President Richard M. Nixon and the Soviet First Secretary, Nikita Khrushchev held on July 24, 1959. Further discussions could be generated about how effective the students thought the debate was on changing the ideologies of either the Soviets or the Americans. Students could also contemplate and suggest other non-military methods that were used or could be used during the Cold War and at other times in American history to avoid a Hot War. As a challenge, students could be encouraged to think about and discuss how effective and important they think diplomatic tactics are to America's future relationships with other global nations and how it can be used today and in the future for war avoidance.
Topic: The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union
Students could be shown a picture of a 1950's era modern kitchen, complete with its then technologically advanced, work-saving complement of appliances that were said to be found in the "average" American household. Questions could be asked of the students that would lead them into a discussion of how they thought these objects related to the classroom lectures and readings about the Cold War and the United States' Policy of Containment. They could then be shown a video of the Kitchen Debates between then Vice-President Richard M. Nixon and the Soviet First Secretary, Nikita Khrushchev held on July 24, 1959. Further discussions could be generated about how effective the students thought the debate was on changing the ideologies of either the Soviets or the Americans. Students could also contemplate and suggest other non-military methods that were used or could be used during the Cold War and at other times in American history to avoid a Hot War. As a challenge, students could be encouraged to think about and discuss how effective and important they think diplomatic tactics are to America's future relationships with other global nations and how it can be used today and in the future for war avoidance.
Redirect: /content/dishwasher-wrap
Module Id: 1093
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Friday, July 9, 2021 - 17:38
Title: The Invisible Enemy
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Activity: Identifying how viruses and disease can effect current and future events of a nation.
Topic: Smallpox and other contagious and severe pathogens.
Students can be shown this object and various other contagious and severe pathogens and they could be asked how they think these objects relate to the lecture and material presented in the classroom with regard to a particular event in American history, such as the development of the Smallpox vaccine. Questions could be raised that would lead the students into a discussion of why it took from its introduction in 1796 until 1980 for the World Health Organization to declare the disease eradicated. This could also lead into the discussion of how a vaccine is discovered, the process necessary to produce it for human consumption, and the evolution of the disease and its immunity to achieve the stage of eradication. Comparisons to Smallpox could also be made to today's Covid-19 pandemic. Students could also be encouraged to identify events in history and our current time period that have or could have been affected by the presence of a nation or worldwide epidemic.
As a challenge, students could be asked to research biological pathogens on the internet to discover what uses could be found for these viruses. Discussions could be generated on their use in making pharmaceuticals to benefit other diseases and as military and subversive weaponry. Optimally, the discussion could evolve into the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention and Treaty and conversations about what future steps could be taken to protect the known pathogens and stop the development of other ones that could be used as biological weaponry.
Topic: Smallpox and other contagious and severe pathogens.
Students can be shown this object and various other contagious and severe pathogens and they could be asked how they think these objects relate to the lecture and material presented in the classroom with regard to a particular event in American history, such as the development of the Smallpox vaccine. Questions could be raised that would lead the students into a discussion of why it took from its introduction in 1796 until 1980 for the World Health Organization to declare the disease eradicated. This could also lead into the discussion of how a vaccine is discovered, the process necessary to produce it for human consumption, and the evolution of the disease and its immunity to achieve the stage of eradication. Comparisons to Smallpox could also be made to today's Covid-19 pandemic. Students could also be encouraged to identify events in history and our current time period that have or could have been affected by the presence of a nation or worldwide epidemic.
As a challenge, students could be asked to research biological pathogens on the internet to discover what uses could be found for these viruses. Discussions could be generated on their use in making pharmaceuticals to benefit other diseases and as military and subversive weaponry. Optimally, the discussion could evolve into the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention and Treaty and conversations about what future steps could be taken to protect the known pathogens and stop the development of other ones that could be used as biological weaponry.
Redirect: /content/smallpox-wrap
Module Id: 954
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Sunday, July 11, 2021 - 12:05
Title: History and Clothing
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Activity: Using era-specific clothing and personal appearances to make assumptions about historical events and people.
Topic: Historical thinking
Students could be shown various photographs of historic events that depict people that participated in or were involved in a particular event(s) that are connected to classroom lectures or reading materials. Questions could be asked of the students that would center upon the manner of dress worn by the people in the pictures and what assumptions about that person could be drawn by it. The photographs could also be associated with a certain written account or statement about the event and how the assumptions made based on the individual's or group of people's clothing and appearance may have affected their opinions or involvement in the event. For example: A picture of a well-dressed, well-groomed man may be assumed to be part of the Upper or Industrial class. A statement he made about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire or working conditions in a garment factory might be widely different than that of a shirt-waisted clad, but tattered looking woman who could be assumed by her dress and appearance to be sympathetic to the garment workers' union. Students could also be encouraged to think about other clothing in pictures, such a military or police uniforms, and medical dress (such as a white coat) and how it may lend authority to information that is presented. A challenge for the students could be to think about the statement by Mark Twain, "Clothes make the man." Discussions could be generated about what that statement means and how the news, the media, and/or society capitalizes on this to spark either positive or negative public opinions about an issue. Further, students could be encouraged to critically think about its usage as subtle persuasion and discover alternative methods to use instead to arrive at their own conclusions and opinions.
Topic: Historical thinking
Students could be shown various photographs of historic events that depict people that participated in or were involved in a particular event(s) that are connected to classroom lectures or reading materials. Questions could be asked of the students that would center upon the manner of dress worn by the people in the pictures and what assumptions about that person could be drawn by it. The photographs could also be associated with a certain written account or statement about the event and how the assumptions made based on the individual's or group of people's clothing and appearance may have affected their opinions or involvement in the event. For example: A picture of a well-dressed, well-groomed man may be assumed to be part of the Upper or Industrial class. A statement he made about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire or working conditions in a garment factory might be widely different than that of a shirt-waisted clad, but tattered looking woman who could be assumed by her dress and appearance to be sympathetic to the garment workers' union. Students could also be encouraged to think about other clothing in pictures, such a military or police uniforms, and medical dress (such as a white coat) and how it may lend authority to information that is presented. A challenge for the students could be to think about the statement by Mark Twain, "Clothes make the man." Discussions could be generated about what that statement means and how the news, the media, and/or society capitalizes on this to spark either positive or negative public opinions about an issue. Further, students could be encouraged to critically think about its usage as subtle persuasion and discover alternative methods to use instead to arrive at their own conclusions and opinions.
Redirect: /content/shirtwaist-wrap
Module Id: 950
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 - 15:50
Title: A Big Future for a Tiny Object
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Students could be shown pictures of various sizes and types of vacuum tubes, along with pictures of the first computers, telephones, radios, and other electronic devices that were tube oriented. They could then be shown pictures of various vintages of the transistor from its inception to the present day models, along with the current models of the objects shown already in the exercise. Questions could be asked that could generate a discussion on what the vacuum tubes and transistors were and how they related to the objects shown. Discussions could be encouraged that could trace the development of the computer, telephone, and radio (or other electronic devices) and how the continued refinement of the transistor made the current and future generations of those objects possible. Students could also be asked to think of other objects or areas (such as space travel) that were made possible by transistors. Further, they could be asked how and what American history would have been changed if transistors were never invented. As a challenge, students could be encourage to discuss Gordon Moore's law and if they believe it to be still valid. Students could then be asked, based on their belief in the law's current validity, to contemplate what future evolutions of computers, phones, and other common electronic devices might look like and what other applications could they imagine developing, as a result, in the future.
Redirect: /content/transistor-wrap
Module Id: 1146
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 21, 2021 - 13:25
Title: From the Brown Bess to the Barrett MRAD
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Topic: Weapons and Ammunition from the Colonial/Revolutionary Era to the present
Students could be shown pictures of small arms that have been used by the American military from the Colonial/Revolutionary Era to the present. Questions could be posed to lead students into a discussion of the combat effectiveness of each weapon and its lethality. Students could then be asked what they thought the purpose of developing these stratospherically enhanced weapons were and did they think their presence enhanced or detracted from a nation's diplomatic efforts. They could also be asked to compare the material previously presented to them in classroom lectures and readings regarding Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy of "talk softly and carry a big stick" to the conclusions they had just made. Discussions could also be generated to have each student think about whether they agree with this policy and if they think that it is relevant in today's foreign climate.
A challenge to the students could be to have them discuss the question: "Do they think that the expansion from its original 800 member standing army established in 1789 to the current 1.4 million member military of today has any bearing on America's future development of lethal military weapons?" "How does the development of these weapons fit into Eisenhower's January 17, 1961 Farewell Speech?"
Students could be shown pictures of small arms that have been used by the American military from the Colonial/Revolutionary Era to the present. Questions could be posed to lead students into a discussion of the combat effectiveness of each weapon and its lethality. Students could then be asked what they thought the purpose of developing these stratospherically enhanced weapons were and did they think their presence enhanced or detracted from a nation's diplomatic efforts. They could also be asked to compare the material previously presented to them in classroom lectures and readings regarding Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy of "talk softly and carry a big stick" to the conclusions they had just made. Discussions could also be generated to have each student think about whether they agree with this policy and if they think that it is relevant in today's foreign climate.
A challenge to the students could be to have them discuss the question: "Do they think that the expansion from its original 800 member standing army established in 1789 to the current 1.4 million member military of today has any bearing on America's future development of lethal military weapons?" "How does the development of these weapons fit into Eisenhower's January 17, 1961 Farewell Speech?"
Redirect: /content/musket-ball-wrap
Module Id: 955
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Wednesday, July 21, 2021 - 20:57
Title: Recognizing how Propaganda can Split a Nation
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Topic: How the use of propaganda by political or cultural factions can irrevocably split a nation.
Have students review Abolitionist materials disseminated throughout Northern and Southern America by the American Anti-Slavery Society during the early 19th century. Pose questions that could elicit discussion regarding the nature of the objects, their purpose, their target audience, and what is expected to be achieved by them. Develop the conversation to encourage students to share their personal feelings about the materials, and how the different American groups (Northerners and Southerners, white and black, free and slave) would perceive these materials and how these perceptions could be hardened into ideology. Finally, students could be asked to contemplate how incompatible ideologies could have, over time, resulted in a nation split enough to go to war with itself. As a challenge, students could be asked to give other examples of ideological groups that have used propaganda throughout the last century and how successful they believed that effort to be in changing the mindset of Americans. Additionally, students could be asked if they believed this method of persuasion was still in use in today's American society and how they believe it is transmitted to the masses. Further, critical thinking could be encouraged to determine if and how they believe ideological divergence could be resolved in America, both in today's cultural environment and that of the future's.
Have students review Abolitionist materials disseminated throughout Northern and Southern America by the American Anti-Slavery Society during the early 19th century. Pose questions that could elicit discussion regarding the nature of the objects, their purpose, their target audience, and what is expected to be achieved by them. Develop the conversation to encourage students to share their personal feelings about the materials, and how the different American groups (Northerners and Southerners, white and black, free and slave) would perceive these materials and how these perceptions could be hardened into ideology. Finally, students could be asked to contemplate how incompatible ideologies could have, over time, resulted in a nation split enough to go to war with itself. As a challenge, students could be asked to give other examples of ideological groups that have used propaganda throughout the last century and how successful they believed that effort to be in changing the mindset of Americans. Additionally, students could be asked if they believed this method of persuasion was still in use in today's American society and how they believe it is transmitted to the masses. Further, critical thinking could be encouraged to determine if and how they believe ideological divergence could be resolved in America, both in today's cultural environment and that of the future's.
Redirect: /content/mail-wrap
Module Id: 1021
User Id: 1497
Submitted: Friday, July 23, 2021 - 17:59