Major Moments: 1980s

We will stick with the same theme for this week's blog. Research both important political and cultural events from the 1980s. Choose one from each category and write 100 words on their significance (200 words total).

Please remember, you will not get credit for writing about a political and/or cultural event that another classmate has already posted about in the blog. So, the sooner you "claim" yours, the better.

Major Moments From The 1970s

For this week's blog, research one important political event and one important cultural event (music, sports, movies, entertainment etc.) from the 1970s. Write a 100 word paragraph about the significance of each (200 words total).

You cannot write about an event someone else has already posted about, so the sooner you "claim" your two events, the better.

Sixties Culture: Age of Aquarius

Often, when people hear the phrase "the sixties" they think of Hippies!

Certainly one of the most commemorated and analyzed aspects of the decade, the Hippies (or counterculture movement) have become a part of the American lexicon.

This week, please listen to this song. Do some research on the history of the song.

For the comment section, answer the following questions...

1) Which phrase (or phrases) from the lyrics best represent the hippie culture to you?

2) Why could this song be considered the Hippie Anthem?

Vietnam War: A Divided Nation

This week's blog will be in four parts. Each part will cover a different aspect of the Vietnam Conflict. For each part, write 100 words for the comment section. Please don't post your comments separately. Post all four parts as one large comment. This blog is worth 100 points.

Conduct your own Google/YouTube Searches for the following topics. 

Part One: Basic Facts
-Write ten interesting facts about the Vietnam War (100 words minimum)

Part Two: Difficulties Fighting
-Describe the difficulty the U.S. Troops faced fighting "inferior troops" in the landscape of Vietnam. (100 words minimum)

Part Three: Governmental Deception
-How did the U.S. Government (LBJ Administration) cover-up/hide certain details of the Vietnam War? (100 words minimum)

Part Four: Protests At Home
-Why was there such a backlash at home, manifesting in protests and draft-dodging, regarding the Vietnam War? (100 words minimum)

Civil Rights Era: Letters From A Birmingham Jail

We all are aware of Dr. King and his legacy. Famously known for his powerful presence while giving speeches, one of his most famous moments in the civil rights movement came via the written word.

Imprisoned in 1963 for leading nonviolent protests in Birmingham, AL, MLK Jr. wrote an incredible response to eight local white ministers who thought he should "cool it".  The eight ministers took out a full page ad in the local newspaper advocating for a "Call for Unity". The group called the MLK-led protests "unwise and untimely".

Although imprisoned, King wrote a response on scraps of paper and the margins of newspaper. His "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" has become a seminal document in the defense of his cause and methods.

Please read the full text of his letter here. In the comment section, discuss what struck you the most after reading his letter.

The Stormy Sixties: 60 Iconic Moments

For a myriad of reasons, the 1960s have fascinated Americans since the decade closed almost fifty years ago. So many major political, cultural and global events occurred during those ten years it is difficult to keep them all straight.

This website provides sixty images of sixty important events (people etc.) from the decade.

For this week's blog, scroll through the sixty images. (Some are more serious than others).
Choose two of the images to further research. Then, write 100 words for each of the images you chose. (Total of 200 words)

This is a first-come-first-served type assignment. So, be sure to post your blog quickly in order to get the images you want.

This blog is due by Sunday 11:59PM on March 19th.

The First Two Postwar Presidents: Truman vs. Eisenhower

Truman and Eisenhower served as president during a very critical time during our nation's history. We had helped the Allies defeat Germany/Italy/Japan but were now faced with a new threat: the Soviet Union.

The late 1940s and the decade of the 1950s was a time of extreme economic growth in America coupled with extreme anxiety about the nuclear age. And of course, Truman and Eisenhower dealt with both in different ways.

For this week's blog, visit this website. This site is an incredible resource as we seek to compare the presidencies of Truman and Eisenhower.

Take your time and sift through the information, tables and graphs of each man. Then, in the comment section, make your case for which president you think "did a better job" in office. Be sure your response is at least 200 words.

Due to the end of the nine weeks happening on Friday, this blog is due by 11:59PM on Thursday of this week.