4º British: volunteer activity

Here you have the opportunity of achieving an extra point in the final mark of June... As you can imagine, this year the activity is about Adolfo Suárez and the Spaniard Democratic Transition...

It's an individual work. You have to write a full review about one (only one) of the figures/groups that took part in the transition. These are the possibilities:

1. El rey

2. Adolfo Suárez y la UCD

3. La Constitución

4. Los movimientos sociales y los partidos políticos de la oposición

5. El ejército y la Iglesia

The deadline is May, 9. You have here the link to the webquest (it's in Spanish, but obviously your review must be written in English!.) You can also see there many primary sources (texts, newspaper articles, videos...).

Good luck!

4º British: Germany Makes Last Reparation Payment

Wow! Germany made its last reparation payment from World War I in October 2010, according to Spiegel Online.

The Versailles Treaty originally called for a payment totaling 269,000 billion gold marks. That's about 96,000 tons of gold, according to Spiegel. That sum was reduced to "112 billion gold marks...payable over a period of 59 years."

The financial crisis of the early 1930's and Adolf Hitler led to a suspension of the payments but after the war in 1953, "West Germany agreed at an international conference in London to service its international bond obligations from before World War."

In addition to the Spiegel article, you might also consider the  resources below.

The Mail Online: Germany ends World War One reparations after 92 years with £59m final payment.

BBC: Why has Germany taken so long to pay off its WWI debt?

The Telegraph: First World War officially ends

The Guardian: Why does Germany still owe money for the first world war?

US Department of State: The Dawes Plan, the Young Plan, German Reparations, and Inter-allied War Debts.

Source: worldhistoryeducatorsblog

Protege tu Patrimonio Cultural

Como parte de la Semana de los Museos en Twitter, la UNESCO y el Ministerio de Cultura de Perú han editado online y de forma gratuita el cómic "No robes al pasado". Con este comic aprenderás por qué se debe defender el Patrimonio Cultural de un país y cuáles son los mecanismos para conseguirlo.

3º British: Comic books: intro to economy

Here you have the references of those books I talked about in class. A funny and easy introduction to economy, in case you are into it.

Author: Yoram Bauman (Cartoons from Grady Klein)

Editorial: Debate

The Cartoon Introduction to Economics, Vol. 1: Microeconomics

The Cartoon Introduction to Economics, Vol. 2: Macroeconomics

Enjoy the reading! 

.

.

1º British: Historical model-making

During the 3rd term, you must read the book "Roman Mysteries" (which I am sure you will like, it is a great adventure!), and you have to do also a manual work: a model or diorama of a historical age studied this year!

Of course, you will have a mark for this work. And, as you will do it very well, that mark will be very high... Do not worry, you have time enough: the delivery date for the model is Wednesday 28 Mayo (British). (Enlace a la versión española)

Instructions:

1. The model must be done individually or in pairs.

2. The item must be obligatorily related to one of the historical topics studied this year. You can add some figures and landscape items, but remember that the main part must be a building.

3. Do NOT expend a lot of money, do it with reusable materials: paper, cardboard, clay ... even those Playmobiles you have in a drawer J

4. Be original: it is a creative work, to show off your imagination.

5. They should be harmless (no volcanoes to explode, please)

There are many options: Paleolithic hunters, the neolithic city of Catal Huyuck, a Mesopotamian ziggurat, Egyptian pyramids and sphinxes, the Parthenon (the most important Greek temple), the lighthouse of Alexandría, the war between the Greeks and Persians, the Roman Forum, the Colosseum with gladiators, the Circus with a chariot race, Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius...

To make everything easier, I leave here a few links to some templates in case you want some help or a starting point: if you are interested in the topic, you just have to print it (but there are quite small buildings...). After all, it is a matter of patience and a some abilities with scissors and glue;-)

Get to work and enjoy it! J

Diorama "Playmobil Prehistóricos" de Aesclick

Centro de Arte Rupestre Tito Bustillo (Asturias) - 2013

4º British: Red Baron, memories

Manfred von Richthofen, known as “Red Baron” (1892-1918), was the most feared and fearless pilot of the German Air Force during World War I. 

Now, the reedition of these texts published by Macadam editorial, written by himself during convalescence from a combat wound in 1917, give us an unusual point of view from thousands of feet up and through the crosshairs of a ruthless fighter pilot. Hero to some and monster for others, in these pages we enter his passionate way of living.

4º British: If WWI Was a Bar Fight...

"Germany, Austria and Italy are standing together in the middle of a pub when Serbia bumps into Austria and spills Austria's pint. Austria demands Serbia buy it a complete new suit because there are splashes on its trouser leg. Germany expresses its support for Austria's point of view. Britain recommends that everyone calm down a bit."

"Serbia points out that it can't afford a whole suit, but offers to pay for the cleaning of Austria's trousers. Russia and Serbia look at Austria. Austria asks Serbia who it's looking at. Russia suggests that Austria should leave its little brother alone. Austria inquires as to whose army will assist Russia in compelling it to do so. Germany appeals to Britain that France has been looking at it, and that this is sufficiently out of order that Britain should not intervene. Britain replies that France can look at who it wants to, that Britain is looking at Germany too, and what is Germany going to do about it?"

[...]

You can read the rest of it here at The Economist, which noted that this sort of thing can liven up history, it’s another way of learning History J. You can also read it at the Meta Picture here.

Source: World History Educator’s Blog

4º British: The Zimmermann Telegram

The Zimmermann Telegram (or Zimmermann Note) was a 1917 diplomatic proposal from the German Empire for Mexico to join the Central Powers, triying to avoid the United States entering World War I on the side of the Entente Powers. The proposal was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence. 

The message was:

"We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the President's attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace." Signed, ZIMMERMANN

By the way, Mexico refused the collaboration with Germany...

4º British: WWI propaganda material

Newsletters produced by the Allies and pamphlets designed to prepare conscripted soldiers for war are among a tranche of propaganda and recruitment papers now available online.

Adam Matthew Digital has uploaded 140,000 pages of rare First World War posters, cartoons, aerial leaflets, and government and military files, to a new digital portal titled Propaganda and Recruitment.

Designed to explore the conflict through themes including recruitment and training, dissension, and morale at home and on the front line, the new portal features primary sources, contextual essays and interactive maps.

To explore the portal find out more about the First World War collections, visit amdigital archives.

4º British: “Kosaken kommen!”

One of the biggest fears of Germany was the possibility of fighting on two fronts: the western front (against France and England) and the eastern front (against the "Russian steamroller").

Russia's strength lay in the large number of soldiers that could be mobilized (15 millions!). But that great human force was poorly prepared, poorly armed, poorly educated and wrong organized. A major problem was the high consumption of vodka (and excesses arising therefrom). The curious thing is that the sale of vodka was a state monopoly; with the prohibition of its consumption in the army, the Russian state lost out on a third of their taxes, causing new problems for supplies (weapons, transportation...) for war .

The Grand Duke Nicholas Romanov II, Supreme Commander of the Russian Imperial Army during the war, was aware of all those problems, that would cause severe losses (battles of Tannenberg and Masurian Lakes). So Russia suffered severe territorial, material and human losses (5 million dead soldiers) and finally the fall of Tsar Nicholas II in the Revolution of 1917.