Lesson Purpose
The first half of the twentieth century was tumultuous and resulted in global chaos. There were two world wars and a global depression. In this lesson, you will learn about the causes and consequences of both world wars and how they relate to the Great Depression. In the activities in this lesson, you will learn more about how to use different kinds of data to understand the past. You'll use primary source material such as propaganda, and data such as population and the gross domestic product to draw conclusions about the world during the first half of the twentieth century. You'll also evaluate whether or not these kinds of analysis provide enough information to draw reasonable and informed conclusions about the past.
The outcomes of this lesson are: 1.) To be able to explain the causes and consequences of World War I, World War II, and the Great Depression; 2.) To demonstrate the ability to use different kinds of data and information to draw informed conclusions about the past.
The outcomes of this lesson are: 1.) To be able to explain the causes and consequences of World War I, World War II, and the Great Depression; 2.) To demonstrate the ability to use different kinds of data and information to draw informed conclusions about the past.
Activity 1 - "Crisis and Conflict on the Global Stage"
Activity Objectives
In this article, you'll read about the causes and consequences of both world wars, as well as the Great Depression. These catastrophic events explain a lot about the political and economic systems that exist today. Understanding them can help us see the reasons behind many of the political and economic moves we seeing being made by today’s governments. Activity Tasks
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The instability of political and economic systems created the conditions for the two world wars and the Great Depression. Most of the world was impacted by the depression, which brought political unrest throughout the world and was an important catalyst for World War II. By the end of this era, colonialism and imperialism were disappearing and Europe was no longer the driver of world political and economic issues.
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Activity 2 - Understanding the Causes of WW1
Activity Objectives
You will critically evaluate some of the causes and consequences of World War I while also paying attention to the methods that historians use to draw conclusions. This helps you understand the war better and it also helps you develop your abilities to think like a historian. Activity Tasks You are going to critically examine part of the article “Crisis and Conflict on a Global Stage” (from Activity 1) to determine whether or not you agree or disagree with the author’s assertions in the article. In that article, Straussman asserted that there are three things that contributed to the two world wars and the Great Depression. Those are global political order, economics, and technological advancements. However, do you agree with him? Do you think he interpreted his sources correctly?
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Activity 3 - Archdukes, Cynicism, and World War 1: Crash Course
Activity Objectives
In this video, you will get another perspective on World War I. This should provide you with more context about the war and also will allow you to see what another historian decided was most important to share about this event. This is just another example of how the same historical event can seem somewhat different when told by someone with another perspective. Activity Tasks
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World War I, which was supposed to be the war that ended all wars, nearly did the opposite. World War I caused massive amounts of destruction and loss of life. Technology was more advanced than warfare, which contributed to the loss and destruction. It also changed people’s perspective on war – it was no longer glorious or noble. Finally, it created the conditions that allowed the Great Depression to occur.
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Activity 4 - Understanding the Consequences of the Global Depression
Activity Objectives
In this activity, you will learn about the gross domestic product (GDP) and how it helps gauge the economic health of countries. You will use data to help you understand the impact of the Great Depression around the world. Understanding the usefulness of certain kinds of data to answer questions about the past is a very important skill for you to learn. Activity Tasks
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Activity 5 - World War II: Crash Course World History
Activity Objectives
In this video, you'll learn about World War II. You may have some knowledge of WW II from movies, TV, and the media, but this knowledge is often Eurocentric. Understanding the war outside of Europe (as well as in it) gives a broader perspective on why this was a world war. In addition, the conflicts that occurred during that time still impact relations between some countries today, and knowledge of them can help us understand the tenor of some political relationships around the world. Activity Tasks
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World War II was a horrific war – over 50 million people died, most of them civilians. Although the Allies were eventually victorious over Germany and Japan, it was only after massive amounts of destruction. This war saw the first use of a nuclear weapon and it also saw a holocaust with targeted extermination of particular groups of people, most notably the Jews. This war still impacts global relations today
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Activity 6 - Propaganda and World War II
Activity Objectives
In this activity, you will examine some World War II propaganda. You’ll learn how different governments viewed the war, and you will also have the opportunity to analyse primary source material, an important skill for an historian. Activity Tasks
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Activity 7 - "A Birds Eye View: Acceleration & Global Chaos"
Activity Objectives
At this point, you have learned a lot about the early twentieth century and many of the causes and consequences of the two world wars and the Great Depression. This article provides more information on the chaos that occurred during this time. It also provides you with a model of how to use different types of data to understand history. Activity Tasks
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Activity 8 - Mapping the World: 1914, 1945, 1985, Today
Activity Objectives
In this activity, you will gather data from gapminder.org as a way to have you practice using data to make sense of the past. This activity not only teaches you how to find data, but also how to use it, make sense of it, and draw conclusions based on that information. Activity Tasks
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