Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Topic.10 Concept Guide

Formative Assessment
Topic.10 Concept Guides

McCarthyism Impact on Society
-Senator Joseph McCarthy
-McCarthyism is the practice of publicizing accusations of political disloyalty or subversion without insufficient evidence.
-House Committee on Un-American Activities: Charges Hollywood writers, directors, producers, and some actors with Communist propaganda.
-The McCarthy Hearings: He finally accused the wrong person (Secretary of the Navy), destroying his credibility/reputation.
-Repercussions of McCarthyism: If you were thought to be a homosexual, you were accused of being a Communist. Over three hundred actors, authors, and directors were denied work through the Hollywood blacklist.
-”Hollywood Ten” were more of the ten famous producers, directors, etc.

Communist “Witch Hunt” and impact on those accused
-A “Witch Hunt” is a group of people who are targeted without evidence due to certain accusations.
-Mostly by anti-communist groups.

Space Race impact on government policies
-Battle between the Soviet Union and the U.S for supremacy in outer space exploration.
-In 1957 the Soviet Union put Sputnik (about the size of a basketball) into space.
-The United States responded to that by putting a large amount of money into education. Why? More education meant more intelligence, which is what the U.S. needed to beat the Soviet Union in something else.
-In 1969 two U.S. astronauts landed on the moon.
-Started off the Cold War.

Cold War mind set for the United States Government and public
-The U.S. wanted to out due the Soviet Union in technology. Hence, putting more money into education.
-U.S. feared Communism and being defeated.

Relationship of suburbs, automobiles, and roads
-William Levitt came up with the concept of the suburbs.
-Levittown: In 1949, 150 houses were being built every week. Cost: $7,990 or $60/month.
-Living in the suburbs increased the use of automobiles.
-Interstate Highway Act of 1956: Cost = $32,000,000,000 ---> 41,000 new miles of roadway.

Baby Boom!
-1946-1960
-Peak was in 1955. In 1955 one baby was born every seven seconds.
-Causes of the baby boom: 20 years of tough times ---> Great Depression (1929-1939) and World War II (1941-1945); Removal of social and economic restraints that kept people from having families.

Urban-Suburban Pattern
-Business District: inner city-low income.
-Inner Suburbs: middle income families. Smaller sized homes compared to the outer suburbs.
-Outer Suburbs: high income families. Larger homes than the inner suburbs.

GI Bill
-Provides economic benefits for returning World War II veterans.
-One year unemployment compensation.
-Provided loans.

Expansion of the middle class
-The returning soldiers of WWII and no social or economic restraints provided the opportunity to have more children, resulting in the baby boom.
-Many families moved to the suburbs, resulting in the increased use of automobiles (Vehicle Registration: from 25,000,000 in 1945 to 60,000,000 in 1960) and the Interstate Highway Act of 1956.
-Increase of credit card usage: from 7 million in 1945 to 60 million in 1960.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Casablanca Outline


Casablanca

I. Characters
  • Richard “Rick” Blaine
  • Ilsa Lund
  • Victor Laszlo
  • Captain Louis Renault
  • Major Heinrich Strasser
  • Signor Ferrari
  • Ugarte
  • Yvonne
  • Sam
  • Annina Brandel
  • Jan Brandel
  • Berger
  • Carl
  • Sacha
  • Pickpocket
  • Singer
  • Abdul
  • Italian Officer Tonelli
  • Emile

II. Setting
  • Casablanca, Morocco
  • World War II

III. Introduction
  • Rick Blaine
    • Owner of Rick’s Café Americain
  • Ilsa Lund
    • Rick’s ex that left him back in Paris
    • Now married to Victor Laszlo
  • Victor Laszlo
    • A Resistance Leader
    • Escaped from a Nazi concentration camp

IV. Rising Action
  • Ilsa and her husband Victor arrive at Rick’s Café where Ilsa spots, Sam, the pianist. She asks him to play, “As Time Goes By,” a song that her and Rick once liked.
  • Rick angrily goes over to Sam to see why he is playing the song, but then he sees Ilsa and understands.
  • Laszlo and Ilsa plan to escape to America. Laszlo hears that Rick has the letters of transit needed to escape safely.
V. Climax
  • Victor Laszlo attempts to get the letters of transit, but Rick refuses to give them up.
  • Rick’s Café is shut down by the German military.
  • Ilsa then tries to get the letters of transit from Rick, but he does not fall for her schemes.
  • Rick has a flashback of Paris.

VI. Declining Action
  • Laszlo claims to know that Rick loves Ilsa and asks for the letters of transit for her sake.
  • German officers burst in and arrest Laszlo.
  • Rick insists to Louis that Laszlo must be released. He says that Laszlo can be arrested on a more serious charge, possession of the stolen letters of transit.
  • Rick tells Louis that he, himself, plans to escape with Ilsa with the letters of transit, and also tells him that he should wait until Laszlo has the letters before they arrest him,

VII. Ending
  • The police attempt to arrest Laszlo like they and Rick had planned, but Rick, in actuality, tricked them. That way, Ilsa and Laszlo can escape.
  • Rick insists that Ilsa leave with Victor. At first she declines, but then later accepts.
  • After goodbyes, Victor and Ilsa board the plane. Just then Strasser arrives. He calls the radio tower to prevent the plane's taking off, but Rick shoots him, and the plane leaves.
  • The French police then arrive and Louis tells them to round up the usual suspects, covering for Rick.
  • Louis congratulates Rick on becoming a patriot and then, he too, becomes a patriot.
  • Louis tells Rick that he can help him escape and that he will come too.
  • The movie ends with Rick saying, “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Topic.09 Study Concepts

Formative Assessment
Topic.09 Study Concepts

* Role of Women during WWII
-Women were responsible for taking over the jobs that men left behind while they were    fighting in the war.
-Women also served as nurses to care for the soldiers during the war.

* Use of the Atomic Bomb
-Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor bringing the U.S. into the war. U.S. retaliated by dropping two atomic bombs on Japan.
-U.S. used the atomic bomb as a threat to other countries.

* U.S. Foreign Policy: Before, During, and After the War
-The U.S. attempted to stay neutral again by passing the neutrality laws.
-After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Supreme Court declared it “okay” to violate Constitutional Rights of Japanese-American people, which led to internment camps.

* Effects of the War on Europe
-Loss of many lives.
-Economic/Financial turmoil.

* Effect of Pearl Harbor Attack
-Brought the United States into World War II.
-Dropped two atomic bombs on Japan.
-Violated Constitutional Rights of Japanese-American people à Internment Camps.

* Neutrality Acts
-Embargo on arms sales.
-U.S. battleships could not be armed.
-Americans could not travel on ships of countries at war.

* Purpose of Propaganda
-Propaganda –noun: information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.
-Encouraged rationing of sources, food, oil, etc.
-Encouraged sacrifices,

* Results of World War II
-Shaped the way that modern Europe is divided.
-United Nations established (keep the peace in the world)
-World Poverty
-Marshall Plan established (European countries had to come up with a plan for economic recovery. U.S.    would help by providing financial aid)
-Baby Boom
-Atomic fallout
-Nuremberg Trials
-Cold War

Friday, March 11, 2011

World War II Timeline

http://timeglider.com/app/

US WWII Helmet

http://cgi.ebay.com/US-WW2-swivel-loop-Sclueter-M1-helmet-near-mint-/250784067725?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a63e5308d


This helmet is a US WWII swivel loop Sclueter M1 helmet. I chose this helmet because I believe that every single helmet, no matter how old it is, tells a story. A story of a soldier and every single experience they went through while wearing their helmet. A soldier putting their helmet on represented their courage to fight for their country. It was their lifeline, and even though it may not have protected them to the fullest, it did lessen their chance of dying. A smaller chance of dying meant a soldier had the opportunity to return home and tell their story. The story the helmet symbolizes.

Samson Reichstein




After scrolling through the hundreds of Jewish ID cards, I decided to read about Samson Reichstein. I was left with a number of questions after I finished reading about him.

  • Your father died when you were thirteen years old. What kind of impact did that have on your life from then on out? What was the responsibility you felt to your family? What work did you do to help support your family at such a young age?

  • Even though death is a tragedy, did you feel relieved that your father did not have to go through the experiences you went through?

  • You said that you and your wife got your son an exit visa, but it does not say what happened to him. Did he make it safely out of Germany? Why didn’t you and your wife go as well? Did you ever see your son again and if so, what was that experience like?

  • What were you predicting when the Gestapo came to your door with deportation papers?

  • Was it traumatizing for you to be separated from your wife on the train? What was going through your mind at that point? Did she ever tell you what happened to her while you were separated and if so, what did she say?

  • In 1941 you were arrested and sent to jail. When the drunken SS guard was screaming, “Who killed the German soldier?” and no one answered, why did you choose to step forward when he asked “Who speaks German?” What was it like waiting there, waiting to be shot? Were you afraid of death? Since you were released and left unharmed, does that mean someone confessed?

  • What happened to your wife?

Photo source:  http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/idcard.php?ModuleId=10006343

Friday, February 25, 2011

Cinderella Man


  • The beginning of the movies introduces James Braddock’s wife Mae and his three children living in a house in New Jersey. At that point in time, James was a very successful and wealthy boxer.
  • The next scene jumps straight to the Great Depression. Their living arrangements changed to a very small apartment in New York. They had barely enough money to pay the utility bills and barely enough food to feed their children.
  • During a fight, James broke his hand. His boss, I guess you could say, revoked his boxing license. Because of that, James was no longer making any money from boxing. He had to make ends meet somehow, so he worked at the docks. Being selected to work every day was a slim chance, so he was lucky whenever he was able to work. However, working with the broken hand was tough on him.
  • The utilities were shut off, causing the house to be very cold. One of his sons became sick.
  • Over time, his wife, Mae, made the decision without his consent, to send their children away to live with extended family. She felt as though they couldn’t provide for them well enough.
  • Braddock’s former manager offers him a fight, which win or lose he would receive $250. How could he say no?
  • He won the fight, was re-given his boxing license, turned the utilities back on, and brought his children home.
  • He made a huge comeback, which resulted in his nickname, “Cinderella Man.” He inspired so many people and gave them hope. He came back against all odds.
  • After beating every single boxer in his division, he was considered the #1 contender. That title gave him the chance to fight Max Baer, the #1 heavyweight fighter.
  • Braddock’s family, especially his wife, was very worried about him due to the fact that Baer had the reputation of killing two boxers in the ring.
  • After 15 rounds, James J. Braddock won the fight and received the title Heavyweight Champion of the World.
  • At the end of the movie, James and his family are back to where they were. They have money again, have a nice home, and are finally happy.