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Revolutions and Rebellions/World Studies/Hunt: Home

Students will work in groups to research and present on a revolution or rebellion from the late 18th or early 19th century.

Your Assignment

In this project you will be a member of one of four research groups. Each group will be tasked with exploring one of the four following historical "moments":

  • The Irish Rebellion of 1798
  • The Haitian Revolutionary Period, 1791-1803
  • The Mexican War of Independence, 1810-1821
  • The European "Year of Revolutions" in 1848

Learning Goals

a. Building on our study of the French Revolution (1789-1799) you will be asked to identify what, if any, role was played by nationalism, radicalism, liberalism or conservatism.

b. You will explore the extent to which Enlightenment ideas of liberty and equality are animating (motivating) the above movements. In the same way the motto of the French Revolution was "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité," around what ideas are Haitian or Mexican revolutionaries organizing?

c. To what extent are the above historical events "successful" in reshaping their respective societies? For example, the Revolution radically challenges the institutions and traditions and structure of the Ancien Régime. Does the Irish Rebellion lead to a similar transformation? How about the Mexican revolutionary period? Why or why not?

Project Components

A. Written Component: Each group will produce a three to five-page overview of its assigned rebellion or revolution. The goal here is not to try and squeeze in every detail, event or personality, but rather to provide the reader with  a synopsis of the Context , the Content (key issues, ideas, events) and Significance of the assigned subject. Use your history textbook as inspiration helping you to think of ways to provide a "big picture" overview without getting bogged down in the minutiae.

B. Visual Component: Each group will create two visual metaphors that serve to illustrate the ideas/goals/achievements of the assigned subject. These works will be exhibited in class and assessed for creativity, originality and quality of execution. Groups will take turns presenting their work to the class to share the findings and compare what each group has learned.

Project Schedule

Day 1: Introduction to Libguides and library resources by Miss Gerlock

            Teams work together to begin perusing sources.

Day 2: Library work day #2

             Research teams will meet for a second day in the library, making use of the books pulled for the project and continuing preliminary research using the libguide resources online. In this hour research teams will seek to:

  1. Identify at least three reference sources that provide important background data for your assigned period.
  2. Identify at least three scholarly articles (i.e. articles written by professional historians/scholars) that you think will be of use to your group. Reading the "abstract" of a scholarly article (this is usually a paragraph summarizing the goal of an article) OR locating the thesis in the introduction of an article is a good way to help you decide whether or not the source will be of use to you. 
  3. List all six sources on your group's Gdoc.

Homework: Students will assign each other readings for the evening and report back to class on Day 3 with their findings.

Day 3: Library work day #3

            Research teams will use this third day to share their findings from Day 2, and to continue their research. Today you will work together to begin to find the answers to the "Learning Goals" questions outlined in Section II.

Homework: Students will assign each other research tasks to be completed at home, writing those tasks on the group Gdoc.

Day 4: In-class work Day #4

            Research groups write the first 1-1.5 page(s) of their Written Component using the group's Gdoc.

Homework: Each individual group members come up with at least one idea for the Visual Metaphor component of the project including ideas about how to execute the same (what kind of media will be used: collage, paint, photography, digital editing, drawing, etc.?). Continue to work on the Written Component.

Day 5: In-class work Day #5

            Research groups discuss the Visual Metaphor and select their two best ideas. Work on both the Written component and the Visual component.

Homework: Groups will continue working on the project at home.

Day 6: Final in-class Work Day

            Groups will complete their Written and Visual components and ready themselves for the presentations on Days 7 and 8.

Days 7 and 8: Presentations of Final Projects

Librarian

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Lauren Ledley

Your Teacher

Sam Hunt

Resources

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