Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Do-Nows for Week of 1/28/13
MONDAY:
None
TUESDAY:
Explain the three different Estates that existed in France before the French Revolution. What % of the population did each estate make up, what kind of people were part of each estate, and what did taxation look like for each estate? You may find it helpful to simply make a table to organize this information.
The First Estate was made up of the clergy members of the Roman Catholic Church. It made up less than 1% of the French population even though the Church owned 15% of French lands. The clergy did not pay any taxes to the French government.
The Second Estate was the French nobility and made up less than 2% of the French population. These people enjoyed special privileges (could collect rent from peasants, eldest son would inherit all property), paid little if any taxes, and engaged in conspicuous consumption, or irresponsible spending on luxury items to the point of excess.
The Third Estate was made up of the bourgeoisie or middle class (doctors, lawyers, merchants, manufacturers) and the lower class (artisans, city workers, rural peasants). This group of people formed 97% of the French population and had NO POLITICAL SAY! They also paid heavy taxes to make up for the fact that the other two estates did not pay taxes.
WEDNESDAY:
None
THURSDAY:
Why did the middle class (bourgeoisie) in France become the leaders of the French Revolution? (Specifically, what kind of people were they, and what changes in the late-1700s led to their dissatisfaction with French life?)
In the late-1700s, the French middle class (doctors, lawyers, merchants, and manufacturers) experienced a period of prosperity. Some even amassed as much money as the French nobility. They began to look at their situation and question why they had to shoulder the burden of France's taxes while having no political say when the nobility did not pay taxes and made all of the laws. The only difference between the bourgeoisie and the nobility in France was what family you were born into.
FRIDAY:
None
None
TUESDAY:
Explain the three different Estates that existed in France before the French Revolution. What % of the population did each estate make up, what kind of people were part of each estate, and what did taxation look like for each estate? You may find it helpful to simply make a table to organize this information.
The First Estate was made up of the clergy members of the Roman Catholic Church. It made up less than 1% of the French population even though the Church owned 15% of French lands. The clergy did not pay any taxes to the French government.
The Second Estate was the French nobility and made up less than 2% of the French population. These people enjoyed special privileges (could collect rent from peasants, eldest son would inherit all property), paid little if any taxes, and engaged in conspicuous consumption, or irresponsible spending on luxury items to the point of excess.
The Third Estate was made up of the bourgeoisie or middle class (doctors, lawyers, merchants, manufacturers) and the lower class (artisans, city workers, rural peasants). This group of people formed 97% of the French population and had NO POLITICAL SAY! They also paid heavy taxes to make up for the fact that the other two estates did not pay taxes.
WEDNESDAY:
None
THURSDAY:
Why did the middle class (bourgeoisie) in France become the leaders of the French Revolution? (Specifically, what kind of people were they, and what changes in the late-1700s led to their dissatisfaction with French life?)
In the late-1700s, the French middle class (doctors, lawyers, merchants, and manufacturers) experienced a period of prosperity. Some even amassed as much money as the French nobility. They began to look at their situation and question why they had to shoulder the burden of France's taxes while having no political say when the nobility did not pay taxes and made all of the laws. The only difference between the bourgeoisie and the nobility in France was what family you were born into.
FRIDAY:
None
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Do-Nows for Week of 1/23/13
MONDAY:
None
TUESDAY:
None
WEDNESDAY:
Why did Pennsylvania farmers rebel against the national government in 1791? What was the result?
Pennsylvania farmers rebelled in 1791 because George Washington and Alexander Hamilton decided to raise government revenues by taxing whiskey. Farmers in Pennsylvania planted rye grain as their principle crop, and several factors contributed to their discontent. First, the roads in western Pennsylvania were of very poor quality making travel to market difficult. Second, farmers were faced with the choice of carrying two bushels of rye grain or two barrels of rye whiskey to market at a time. A barrel of rye whiskey is the same as twelve bushels of rye grain, so this was a very reasonable option. Third, farmers in Pennsylvania did not trade with money. They bartered goods and services at needed (for instance, one farmer might trade a jug of whiskey to another for a sack of sugar). The farmers, unable and unwilling to pay the tax, rebelled and marched to Pittsburg which they would have razed if they had not been bribed with free whiskey by the townspeople. George Washington sent a massive federal army to Pittsburg and swiftly put down the rebellion. This set a precedent that the President will use force to end any internal rebellions.
THURSDAY:
Name some of the precedents that George Washington set as our first president. How have other presidents followed these precedents in their own careers?
1) George Washington served only two terms before retiring. (No president besides Franklin Delano Roosevelt ever served more than two terms.)
2) Washington approved taxes by Congress to pay off war debts. (All presidents since Washington have signed off on tax bills to raise federal revenue)
3) Washington used a federal army to put down the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. (After Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas in 1954, Dwight Eisenhower sent in federal troops to force the desegregation of schools.)
4) Washington send a federal army into the Northwest Territory to secure the borders of the United States. (James Monroe will dictate that the United States must expand across the entire continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Theodore Roosevelt will expand this to make it America's job to protect the entirety of the Western Hemisphere.)
FRIDAY:
None
None
TUESDAY:
None
WEDNESDAY:
Why did Pennsylvania farmers rebel against the national government in 1791? What was the result?
Pennsylvania farmers rebelled in 1791 because George Washington and Alexander Hamilton decided to raise government revenues by taxing whiskey. Farmers in Pennsylvania planted rye grain as their principle crop, and several factors contributed to their discontent. First, the roads in western Pennsylvania were of very poor quality making travel to market difficult. Second, farmers were faced with the choice of carrying two bushels of rye grain or two barrels of rye whiskey to market at a time. A barrel of rye whiskey is the same as twelve bushels of rye grain, so this was a very reasonable option. Third, farmers in Pennsylvania did not trade with money. They bartered goods and services at needed (for instance, one farmer might trade a jug of whiskey to another for a sack of sugar). The farmers, unable and unwilling to pay the tax, rebelled and marched to Pittsburg which they would have razed if they had not been bribed with free whiskey by the townspeople. George Washington sent a massive federal army to Pittsburg and swiftly put down the rebellion. This set a precedent that the President will use force to end any internal rebellions.
THURSDAY:
Name some of the precedents that George Washington set as our first president. How have other presidents followed these precedents in their own careers?
1) George Washington served only two terms before retiring. (No president besides Franklin Delano Roosevelt ever served more than two terms.)
2) Washington approved taxes by Congress to pay off war debts. (All presidents since Washington have signed off on tax bills to raise federal revenue)
3) Washington used a federal army to put down the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. (After Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas in 1954, Dwight Eisenhower sent in federal troops to force the desegregation of schools.)
4) Washington send a federal army into the Northwest Territory to secure the borders of the United States. (James Monroe will dictate that the United States must expand across the entire continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Theodore Roosevelt will expand this to make it America's job to protect the entirety of the Western Hemisphere.)
FRIDAY:
None
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Barack Obama's 2013 Inaugural Address
After you watch the following video clip of President Obama's Inaugural Address from January 21, 2013, choose any five of the following short answer questions to respond to:
- What does Barack Obama mean by “blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword?” Why is this phrase particularly important for his inaugural address?
- What “crises” does Obama claim have defined this generation of people?
- What things does Obama claim must be revamped and redesigned in order for the United States to move forward?
- Does President Obama support Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security? Why or why not?
- Obama claims that we must put ourselves on the “long and difficult” path toward something. What is it and why must we do this?
- Explain Obama’s stance on war and world peace.
- What does Barack Obama say about women, homosexuals, and legal immigrants?
- Name at least five historical events that Barack Obama connected to in his speech. Why do you think he chose these events to mention?
Friday, January 18, 2013
The French Revolution
The American Revolution inspired the French to rise up in 1789 and begin a revolt of their own. By 1793, the French Revolution had turned violent and the citizens had even executed King Louis XVI. Britain, Holland, and Spain were all concerned about an unstable France and went to war. Washington's response to these events was to remain neutral and to not become involved in the foreign conflict.
You may choose to earn 10 points of extra credit if you watch the above documentary and answer the following prompt in a paragraph or two:
"Compare and contrast the American and French Revolutons in terms of causes, tactics, and effects."
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Do-Now Questions for Week of 1/14/13
MONDAY:
Why do both statues by Jean-Antoine Houdon (1791) and Horatio Greenough (1840) include Greco-Roman elements? What Greco-Roman elements do you see in the buildings below?
TUESDAY:
None
WEDNESDAY:
None
THURSDAY:
What is the difference between a "strict constructionist" and a "loose constructionist" and how do these two kinds of people relate to Alexander Hamilton's plan to establish a National Bank in 1791?
Strict constructionists like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison believed that the federal government should not have any powers that are not directly stated within the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton and the loose constructionists believed that the elastic clause gave the federal government the right to broad powers needed to govern effectively. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that the national government can form a National Bank, but Hamilton saw it as a way to help the government execute its given power to collect taxes.
FRIDAY:
Explain what a tariff is and why Alexander Hamilton chose this option for raising money for the federal government. Also, explain why our national capitol was moved from New York City to Washington D.C.
Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. They work for two reasons. First, they raise money for the national government, and second, they encourage people to buy things made domestically. For instance, if a foreign car costs $18,000 and an American car costs $20,000 people would be tempted to purchase the foreign car. If they buy the foreign car, $18,000 of American money is shipped overseas and disappears from the American economy. If the U.S. government places a $4,000 tariff on the foreign car though, American consumers would opt to buy the $20,000 American car to the now $22,000 foreign car. In this case, $20,000 is spent on a domestic product and so 100% of that money reenters the American economy. On the off-chance that someone still chooses to go with the foreign model, $18,000 does in fact disappear to overseas trade, but the $4,000 tariff is paid directly to the American government. By and large, this is a win-win situation for American government AND industry.
The reason that our nation's capitol was moved from New York, NY to Washington D.C. is that southern states like Virginia and Georgia that had already repaid their war debts resisted helping northern states pay off theirs until the capitol was located in a more central place. Land was taken from the states of Maryland and Virginia to create a capitol that could not be claimed by any state.
Why do both statues by Jean-Antoine Houdon (1791) and Horatio Greenough (1840) include Greco-Roman elements? What Greco-Roman elements do you see in the buildings below?
Both Houdon and Greenough's statues include Greco-Roman elements because the sculptors wished to convey that the United States got its philosophy of government from the great civilizations of Ancient Greece and Rome. The buildings above (Capitol Building and the Supreme Court) feature Greco-Roman elements such as columns, symmetry, statuary, decorated friezes, domes, and arches.
TUESDAY:
None
WEDNESDAY:
None
THURSDAY:
What is the difference between a "strict constructionist" and a "loose constructionist" and how do these two kinds of people relate to Alexander Hamilton's plan to establish a National Bank in 1791?
Strict constructionists like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison believed that the federal government should not have any powers that are not directly stated within the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton and the loose constructionists believed that the elastic clause gave the federal government the right to broad powers needed to govern effectively. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that the national government can form a National Bank, but Hamilton saw it as a way to help the government execute its given power to collect taxes.
FRIDAY:
Explain what a tariff is and why Alexander Hamilton chose this option for raising money for the federal government. Also, explain why our national capitol was moved from New York City to Washington D.C.
Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. They work for two reasons. First, they raise money for the national government, and second, they encourage people to buy things made domestically. For instance, if a foreign car costs $18,000 and an American car costs $20,000 people would be tempted to purchase the foreign car. If they buy the foreign car, $18,000 of American money is shipped overseas and disappears from the American economy. If the U.S. government places a $4,000 tariff on the foreign car though, American consumers would opt to buy the $20,000 American car to the now $22,000 foreign car. In this case, $20,000 is spent on a domestic product and so 100% of that money reenters the American economy. On the off-chance that someone still chooses to go with the foreign model, $18,000 does in fact disappear to overseas trade, but the $4,000 tariff is paid directly to the American government. By and large, this is a win-win situation for American government AND industry.
The reason that our nation's capitol was moved from New York, NY to Washington D.C. is that southern states like Virginia and Georgia that had already repaid their war debts resisted helping northern states pay off theirs until the capitol was located in a more central place. Land was taken from the states of Maryland and Virginia to create a capitol that could not be claimed by any state.
Alexander Hamilton's Financial Plan
As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton faced the first major financial crisis in American history. The Prezi below explains his plan for dealing with the economic problems of the 1790s.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Do-Now Questions for Week of 1/7/13
MONDAY:
None
TUESDAY:
None
WEDNESDAY:
None
THURSDAY:
One of the most famous myths about George Washington is the tale of the cherry tree. It is not true, but why do you think that someone might have created that myth about our first president?
Someone may have created a myth like this to teach children about George Washington. The fact that he confessed to his wrongdoing means that he was a very honesty and virtuous man. Washington was impressive enough without having all these myths fabricated about him, but they raise him to a "larger than life" stature.
FRIDAY:
Think about what life would be like if there were no banks. How would your life be different? What would you do with your money?
Banks are essential to a successfully functioning economy. If banks did not exist, no one's money would be safe. There would be a marked rise in crime because people would need to keep money on hand and in their homes. Without credit cards, everyone would have to pay for things in cash, and there would be no such thing as home loans. You would have to make every purchase with the cash you have (without overspending).
None
TUESDAY:
None
WEDNESDAY:
None
THURSDAY:
One of the most famous myths about George Washington is the tale of the cherry tree. It is not true, but why do you think that someone might have created that myth about our first president?
Someone may have created a myth like this to teach children about George Washington. The fact that he confessed to his wrongdoing means that he was a very honesty and virtuous man. Washington was impressive enough without having all these myths fabricated about him, but they raise him to a "larger than life" stature.
FRIDAY:
Think about what life would be like if there were no banks. How would your life be different? What would you do with your money?
Banks are essential to a successfully functioning economy. If banks did not exist, no one's money would be safe. There would be a marked rise in crime because people would need to keep money on hand and in their homes. Without credit cards, everyone would have to pay for things in cash, and there would be no such thing as home loans. You would have to make every purchase with the cash you have (without overspending).
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Do-Now Questions for Week of 1/2/13
MONDAY:
None
TUESDAY:
None
WEDNESDAY:
To understand why what we learn is so important, consider the following people:
Teacher, Professor, Archeologist, Museum Curator, Writer, Editor, Journalist, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Sociologist, Economist, Librarian, Records Manager, Archivist, Lawyer, Paralegal, Judge, Non-Profit Organizer, Activist/Advocate, Politician
THURSDAY:
Name the three branches of the national government of the United States. (Note: Do not simply say the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, but rather give the specific names that each of those branches has within the government.)
E.g.: The Legislative Branch = Congress (which has two houses called...?)
The Legislative Branch = Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)
The Executive Branch = President
The Judiciary Branch = Supreme Court
FRIDAY:
After watching this speech by President Barack Obama from January 2, 2013, answer the following question. Describe what the Fiscal Cliff Bill does to prevent America from going over the "fiscal cliff." Do you believe that anything else could have been done to address the situation better?
None
TUESDAY:
None
WEDNESDAY:
To understand why what we learn is so important, consider the following people:
- Theodore Roosevelt / George Bush (U.S. Presidents)
- W.E.B. DuBois (Founder of the NAACP)
- Martha Stewart / Carly Fiorina (Businesswomen)
- Jimmy Buffett (Songwriter/Writer)
- Conan O'Brien (Newscaster/Comedian)
Teacher, Professor, Archeologist, Museum Curator, Writer, Editor, Journalist, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Sociologist, Economist, Librarian, Records Manager, Archivist, Lawyer, Paralegal, Judge, Non-Profit Organizer, Activist/Advocate, Politician
THURSDAY:
Name the three branches of the national government of the United States. (Note: Do not simply say the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, but rather give the specific names that each of those branches has within the government.)
E.g.: The Legislative Branch = Congress (which has two houses called...?)
The Legislative Branch = Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)
The Executive Branch = President
The Judiciary Branch = Supreme Court
FRIDAY:
After watching this speech by President Barack Obama from January 2, 2013, answer the following question. Describe what the Fiscal Cliff Bill does to prevent America from going over the "fiscal cliff." Do you believe that anything else could have been done to address the situation better?
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
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