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Engage in your Civic responsibility: Respond to the Census!
Engage in your Civic responsibility: Respond to the Census!
History in the Making
History in the Making
Has your teacher taught you about primary sources? A primary source is a document from someone who lived during the time you're studying. They are important to historians because they show the views of people living during the moment -- they might not be factually accurate, because sometimes people in the moment don't have all the facts, but they are vital for understanding how people thought and felt during important historical moments.
We are living through an important historical moment.
We are living through an important historical moment.
Someday, historians will look back at this and say, "Wow, the whole country went to distance learning almost overnight. I wonder what students were thinking at that time?" They will want journal entries from students -- students like you. One way you can help the world of tomorrow is by keeping a journal today. It can be digital, for example, in a Google Doc, or it can be on paper, the "old fashioned way." But consider writing something every day that talks about what is happening that day, what you're seeing, doing, and most importantly, how you feel about it. Your words today could be the key piece for a historian of tomorrow.
Modern World History
Modern World History
World War II was fought between the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan, and the Allies, most significantly the Big Three of the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Russia.
Why did it happen?
Why did it happen?
World War II occurred because of the rise of nationalist totalitarian movements (fascism) in Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the fact that these movements believed in military expansion at the expense of surrounding nations. So the real question is, why did these movements come to power? Largely, that was due to two global issues: the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and the Great Depression.
Genocides and atrocities
Genocides and atrocities
In many ways, World War II could be considered the most horrible time in human history. The most infamous genocide of all time was Adolf Hitler's attempt to eliminate all Jewish people, known as the Holocaust. But Japan also engaged in atrocities, such as the Bataan Death March. Even the United States detained Japanese Americans in Internment Camps in an order that is still controversial today.
End of the War
End of the War
In the European theater, the war ended with a huge Allied push called D-Day. But in the Pacific theater, the war ended when the United States dropped nuclear bombs, first on Hiroshima, and three days later on Nagasaki. These two bombs remain the only nuclear weapons ever used in combat.
End of the War
End of the War
After the war, there was hope that the world would learn the lessons of two world wars and rebuild in a way that would prevent such global conflicts in the future. But tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States would lead to a new kind of conflict: the Cold War.
Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War is a difficult period for students today to understand. Here are two resources that attempt to provide the important context, one through time, and one through geography:
New Nations Emerge
New Nations Emerge
This unit explores the various national independence movements that emerged in Africa, Asia, and Latin America after the World Wars.
African Independence Movements
Indian National Congress
Southwest Asia after World War II
Human Rights and Globalization
Human Rights and Globalization
Probably the best way to understand globalization is through maps. This article explains the many ways that the "Connectography" map can be used, and this interactive animated globe shows how trade ties the world together.
The Modern World
The Modern World
International crises today are most often resolved through diplomacy and cooperation. Students can learn about this through the simulation Crisis of Nations
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