Pearl Harbor: Different Perspectives

As we began to see last week, America was not totally neutral in World War II...even though Congress was passing several Neutrality Acts!

Of course, we can all point to the single event that completely brought us into the war-the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

For this week's blog, please read each of the following eyewitness accounts of this day:

1) American View

2) Japanese View

3) White House View

4) Watch this newsreel from the 1940s with footage from Pearl Harbor

For the comment section, write 200 words on this event. Be sure to include information from both an American AND Japanese perspective.

From Prison to Absolute Control: Rise of Hitler

For this week's blog, do some research on the life of Hitler. Notice his early struggles and his rise to controlling Germany by the 1930s.

In the comments...

1) Create a 10 point timeline of Hitler's life that you think covers the most significant events in his life that lead him from being a WW1 soldier to leader of Germany. Each point should have a date and a brief explanation of what happened in his life at that time. This section must be at least 100 words.

2) Write a 100 word paragraph answering this question: "What was it about Hitler's personality and/or ideas that allowed him to gain as much power as he did over the German people?".

America & The Holocaust: How Involved Should We Be?

One of difficult things to face about our involvement in World War II is America knew about the atrocities happening in Germany a few years before we officially entered the war. We were reluctant to get involved and people on all sides of the issue were counseling FDR on how we should respond.

For this week's blog, visit this website and read the article (it is called America & The Holocaust). At the end of the article you will find four questions about what you read. Choose ONE of the questions and answer it with 200 words for your blog response this week.

Hoover vs. FDR: Who Was Right?

For this week's blog, I want you to research the strategies of President Hoover in dealing with the Great Depression and the strategies of FDR.

For the comments, write 50 words on Hoover's ideas to "fix the Great Depression" and 50 words on FDR's ideas. Then, write 100 words explaining which side you agree with and why.

Great Depression-Crash Course

For this week's blog, and to ease back into the swing of things, please watch this video on the Great Depression.

For the comment section, write a 200 word post detailing what this video taught you about this era.

Great Depression: A Difficult Decade

For this week's blog, you are going to write two 200 word responses. This blog is the final one of the semester and is worth 100 points.

#1-Google "Dorothea Lange photography" and look at images she took during the Great Depression. Write 200 words on which photograph(s) made the greatest impact on you and why.

#2-Google "causes of the Great Depression". Write a 200 word response on at least THREE different events/causes that led to the Great Depression.

A Monumental Decision: The Construction of Mount Rushmore

One of the most overwhelming public art projects taken on by our country is Mount Rushmore.

This project began during our current decade of study, the 1920s.

For this week's blog, read this article from the Smithsonian Institute about the creation of Mount Rushmore. Be sure to read all six sections (click "next" at the bottom of each page until the article is finished).

Of course, a blog about Mount Rushmore wouldn't be complete without addressing the differing views of this site. Read this article and this article to see a different side of the story.

For the comments, discuss what you learned about this impressive monument. Also consider...as cool as Mount Rushmore is, does it seem necessary to you or a waste of time and resources?