Monthly+Topics+and+Prompts

=Monthly Topics and Prompts= Back to Assignments June SG2

Topic: History of North America Prompts for Discussion: Student created, based upon AP US criteria (Organized by SG2) SG1: Treatment of the Natives US / Treatment of the First Peoples Canada SG2: The Cold War / US as a Superpower SG3: American Independence movement (British POV) / Canadian Independence movement (British POV) SG4: Dutch Economic influence on North America Source: http://northamericadisscussions.wikispaces.com/

__Talking Points (Content) US reaction to International Crisises__ 1. Latin American Independence Movements 2. Cuban Revolution through the Iran Contra Affair (Caribbean and Central America) 3. WWI (Europe) and WWII (Europe and Asia) 4. Rise of Israel and Conditions in the Middle East (1945 - present) 5. East Asian Communism (Korea and Vietnam) 6. Soviet Prescence in Central Europe __Talking Points (Concepts): Cultural Revolutions__ 1. Bismarck and the Kulturekampf 2. The Great Leap Forward 3. 1960s United States 4. Orange Revolution (and the other Color Revolutions) 5. 1848 v. 1989 6. Arab Spring May SG1-SG4 Topic: History of International Organizations Prompts for Discussion: Student Created based upon readings (Organized by SG3) SG1 NATO, Influence on the Balkans SG2 UN, Influence on nation-states SG3 League of Nations, Influence on world peace SG4 OPEC, Influence on economics Source: http://internationalorganizationdiscussions.wikispaces.com/

__Talking Points (Content) Post WWII Europe__ 1. Relationship to the Marshall Plan 2. Foundings and Rationale (EEC) 3. Expansions and Rationale (EU) 4. Institutions within the EU 5. 1989-1993 6. The Eurozone and Current Crisis Management

__Talking Points (Concept): Globalized War: World Wars Interwar Period__ 1. Weimar Republic 2. U.S. Economy 1920s/1930s 3. Rise of Japan 4. Neville Chamberlain's England 5. Rise of Mussolini and Hitler 6. League of Nations and Attempts at World Peace April SG1

Topic: History of South Asia Prompts for Discussion: Student Created based upon assigned reading (Organized by SG 1) SG1: Akbar to Aurengzeb SG2: Ancient Indian Empires SG3: British Raj SG4: Indian Ocean Trade Source: http://southasiadiscussions.wikispaces.com/

__Talking Points (Content): The Guptas v. The Mughals__ 1. Geographic Challenges to Unification 2. Caste System / Social Stratefication 3. Scientific/Mathematic Contributions 4. Religions and Associated Concepts 5. Major Battles / Expansions 6. Asoka v. Akbar __Talking Points (Concept): Indian Ocean Trade Network__ 1. Technology (Lanteen Sail, etc.) 2. Monsoon Economy 3. Southernization 4. Malay Sailors, etc. 5. Zheng He's Voyage 6. Jewish Diaspora in South Asia and East Asia March SG3 Topic: History of Russia Prompts for Discussion: Student Created based upon assigned reading SG1: Russia in Transition, Novgorod, Peter the Great SG2: Russia in the Nuclear Age, Catherine the Great, Joseph Stalin SG3: Heirs to the Mongols and Vikings, Nicholas II, Russian Revolutions SG4: Russia and the Byzantines, Ivan the Terrible, History of Moscow Source: http://russianhistorydiscussions.wikispaces.com/

__Talking Points (Content): Russia from Death of Alexander II to the Death of V. Lenin__ 1. Emancipation of the Serfs 2. Nihilists and Revolutionaries (late 1800s) 3. T.R. and the Russo-Japanese War 4. 1905 Revolution and Bloody Sunday 5. Russia in WWI 6. Lenin and the Communist Revolutions

__Talking Points (Concept): Technological Advances__ 1. Russia as Industrialists 2. Russia in the Nuclear Club 3. Military Buildup and Expenditure 4. The Digital Age and Political Power 5. Research and Development 6. The Rise of the Nuclear Blackmarket and its effect on security

February SG2

Topic: History of Latin America Prompts for Discussion: SG1: Race Wars / Religion in Spanish America SG2: Smuggling / Cuban Revolution SG3: Paradox of Independence / Latin American Independence movements SG4: Nuevomundo / Intraregional relations Source: http://latinamericadiscussions.wikispaces.com/

__Talking Points (Content): Spain and the Philippines__ 1. Magellean's Voyage 2. King Philip II 3. Spanish World Empire at its Height 4. Sinking of the Maine 5. US-Spanish War 6. Philippine's Road to Independence __Talking Points(Concept): Independence (e.g. Mexico)__ 1. Pre-Columbian Mexico 2. Spanish Viceroy system 3. Mexican Independence 4. Mexican-American War 5. Mexican Revolution 6. Mexico in the last century

January SG3

Topic: History of Oceania Prompts for Discussion: SG1: Polynesian culture SG2: Indigenous peoples SG3: Australian colonial days SG4: ANZACs in WWI and WWII Source: http://oceaniadiscussions.wikispaces.com/

__Talking Points (Content): James Cooke and the New Age of Exploration__ 1. Aboriginals 2. pre-Cooke maritime trade 3. James Cooke 4. Tasman 5. English v. Dutch Dominance in the South Seas 6. European Conditions during New Age of Exploration __Talking Points (Concepts): Exploration__ 1. Economic "Adventurers" 2. Asian Explorers and Isolationism 3. Worldview and its connection with exploration 4. Economic gain from exploration 5. Bases and Colonies 6. The Space Race and beyond

December SG4 Topic: History of Borderlands Prompts: SG1: The West (America) and The West (Australia) SG2: Mineral Rich Lands SG3: Iberian Peninsula SG4: Balkans Source: http://borderlandsdiscussions.wikispaces.com/

__ Talking Points (Content): Ethiopian Christianity __ 1. King Ezana 2. Ethiopian Christian Architecture 3. Muslim Relations and Expansion 4. Ethiopian during the Scramble for Africa 5. Mussolini and Ethiopia 6. Ethiopia from colonization to decolonization __Talking Points (Concept): Sects and Divisions__1. Rightly Guided Caliphs: Islam before the division 2. The two Popes: the Great Schism 3. Luther and a Protestant catelyst 4. Theraveda v. Mahayana Buddism 5. State Shintoism 6. Cults v. Religions November SG4

Topic: History of Africa Prompts for Discussion: Student Created based upon assigned reading (Organized by SG4) SG1: Section 1 Fage / The Story of South Africa SG2: Section 2 Fage / Bantu Migration SG3: Section 3 Fage / Cecil Rhodes, Belgium and European hegemony SG4: Section 4 Fage / North Africa and Dar-al-Islam Source: http://historyofafrica.wikispaces.com Book: Fage __Talking Points (Content): South Africa from Dutch Colonization to Apartheid__ 1. Pre-Dutch history 2. Dutch Settlement 3. Great Trek 4. Boer War and Concentration Camps 5. Apartheid as a System 6. Fight Against ApartheidThesis Statements

__Talking Points (Concept): Migration__ 1. Berbers 2. North Africa Under Rome 3. North Africa Under Carthage 4. Yoruba 5. Bantu Migration 6. Mali

October SG1

__Topic: History of Mesopotamia__ Prompts: SG1: The Safavids Religious Hegemony SG2: Egyptian relations with the Middle East SG3: British and French Mandates SG4: European views of the Ottomans Source: http://mesopotamiadiscussions.wikispaces.com/

__Talking Points (Content): Justinian,Theodora, and the Byzantines__ 1. Rebellion in the Empire 2. Justianian Code v. other Codes in history 3. Architecture and Art in Byzantium 4. Byzantines and their Neighbors 5. Byzantines as a Christian Stronghold 6. Fall of Constantinople __Talking Points (Concept): Systems of Governance__ 1. Decentralization v. Centralization 2. Autocratic v. Democratic Systems 3. Imperialism as a catelyst 4. Religion as a glue 5. The Role of Hegemony 6. Economics as a road to power

September  SG1-SG4 __Topic: History of East Asia__ Prompts: SG1: Han Rise and Fall SG2: Korean Penisula SG3: Meiji Restoration SG4: Invaders and Migrants: (Khmer, Mongolian, Manchu, Bering Straits) Source: http://eastasiadiscussions.wikispaces.com/

__Talking Points (Content): Ancient China__ 1. Political Set up 2. Economic Systems 3. Religious Practices 4. Social Stratefication 5. Intellectual and Technological Advancements 6. Artistic Contributions Talking Points (Concept): Movers and Shakers Prompts:

1. Saint Augustine 2. Ibn Battuta 3. Kublai Khan 4. Jacques Cartier 5. Maria (Skladowska) Curie 6. Albert Einstein