Contemporary - Accelerating Global Change & Realignments: Unit 6

UNIT 6 | CONTEMPORARY – ACCELERATING GLOBAL CHANGE & REALIGNMENTS
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UNIT 6 | OVERVIEW, UNIT OBJECTIVES, ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: How did conflict change and impact the 20th century?
What patterns have emerged through your study of history?
How have those patterns shaped the world we live in today?
How might they shape our future?
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a European-dominated global political order existed,
which also included the United States, Russia, and Japan. Over the course of the century, peoples
and states around the world challenged this order in ways that sought to redistribute power
within the existing order and to restructure empires, while those peoples and states in power
attempted to maintain the status quo. Other peoples and states sought to overturn the political
order itself. These challenges to, and the attempts to maintain, the political order manifested
themselves in an unprecedented level of conflict with high human casualties. In the context
of these conflicts, many regimes in both older and newer states struggled with maintaining
political stability and were challenged by internal and external factors, including ethnic and
religious conflicts, secessionist movements, territorial partitions, economic dependency, and the
legacies of colonialism. Rapid advances in science altered the understanding of the universe
and the natural world and led to the development of new technologies. These changes enabled
unprecedented population growth, which altered how humans interacted with the environment
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and threatened delicate ecological balances at local, regional, and global levels. This era witnessed
a great deal of warfare and the collapse of the global economy in the 1930s. In response to these
challenges, the role of state in the domestic economy fluctuated, and new institutions of global
governance emerged and continued to develop throughout the century. Scientific breakthroughs,
new technologies, increasing levels of integration, changing relationships between humans and
the environment, and the frequency of political conflict all contributed to global developments
in which people crafted new understandings of society, culture, and historical interpretations.
These new understandings often manifested themselves in, and were reinforced by, new
forms of cultural production. Institutions of global governance both shaped and adapted to these
social conditions.
TIMELINE: 1900 CE – Present
UNIT OBJECTIVES
• Describe and analyze various factors contributing to the outbreaks of World War I and World War II.
• Describe the effects of nationalism in the twentieth century,
and speculate about the place of nationalism in the twenty-first century.
• Explain the ideological basis of the Cold War and
describe the human and material cost of that forty-five-year struggle.
• Define globalization and explain how it functions.
• Analyze and describe globalization’s environmental impact.
• Compare how people in various parts of the world are responding to globalization
and analyze the reasons for their differing responses.
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UNIT 6 | CONTENT
1 LESSON 6.1 OUTLINE 51 LESSON 6.2 OUTLINE

4 Opening | EQ Notebook 53 Opening | EQ Notebook
6 Read | Schools of Thought: Causes of World War I 55 Watch | Crash Course World History #37 –
11 Watch | Crash Course World History #36 – Communists, Nationalists and China’s Revolution
Archdukes, Cynicism, and World War I 58 Read | China’s Cultural Revolution
14 Read | Battle of the Somme Accounts 66 Watch | Crash Course World History #40 –
24 Write | World War I Poetry Reflection Decolonization and Nationalism Triumphant
28 Watch | Crash Course World History #38 – 69 Read | India Partition
World War II 76 Watch | Crash Course World History #41 & #42 –
31 Activity | Propaganda and WWII Globalization
37 Watch | Crash Course World History #39 -– 79 Closing | Thought Bubble
The Cold War
40 Read | Analyzing the Cold War
50 Closing | EQ Notebook
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LESSON 6.1 | GLOBAL CONFLICTS AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES
LESSON 6.1.0 | OVERVIEW
UNIT ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How did conflict change and impact the 20th Century?
Europe dominated the global political order at the beginning of the twentieth century, but both land-based
and transoceanic empires gave way to new forms of transregional political organization by the
century’s end. World War I and World War II were the first “total wars.” Governments used ideologies,
including fascism, nationalism and communism, to mobilize all of their state’s resources, including
peoples, both in the home countries and the colonies or former colonies, for the purpose of waging
war. Governments also used a variety of strategies, including political speeches, art, media, and
intensified forms of nationalism, to mobilize these populations. The global balance of economic and
political power shifted after the end of World War II and rapidly evolved into the Cold War. The
United States and the Soviet Union emerged as superpowers, which led to ideological struggles
between capitalism and communism throughout the globe. The Cold War produced new military
alliances, including NATO and the Warsaw Pact, and promoted proxy wars in Latin America, Africa,
and Asia. The dissolution of the Soviet Union effectively ended the Cold War.
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LESSON 6.1.0 | OVERVIEW | Learning Outcomes, Vocabulary, & Outline
LEARNING OUTCOMES 5.1.5 | WRITE

World War I Poetry Reflection
• Describe and analyze various factors
contributing to the outbreaks of World War 5.1.6 | WATCH
I and World War II. Crash Course World History #38 –
World War II
• Describe the effects of nationalism in the
twentieth century, and speculate about 5.1.7 | ACTIVITY
the place of nationalism in the twenty-first Propaganda and WWII
century.
5.1.8 | WATCH
• Explain the ideological basis of the Cold Crash Course World History #39 –
War and describe the human and material The Cold War
cost of that forty-five-year struggle.
5.1.9 | READ
Analyzing the Cold War
OUTLINE 5.1.10 | CLOSING

EQ Notebook
5.1.1 | OPENING
EQ Notebook
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE
5.1.2 | WATCH • The 4 M-A-I-N Causes of World War One in 6 Minutes
Schools of Thought – Causes of World War I
5.1.3 | WATCH
Crash Course World History #36 –
Archdukes, Cynicism, and World War I
5.1.4 | READ
Battle of the Somme Accounts
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VOCABULARY
Treaty of Versailles (1919) – An agreement, made in 1919

between the Allies and Germany, which officially ended World
War I and established the League of Nations. According
to the agreement, Germany was severely punished. It was
forced to pay large amounts of money for damage done
during the war, tight restrictions were placed on the number
of armed forces it was allowed to have, and it lost possession
of large areas of territory. This helped to cause poverty and
disorder in Germany, and many people believe that the Treaty
of Versailles created the circumstances which led to the Nazis
coming to power and therefore to World War II.
The Cold War – The open yet restricted rivalry that developed
after World War II between the United States and the Soviet
Union and their respective allies. The Cold War was waged
on political, economic, and propaganda fronts and had only
limited recourse to weapons. The term was first used by the
English writer George Orwell in an article published in 1945
to refer to what he predicted would be a nuclear stalemate
between “two or three monstrous super-states, each
possessed of a weapon by which millions of people can
be wiped out in a few seconds.”
*Vocabulary definitions taken from oxforddictionaries.com & britannica.com
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LESSON 6.1.1 | OPENING | EQ Notebook
PURPOSE
Each unit of the Crash Course World History Course (CCWH) ideas, this activity asks them to look at the big ideas
is guided by what we call an essential question. The Essential through the lens of the Essential Question. At this point,
Question Notebook (EQ Notebook) is an informal writing students won’t have much background to bring to bear
resource for students to track their learning and understanding on the issue just yet. This early exercise helps to bring to the
of a concept throughout a unit. Students will be given fore what they know coming into the unit.
an Essential Question at the beginning of a unit and asked
to provide a response based on prior knowledge and HOW DID CONFLICT CHANGE AND IMPACT THE
speculation. Students will then revisit the notebook in order 20TH CENTURY?
to answer the Essential Question with evidence they Students should quickly jot down some ideas for how trade
have gathered throughout the unit. This provides students and culture are related. They can do this in the context of the
an opportunity to track their learning and to prepare them unit of study, or relate it to their own lives.
for future activities. To help students focus on the important
PROCESS
Ask students to think about this question and respond ATTACHMENT
to it on their EQ Notebook Worksheets. • Essential Questions Unit 6 Notebook Worksheet
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CRASH COURSE | WORLD HISTORY NAME
COURSE
TIME
UNIT 6 | EQ Notebook Worksheet
Answer the unit essential Lessons 6.1.1, then again in Lessons 6.1.10. In your answer,
be sure to include ideas such as historical context and how themes through history
change over time. Use specific examples to support your claims or ideas.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION | How did conflict change and impact the 20th Century?
LESSON 6.1.1
LESSON 6.1.10
AND 6.2.7
HOW HAS YOUR

THINKING CHANGED?
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LESSON 6.1.2 | READ | Schools of Thought – Causes of World War I — Mary Price
PURPOSE
The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria power of the countries of Europe and their rivalry for world
triggered World War I. The assassination was the spark influence produced serious divisions and mutual suspicions
that ignited the conflict. Would the conflict have ended right among them. Scholars disagree on the causes of World War I.
where it began, in Bosnia, if deeper currents did not propel What were the forces at play? Let’s examine as we analyze
the European powers on to war? Why did European countries this question by considering the following schools of thought
make devastating war on one another? Both the economic on causes of the war in Europe.
PROCESS
Have students read Schools of Thought: Causes students in the class will observe the fish bowl
of World War I for a general overview of each school discussion of each group and ask questions. Center
of thought. Have students select one or two which discussion on the following questions:
seem most credible to them. Explain that historians • What are the real vs. the rhetorical issues
disagree on which school is most valid. Narrow the about the causes of World War I?
choice down to one school of thought and seek like- • Why do you feel the school of thought you
minded students to form a fishbowl discussion group. have selected is most credible?
• Why are the others less convincing?
Fishbowl: Have students select the school of thought
which they feel is most credible. They should pool ATTACHMENT
findings with those with whom they agree. Together, • Schools of Thought – Causes of World War I
form a fishbowl discussion group about the ideas
that brought each person to this conclusion. Have all
groups engage in fish bowl discussions. Other
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CRASH COURSE | WORLD HISTORY
READING | Schools of Thought: Causes of World War I — Mary Price
BACKGROUND
World War I was one of the first events in modern history In 1914, the industrial nation-states of Europe dominated
that was both concentrated in time and global in scope. And most of the world. Three powers–Britain, France, and
it was a hugely important turning point in world history. Germany–controlled about 80 percent of the world’s
Consider the world scene in 1914, the year the war broke out. inhabited surface. Those three powers also possessed
about half of the world’s industrial might. Their merchants
Europe was divided into a number of sovereign nation-states, controlled half the world’s international trade.
but it still constituted a single cultural community in some
respects. Even though there were many different church So why did European countries make devastating war
denominations, Christianity gave Europeans some generally on one another? Both the economic power of the countries
shared ideas about the supernatural, morality, and destiny. of Europe and their rivalry for world influence produced
European states had different sorts of governments. France serious divisions and mutual suspicions among them—even
and Portugal were the only republics. Most countries were though their affluent populations attended the same operas.
monarchies, many of them constitutional monarchies such as National groups that did not have their own states, or not
Great Britain, some autocracies such as Russia. People could one that included the territories they wanted, expressed
travel quite easily from one European country to another, and their nationalism loudly. These groups were concentrated
no one had to show a passport. People traveled widely in eastern Europe: Poles, Ukrainians, Croatians, Serbs,
within Europe, especially using the railway networks that Czechs, and others. Tensions were growing between the
linked most countries together. Europeans spoke a variety sovereign states. There was general agreement in the
of languages, no common one. But French served as a language early twentieth century that boundaries in Europe were
of diplomacy and scholarly exchange throughout Europe. to be regarded as fixed. One state was not supposed
to covet the territory of other states.
Everyday culture was quite similar all across Europe, especially
in the cities. There, people tended to dress alike, eat many Within Europe an ominous arms race was picking up. Germany,
of the same foods, and enjoy the same art and music. The which became a unified sovereign state in 1871, was a new
unity of civilization in Europe might be symbolized by the power on the scene. Germany’s rapid rise as an industrial and
architecture of three sorts of public buildings. One was the military power caused alarm, especially for France and Britain.
railway station, which represented European communication All the European powers informally agreed that whenever
and industry. The second was the town hall, which typified a conflict threatened to break out between two of them,
public participation in government. The third was the opera the powers would gang up on the side of the underdog and
house, which symbolized common culture in the fine arts. the crisis would be defused that way. But Europe had no
These types of structures looked quite alike wherever one regular machinery for settling international disputes. Neither
traveled in Europe. the League of Nations nor the United Nations yet existed.
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Shifts and adjustments in the balance of power ended, and NATIONALISM
Europe divided into two solid alliance blocks: Germany and Those who believe that nationalism was the main cause
Austria-Hungary on one side, Britain, France, and Russia on of World War I think that it was propelled by such factors
the other. as the desire of Slavic peoples to free themselves from
the rule of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and the desire
The incident that precipitated World War I was in itself of Austria-Hungary, in turn, to crush rising spirits of
a small one: the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, who was the nationalism among ethnic groups within the empire. Serbian
heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, was traveling in the nationalists were especially militant, Serbs within the
town of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. While his carriage was empire demanding unification with the small Kingdom
driving through the streets, a Serbian terrorist shot him. of Serbia. In the Middle East, nationalists in Arabic-
Serbian revolutionaries regarded Austria as the special enemy speaking lands sought independence from the Ottoman
of the little country of Serbia. From this incident unrolled Turkish empire. Nationalist groups in Georgia, Latvia,
a series of events that nobody managed to control and that Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland called for separation from
led directly to the outbreak of the war in August 1914. the Russian empire. Russia also promoted Pan-Slavism
Austria made demands on Serbia. Russia was an ally of Serbia in the Balkans, encouraging fellow Slavic-speaking peoples
and therefore started mobilizing its army. Germany then in their quest to throw off Austria-Hungary’s rule. The
mobilized as well because it felt it had to stand by Austria, peace treaties following the war led to the birth of a number
its ally, against Russia. Finally, France and Britain, Russia’s of states (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Turkey, and
allies, mobilized too. Germany invaded France and tried others) ruled by a dominant nationalist ethnic group. This
to knock it out of the war fast, but the army got bogged shows that nationalism was in fact the major causative
down in Belgium and northeastern France. This is where the issue of the war.
trench lines were dug. This was the Western Front. The
rigid alliance system made it almost inevitable that a local THE BALANCE OF POWER AND IMPERIALISM
quarrel could become a European war, and that is what This causative factor is summarized in a world history
happened. And because of the involvement of European textbook by Jerry Bentley and Herbert Zeigler:
countries with their own colonies and with other countries
in Africa, Asia, and America, it became a world war. Japan, “Aggressive nationalism was also manifest in economic
China, Italy, and the US all came into the war eventually competition and colonial conflicts, fueling dangerous rivalries
on the Allied side. Turkey joined the Central Powers. Before among the major European powers. The industrialized
the war was over, more than thirty countries with nations of Europe competed for foreign markets and engaged
a combined population of 1.4 billion people were involved. in tariff wars, but the most unsettling economic rivalry
involved Great Britain and Germany. By the twentieth century
Scholars disagree on the causes of World War I. What Germany’s rapid industrialization threatened British
were the forces at play? Let’s examine: economic predominance. . . British reluctance to accept the

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relative decline of British industry vis-à-vis German industry claimed that Austria-Hungary treated Serbs and other
strained relations between the two economic powers. Slavic-speaking groups unfairly. Russia also sought ready
access to the Mediterranean Sea, but this involved
Economic rivalries fomented colonial competition. During sailing through Ottoman territory.
the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, • The Ottoman Empire - It had been losing territory since
European nations searched aggressively for new colonies the eighteenth century and sought to preserve its
or dependencies to bolster economic performance. integrity and great power status.
In their haste to conquer and colonize, the imperial powers • Germany - It shared history and culture with German-
stumbled over each other, repeatedly clashing in one speaking Austria, which created a powerful bond
corner of the globe or another. . . . between the two states. It also wanted to secure the
Rhineland, with its important resources, and to ward
Virtually all the major powers engaged in the scramble for off French desires to seek revenge for the loss of Alsace-
empire, but the competition between Britain and Germany Lorraine to Germany in 1870.
and that between France and Germany were the most intense • Italy - It wanted to strengthen its position as world
and dangerous. Germany, a unified nation only since 1871, power and gain more colonies. Italy switched its alliance
embarked on the colonial race belatedly but aggressively, from the Central Powers to the Allied Powers in 1915
insisting that it too must hate its “place in the sun.” German on promises of getting colonies.
imperial efforts were frustrated, however, by the simple fact • France - It looked upon Germany as an aggressor and
that British and French imperialists had already carved up wished to get back the territories it had lost to that
most of the world. German-French antagonisms and German- power following the Franco-Prussian War of 1871.
British rivalries went far toward shaping the international • Serbia - It wanted to bring all Serbs in the Ottoman
alliances that contributed to the spread of war after 1914.” and Austrian empires into the Kingdom of Serbia.

Source: ARMS BUILDUP
Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Zeigler, Traditions and Encounters: The Triple Alliance and Triple Entente were supposed
A Global Perspective on the Past (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003), 973-74. to be peace-keeping alliances, designed as deterrents
to prevent any power from ganging up on any of the
INTERESTS OF INDIVIDUAL NATIONS others. A prospective aggressor would know that if it
Whatever else may have triggered World War I, it must be declared war against any member of the opposing
remembered that nations do not send their sons to die on the alliance, all members of that alliance would come to the
battlefield simply because they have signed onto alliances. attacked member’s defense. While the system of
Nations uphold or ignore alliances based on their own self- alliances aimed to keep the peace, however, the opposing
interests. To be sure, each of the combatants believed members were plotting against each other. This was
they had interests that had to be protected and pursued and accompanied by a buildup of arms sometimes described
therefore something to be gained by going to war: as a powder keg. If the army and navy stockpiles had
• Russia - It saw itself as the Protector of the Slavs and not existed, both alliances would have needed at least
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a year to mobilize and build defenses. A year might

have been enough time to make them stop and select
a more reasonable course. Even today, those who demand
reduction of armaments in the world use the same
argument. Jerry Bentley and Herbert Zeigler emphasize
the naval arms race:

“Germans and Britons convinced themselves that naval
power was imperative to secure trade routes and protect
merchant shipping. Moreover, military leaders and
politicians saw powerful navies as a means of controlling
the seas in times of war, a control they viewed as
decisive in determining the outcome of any war. Thus when
Germany’s political and military leaders announced
their program to build a fleet with many large battleships,
they seemed to undermine British naval supremacy.
The British government moved to meet the German threat
through the construction of super battleships known as
dreadnoughts. Rather than discouraging the Germans from
their naval buildup, the British determination to retain
naval superiority stimulated the Germans to build their
own flotilla of dreadnoughts. This expensive naval race
contributed further to international tensions and hostilities
between nations.”
Source:
Price, Mary. “The Causes and Consequences of World War I:
1900-1920.” World History For Us All. PDF.
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LESSON 6.1.3 | WATCH | Crash Course World History #36

Archdukes, Cynicism, and World War I
PREVIEW
In which John Green teaches you about the war that was know and find to be cold and off-putting. While there may not
supposed to end all wars. Instead, it solved nothing and be much upside to WWI, at least it inspired George M. Cohan
set the stage for the world to be back at war just a couple to write the awesome song, “Over There.”
of decades later. As an added bonus, World War I changed
the way people look at the world, and normalized cynicism PURPOSE
and irony. John will teach you how the assassination In this video, students learn about the causes of World War I,
of an Austrian Archduke kicked off a new kind of war that which at the time was supposed to end all wars. Students
involved more nations and more people than any war that will examine the military arms race and alliances that occurred
came before. New technology like machine guns, airplanes, prior to the war. Students will also analyze the type of
tanks, and poison gas made the killing more efficient than combat employed during the war, the deadly combination
ever. Trench warfare and modern weapons led to battles of new technology and outdated war tactics, the experiences
in which tens of thousands of soldiers were killed in a day, of soldiers, the after effects of the war, and the cost of it.
with no ground gained for either side. World War I washed Millions of lives were lost because of the war, as were
away the last vestiges of 19th century Romanticism and traditional ideas of war’s nobility and heroism.
paved the way for the 20th century modernism that we all
PROCESS
As with all of the videos in the course, ask students LINK
to watch the video before class. Remind students • Crash Course World History #36 –
of John’s fast-talking and play the video with captions. Archdukes, Cynicism, and World War I
Pause and rewind when necessary. Before students
watch the video, instruct them to begin to consider Video questions for students to answer
the opportunities nations have to not mobilize and during their viewing.
declare war. Because of the alliance system, is there
a cultural belief that war is good and necessary for
strengthening nations? What was the cost of war?
How did it change people’s perception of war?
Note: Crash Course has produced two additional videos about World War I that you might have your class watch:
Crash Course World History #209 – How World War I Started
Crash Course World History #210 – Who Started World War I?
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LESSON 6.1.3 | WATCH | Key Ideas – Factual

Use these questions and prompts at the appropriate stopping points to check in with students
and ensure they are getting the key concepts covered in the video.
1. (:45) Other than the obvious, why is World War I SAMPLE ANSWER: World War I is considered a tragedy
considered a tragedy? because it didn’t accomplish much and it didn’t need to occur.
2. (1:00) So what was the immediate cause of the war? SAMPLE ANSWER: The immediate cause of the war was the
assassination in Sarajevo of the Austrian Archduke Franz
Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 by a Bosnian Serb nationalist
named Gavrilo Princip.
3. (3:15) How long were the trenches used on the SAMPLE ANSWER: The lines of trenches covered perhaps
Western Front of the war? How much land did the only 400 miles of land, but because of the endless zigzag
trenches cover? nature of their design, the trenches themselves may have
run as much as 25,000 miles.
4. (4:00) How many people were killed and wounded SAMPLE ANSWER: World War I saw over 15 million people
in the war? killed with over 20 million people wounded.
5. (4:20) What was the most efficient killer in World War I? SAMPLE ANSWER: Disease - primarily dysentery, typhus,
and cholera, all of which were rampant, and minor injuries
would prove fatal when gangrene set in. Influenza broke
out at the end of the war, killing three times as many people
as the war itself.
6. (4:50) What two American technologies made their debut SAMPLE ANSWER:Barbed wire and the machine gun, both
in the war? of which proved incredibly fatal.
7. (5:34) How destructive was WW I and what were SAMPLE ANSWER: Over 15 million people were killed
the causes of this destruction? and over 20 million people were wounded. In France,
13.3 percent of the male population died in the war. In the
Ottoman Empire, two million of the three million people
that died were civilians. Fighting certainly caused much
of this destruction, but disease was what killed the most
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people. In addition, new technology combined with

outdated tactics contributed to the destruction.
In particular, machine guns and barbed wire were
incredibly destructive.
8. (7:36) What were the conditions like for the soldiers in SAMPLE ANSWER: The trenches were wet and smelly, most
World War I? soldiers were afraid of being shelled, and there was more
than the threat of death to distress them – the fatigue and
wretched conditions were wearing. In addition, the pay
was terrible. However, soldiers were rarely hungry and there
was a lot of food from home (for the British). In addition,
the rum ration seemed to help them get through the war.
9. (8:20) What ended the war and what were the results? SAMPLE ANSWER: The war came to an end with the Treaty
of Versailles, which fixed the blame for the war on Germany,
proving ruinous to the German economy and destructive
to its political institutions. It also led to the Russian Revolution.
LESSON 6.1.3 | WATCH | Conceptual Thinking

Have students answer the following question in order for them to make connections across
different concepts and think more critically about the information presented in the video.
1. About halfway through the video, John mentions the idea that people make history and are also made
by history. What do they think he means by this?
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LESSON 6.1.4 | READ | Battle of the Somme Accounts
PURPOSE
The Battle of the Somme was a definitive campaign of the First battle’s first day - one from a British journalist who paints
World War. Unprecedented casualties resulted from intense a rosy picture of the Allied offensive and two from combatants
trench warfare and new military technologies. In this lesson, that provide starkly different portraits of the event.
students analyze and compare three different accounts of the
PROCESS
Provide students with copies of the Battle of the • Difference in outcomes on day one
Somme documents or have them download the as described in the memoirs compared
accounts. Provide students with the accompanying to the newspaper.
graphic organizer. As practice, have students read • Details in the accounts about the massive
Document A: The Daily Express together as a class British casualties.
and complete that portion of the graphic organizer.
Have students use evidence from all three accounts to
Points to note about Document A: complete the final claim portion of the worksheet.
• The generally cheery tone of the article Share and discuss responses once everyone
and its optimistic assessment of the is completed. Possible discussion points:
British advancement. • Why are Documents B and C so vastly different
• Although written on July 1, this article appeared from Document A?
in the newspaper July 3. • Which of these documents is most
• The author notes he was not actually at the battle. trustworthy? Why?
• The authors claim that British troops are advancing • Final outcome of day one casualities:
and German troops are surrendering. • British - 57,470
• German - 8,000
After completing Document A, have students read • French - 7,000
and complete Documents B and C on their own.
ATTACHMENTS
Points to note about Documents B and C: • Battle of the Somme Accounts
• Difference in tone between the Daily Express • Battle of the Somme Graphic Organizer
and Coppard.
• While first-hand accounts, they were in memoirs,
written long after the battle.
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READING | Battle of the Somme Accounts – Document A: The Daily Express

First Push of the Big Push Begins
Special Account of the Fighting In Our New Offensive
By John D. Irvine, “Daily Express” Special Correspondent
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE FIELD,

JULY 1 (NOON).
The great day of battle broke in sunshine and mist. of the shells. For half an hour we heard nothing but the
Not a cloud obscured the sky as the sun appeared above ceaseless crashing and booming of our guns, great and small,
the horizon – in the direction where the German trenches and saw nothing but the flashes of fire from their muzzles.
lay. But, anon, a purple haze crept up which grew in intensity,
as the morning advanced, and the view of distant objects BURSTING SHELLS.
was veiled in obscurity. Presently, however, the haze began to roll away, and it was
possible to observe the bursting of our projectiles. Within
The night passed quietly in our trenches. The enemy was the orbit of our observation we saw the falling continuous
submitting in silence to the ordeal of our terrific gunfire. showers on the German positions in and around Fricourt
No doubt he knew that it was the prelude to a great event, and Mametz, Thiepval, and further towards the north-east,
and that whatever might be his powers of retaliation later, in front of Braysur-Somme. Great clouds of thick, black smoke
for the time being he must be content to wait and endure. borne on a slight south-westerly breeze drifted across the
German positions with the bursting of our heavy shells—
From a ridge a little to the west of Albert, overlooking an obscurity which incidentally was of help later to our men,
the town and commanding a wide view of the beautiful who advanced from the trenches with the sun in their faces.
undulating country, I witnessed the last phase of the
bombardment which preceded the advance. It was six o’clock The concentration and accuracy of our fire could not have been
(summer time) when we arrived there. The guns had been surpassed, and incidentally witness may be borne to the
roaring furiously all through the night. Now they had, so to extreme usefulness of the new British trench mortars, which
speak, gathered themselves together for one grand final discharge twenty-five rounds per minute, and are the most
effort before our British lions should be let loose on their prey. trustworthy agents in the destruction of wire and other
obstacles. The quiescence of the enemy in the midst of
The sound was that of a raging pandemonium, and one felt the inferno raging about his ears by this time was getting
almost inclined to sympathise with the soldier who remarked quite remarkable, though the surmise deepened that he
to a comrade:--“Pity the poor German devils in the trenches was merely “lying low” to suit his own particular purposes.
who are copping this lot.” “Serve ‘em right,” was the reply. Now and then he scattered shrapnel westward, but he
“I hope they’ll be sorry now they started this war.” The mist appeared to be in a state of indifference even with regard
at first was too thick to note through the telescope the falling to our aeroplanes, which were making continuous excursions
15
across his territory and bringing back useful information of food and water. One of our staff officers tells me that
to our side. At seven o’clock eight of our planes, flying at a high the advance of the French army was magnificent. “The men
altitude, paid him a visit. Shots were fired at them, but one went forward,” he said, “as calmly and deliberately as on the
could see from the location of the little flying clouds which occasion of a peace parade.”
marked where the shrapnel had burst that no damage had
been done. Not a single German flying man was to be seen 8 P.M.
at any time during the morning. I have just returned from the front line of some of the most
desperate points of the battle. Let me say at once that the
FIRE SLACKENS. day’s operations are entirely satisfactory to ourselves and
A perceptible slackening of our fire soon after seven was our allies. There have been a few disappointments, but, on
the first indication given to us that our gallant soldiers were the whole, they have been more than counterbalanced by
about to leap from their trenches and advance against unexpected gains. We have ploughed deep into the German
the enemy. Non-combatants, of course, were not permitted lines. The Germans evidently realize what they are “up
to witness this spectacle, but I am informed that the vigour against,” and are fightly grimly inch by inch. While there
and eagerness of the first assault were worthy of the best is every reason to believe that the secret of our plan of
traditions of the British Army. I have myself heard within campaign has been rigidly excluded from their ken, all the
the past few days men declare that they were getting fed evidence points to the fact of their complete preparedness,
up with the life in the trenches, and would welcome a fight and though our success may be assured, a speedy ending
at close quarters. Thus it may be taken as certain that our men to the battle is not at the moment to be looked for.
entered into the grand assault in the true spirit of a sane
and cheerful manliness. Death might come or suffering, but The taking of the first-line trenches referred to in my previous
the soldier recks not concerning these things; he hears only message was in some places comparatively easy—almost
the call of duty and he does it. a walk-over. It was only when our men bit deeper into the
enemy’s defences that they were brought face to face with
We had not to wait long for news, and it was wholly difficulties; but their indomitable pluck and perseverance
satisfactory and encouraging. The message received at ten have triumphed over what have been in some cases almost
o’clock ran something like this: “On a front of over twenty superhuman obstacles. Details of positions gained will be
miles north and south of the Somme we and our French allies found in the official despatches from headquarters, but I may
have advanced and taken the German first line of trenches. say that along the line between the Ancre and the Somme
We are attacking vigorously Fricourt, La Boiselle, and Mametz. we have achieved our principal successes. La Boiselle, which
German prisoners are surrendering freely, and a good many we captured early in the day, we hold securely, and while
already fallen into our hands.” the important position of Fricourt was still holding out at four
o’clock this afternoon it was in process of being surrounded.
Several of the earlier batches of prisoners spoke of the complete We also have practically surrounded Beaumont Hamel, and
success of our barrage fire in keeping them insolated in their at any moment it may fall into our possession.
trenches. They said also they had suffered severely from lack
16
Counter-attacks by the enemy have been everywhere of bursting projectiles it seemed hard to understand how
repulsed, except at Serre, where the Germans suddenly anything in the shape of human life could survive so terrible
launched a desperate offensive and cur troops had to fall an ordeal.
back a short distance. The fighting there continues, and
at the moment the position is somewhat obscure. Montauban, COMPLETE PREPAREDNESS.
a point of considerable importance, is ours. Mametz was All along the line of front which it has been possible
early wrested from the enemy, and our success there is being for me to traverse I have seen nothing but the most gratifying
consolidated. Heavy fighting is proceeding at Gommecourt. evidence of our complete preparedness. On roads leading
to and from the battlefield were to be seen transport vehicles
BRILLIANT EXPLOIT. of every description, with horses and men and all the
The taking of Mametz was the result of a brilliant exploit, materials necessary to the prosecution of a great enterprise
in which the South Staffords, the Manchesters, and of war. Yet there was a complete absence of confusion
the Gordons were concerned. The first-line trenches of the or congestion. Our organisation now, whatever faults it may
Germans had been completely battered in by our artillery have had in the past, is standing the test of our present
fire. On entering the village the Gordons were badly “hung up” effort. I passed many Red Cross vehicles full of wounded
against a strong place. The enemy was holding out men. The toll of blood to-day has been fairly heavy, but
in a position he has christened Danzig Alley, and from I am glad to be able to state from reports received that
here he directed his attack against the Highlanders. it is by no means excessive, having regard to the
The supporting line which came to their assistance was met magnitude of the day’s operations. Happily, there is a large
with high-explosive barrage fire, but eventually the village proportion of slightly wounded cases, and I have seen
came completely into our possession and the retreating many gallant lads with arms slung up or bandages about their
Germans suffered heavy casualties. heads shouting from the comfortable security of the Red
Cross transport that they are not downhearted, and that they
Round Ovillers, La Boiselle, and Thiepval a fight of extraordinary are proud to have “done their bit.” Slightly wounded men
intensity developed during the afternoon. Early in the day with whom I have conversed are animated by the cheeriest
our men pushed through the village of Thiepval, when suddenly confidence. Said one of them: “We have given it to the
Germans, who had been hiding in deep dug-outs, emerged Huns in the neck to-day, and there’s more to come.” And this
into the streets and led a furious attack, in which all sorts is typical of the spirit of our men. At two places I have seen
of bombs and other weapons were employed. The combat German prisoners taken by our troops. Some of the men I saw
was extended and was still raging furiously when I left the belonged to the 109th and 110th Reserve Regiments.
neighbourhood late this afternoon. The Germans were then For the most part they were stalwart, well-set-up fellows.
shelling the entire area and raining an inferno of all sorts In the course of a brief conversation two of them assured
of shells, including “black jacks,” “woolly bears,” shrapnel, me that the effect of our bombardment prior to the launching
and missiles that sent up clouds of green smoke. Our own of the assault had been terrific. They had been in the front
artillery was making most effective reply. It was a big line of trenches, and while they had a reserve supply of food
“strafe” on both sides, and as I looked on the incessant rain our barrage fire had prevented them getting any water.
17
Their machine guns, they said, had been erected by being

placed in deep dug-outs and were brought up and used
against our troops when they advanced.
A significant feature of the day has been the quiescence

of the enemy’s aeroplanes. They scarcely have been seen
at all, whereas our machines have been continuously engaged
in observation work. The funk of the Fokkers is a subject
of general comment. We brought down two of them last night.
The splendid support we have received from our French

allies is, of course, so far as my knowledge goes, hearsay, but
everybody says it has been magnificent. It is suggested
that the great struggle begun should for historical purposes
be described as “the battle of the Somme.”
Source:
John D. Irvine, “Special Account of the Fighting in Our New Offensive,” The
Daily Express, July 3, 1916.
18
READING | Battle of the Somme Accounts – Document B: British Soldier
The next morning we gunners surveyed the dreadful scene spread out, whether on the wire or lying in front of it,
in front of our trench. There was a pair of binoculars in the it was clear that there were no gaps in the wire at the time
kit, and, under the brazen light of a hot mid-summer’s day, of the attack.
everything revealed itself stark and clear. The terrain was
rather like the Sussex downland, with gentle swelling hills, Concentrated machine gun fire from sufficient guns to command
folds and valleys, making it difficult at first to pinpoint all every inch of the wire, had done its terrible work. The
the enemy trenches as they curled and twisted on the slopes. Germans must have been reinforcing the wire for months.
It was so dense that daylight could barely be seen through
It eventually became clear that the German line followed it. Through the glasses it looked a black mass. The German
points of eminence, always giving a commanding view faith in massed wire had paid off.
of No Man’s Land. Immediately in front, and spreading left
and right until hidden from view, was clear evidence that How did our planners imagine that Tommies, having survived
the attack had been brutally repulsed. Hundreds of dead, many all other hazards - and there were plenty in crossing No Man’s
of the 37th Brigade, were strung out like wreckage washed Land - would get through the German wire? Had they studied
up to a high-water mark. Quite as many died on the enemy wire the black density of it through their powerful binoculars? Who
as on the ground, like fish caught in the net. They hung told them that artillery fire would pound such wire to pieces,
there in grotesque postures. Some looked as though they making it possible to get through? Any Tommy could have told
were praying; they had died on their knees and the wire them that shell fire lifts wire up and drops it down, often
had prevented their fall. From the way the dead were equally in a worse tangle than before.
Source:
George Coppard, With a Machine Gun to Cambrai, 1969.
19
READING | Battle of the Somme Accounts – Document C: German Soldier
Wild firing slammed into the masses of the enemy. All around The British keep charging forward. Despite the fact that
us was the rushing, whistling, and roaring of a storm: hundreds are already lying dead in the shell holes to our
a hurricane, as the destructive British shell rushed towards front, fresh waves keep emerging from the assault trenches
our artillery which was firing courageously, our reserves over there. We have got to fire! A gunner rushes into the
and our rear areas. Throughout all this racket, this rumbling, crater with the water container and urinates into it. A second
growling, bursting, cracking, and wild banging and crashing pisses into it too – quick refill! The British have closed to
of small arms, could be heard the heavy, hard and regular grenade throwing range and hand grenades fly backwards
Tack! Tack! Of the machine guns…That one firing slower, and forwards. The barrel change is complete, the water
this other with a faster rhythm – it was precision work of fine jacket refilled. Load! Hand and rifle grenades burst close
material and skill – and both were playing a gruesome tune to the weapon. Just keep calm, get the tangle sorted out
to the enemy, whilst providing their own comrades and the and load! Speak loudly, slowly, and clearly to yourself. ‘Forward!
men manning the automatic rifles a high degree of security – Down! – Back! (Working parts forward – Belt on –
and reassurance. Working parts back). The same again! Safety catch to the
right! Fire!’...Tack! – Tack! Tack! – Tack!...Once more rapid fire
The machine gunners, who lived a privileged life at quiet times
slams into the clay pit of out front. High pillars of steam rise
and were envied for being able to avoid jobs such as carrying
from all the machine guns. Most of the steam hoses
heavy mortar round forward, were earning their pay today.
have been torn off or shot away. Skin hangs in ribbons
Belt after belt was fired, 250 rounds – 1,000 – 3,000. ‘Pass
from the fingers of the burnt hands of the gunners and
up the spare barrels!’ shouts the gun commander, ‘or shoot
gun commanders! Constant pressure by their left thumbs
yourself!’ The cooling water turns to seething steam with
on the triggers has turned them into swollen, shapeless
the continuous firing. In the heat of the battle, the steam
lumps of flesh. Their hands rest, and though cramped, on the
overflow pipe slips out of its fixing on the water jacket.
vibrating weapons.
With a great hiss, a jet of steam goes up, providing a superb
target for the enemy. It is the greatest good fortune that 18,000 rounds! The other platoon weapon has a stoppage.
they have the sun in their eyes and we have it at our backs. Gunner Schwarz falls shot through the head over the belt
The enemy closes up nearer. We fire on endlessly. There is he is feeding. The belt twists, feeds rounds into the gun
less steam. A further barrel change is urgent. The cooling crookedly and they jam! Next man forward. The dead man
water has almost steamed away. ‘Where’s the water?’ is removed. The gunner strips the feed mechanism, removes
bawls the gunner. ‘Get the mineral water out of the dugout!’ the rounds and reloads. Fire; pause; barrel change; fetch
‘There’s none left Untreoffizier!’ It all went during the ammunition; lay the dead on the floor of the crater. That is
bombardment.
20
the hard unrelenting tempo of the morning of 1st July 1916.

The sound of machine gun fire can be heard right across the
divisional front. The youth of England, the finest regiments
of Scotland bled to death in front of Serre. The weapon
which was commanded by Unteroffizier Koch from Pforzheim
and which was stationed directly on the Serre MAilly road
fires off the last belt! It has fired no fewer than 20,000 rounds
at the British!”
Source:
Otto Lais, “A Machine-gunner in Iron Regiment 169,” date unknown,
originally published 1935.
21
NAME
COURSE
WORKSHEET | The Battle of the Somme – Graphic Organizer TIME
Read the accompanying documents and complete the chart for each.
DOCUMENT A DOCUMENT B DOCUMENT C
Who wrote it? When? What type of source?
What is the author’s tone?

(include 1-2 examples)
Did the author witness the events he describes?

22
NAME
COURSE
WORKSHEET | The Battle of the Somme – Graphic Organizer TIME
Read the accompanying documents and complete the chart for each.
DOCUMENT A DOCUMENT B DOCUMENT C
Who won the first day of the battle? How?
Is this source trustworthy? Why?
Use evidence from the three documents to write a paragraph addressing the question:
Who won the first day of the Battle of the Somme?
23
LESSON 6.1.5 | WRITE | World War I Poetry Reflection
PURPOSE
The aftermath of World War I led to a general sense and heroism were also lost. This activity challenges students
of disappointment and feelings of pointlessness were to examine those feelings and reactions in a creative sense
expressed by writers of “the lost generation.” Not only by having them read and reflect on two examples of poetry
were lives lost, but traditional ideals of war’s nobility born out of World War I.
PROCESS
Distribute or have students download the poems MATERIALS
and read the passages. Encourage them ponder • Journal, blog, paper, etc.
the meaning within the poems. Have them write • Writing Rubric
a simple reflection on each, calling to mind all
they have learned and experienced thus far during ATTACHMENTS
this unit. What images are discussed in the poems? • ‘In Flanders Fields’
What are the authors’ tones and emotions? • ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’
24
READING | In Flanders Fields — John McCrae, 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
in Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Source:
McCrae, John. “In Flanders Fields.” 1915. In Flanders Field Museum. Web.
25
READING | Dulce Et Decorum Est — Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! -- An ecstasy of fumbling,

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under I green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace

Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, --
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
Source:
Owen, Wilford. “Dulce et Decorum Est.” 1920. Modern History Sourcebook. Web.
26
HADNOUT | Writing Rubric | Teacher’s Guidelines
Use this rubric to evaluate writing assignments. Mark scores and related comments in the scoring sheet that follows.
ABOVE STANDARD (4) AT STANDARD (3) APPROACHING STANDARD (2) BELOW STANDARD (1) SCORE
FOCUS Topic and thesis are eloquently The introduction text has a thesis The introduction text has an The introduction text lacks an
Identifies a specific topic to expressed that supports statement that communicates unclear thesis statement that identifiable thesis and minimally
inform reader on concept, theory claims and answers compelling ideas, concepts, and information communicates some ideas, communicates ideas, concepts,
or event. Clearly states thesis questions made by student to the reader. concepts, and information to and information to the reader.
with supportive topic sentences with deep understanding of the reader.
throughout document. the information.
EVIDENCE Extensive demonstration of facts, The text offers sufficient The text provides some facts, The text lacks facts, figures,
Writing demonstrates extensive figures, instances and sources demonstration of facts, figures, figures, instances and examples instances and examples
research and details with a variety are documented throughout and sources to develop to support the central theme. to support central theme and
of sources and perspectives. the text. Resources support and explain central theme. But a limited understanding of demonstrates little or no
Provides examples that enhance the central theme while An understanding of the the topic in historic context is understanding of historic context.
central theme and argument. strategically addressing topic topic in historic context demonstrated.
in historic context. is demonstrated.
STRUCTURE The text has a clear objective The text offers good use and The text uses and offers primary Few if any primary sources
Cohesively links and analyzes and focus with effective use understanding of primary sources to support theme and are used to support theme and/
primary sources related to the of sources throughout that sources to support central begins to address the research or little attention is paid to
topic, and clarifies complex ideas supports central thesis and theme and addresses the question. addressing research question.
for formal audience. argument. research question.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS Student makes historical Student addresses claim with Student begins to address claim Student demonstrates little to
Evaluates historical claims and claim and provides significant good supportive evidence with evidence while relating address claim with no evidence
evidence by corroborating or evidence to support this claim and accurately summarizes historic events to overall theme. to support historic events
challenging them with other while challenging it with argument while analyzing it to overall theme.
information. contrasting source material. within a historic context.
27

World War II
PREVIEW
In which John Green teaches you about World War II, Oh, and a warning: there are a few graphic images
aka The Great Patriotic War, aka The Big One. So, why did the in this episode.
Axis powers think forceful expansion was a good idea?
Hint: they were hungry. So why did this thing shake out in favor PURPOSE
of the Allies? Hint: it has to do with the fact that it was In this video, students learn about one of the more turbulent
a world war. Germany and Japan made some pretty serious times in world history, World War II. Through improved tactics
strategic errors, such as invading Russia and attacking and technology, the second world war was more costly,
the United States, and those errors meant that pretty much especially in terms of human lives, as compared to the first
the whole world was against them. So, find out how this world war.
worldwide alliance came together to stop the Axis expansion.
PROCESS
of John’s fast-talking and play the video with captions. World War II
watch the video, instruct them to begin to consider Video questions for students to complete during
why the Axis powers’ use of forceful expansion was their viewing.
a good idea. Were World War I and II just a continuation
of each other? Was it just one long war?
28

1. (1:33) What are the different events that could SAMPLE ANSWER: Some say when the Nazis invaded Poland
be considered the beginning of World War II? (1939). John Green thinks it started when Japan invaded
Manchuria in 1931, or in 1933, when Hitler took power, or 1941,
when the United States joined the war.
2. (1:52) What was the Rape of Nanking and why does SAMPLE ANSWER: It was the slaughter of hundreds of
it still matter today? thousands of Chinese people and it still affects relations
between Japan and China.
3. (2:20) What was the blitzkrieg? How effective SAMPLE ANSWER: The blitzkrieg was a new style of combat
was the blitzkrieg? made possible by the mechanized technology of tanks,
airplanes, and trucks. The Germans used this devastating tactic
of combining quick movement of troops and massive use of
aerial power to support infantry movements. The blitzkrieg
was very effective, especially in the early stages of the war.
Germany was able to take control of Poland, Norway, Denmark,
The Netherlands, and then all of France in roughly 9 months.
4. (3:40) Why was 1941 a significant year for the war? SAMPLE ANSWER: 1941 was a significant year in that the
Nazis invaded Russia, breaking a non-aggression pact that
the two powers had signed, all of which hugely escalated the
war. Japan invaded much of Southeast Asia and also bombed
Pearl Harbor, formally bringing the United States into the war.
5. (5:40) How many lives were lost SAMPLE ANSWER: The Battle of Stalingrad was devastating,
in the Battle of Stalingrad? in which more than two million lives were lost.
29
6. (6:10) What happened to the Nazi 6th Army SAMPLE ANSWER: The Soviets launched a counterattack
during the Battle of Stalingrad? which left the 6th Army completely cut off from the rest
of the force. The 6th Army slowly froze and starved to death
before finally surrendering.
7. (8:00) On what date was victory in Europe declared SAMPLE ANSWER: May 8, 1945
by the Allies?
8. (8:15) What was the definite cause of World War II? SAMPLE ANSWER: The definite cause of the second world
war was unbridled military expansion by Germany, Japan,
and to a lesser extent, Italy.
9. (8:40) How might German agriculture been a reason SAMPLE ANSWER: German agriculture was inefficiently
for war? organized into lots of small farms and the country needed lots
of land in order to be food self-sufficient. The plan to invade
other countries and take land was in order to resettle Germans
into those areas in order to create higher food production.
10. (9:00) How many Jews did the Nazis kill during the SAMPLE ANSWER: Over 6 million.
Holocaust?
11. (10:10) Why is it unfair to categorize World War II as SAMPLE ANSWER: The Allies consisted of Joseph Stalin’s
the Allies fighting for democratic ideals against the Soviet Union, which was one of the least democratic places.
totalitarian militaristic imperialism of the fascist Axis Additionally, the Allies also consisted of the British, who were
powers? the biggest imperialists in the war.
30
LESSON 6.1.7 | ACTIVITY | Propaganda and WWII
PURPOSE
In this activity, students will examine some World War II the war, and they will also have the opportunity to analyze
propaganda. They’ll learn how different governments viewed primary source material, an important skill for an historian.
PROCESS
Ask students to look at the We Can Do It! poster.
Let them know it was created during World War II,
and is a very famous poster that we still see around
the world today. It was used as propaganda in the
United States during World War II. Propaganda can
be in the form of information, ideas, or rumors that
are deliberately shared to convince people of certain
things. What do they think the United States was
trying to convey when they released this poster?
“We Can Do It!” poster for Westinghouse, closely

associated with Rosie the Riveter, although not
a depiction of the cultural icon itself. Pictured Geraldine
Doyle (1924-2010), at age 17.
31
PROCESS
Make sure to note (if students don’t), that the poster the messages that different governments were trying
depicts a strong woman, which indicates the creator to convey with those posters.
– the government – thinks women are capable of doing
many things. The words, “We Can Do It!” add to this Have each student (or groups of students) pick two
sentiment. The intention was to raise worker morale posters and answer the following questions about them:
in the United States, specifically among women. • What government released the poster?
The United States government was concerned about • What do they think the poster is trying to
women not feeling capable, and this was one way convey and why?
of making them feel they were. At the time this poster • What about the poster makes them think
was created, many men were off fighting in the this? (They can consider the images, words,
war and women had to take over factory jobs and do and colors.)
things that were typically done by men at that time. • What does this poster tell them about that
country at the time?
Tell your students that during World War II, governments • How is this poster similar or different to the
used this kind of propaganda regularly to invoke other poster that they analyzed?
emotional responses. They wanted to persuade people
to enlist in the military, buy war bonds, work in After everyone has had a chance to analyze the posters,
factories, and just generally accept the sacrifices that have students share their answers with the class.
they had to make during wartime. Although many Then, ask them if they think governments still use
people were on board with nationalism and were propaganda today. If so, what are some examples
ready to rally behind their country’s involvement of that? What else in our world is like propaganda?
in the war, others needed to be convinced that their You may mention that advertising can be thought
enemies were dangerous and that their country really of as a form of propaganda, because you are trying
did need to engage in military actions. The constant to convince people that they should like or perhaps
use of propaganda resulted governments becoming buy something.
experiences in using communication technologies
to shape public opinion. ATTACHMENT
• Propaganda Poster Worksheet
Let your students know that in this activity, they’re
going to examine and analyze propaganda posters from
WW II. Specifically, they are going to try to interpret
32
WORKSHEET | World War II Propaganda

In this activity, you’re going to examine and analyze propaganda posters from WW II. Specifically, you’re
going to try to interpret the messages that different governments were trying to convey with the posters.
Pick two posters and answer the questions on the following two pages.
“Man the Guns—Join the Navy” “Everything for the Front. “Let’s Go Canada!” “Never was so much owed “Dig on for Victory”
Everything for Victory” by so many to so few”
McClelland Barclay, 1942 Bureau of Public Information, Peter Fraser, 1939-1946
WWII USSR poster, 1941 1939 Printed for H.M. Stationery
Office
33
WORKSHEET | World War II Propaganda

In this activity, you’re going to examine and analyze propaganda posters from WW II. Specifically, you’re
going to try to interpret the messages that different governments were trying to convey with the posters.
Pick two posters and answer the questions on the following two pages.
“Come into the Factories” “Give me 4 years’ time” “To have more, we must produce “With the help of Japan, China, “She serves that men may fly :
more. To produce more, we must and Manchukuo, the world can Enlist today in the R.C.A.F.”
Philip Zec 1937 know more” be in peace.”
1939 Ted Harris, Royal Canadian Air
Alexander Nikolaevich Zelenskiy, Manchukuo State Council Force Women’s Division,
1920 of Emperor Kang-de Puyi, 1941
1935
34
NAME
COURSE
WORKSHEET | World War II Propaganda TIME
Poster Title: Poster Title:
1. What government
released the poster?
2. What do you think

the poster is trying
to convey, and why?
3. What about the poster

makes you think this?
(Consider the images,
words, and colors.)
35
NAME
COURSE
WORKSHEET | World War II Propaganda TIME
Poster Title: Poster Title:
4. What does this poster

tell you about that
country at the time?
5. What do you think

the poster is trying
to convey, and why?
36

The Cold War
PURPOSE PREVIEW
In this video, students examine the dominance of two big In which John Green teaches you about the Cold War,
geopolitical powers: the United States and the Soviet Union. which was occasionally hot, but on average, it was just cool.
Fears of the spread of communism raised tensions throughout In the sense of its temperature. It was by no means cool,
North America and Western Europe. In Russia, China, and man. After World War II, there were basically two big
Eastern Europe, communism sealed off a generation from the geopolitical powers left to divide up the world. And
West, while facilitating state-led economic modernization. divide they did. The United States and the Soviet Union
The Cold War also had a major impact upon the colonized divvied up Europe in the aftermath of the war, and then
territories of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, most of which proceeded to spend the next 45 years fighting over the rest
obtained their independence in this era. While struggles of the world. It was the great ideological struggle, with
between geopolitical major world powers are nothing new, the US on the side of capitalism and profit, and the USSR
this time there was the special added bonus that war could pushing Communism, so-called. While both sides presented
lead to the destruction of the human species. themselves as the good guy in this situation, the reality is that
there are no good guys. Both parties to the Cold War engaged
in forcible regime changes, built up vast nuclear arsenals, and
basically got up to dirty tricks.
PROCESS
of John’s fast-talking and play the video with captions. The Cold War
watch the video, instruct them to begin to consider Video questions for students to complete during
Mutual Assured Destruction – a military strategy their viewing.
and national security policy in which a full-scale use
of nuclear weapons would guarantee complete
annihilation of both the attacker and defender.
37

1. (1:00) Why is it fair to call the Cold War SAMPLE ANSWER: As socialists, the Soviets found
a “Clash of Civilizations?” themselves in a conflict with bourgeois capitalism.
They saw the United States as wanting to expand its
markets as it rebuilt Europe and Japan following
World War II. The US feared that the USSR wanted
to destroy democratic and capitalist institutions.
There was an ideological conflict.
2. (2:05) What was “the Iron Curtain?” SAMPLE ANSWER: The Iron curtain was USSR’s sphere
of influence in Eastern Europe following WWII. It was
an imaginary boundary where the Red Army had pushed
back Nazi forces.
3. (2:30) Why did America have the immediate SAMPLE ANSWER: The United States had the advantage
advantage in the Cold War? of not suffering infrastructural consequences by participating
in World War II. The US had more money and power, and
could provide Europe with protection and loans, while also
assisting to rebuild following the war. Russia had the
disadvantage of having to rebuild itself, and also having Stalin
as a leader.
4. (4:35) What was the United States’ response SAMPLE ANSWER: Containment involved stopping the
of containment about? spread of communism by standing up to the Soviets wherever
they sought to expand their influence. It provided $13 billion
in funds to rebuild Western Europe with grants and credits
for use on American goods and products.
5. (5:40) How many times did the US and USSR come SAMPLE ANSWER: As far as we know, just twice – once
to engaging in nuclear war? in 1962 with the Cuban Missile Crisis and again in 1983 when
the US forgot to give the Soviets a warning they’d be
practicing a war game simulation.
38
6. (6:10) Why was Vietnam’s movement toward communism SAMPLE ANSWER: China and Korea had moved to become
a threat to the United States? communist and there was a theory, the Domino Theory,
that believed that one by one Asian nations would adopt
communism. The United States had invested heavily
into rebuilding Japan and making it a vibrant capitalist ally.
The United States selfishly couldn’t afford for Japan
to turn communist.
7. (8:00) The Cold war involved almost every part of the SAMPLE ANSWER: The first world was the United States,
globe and all countries were divided into three “worlds.” Western Europe and any place that embraced capitalism.
Describe each of the three worlds. The second world was the Soviet Union, its satellites, Cuba
and China. The third world was everywhere else, though
this term is rarely used anymore as it lumps together
a hugely diverse range of countries. There was a “land race”
between the two sides to have influence over the nations
of the third world.
8. (9:45) Who is the individual probably most responsible SAMPLE ANSWER: Mikhail Gorbachev.
for the end of the Cold War?
39
LESSON 6.1.9 | READ | Analyzing the Cold War – Stanford History Education Group
PURPOSE
Historians have offered vastly different interpretations highlighting various issues and perspectives that led to the Cold
of the origins of the Cold War over the past 5 decades. War and address the question: Who was primarily responsible
Few historical events have been subject to such an array for the Cold War, the United State or the Soviet Union?
of revisionist and neo-revisionist accounts. In this lesson,
students enter the fray through exploring a variety of documents
PROCESS
Distribute Documents A and B along with Guiding Discussion points:
Questions. Have students read documents, answer • Who was primarily responsible for the start
questions, and record their initial hypothesis regarding of the Cold War? What evidence do you have
the Central Historical Question. Share out answers to support your claim?
and discuss. Distribute Documents C and D. Have • Which of these documents do you believe
students read documents, answer questions, and is most trustworthy? Why?
record their second hypothesis. Share out answers • Did anyone’s hypothesis change? How and why?
and discuss. The Cold War timeline is for students • What other evidence would you need to
to keep as reference for the unit. strengthen your claim?
ATTACHMENT
• ‘Analyzing the Cold War’ Documents Source: This activity comes from Stanford History
and Questions Education Group.
40
READING | Timeline of the Early Cold War
1945 FEBRUARY 4-11 Yalta Conference
1945 AUGUST 6 United States first used atomic bomb in war

1945 AUGUST 8 Russia enters war against Japan
1945 AUGUST 14 Japanese surrenders, ending World War II
1946 MARCH Winston Churchill delivers “Iron Curtain” speech
1947 MARCH Truman announces Truman Doctrine
1947 JUNE Marshall Plan is announced
1948 FEBRUARY Communist takeover in Czechoslovakia
1948 JUNE 24 Berlin blockade begins
1949 JULY NATO treaty ratified
1949 MAY 12 Berlin Blockade ends
1949 SEPTEMBER Mao Zedong, a communist, takes control of China
1949 SEPTEMBER Soviets explode first atomic bomb 1955: May – Warsaw Pact
41
READING | Document A: The Iron Curtain Speech (Modified)
It is my duty, however, to place before you certain facts about In a great number of countries, far from the Russian frontiers
the present position in Europe. and throughout the world, Communist fifth columns are
established and work in complete unity and absolute obedience
From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron to the directions they receive from the Communist center.
curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that
line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and I do not believe that Soviet Russia desires war. What they
Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, desire is the fruits of war and the indefinite expansion
Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia; all these famous cities and of their power and doctrines.
the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet
sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only But what we have to consider here today while time remains,
to Soviet influence but to a very high and in some cases is the permanent prevention of war and the establishment
increasing measure of control from Moscow. of conditions of freedom and democracy as rapidly as possible
in all countries.
Source:
Excerpt from the “Iron Curtain Speech” delivered by Winston Churchill,
March 1946 in Fulton, Missouri.

42
READING | Document B: The Truman Doctrine (Modified)

The United States has received from the Greek Government It is necessary only to glance at a map to realize that the
an urgent appeal for financial and economic assistance... survival and integrity of the Greek nation are of grave
Greece is in desperate need of financial and economic importance in a much wider situation. If Greece should fall
assistance to enable it to resume purchases of food, under the control of an armed minority, the effect upon its
clothing, fuel, and seeds. neighbor, Turkey, would be immediate and serious. Confusion
and disorder might well spread throughout the entire
The very existence of the Greek state is today threatened Middle East. . . . Should we fail to aid Greece and Turkey
by the terrorist activities of several thousand armed men, in this fateful hour, the effect will be far reaching to the
led by Communists, who defy the government’s authority. West as well as to the East.
. . . Greece must have assistance if it is to become a self-
supporting and self-respecting democracy. The United States The free peoples of the world look to us for support
must supply this assistance. . . . No other nation is willing in maintaining their freedoms. If we falter in our leadership,
and able to provide the necessary support for a democratic we may endanger the peace of the world. And we shall
Greek government. surely endanger the welfare of this nation.

One of the primary objectives of the foreign policy of the Great responsibilities have been placed upon us by the swift
United States is the creation of conditions in which we and movement of events.
other nations will be able to work out a way of life free
from coercion.

Source:
Excerpt from the “Truman Doctrine Speech,”
delivered by President Truman to Congress on March 12, 1947.
43
COURSE
TIME
WORKSHEET | Guiding Questions
IRON CURTAIN SPEECH

1. (Sourcing) Who was Winston Churchill? Why would Americans trust what he has to say about the
Soviet Union?
2. (Close reading) What does Churchill claim that the Soviet Union wanted?
44
COURSE
TIME
TRUMAN DOCTRINE
1. (Close reading) Why did Truman believe Greece needed American aid in 1947?
2. (Context) What does Truman mean when he claims, “Should we fail to aid Greece and Turkey
in this fateful hour, the effect will be far reaching to the West as well as to the East”?
3. Close reading: Does Truman present American policy as offensive or defensive? What words or
phrases does Truman use to present policy this way?
RECORD YOUR FIRST HYPOTHESIS

Who was primarily responsible for the Cold War - the United States or the Soviet Union?
45
READING | Document C: Soviet Ambassador Telegram (Modified)
The foreign policy of the United States, which reflects the During the Second World War . . . [American leaders]
imperialist tendencies of American monopolistic capital, calculated that the United States of America, if it could avoid
is characterized in the postwar period by a striving for world direct participation in the war, would enter it only at the
supremacy. This is the real meaning of the many statements last minute, when it could easily affect the outcome of the
by President Truman and other representatives of American war, completely ensuring its interests.
ruling circles; that the United States has the right to lead
the world. All the forces of American diplomacy -- the army, In this regard, it was thought that the main competitors
the air force, the navy, industry, and science -- are enlisted of the United States would be crushed or greatly weakened
in the service of this foreign policy. For this purpose broad in the war, and the United States by virtue of this
plans for expansion have been developed and are being circumstance would assume the role of the most powerful
implemented through diplomacy and the establishment factor in resolving the fundamental questions of the
of a system of naval and air bases stretching far beyond postwar world.
the boundaries of the United States, through the arms race,
and through the creation of ever newer types of weapons. . .

Source:
Excerpt from a telegram sent by Soviet Ambassador Nikolai Novikov
to Soviet Leadership in September 1946.
46
READING | Document D: Henry Wallace (Modified)
I have been increasingly disturbed about the trend of These facts rather make it appear either (1) that we are
international affairs since the end of the war. preparing ourselves to win the war which we regard as
inevitable or (2) that we are trying to build up a predominance
How do American actions appear to other nations? I mean [largest amount] of force to intimidate the rest of mankind.
actions [like] the Bikini tests of the atomic bomb and
continued production of bombs, the plan to arm Latin America Our interest in establishing democracy in Eastern Europe,
with our weapons, and the effort to secure air bases spread where democracy by and large has never existed, seems
over half the globe from which the other half of the globe can to [the Soviets] an attempt to reestablish the encirclement
be bombed. I cannot but feel that these actions must make of unfriendly neighbors which might serve as a springboard
it look to the rest of the world as if we were only paying lip of still another effort to destroy [them].
service to peace at the conference table.

Source:
Secretary of Commerce and former Vice President Henry A. Wallace letter
to President Harry S. Truman, July 23, 1946. Truman asked Wallace to resign
shortly after this letter.
47
COURSE
TIME
SOVIET AMBASSADOR TELEGRAM

1. (Sourcing) Who was Nicholas Novikov? When did he write this telegram?
2. (Close reading) How does Novikov describe the United States? What evidence does he use
to support his description?
3. (Context) What does Novikov claim the United States planned during the Second World War?
48
COURSE
TIME
HENRY WALLACE LETTER

1. (Sourcing) Who was Henry Wallace? When did he write this letter?
2. (Close Reading) What is Wallace’s main argument?
3. (Corroboration) How does Wallace’s description of American foreign policy compare to Truman’s and
Novikov’s?
RECORD YOUR SECOND HYPOTHESIS

Who was primarily responsible for the Cold War - the United States or the Soviet Union?
49
LESSON 6.1.10 | CLOSING | EQ Notebook
PURPOSE HOW DID CONFLICT CHANGE AND IMPACT

At the start of the unit, students looked at the essential THE 20TH CENTURY?
question without much to go on. Now that the unit is halfway Now that students have spent some time with the material
over, students revisit the essential question. This time, students of this unit, they should look back over the content covered
should cite specific passages and evidence from the content as well as any additional information they have come across,
in the unit that provide insights into answering the essential and write down any quotes or evidence that provide new
question. insights into the essential question you’ve assigned for Unit 6.
Once they’ve finished, they should think about how this new
information has impacted their thinking about the essential
question, and write down their thoughts in their EQ Notebook.
PROCESS
to it on their EQ Notebook Worksheets. • Essential Questions Unit 6 Notebook Worksheet
50
LESSON 6.2 | NEW CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF GLOBAL ECONOMY, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE
LESSON 6.2.0 | OVERVIEW
UNIT ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What patterns have emerged through your study of history?
How have those patterns shaped the world we live in today?
The twentieth century witnessed a great deal of warfare and the collapse of the global economy
in the 1930s. In response to these challenges, the role of state in the domestic economy fluctuated,
and new institutions of global governance emerged and continued to develop throughout the century.
Scientific breakthroughs, new technologies, increasing levels of integration, changing relationships
between humans and the environment, and the frequency of political conflict all contributed to global
developments in which people crafted new understandings of society, culture, and historical
interpretations. These new understandings often manifested themselves in, and were reinforced
by, new forms of cultural production. Institutions of global governance both shaped and adapted
to these social conditions.
51
LESSON 6.2.0 | OVERVIEW | Learning Outcomes, Vocabulary, & Outline
LEARNING OUTCOMES OUTLINE
• Examine the cause and effects

6.2.1 | OPENING
of nationalism and decolonization.
EQ Notebook
• Define globalization and explain

6.2.2 | WATCH
how it functions.
Communists, Nationalists and China’s Revolution
• Analyze and describe globalization’s
environmental impact.
6.2.3 | READ
China’s Cultural Revolution
• Compare how people in various parts
of the world are responding to globalization
6.2.4 | WATCH
and analyze the reasons for their
differing responses.
Decolonization and Nationalism Triumphant
6.2.5 | READ
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE India Partition
• Crash Course World History 221 –
Congo and Africa’s World War 6.2.6 | WRITE
• Crash Course World History 223 – Crash Course World History # 41 & #42 –
Conflict in Israel and Palestine Globalization
• Crash Course World History 225 –
War and Nation Building in Latin America 6.2.7 | CLOSING
• Crash Course World History 228 – Thought Bubble
Nonviolence and Peace Movements
52
LESSON 6.2.1 | OPENING | EQ Notebook
PURPOSE
This final EQ Notebook activity will have students think over the course of their studies to answer broad questions
and consider themes over scope and time. Students are with specific details.
challenged to consider all they have examined and learned
PROCESS
to it on their EQ Notebook Worksheets: What patterns • Essential Question Unit 6 Notebook Worksheet
have emerged through your study of history? How have
those patterns shaped the world we live in today?
53
UNIT 6 | EQ Notebook Worksheet

Answer the unit essential Lesson 6.2.1. In your answer, be sure to include ideas such as historical
context and how themes through history change over time. Use specific examples to support your
claims or ideas.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION | How has the past shaped the present? What should we expect for the future?
54

Communists, Nationalists and China’s Revolution
PURPOSE
In which John Green teaches you about China’s Revolutions. War II ended, the Chinese Civil War was back on. Mao and
While the rest of the world was off having a couple of World the communists were ultimately victorious, and Chiang
Wars, China was busily uprooting the dynastic system that Kai-Shek ended up in Taiwan. And then it got weird. Mao
had ruled there for millennia. Most revolutions have some spent years repeatedly trying to purify the Communist
degree of tumult associated with them, but China’s 20th Party and build up the new People’s Republic of China with
century revolutions were REALLY disruptive. In 1911 and Rectifications, Anti Campaigns, Five Year Plans. the Great
1912, Chinese nationalists brought 3000 years of dynastic Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution. These had mixed
rule to an end. China plunged into chaos as warlords staked results, to say the least.
out regions of the country for themselves. The nationalists
and communists joined forces briefly to bring the nation PURPOSE
back together under the Chinese Republic, and then they In this video, students examine the two revolutions for China
quickly split and started fighting the Chinese Civil War. The in the 20th century following 3000 years of dynastic rule.
fight between nationalists and communists went on for This turned out to be a pretty big deal during the Cold War
decades, and was interrupted by an alliance to fight the and sparked several wars. Not to mention that Mao’s
invading Japanese during World War II. After the World campaigns to build party unity resulted in death of millions.
PROCESS
of John’s fast-talking and play the video with captions. Communists, Nationalists and China’s
Pause and rewind when necessary. Before students Revolution
watch the video, instruct them to begin to consider
the lengths rulers and leaders will go to in order Video questions for students to answer
to promote themselves and their ideologies. during their viewing.
55

1. (2:40) How did China’s 1911 revolution begin? SAMPLE ANSWER: China’s 1911 revolution began when
a bomb accidentally exploded and the revolutionists that had
gathered decided to launch the uprising, which probably
would have been quelled had the army not joined the rebellion.
2. (3:20) What happened upon Yuan Shikai’s death in 1916? SAMPLE ANSWER: China’s first non-dynastic government
in 3000 years fell apart. Large-scale landlords and small-
scale armies ruled over parts of the country not controlled
by outside influences.
3. (3:40) What is the period in Chinese history between SAMPLE ANSWER: The period from 1912 through 1949
1912 and 1949 sometimes called and who are the main is sometimes called the Chinese Republic. It involves
parties involved? the Kuomintang (Guomindang), and after 1920, the Chinese
Communist Party.
4. (5:50) The rectification program was initiated by Mao SAMPLE ANSWER: The program forced students and
in 1942. What was its purpose? intellectuals living in cities to be sent to the countryside
to give them a taste of “real” China in an effort
to re-educate them.
5. (6:15) What occurred on October 1, 1949? SAMPLE ANSWER: Following a victory over Chiang Kai-
Shek’s Nationalists party in the civil war, Mao declared
and proclaimed the establishment of the People’s Republic
of China on October 1, 1949.
6. (7:20) Beginning in October 1950, the People’s Republic SAMPLE ANSWER: Many foreigners left China; thousands
of China, under Mao, launched a number of campaigns of people were accused of being spies or counterrevolutionaries
aimed at bolstering party support. What were some and executed; farmers had to increase their grain production,
of the results of these campaigns? but sell it at low prices; and efforts to increase manufacturing
production failed.
56
7. (9:40) Between 1959 and 1962, about how many people SAMPLE ANSWER: Roughly 20 million people died,
died as a result of food scarcity? most of them children under the age of 10.
8. (10:00) What was the Cultural Revolution? SAMPLE ANSWER: In an attempt to bolster support, capture
the glory days of the revolution and connect with the youth
culture, Mao allowed for frustrated students, unable to find
fulfilling jobs the opportunity to denounce institutions
and anyone or thing representing the old ways of doing
things were subject to ridicule and violence. Millions
were persecuted, intellectuals were once again sent to the
countryside, and countless historical and religious artifacts
were destroyed.
57
LESSON 6.2.3 | READ | China’s Cultural Revolution
PREVIEW PURPOSE
In which John Green teaches you about capitalism and In August 1966, Mao Tse-Tung launched the Cultural Revolution.
socialism in a way that is sure to please commenters He encouraged the creation of “Red Guards” to punish party
from both sides of the debate. Learn how capitalism arose members and others who were harboring counter-revolutionary
from the industrial revolution, and then gave rise to tendencies. In the decade that followed, China was turned
socialism. Learn about how we got from the British East India upside down as millions of Chinese youth attacked traditional
Company to iPhones and consumer culture in just a couple standard bearers of power and authority – among them party
of hundred years. Stops along the way include the rise of leaders, teachers, and family members. This lesson explores
industrial capitalism, mass production, disgruntled workers, the motivations of Chinese youth in participating in the
Karl Marx, and the Socialist Beard. The socialist reactions Cultural Revolution. Through a series of primary documents,
to the ills of capitalism are covered as well, and John students consider what it may have been like to experience
discusses some of the ideas of Karl Marx, and how they’ve this tumultuous period of Chinese history.
been implemented or ignored in various socialist states.
PROCESS
Pass out the timeline and read through it with the class.
Have students answer Guiding Questions for
Highlight the following points in the timeline:
Documents C and D. Review student answers.
• What were Mao’s goals for the Cultural Revolution?
Individual work either in class or for homework:
• What were some of the outcomes
Have students write a paragraph that answers
of the Cultural Revolution?
the central historical question using evidence
• Based on the timeline, why might teenagers
from the documents: Why did Chinese youth support
have supported the Cultural Revolution?
the Cultural Revolution?
Handout Documents A and B and Guiding Questions.

ATTACHMENT
Have students read documents and answer questions
• ‘China’s Cultural Revolution’
in pairs. Review student answers. Handout Documents
C and D. Discuss: Note: The activity is from
• Both documents are excerpts from memoirs Stanford History Education Group.
written long after the Cultural Revolution.
How might the fact that these are memoirs
produced long after the event shape how
we read them?
58
READING | Cultural Revolution – Timeline

In an effort to return China to its communist roots, Chairman Mao Tse-Tung turned to the youth
of the country to help start the “Cultural Revolution.” Mao called on young people to take down leading
intellectuals, party leaders, and their own parents. These teenagers came together to form the Red Guards.
OCTOBER 1949 Mao declared victory in the Communist revolution and established
the People’s Republic of China.
MAY 1966 Articles in the state controlled papers introduced the idea of a “Cultural
Revolution.”

AUGUST 1966 Mao officially launched the “Cultural Revolution” with a speech
at the Chinese Communist Party.
OCTOBER 1966 Mao called for the Red Guards to destroy the “Four Olds”: old customs,
old culture, old habits, and old ideas.
JANUARY 1967 Red Guards achieved the overthrow of provincial party committee
officials and replaced them with radicals.
FEBRUARY 1967 Top-level Communist Party officials called for an end of the Cultural
Revolution, but Mao continued to support it.
SUMMER 1967 Mao replaced pre-Cultural Revolution party officials with radicals
who supported the revolution.
1968 On Mao’s orders, the Red Guards were broken up in the “rustification
movement,” where individual teenagers were “sent down” to villages
throughout China to “learn from the peasants.”
APRIL 1969 Mao declared “victory” of the Cultural Revolution and supported Lin Biao
as his new successor.
Source: China’s Cultural Revolution. Stanford History Education Group. PDF.
Note: This activity comes from Stanford History Education Group.
59
READING | Document A: Mao’s “Little Red Book”

Mao’s “Little Red Book” is a collection of Mao Tse-Tung’s quotations that were
used as a source of inspiration and guidance for members of the Red Guard during
the Cultural Revolution. These are two excerpts from the book.
The world is yours, as well as ours, but in the last analysis, We must help all our young people to understand that ours
it is yours. You young people, full of vigor and vitality, is still a very poor country, that we cannot change this
are in the bloom of life, like the sun at eight or nine in the situation radically in a short time, and that only through the
morning. Our hope is placed in you. The world belongs united efforts of our younger generation and all our people,
to you. China’s future belongs to you. working with their own hands, can China be made strong
and prosperous within a period of several decades.
Mao, 1957 The establishment of our socialist system has opened
the road leading to the ideal society of the future,
Source: but to translate this ideal into reality needs hard work.
Mao Tse-Tung, Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung.
1964 China’s Cultural Revolution Mao, 1957

60
READING | Document B: Red Guard Song

Patriotic songs and slogans were common characteristics of the Cultural Revolution.
This song was written by the People’s Liberation Army Songs Editorial Department
sometime around 1967.
Red Guards, Red Guards.

Burning with revolutionary zeal,
Tested by the storm of class struggle,
Tempered for battle our hearts are red,
Standing firm, direction clear, our vigor for revolution strong,
We follow the party with full devotion,
We are Chairman Mao’s Red Guards.

Red Guards, Red Guards.
We want to be the successors to Communism.
The revolutionary red banner passes on from generation
to generation, We want to try on the glorious tradition.
Loving the country, loving the people, loving the collective,
loving to work. Connecting with the workers and the peasants,
We are Chairman Mao’s Red Guards.

61
READING | Document C: At the Center of the Storm

Rae Yang was a young girl in the spring of 1966, when she became a part of the Red Guards during
the Cultural Revolution. In 1997, she published a memoir retelling the story of her life and her family
in China throughout the political turmoil of the 1950s through the 1980s. In this excerpt she writes
about her early experience in the Red Guards.
When the Cultural Revolution broke out in late May 1966, home nearby and pasted it on the wall of her bedroom for
I felt like the legendary monkey Sun Wukong, freed from the her to read carefully day and night. This, of course, was not
dungeon that had held him under a huge mountain for five personal revenge. It was answering Chairman Mao’s call
hundred years. It was Chairman Mao who set us free by to combat the revisionist educational line.
allowing us to rebel against authorities. As a student, the
first authority I wanted to rebel against was Teacher Lin, our Within a few days, dazibao written by students, teachers,
homeroom teacher. A big part of her duty was to make administrators, workers, and librarians, were popping up
sure that we behaved and thought correctly. everywhere like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Secrets
dark and dirty were exposed. Every day we made shocking
Now the time had come for the underdogs to speak up, to seek discoveries. The sacred halo around the teachers’ heads
justice! Immediately I took up a brush pen, dipped it in black that dated back two thousand five hundred years to the time
ink and wrote a long dazibao. Using some of the rhetorical of Confucius disappeared. Now teachers must learn a few
devices Teacher Lin had taught us, I accused her of lacking things from their students. Parents would be taught by their
proletarian feeling toward her students, of treating them kids instead of vice versa, as Chairman Mao pointed out.
as her enemies, of being high-handed, and of suppressing Government officials would have to wash their ears to listen
different opinions. My classmates supported me by signing to the ordinary people....
their names to it. Next, we took the dazibao to Teacher Lin’s
Source:
Rae Young, Spider Eaters: A Memoir, 1997.
VOCABULARY
Dazibao – propaganda posters written to denounce counter-
revolutionaries high-handed– bossy
Proletarian – working class
Revisionist – in this case, someone opposing Mao’s position
62
READING | Document D: Under the Red Sun Memoir

Under the Red Sun is a memoir written by Fan Cao about her experiences during the Cultural
Revolution published in 2005. Here is an excerpt from the memoir.
I was a 7th grader when the Great Cultural Revolution faculty, my parents were obviously in trouble. I, of course,
broke out. Growing up in the “New China” we were fed with was guilty by association. Only a 13-year-old girl, I became
revolutionary ideas bathed in the red sunlight of Mao. We a target of the revolution. After that, I lost all my friends
worshiped Mao the same way pious Christians worship their and lived in perpetual fear for several years. Despite this
God, and we were completely devoted to him. I, myself, really unbearable life, I did not dare challenge my belief in the
believed that we were working for a paradise on earth, and revolution. Instead, I wondered if it might be my parents
we were going to save the entire world. How glorious it was to who had done something wrong. I wrote a dazibao denouncing
have the great destiny of liberating all humanity! In fact, them to show my loyalty to Mao. My naivety deeply wounded
we did not even understand what revolution was and how the feelings between my parents and me.
other people in the world really lived...
As I grew up, I slowly learned the truth behind the so-called
I was not allowed to join the Red Guards simply because “revolution.” I also realized that my family and I were relatively
my grandparents were rich before the communists took away lucky compared with hundreds and thousands of innocent
their land, and my parents were considered “intellectuals,” people who died in the endless political movements. I am
which automatically made them anti-revolutionists regardless very remorseful, and I still feel shaken as I think back on what
of the fact that they had been following Mao’s idealism happened during the Cultural Revolution.
since their early adulthood. As members of the university
Source:
Fan Cao, Under the Red Sun, 2005
63
COURSE
TIME
WORKSHEET | Why did Chinese youth support the Cultural Revolution?
DOCUMENT A – MAO’S LITTLE RED BOOK

1. (Sourcing) What was the purpose of Mao’s Little Red Book?
2. (Close Reading) What are two reasons that Mao thought young people were important to China’s future?
3. How might a young person living in 1964 have felt upon reading these quotes?
DOCUMENT B – RED GUARD SONG

1. Sourcing) Who wrote the song? Why do you think the song was written?
2. (Close reading) What is the main message of the song?
3. Why might a young person in 1966 want to sing this song?
64
COURSE
TIME
WORKSHEET | Why did Chinese youth support the Cultural Revolution?
MEMOIRS: DOCUMENTS C AND D

1. (Sourcing) How are Documents C and D similar types of sources?
2. (Sourcing) Do you find these accounts reliable? Why or why not?

Explain using evidence from the documents.
3. (Close reading) Rae Yang (Doc. C) and Fan Cau (Doc. D) both wrote dazibao. Yang denounced
her teacher and Fan denounced her parents. Explain one way that their actions were similar
and one way that their actions differed.
4. (Context) According to these two documents, what are some reasons why young people
oined the Red Guards?
OVERALL
Use evidence from the documents and the timeline to answer the overall question:
Why did Chinese youth get swept up in the Cultural Revolution?
65

PREVIEW
In which John Green teaches you about the post-World War II of the Tokugawa Shogunate to the Meiji Restoration, and
breakup of most of the European empires. As you’ll remember covers Nationalism in many other countries along the way.
from previous installments of Crash Course, Europeans spent
several centuries sailing around the world creating empires, PURPOSE
despite the fact that most of the places they conquered were In this video, students examine the post-World War II breakup
perfectly happy to carry on alone. After World War II, most of most of the European empires. Following the war, most
of these empires collapsed. This is the story of those collapses. of the world was still in control of European forces, who were
In most places, the end of empire was not orderly, and now severely weakened. Post-war decolonization happened
violence often ensued. While India was a (sort of) shining all over the place: French Indochina became Cambodia, Laos,
example of non-violent change, in places like The Congo, and Vietnam. The Dutch East Indies became Indonesia.
Egypt, Rwanda, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, things didn’t And Africa became whole new continent. But when former
go smoothly at all. colonizing forces leave, are these new places better off?
PROCESS
As with all of the videos in the course, ask students
LINK
to watch the video before class. Remind students
• Crash Course World History #40 –
of John’s fast-talking and play the video with captions.
watch the video, instruct them to begin to consider
Video questions for students to answer during
why empires collapse. Why did empires fail to arise
their viewing.
following World War II? What struggles have nations
face following decolonization?
66

1. (1:45) Why might World War II be responsible for the lack SAMPLE ANSWER: World War II might be responsible for the
of emerging empires in the second half of the twentieth lack of emerging empires because the Allies were fighting
century? against imperialistic forces, so it would be unfair to support
those suffering from imperialism, then you know, colonize
them. Also, the war left many colonial powers weakened.
2. (3:10) What year was the Indian National SAMPLE ANSWER: 1885.
Congress formed?
3. (4:45) How many people were displaced during the SAMPLE ANSWER: Approximately 12 million people were
decolonization of India? displaced as Hindus in Pakistan moved to India and Muslims
in India moved to Pakistan.
4. (5:30) Why was Gandhi assassinated? SAMPLE ANSWER: Gandhi was assassinated because a Hindu
nationalist felt he was too sympathetic to the Muslim cause.
5. (6:50) How many island make up Indonesia? SAMPLE ANSWER: Over 13,000 islands make up the nation
of Indonesia.
6. (7:10) What practice accounted for 25% of the total Dutch SAMPLE ANSWER: Kultuurstelsel – the practice in which
national budget? all peasants had to set aside one-fifth of their land to grow
cash crops for The Netherlands.
7. (8:00) What was the Khmer Rouge? SAMPLE ANSWER: Following the end of colonization in
Cambodia, the 17-year reign of Norodom Sihanouk gave
way to the political power of the Khmer Rouge, which
massacred 21% of Cambodia’s population between 1975
and 1979.
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8. (9:15) According to John Green, what is one SAMPLE ANSWER: One of the most problematic legacies
of the most problematic legacies of colonialism? of colonialism is, especially with respect to Africa,
is geography. Colonial boundaries became redefined despite
different tribes being combined into one.
9. (10:00) Why did African nations struggle SAMPLE ANSWER: African nations did not have the
so much after Europeans decolonized? necessary institutions in place to thrive in the post-war
industrial world. African land had been used by European
forces to extract raw resources, so no systems had been built.
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LESSON 6.2.5 | READ | New Identities – India Partition
PURPOSE
The decision to partition India into two countries as part of displacement, migration, and violence. In this lesson,
of its independence from Britain in August 1947 had dramatic students weigh the options of leaders in 1947 and use
consequences. The creation of Pakistan as a separate, primary sources to evaluate the Partition Plan.
Muslim state from India, a secular state, set off waves
PROCESS
Hand out or have students download India Partition ATTACHMENT
packet. Have students review the timeline. Answer • ‘India Partition’
any questions they have. The timeline offers two
possible reasons for why India was partitioned. Note: This is a good opportunity to pause and discuss
The first has to do with a separate homeland for what it means to evaluate historical actors. Is it fair
Muslims and their fear of being a minority in an to evaluate the actions of people in the past, who
independent India, and the second has to do with could not predict the future? This lesson evaluates the
Britain’s wish to speed up the transition. Ask students Partition Plan based on what leaders knew at the time.
to discuss whether they think the Partition Plan Throughout the lesson it will be important to remind
was a good idea, based just on the timeline. Students students that the goal is to try to enter the mindset
who think it was a good idea will likely support of the leaders in 1947.
their argument by saying that without a separate
state, Muslims would have been a political
minority. Those who disagree will likely refer
to the ensuing violence.
69
PROCESS (CONT’D)
Have students read the modified primary-source
documents. Host a discussion. Potential questions
to ask:
• Why does Jinnah support the creation • According to Mountbatten, what role did
of a separate state for Muslims? Jinnah play in the decision to split India
• What does Nehru mean when he accuses rather than keep it unified?
the supporters of a separate Pakistan • According to Mountbatten, why was it
of moving on the “emotional plane”? “almost criminal” that he didn’t know
• Both Jinnah and Nehru are writing before Great that Jinnah was dying?
Britain has granted India independence. In other • According to Wolpert, who was responsible
words, the argument over whether India should for the failure of partition? Explain.
be split is occurring against the backdrop of the
fight for Indian independence. How might this
context have affected what Jinnah and Nehru
are saying in these documents?

70
READING | India Partition – Timeline

By the end of World War I in 1919, Indian leaders began British left. But some Muslims, especially leader Muhammad
fighting for independence from Great Britain. At this time, Ali Jinnah, worried about being a minority. When the British
two major ethnic populations existed in India: Hindus, who finally left India in 1947, they divided the Indian subcontinent,
were the great majority, and Muslims, who were a minority. creating an independent India and a new state called Pakistan
Many Hindus hoped that India would remain united once the for Muslims. They called this division the Partition Plan.
1930s The idea for a separate homeland for Muslims is introduced.
1935: Great Britain reforms policies to grant greater independence to Indians.

Muslims worry they will be a permanent minority in a fully independent India.
1940: Muslim leader Jinnah calls for the establishment of Pakistan as a separate
state for India’s Muslims.
1944: Hindu leaders fail to convince Jinnah to keep India unified.
AUGUST 1946: Hindus and Muslims clash in Calcutta over formation of interim government.
Approximately 5,000 die.
MARCH 1947: The British Government sends Louis Mountbatten to India to determine a plan
for transferring power to Indians before June 1948.
JUNE 3, 1947: Mountbatten announces the Partition Plan and speeds up the transfer of
power by ten months.
AUGUST 14-15, 1947: Transfer of Power: India gains independence from Great Britain.
AUGUST 16-17, 1947 Decision for partition boundaries is released and published.

Migration and violence due to partition continues until the end of 1947.
Approximately 15 million people migrated, and between 300,000 and one
million refugees lost their lives during partition.
71
READING | Document A: Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Modified)
The passage below is a speech by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to revise our notions in time. The Hindus and the Muslims
who was known as the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served belong to two different religious philosophies, social customs,
as president of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until and literature. They neither intermarry, nor inter-dine
Pakistan’s independence on August 15, 1947. The speech together, and indeed they belong to two different civilizations,
became known as the “Two Nations” speech and was which are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions.
delivered at the Muslim League’s annual meeting in 1940. To yoke together two such nations under a single State, one
as a numerical minority and the other as a majority, must
If the British Government really wants to secure the peace lead to growing discontent and the final destruction of the
and happiness of the people of this Subcontinent, the only government of such a State.
course open to us is to allow Hindus and Muslims separate
homelands, by dividing India into “autonomous national States.” Muslim India cannot accept any Constitution that will lead
to a Hindu majority Government.
It is extremely difficult to appreciate why our Hindu friends
fail to understand the real nature of Islam and Hinduism. The Muslims are a nation according to any definition of a nation,
They are not religions in the strict sense of the word, but and they must have their homelands, their territory and
are, in fact, different and distinct social orders. It is a dream their State. We wish to live in peace and harmony with our
that the Hindus and Muslims can ever evolve a common neighbors as a free and independent people.
nationality. This misconception of one Indian nation has
gone far beyond the limits and is the cause of most
of our troubles and will lead India to destruction, if we fail
72
READING | Document B: Jawaharlal Nehru (Modified)
The passage below is an excerpt from the book The Discovery If the economic aspects of separation are considered,
of India, by Jawaharlal Nehru published in 1946. Nehru it is clear that India as a whole is a strong and more-or-less
was India’s first Prime Minister and a member of India’s self-sufficient economic unit. If the division is made so as
Congress during pre-Independence. Nehru was actively to separate the predominantly Hindu and Muslim areas, the
involved in India’s Independence Movement, and he wrote Hindu areas will not be so hard hit. The Muslim areas,
the book between 1942-1945 when he was in prison for on the other hand, will be economically backward. Thus, the
civil disobedience. odd fact emerges that those who today demand separation
will suffer the most from it.
Any division of India on a religious basis as between Hindus
and Muslims, as proposed by the Moslem League today, The astonishing fact remains that those who propose “Pakistan”
cannot separate the followers of these two principal religions or partition have consistently refused to define what they
of India, for they are spread out all over the country. Even if mean or to consider the implications of such a division. They
the areas in which each group is in a majority are separated, move on the emotional plane only...
huge minorities belonging to the other group remain in each
area. Other religious groups, like the Sikhs, are split up unfairly It is difficult to imagine any free state emerging from
against their will and placed in two different states. In giving such turmoil, and if something does emerge, it will be full
freedom to separate to one group, other groups are denied of contradictions and insoluble problems.
that freedom...

73
READING | Document C: Lord Louis Mountbatten (Modified)
The excerpt below is from an interview with Lord Louis a man who was there for keeps, and had Pakistan as his
Mountbatten, the last British leader of India. The interview object on which I couldn’t steer him around. If in fact,
was recorded over 20 years after the partition of India. we suppose for a moment that Jinnah had died, literally
The excerpt presents Mountbatten’s views on Muhammad before the transfer of power, I believe the [Indian]
Ali Jinnah, who died somewhat suddenly of tuberculosis Congress would have been so relieved that their arch
on September 11, 1948. enemy was dead— we would have been dealing on
a basis where Congress would have been prepared to give
You see, Jinnah was so much of a one-man band. If somebody up much more and the other Muslim leaders would
had told me he’s going to be dead in a few months would have been ready to accept that. It’s a horrifying thought
I then—I am asking myself this question now—would that we were never told . . . Anyway, that I wasn’t told
I have said, Let’s hold India together and not divide it? . . . [that Jinnah was dying], was almost criminal. The only
Most probably . . . Jinnah was a lunatic. He was absolutely, chance, and I’m saying this now on the spur of the
completely impossible. I don’t think we could have waited moment, it was the only chance we had of keeping some
for him to die because, I don’t think . . . we neither could form of unified India, because he was the only, I repeat
have afforded the time, nor could we have felt certain the only, stumbling block. The others were not so obdurate.
of it. But what we could have done is to argue with him I am sure the Congress would have found some compromise
in a very different way. I assumed I was dealing with with them.
74
READING | Document D: Stanley Wolpert (Excerpt)
Stanley Wolpert is an American historian specializing independent government, deciding instead to divide British
in Indian history. The following excerpt is from the India into fragmented dominions of India and Pakistan.
introduction of Wolpert’s book, Shameful Flight: The Last The hastily and ineptly drawn lines of partition of North
Years of the British Empire in India, published in 2006, India’s two greatest provinces, Punjab and Bengal,
in which he expresses his views on India’s partition. Wolpert slashed through their multicultural heartlands..
has made several trips to India.
...the tragedy of Partition and its more than half century legacy
In mid-August of 1947 the world’s mightiest modern of hatred, fear and communal conflict . . . might well have
empire [Great Britain]...abandoned its vow to protect been avoided, or at least mitigated, but for the arrogance
one-fifth of humankind. and ignorance of a handful of British and Indian Leaders.
Those ten additional months of post war talks, aborted by
Prime Minister Clement Attlee and his cabinet gave an impatient Mountbatten, might have helped all parties
Mountbatten until June of 1948 to try to facilitate agreement to agree that cooperation was much wiser than conflict,
between the major competing political party leaders dialogue more sensible than division, words easier to cope
of India to work together within a single federation. But with and pay for than perpetual warfare...
adrenaline-charged Mountbatten scuttled that last best
hope of the British Imperial Raj...to leave India a single
75
LESSON 6.2.6 | WATCH | Crash Course World History #41 & #42
Globalization
PURPOSE
In which John Green teaches you about globalization, rates, environmental damage, and new paths for the
a subject so epic, so, um, global, it requires two videos. spread of disease. So does all this outweigh the economic
In these videos, John follows the surprisingly complex benefits, the innovation, and the relative peace that come
path of t-shirt as it criss-crosses the world before coming with interconnected economies? As usual, the answer is not
to rest on your doorstep, and eventually in your dresser. simple. In this case, we’re living in the middle of the events
(Unless you’re one of those people who never puts their we’re discussing, so it’s hard to know how it’s going to turn out.
laundry away and lives out of a laundry basket. If that’s
the case, shame on you.) Anyway, the story of the t-shirt and PURPOSE
its manufacture in far-flung places like China, Guatemala, In this video, students examine global economic
and India is a microcosm of what’s going on in the global interdependence and how it has led to longer, healthier,
economy. Globalization is a bit of a mixed bag, and there more prosperous lives for humans, as well as an
have definitely been winners and losers along the way. astonishing change in the overall human population. This
John will talk about some of the benefits that have come has also led to a victory for individualism while having
along with it. Is globalization is a net positive for humanity? devastating effects on the environment. While populations
While the new global economy has created a lot of wealth, have increased thanks to better crop yields, much more
and lifted a lot of people out of poverty, it also has some land has been brought under cultivation.
effects that aren’t so hot. Wealth disparity, rising divorce
PROCESS
of John’s fast-talking and play the video with captions. Globalization Part 1
Pause and rewind when necessary. Before students • Crash Course World History #42 –
watch the video, instruct them to begin to consider Globalization Part 2
if access and convenience of goods/products are
Video questions for students to complete
more important than maintaining environmental
during their viewings.
conditions. Can we celebrate globalization in
spite of its destabilizing effects on families and
the environment?
76

Globalization I
1. (1:20) Trade between civilizations is nothing new, SAMPLE ANSWER: The scale of trade has grown to include
but how has the scale of trade changed over time? multinational corporations that have global reach, power,
and influence. Travel and shipping are inexpensive and safe.
Governments have decreased tariffs and regulations on
international trade.
2. (4:20) In terms of manufactured goods, what is different SAMPLE ANSWER: One thing that’s different in manufactured
since at least the 1960s? goods since at least the 1960s is that former non-industrial
parts of the world have been manufacturing consumer goods.
Foreign markets are much bigger for those goods to be sold
in; not everything locally made is locally consumed.
3. (6:00) What is the advantage of moving a high wage SAMPLE ANSWER: Moving a high wage job to a low wage
job to a low wage country? country increases worldwide economic output. Some 600
million people have emerged from poverty in the last 30 years.
4. (6:45) What have been some negative side effects SAMPLE ANSWER: Global industrialization breaks up families
of global industrialization? and there are countless examples of how harmful it is to the
environment.
5. (7:00) What are some positive impacts of globalization? SAMPLE ANSWER: Air travel is inexpensive; it’s easier
and cheaper to stay in contact with family; economic
opportunities are often better in wealthier countries.
6. (10:00) Why do humans live twice as long now SAMPLE ANSWER: Humans live longer now because
as compared to two centuries ago? of improved healthcare for women, antibiotics, and a second
agricultural revolution (the “Green Revolution”), which
gives us higher crop yields.crops for The Netherlands.
77
Globalization II
7. (:55) What are some outcomes of global economic SAMPLE ANSWER: It has led, on average, to longer, healthier,
interdependence? and more prosperous lives. And in astonishing change in overall
human population.
8. (1:10) In the US and Europe, most of the population SAMPLE ANSWER: Most of the populations live in the service
works in what type of industry? industry – healthcare, retail, education, entertainment,
information technology, etc.
9. (4:30) What is perhaps the biggest consequence SAMPLE ANSWER: Humanity’s effect on the environment.
of globalization? While populations have increased partly thanks to better
crop yields, much more land has also been brought under
cultivation. This means cutting down trees in valuable
rainforests, like in the Amazon.
10. (6:50) What is the virtuous cycle and how does it relate SAMPLE ANSWER: The virtuous cycle states that more
to how we use the planet? efficiency makes things cheaper, which in turn makes
them easier to buy, which increases demand, which increases
efficiency. At every step in this cycle, humans us up more
natural resources - more land, more carbon emissions, more
resource extraction.
78
LESSON 6.2.7 | CLOSING | Thought Bubble
PURPOSE
In every Crash Course World History video, John takes their EQ Notebook responses and write out a longer, more
a moment to explain a concept in depth through the use informative and entertaining response. This is their Thought
of the Thought Bubble. This segment, often a minute Bubble and it can be about any topic we’ve discussed
and a half to three minutes in length (roughly 300-500 and studied in this course. Have students reference their
words), dives into greater detail than most of the EQ Notebooks as a guide. Let them take a day or two
information discussed in Crash Course videos. For this to work on their Thought Bubble.
final activity, students will consider one aspect from
PROCESS
Using their EQ Notebooks as a guide, as well as the MATERIALS
Crash Course Style Guide and Writing Rubric, • Paper, document, blog, Medium, etc.
instruct students that they’ll be writing their own
Thought Bubble. This reflective paper can be on ATTACHMENT
any subject or major theme we’ve covered in the course. • EQ Notebooks
The important thing is that it is a short, concise • Writing Rubric
explanation of a topic, idea or event, but done in a light • Crash Course Style Guide
and informative format. It should also address the
questions: What patterns have emerged through your
study of history? How have those patterns shaped
the world we live in today? How might they shape
our future? Collect responses and grade based
on the Writing Rubric.
79
HANDOUT | Writing Rubric | Teacher’s Guidelines
Use this rubric to evaluate writing assignments. Mark scores and related comments in the scoring sheet that follows.
ABOVE STANDARD (4) AT STANDARD (3) APPROACHING STANDARD (2) BELOW STANDARD (1) SCORE
FOCUS Topic and thesis are eloquently The introduction text has a thesis The introduction text has an The introduction text lacks an
Identifies a specific topic to expressed that supports statement that communicates unclear thesis statement that identifiable thesis and minimally
inform reader on concept, theory claims and answers compelling ideas, concepts, and information communicates some ideas, communicates ideas, concepts,
or event. Clearly states thesis questions made by student to the reader. concepts, and information to and information to the reader.
with supportive topic sentences with deep understanding of the reader.
throughout document. the information.
EVIDENCE Extensive demonstration of facts, The text offers sufficient The text provides some facts, The text lacks facts, figures,
Writing demonstrates extensive figures, instances and sources demonstration of facts, figures, figures, instances and examples instances and examples
research and details with a variety are documented throughout and sources to develop to support the central theme. to support central theme and
of sources and perspectives. the text. Resources support and explain central theme. But a limited understanding of demonstrates little or no
Provides examples that enhance the central theme while An understanding of the the topic in historic context is understanding of historic context.
central theme and argument. strategically addressing topic topic in historic context demonstrated.
in historic context. is demonstrated.
STRUCTURE The text has a clear objective The text offers good use and The text uses and offers primary Few if any primary sources
Cohesively links and analyzes and focus with effective use understanding of primary sources to support theme and are used to support theme and/
primary sources related to the of sources throughout that sources to support central begins to address the research or little attention is paid to
topic, and clarifies complex ideas supports central thesis and theme and addresses the question. addressing research question.
for formal audience. argument. research question.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS Student makes historical Student addresses claim with Student begins to address claim Student demonstrates little to
Evaluates historical claims and claim and provides significant good supportive evidence with evidence while relating address claim with no evidence
evidence by corroborating or evidence to support this claim and accurately summarizes historic events to overall theme. to support historic events
challenging them with other while challenging it with argument while analyzing it to overall theme.
information. contrasting source material. within a historic context.
80
HANDOUT | Crash Course Style Guide – Pro-tips for how to write

an episode of Crash Course and have fun doing it.
INTRODUCTION
Hi, I’m Raoul Meyer, the head writer for Crash Course or at least approximate, what we have done in the first four
Humanities and this is a, hopefully, brief introduction to how series. So let’s get started with Part I.
to write an episode for Crash Course the way I do. Now, I’m
sure there are other ways to do it — far better writers than Part I: The Process
I have written some amazing episodes — but after writing 1. Start with a straightforward idea. For the first two
more than 150 of ‘em, I’m probably qualified to offer some tips Crash Course series, World History 1 and U.S. History,
that you may or may not use. the ideas for each episode came from the AP curricula for
those two courses, so it wasn’t particularly difficult
You might have noticed that the first paragraph I wrote to decide what to write about. The same thing is true
sounds a bit like the opening of a Crash Course episode. If you for Crash Course Government and Politics. For World
did notice that, then I’ve done a good job, because in these History 2, however, I had to come up with an idea for
opening paragraphs I’m trying to model the conversational each episode. Usually these came from single history
style we shoot for at Crash Course, as well as give you books that I particularly like, but sometimes they came
a flavor for what a script looks like in it’s initial stages, which from multiple books.
is pretty much what you’ve just read. I also did the most
important thing that a Crash Course episode should do, but Episodes based on a single book are easier to write
more on that in a minute. because a good book will have a relatively clear argument
that can serve as the basis for what you want to say.
This guide will be divided into two main sections. First I’m The episode on the Columbian Exchange in Crash Course
going to go over the process that goes into coming up with World History 1 is a good example of this type of essay,
an idea for a Crash Course episode and the procedures as is the episode on Drought and Famine in the second
I use to actually write one. That should be relatively short and World History series.
straightforward, because, at least for me, the process
is both of those things. The most important thing about your idea is this: you
must know what it is you want to teach and explain to your
The second section will be tips about what writers can do, viewers why it is important that they should learn what
stylistically, to create episodes that have the sound and you are teaching them. This must be clear to you so that
feel of Crash Course. Of course, part of the success of the you can make it clear to them.
episodes rests with John and Hank Green, and unless they
will be hosting your episode you don’t want it to sound exactly 2. Identify the “typical view” on the topic. Once you have
like them, but there are some things you can do to emulate, identified the topic you want to write about and what
81
you want to say about it, the next step is figuring out It’s much easier to base an episode around a single
what people would commonly know about this topic. book, but sometimes, as with the episode on Historical
I’ll say more about this in the style section, but many Interpretation and the Rise of the West, or the two
Crash Course episodes build off the notion that there’s episodes on the origins of World War I, a single book
an accepted view of history that people probably have, just won’t cut it. It’s really important to budget your
even if they don’t know it, and then there’s another time appropriately based on how much reading you are
view that they might not have considered. Many of my going to need to do.
favorite Crash Course episodes play off this idea.
5. Start writing. Once you’ve done steps 1-4, you’re ready
The most obvious example of this is the World History to write. I find that if I have a good outline and know
episode on the Greeks and Persians, which starts from what I’m thinking of doing, it takes me about 3-5 hours
the premise that the Greeks winning the Persian Wars to write an episode. But, like A.J. Liebling, I can write
was a good thing and then flips it on its head. In order better than anyone faster than me and faster than anyone
to make the opposite argument, I needed to present better than me. At least I can write Crash Course scripts
some information about the Persian Empire and also faster than anyone I know. But probably not better.
provide an interpretation of the Greeks that puts them
in a less favorable, or at least more problematic light. 6. Let it marinate. Once you’ve finished, assuming that
Pointing out the problems with commonly held views you have the time, let your script sit for a least a day
is something we try to do a lot at Crash Course. before you edit it. Distance is a good thing. Then edit
the script and figure out where you think the Thought
3. Make an outline. Having figured out the main argument Bubble will fit. Don’t worry so much about the visuals;
you intend to make in your episode, make an outline the gang at ThoughtCafe will handle them, probably
of the major points you want to make. Sometimes your better than you could. Certainly better than I could.
episode will be mainly informational, in which case the
outline will resemble a list. Other times you may want So that’s basically the process I follow. I know it’s not
to lay out the different sides of the argument in relative really a step-by-step guide, but everyone writes differently
detail. This depends a lot on your own writing process. and what works for me might not work the same way
for you. So now, let’s move on to my not-so-secret pro-tips
4. Do your research. The amount of research you need to in Part 2.
do will depend on your familiarity with the topic and its
complexity. With most of the episodes in the first two
seasons I didn’t do a ton of research because the topics
tracked the AP curricula pretty closely and I had taught
most of them for multiple years. But for World History 2,
I read at least one book for each episode and often read
more than one.
82
Part 2: Crash Course Style

There are a lot of videos out there and most of them have one think.” This is pretty important, because one of the things
thing in common: their style derives largely from their host. Crash Course tries to avoid is setting itself up as the
Crash Course is no exception in this. The way the videos look authority on anything. The Humanities is largely about
and sound has a great deal to do with the personalities interpretation and we strive to make that visible in our
of the original hosts, John and Hank. I have been lucky in that episodes. Not only does this acknowledge our humility
my writing style meshes pretty well with John’s personality, in the face of the work of real historians, but it points
and the result has been an approach that I would say combines out that, like our viewers, we are learning, too.
seriousness with silliness, one in which we honor the material
and the study of history while always, always recognizing that 3. Try to be funny, but make yourself the object of the jokes
the view we are presenting is only one of many possible more often than not. Part of our charm, assuming that
interpretations. If there is one word that encompasses the we have any charm, is that Crash Course hosts are self-
Crash Course approach, I’d say it’s humility. deprecating. There’s a place in Crash Course for snarky
humor, but it should be used sparingly, and snide remarks
That being said, here are some things to keep in mind that will should be aimed at the powerful rather than the
help you make your script as Crash Course-y as possible. powerless. That’s why it’s ok for you to point out that
the government is often ineffective or to shine a light
1. Assume that your audience is smart and wants to hear on patriarchy where it exists, but also why we don’t make
what you have to say. It’s a good idea to address your fun of things that aren’t funny, like slavery.
audience as though they are familiar with the topic you
are discussing. In setting up the premise that there is 4. In general, try to make jokes that are timeless, recognizing
an accepted view of the topic and that you are trying to that our YouTube videos have a long tail and that humor
present an interpretation that is slightly – or maybe more that is specifically related to one celebrity or event might
than slightly – different, speak to your audience as though not make sense a year or even six months down the
they already know the accepted view, because they road. Also it’s really hard to know which trends are going
probably do. One way to accomplish this is by addressing to last. The best example of this is the episode where
the audience directly using the word “you.” If you we make a joke out of both Kim Kardashian, who will
watch the videos, you’ll probably notice that the host probably be a comprehensible punch-line for a while to
often introduces an idea by saying something like, come, and Mike “the Situation” Sorrentino, who many
“Now, you probably know that …” Kind of like I just did viewers might have to Google even now. Similarly, it’s
right there. probably ok to use “Google” as a verb in 2015, but who
knows what we’ll be using to search the Internet in 2020.
2. Use qualifiers like, “probably,” “maybe,” and “kind of,”
and if you are making a claim without a specific authority 5. Complex sentences with multiple clauses, especially
to back it up, say, “many people believe,” or “some people relative ones – especially those that use asides
83
– are good. Stylistically, sentences with piles of clauses 7. Write conversationally… But you knew that already.
give Crash Course it’s rhythm, but they also provide an
analog to the way people, at least the ones we know and 8. Last, but not at all least, try to walk the fine line between
admire, think about important topics. Rarely do we arrive ironic detachment – the argot of much of the writing that
at conclusions in a completely linear fashion, and the appears online and increasingly in print – and earnestness.
twists and turns of our phrasing demonstrate our thought One of John and Hank’s greatest strengths is the genuine
processes to the viewers. Remember, we want the love of learning that they exude and the joy they take in
viewers to engage in thinking about history with us rather finding out something new and sharing it with the world.
than simply provide them with an interpretation that they This is the attitude that is summed up in their version
are expected to know. They probably have had enough of nerdiness and is the essence of the mixture of fun
experience with that already. Also, don’t worry so much and seriousness that is what Crash Course, and learning,
about consistency of pronouns, or even tenses since you should be.
can overcome grammar inconsistencies with your reading.
9. Oh yeah, and last for real: try to keep your script at about
6. Be mindful of the order of your clauses. When you are 2000 words, more or less.
trying to show two sides of an issue with two clauses
separated by a “but” it may be that the second clause
is the one that gets remembered and the result is that
you might seem biased in favor of what you put in that
clause. You might think you are being completely fair
and showing both sides on paper, but on camera it appears
that you have a definite bias.
This became clear to me in our episode on the Israeli-

Palestinian conflict, one that was certain to inflame
both sides of the hyphen. After careful editing, I was
reasonably sure that we had done a good job of not
offending anybody, or at least offending everybody
equally, and not coming off as either pro-Israeli or
pro-Palestinian. But when I watched the video I had
a nagging sense that by mentioning the casualties
suffered by Palestinians in the second clause, after
describing those suffered by Israelis, we had
somehow given more weight to the Palestinians’ cause.
This was not at all intended, and it’s something
to watch out for when you write.
84

Contemporary - Accelerating Global Change & Realignments: Unit 6

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UNIT 6 | CONTEMPORARY – ACCELERATING GLOBAL CHANGE & REALIGNMENTS

UNIT 6 | OVERVIEW, UNIT OBJECTIVES, ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

TIMELINE: 1900 CE – Present

1 LESSON 6.1 OUTLINE 51 LESSON 6.2 OUTLINE

LESSON 6.1.0 | OVERVIEW

LESSON 6.1.0 | OVERVIEW | Learning Outcomes, Vocabulary, & Outline

LEARNING OUTCOMES 5.1.5 | WRITE

OUTLINE 5.1.10 | CLOSING

Treaty of Versailles (1919) – An agreement, made in 1919

*Vocabulary definitions taken from oxforddictionaries.com & britannica.com

LESSON 6.1.1 | OPENING | EQ Notebook

HOW HAS YOUR

READING | Schools of Thought: Causes of World War I — Mary Price

a year to mobilize and build defenses. A year might

Price, Mary. “The Causes and Consequences of World War I:

1900-1920.” World History For Us All. PDF.

LESSON 6.1.3 | WATCH | Crash Course World History #36

LESSON 6.1.3 | WATCH | Key Ideas – Factual

people. In addition, new technology combined with

LESSON 6.1.3 | WATCH | Conceptual Thinking

LESSON 6.1.4 | READ | Battle of the Somme Accounts

READING | Battle of the Somme Accounts – Document A: The Daily Express

WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE FIELD,

Their machine guns, they said, had been erected by being

A significant feature of the day has been the quiescence

The splendid support we have received from our French

Daily Express, July 3, 1916.

READING | Battle of the Somme Accounts – Document B: British Soldier

George Coppard, With a Machine Gun to Cambrai, 1969.

READING | Battle of the Somme Accounts – Document C: German Soldier

the hard unrelenting tempo of the morning of 1st July 1916.

Otto Lais, “A Machine-gunner in Iron Regiment 169,” date unknown,

originally published 1935.

DOCUMENT A DOCUMENT B DOCUMENT C

Who wrote it? When? What type of source?

What is the author’s tone?

Did the author witness the events he describes?

DOCUMENT A DOCUMENT B DOCUMENT C

Who won the first day of the battle? How?

Is this source trustworthy? Why?

LESSON 6.1.5 | WRITE | World War I Poetry Reflection

READING | In Flanders Fields — John McCrae, 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

READING | Dulce Et Decorum Est — Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! -- An ecstasy of fumbling,

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace

LESSON 6.1.6 | WATCH | Crash Course World History #38

LESSON 6.1.6 | WATCH | Key Ideas – Factual

LESSON 6.1.7 | ACTIVITY | Propaganda and WWII

“We Can Do It!” poster for Westinghouse, closely

WORKSHEET | World War II Propaganda

WORKSHEET | World War II Propaganda

Poster Title: Poster Title:

2. What do you think

3. What about the poster

Poster Title: Poster Title:

4. What does this poster

5. What do you think

LESSON 6.1.8 | WATCH | Crash Course World History #39

LESSON 6.1.8 | WATCH | Key Ideas – Factual

READING | Timeline of the Early Cold War