The Soviets Are Coming!: Premier Nikita Khrushchev Visits America

It may seem strange to you (or maybe not), but in 1959 the leader of the Soviet Union (Premier Nikita Khrushchev) visited America for almost two weeks. He visited farms, traveled to California and generally soaked up American culture.

President Eisenhower was hopeful the talks he would have with Khrushchev would ease tensions with the Soviets. Also, Americans were hopeful that the leading communist in the world would get a "taste of American freedom" and want to develop our philosophy in his country.

Well, none of those things happened. His trip to America is an interesting footnote of the Eisenhower era and marks the first time the leader of the Soviets came to America.

For this week's blog...
1.Please visit this website to view Khrushchev's itinerary from the trip.

2. Read this interview with Richard Davies from 1979. Davies was in charge of managing the press (media) when Khrushchev visited Los Angeles during his trip.

3. Finally, read part two from Davies about the Premier's interest in the American corn industry.

For the comments section, discuss what you learned from the three readings. What strikes you as interesting about this odd episode in American history?

Remember, you entry this week must be at least 400 words.

World War Two: First Hand Accounts

As we have stated many times, the best way to really connect with history is to see it/hear it/watch it/experience it from the perspective of those who lived it.

Using this website, choose ONE story from the list of eyewitness accounts from the World War II era. After you choose your story, read it and summarize what happened in the comments.

Once a story is posted about, no one else can choose that story. So, act quickly!

World War II: Propaganda Posters

As we have noticed in the past, wars are a great time to examine the "government's artwork" of the era.

For this week's blog, find an interesting WWII (be sure it is WWII and not WWI) propaganda poster and post the link to it in the comment section. Then, write 200 words about the meaning/message of the poster.

Remember, this type of blog is a first-come-first-served affair. So, if your blog post is a repeat of someone else's poster, you will not get credit. So...act fast!

The Holocaust: As The World Watched...

The Holocaust is often a topic we think we know a lot about (and maybe you do!) because it is a part of our "cultural knowledge". That is, Americans of all ages are introduced to this horrible event through movies, books and other outlets. We have a national museum in D.C. and a day every year where we remember the victims.

This week in class we will be talking about the events leading to our involvement in World War Two. The Holocaust, unfortunately, did not compel America to get involved. But of course, the Allies victory over the Axis Powers did liberate the concentration camps.

For this week, you will be visiting this website. Notice there are three sections: 1933-1938, 1939-1945 and After 1945. Each section has different article to read.

For the comment section, choose ONE article from EACH section (so, a total of three articles) and write a summary paragraph for EACH article (so, a total of three paragraphs).

The Holocaust can be a difficult topic but it is important to be reminded on a regular basis of how evil the human heart is and what it can do if left unchecked.

The (First) Great Communicator: FDR's Fireside Chats

As I mentioned in class, one of the best parts of FDR's political life was his ability to connect with people. During the Great Depression, what people really need was to be reassured. Reassured that the government knew their plight and was eager to help.

FDR used the radio (remember from Chapter 8 how many homes in America now had radios?) to speak to the nation. Here is a link to his first "fireside chat".

For the comment section, listen to the entire audio on this link. Discuss what he was talking about and how he sounded. Why do you think his fireside chats were so effective?

Inner Strength: Stories From The Great Depression

History becomes the most "alive" to us when we can connect with it. When we feel it.

One of the best ways to get into that mindset is to read stories from people who experienced major events of our time.

This week, visit this website. This site is filled with quotes from survivors of the Great Depression.

Read through all the quotes. For the comment section. discuss the quotes/stories that stood out to you the most? Can you relate to these people, or do we have it so much better than they did?

Remember, you lose points if the blog is not at least 200 words.

1929 Stock Market Crash: The Signal Of The Great Depression

It's true...the stock market crash in October 1929 did not cause the Great Depression. There were various factors leading up to the difficulty of the 1930s. The "Crash" does, however, provide us with a moment in time where the confidence in America's economy that had been building since 1920 was dissipating.

For an excellent explanation of these events, visit this website. Be sure to watch the video that pops up (it's about 3 minutes long) and read the article.

For the comments section, in your own words detail what caused the "crash" AND discuss what actions President Roosevelt took to restore confidence in American banks.