The Roaring Twenties: A Decade of Decadence

With World War One coming to a close, the 1920s were seen as a decade to "return to normalcy". As it would turn out, that decade would be anything but normal!

For this week's blog, visit this website. Notice this site gives you information about significant events from each year of the decade. Also, as you scroll down on the main page, you will find interesting info about the culture (music, sports, fashion etc) of the decade.

Spend some time perusing this site and finding items of interest.

For the comment section...

1) Create a "Top 10 List" of the 10 most interesting things you learned from this site about this decade. (100 words at least)

2) Write a paragraph as to why the 1920s was "anything but normal" for Americans. (100 words at least).

World War One: Eyewitness Accounts

We are looking at World War One this week during class.

For this blog assignment, select a story from this website.

In the comment section, write a 200 word post describing your story and what you learned about WW1 from what you read.

As with last week's blog, you cannot post about the same story someone else read. So, the sooner you post your blog, the better!

Progressive Era: Political Cartoons

We're going to revisit a blog idea we've already done this year.

For this week's blog, please Google "Progressive Era Political Cartoons" and find an interesting one. Research what the cartoon is depicting, who drew it etc and write your 200 words about it. Be sure to paste a link so I can find the cartoon myself.

This blog is first-come-first-served, so once a cartoon has been blogged about, it is off limits to the rest of the class.

Progressive Era: Not All Progress Is Good

No one can debate that government, and society in general, stepping in to help the downtrodden in society is a good thing. The Progressive Era saw a lot of good done for a lot of people.

But...a nasty downside of this era was population control. In a movement known as "eugenics" some groups in America took it upon themselves to determine who among us should be allowed to have children. Essentially...if we take away certain people's abilities to have children we can get rid of undesirable traits in our society.

Of course, "playing God" in that way is a dangerous proposition.

Take a look at these sources on the eugenics movement. For the comments, write 200 words detailing your reaction to this movement? Did you know about this part of our history? What do you think about the eugenics movement?

1-https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/07/469478098/the-supreme-court-ruling-that-led-to-70-000-forced-sterilizations

2-https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2011/06/01/136849387/found-in-the-archives-americas-unsettling-early-eugenics-movement

Turn of the Century: Isolationism vs. Interventionism

This week you are going to study the ideological differences between isolationism and interventionism.

Use these resources:

1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP3fhzJ6LjE (watch the first ten minutes)

2) https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3617.html

After reading and watching, write 200 words on your position on this issue. What do you think America's role should be?

Gilded Age: Political Cartoons

In the late 19th century, the most effective way to reach people was in newspapers and magazines. One of the most creative ways to critique the government and point out issues in America was using cartoons.

For this week's blog, do a Google search on "Gilded Age Political Cartoons". Find one you think is interesting and do some research on it. Figure out who drew it, when it was drawn and what it means.

For the comment section, answer the following prompts.

1-Who drew your cartoon?
2-Which magazine/newspaper published it?
3-When was it published?
4-Which Gilded Age issue did it address? (Business, Immigration, Politics etc.)
5-Describe what is in the cartoon and what it mean.

You need to post the image in your comments OR paste a link so I can look up the cartoon.

Remember to reach at least 200 words as you are answering the prompts.

How The Other Half Lives: Photos from Jacob Riis

This week you are going to study photographs of the slum-life in New York City at the end of the 19th century.

Visit these two websites, read the article and look at the photographs.

https://allthatsinteresting.com/new-york-immigrants-photos

https://allthatsinteresting.com/jacob-riis-photographs-how-the-other-half-lives

For the comment section, write 200 words on your reaction to the things you saw this week. (Questions to consider: What would life have been like? How could it have been solved? What emotions bubbled up when looking at the photographs? Etc.)