Essential+Questions

Essential Questions – what is “essential?” These are overarching questions that can be analyzed in various times and places worldwide. These questions are designed to help you understand the significance of what we are studying in our units to today. This activity will also help you prepare for the mid year exam as well.

Step One: Select one essential question from each unit below and write a short paragraph answer using information from the unit, or units of study.

Step Two: Find a current events story of relevance (there are many best of 2011 stories out right now…) that corresponds with one essential question you selected and write a short paragraph answer about how the story relates to the essential question. You cannot write about the same story as another classmate, but you can select the same essential questions.

Step Three: Comment on at least two other student’s posts, writing about how one of their news stories could be related to a different essential question than the one they choose and why (does not have to be within the same unit.)

Unit One – Enlightenment

1. What natural rights do people deserve? 2. To what extent can people self-govern? 3. How do revolutions often have unintended consequences?

Unit Two – IR/Economic Ideologies 1. Does industrialization/economic change have more positive or negative outcomes? 2. How do ideas address the problems caused by economic change? 3. Is radical or moderate reform more effective?

Unit Three – Imperialism 1. Should powerful societies be able to acquire unlimited natural resources? 2. What gives some nations more power than others? 3. Is cultural interaction good?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Unit Four – The Great War
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Do decades of tension or immediate events cause war?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How do governments use propaganda to increase nationalism?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">What impact does technology have on the outcome of wars?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How does morale on the home front influence the relationship between people and government?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Unit Five – Nationalism and Revolution <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1. How do world events impact nationalism? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2. Why do revolutions often have unintended consequences? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">3. Is radical or moderate reform more effective? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">4. Why is propaganda effective?