Launching a New Nation: Early Challenges Faced

For this blog assignment, you are to select one challenge America faced during the Administrations of Washington and Adams and explain what that challenge was. From the list on the hand-out, you need to pick one of the following: Whiskey Rebellion, Neutrality, the West, Problems with Europe, or Washington's Farewell. In order to satisfy the requirements of this blog post, you must explain the challenge America faced in AT LEAST 5-6 sentences, so basically a paragraph.


Points: 20


DUE Date: Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010.

Remember the Dream: Martin Luther King Jr. Speaks

Martin Luther King Jr. Speaks from Dan Klumper on Vimeo.

Creating a Resource: The Presidents of the United States

Final List: The Presidents of the United States Quick Guide
I want you to learn about all 43 Presidents. Having you research and learn about all the Presidents would take far too long for our one week unit. Therefore, in order to learn about all the Presidents, we are going to work together to research and learn about each and every President this great country has had. (notice I said "great country," not "great presidents." They have not all been great.) This resource will be the starting point for your Presidents interdisciplinary unit you will be starting in a couple weeks. (However, the president you are researching isn't necessarily the president that will be assigned to you for that project.) This resource, that you are helping to create, will be a great starting point for all students to start researching their presidents. We are going to cover each president not in-depth, but just a few basics, to give us an idea of who each of them are. Working together as a class, we will be making this resource by having each student research 2 presidents. You will post your findings on this blog, for this post. When we are done, the comments on this post will be a list of all the presidents in order, with some basic information about them. Pay attention very closely to the following steps:
1. Click on the link on the side of this page called "Presidential Resource Assignment List" This will tell you what two presidents you are responsible for.
2. After you have figured out who you are to research, open up Microsoft Word. You will have to type your information on Word because we want this list to be in order. So you can NOT post whenever you want, you have to wait until its your turn. When it is you turn, simply copy and paste your information from Word into a comment box.
3. Here is what you need to find out about each president:
Name
Where From?
Years in office
Political Party
Vice President
3 things about him. (not long, just short, quality statements)
Famous Quote

Example:
President: Dan Klumper
From: Worthington, MN
Years in Office: 2012-2016
(insert political party here) :)
Vice President: Jason Bisbee
1. Started career as a teacher
2. Shingles houses during the summer
3. Led the USA through a war with Canada.
Quote: "I remember long ago when I taught the finest group of 8th graders known to man." -Dan Klumper during his inaugural address


Good Luck. Remember, your work is for the betterment of all your fellow classmates. Thank you.

20 Points per President.
DUE: January 14th, 2010

The Voice of the American President

Voice of the American President from Dan Klumper on Vimeo.

Bringing the Constitution to Life

Bringing the Constitution to Life from Dan Klumper on Vimeo.

Great Job, Class. You guys rock.

Articles of Confederation Vs. Constitution

Assignment: Use this Prezi to fill out your graphic organizer comparing the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution.
DUE Date: Thursday, December 17th, 2009.
Points: 20

The U.S. Faces Challenges in Post-Revolution America

We have covered the American Revolution. We are now moving on to what America was like after the American Revolution. Like we have discussed, America faced many challenges as they began life as an independent country. So now, at this point, we must ask ourselves, which of the five challenges facing America required the most immediate attention? In other words, which challenge did America need to deal with FIRST? Once again, here are the five MAIN challenges America faced:
1. National Debt
2. Foreign Relations
3. Westward Expansion
4. National Government
5. Domestic Issues
Using the History Book as our mode, we are going to discuss amongst each other what we think was the most pressing issue for America. Your task is to form your own opinion about what issue you think America should address first. Try to be convincing. Be convincing by supporting your opinions with details, examples, etc. At the end of the discussion, we will all vote to see what the class thinks.

Read the following Link to have a little background information about the challenges facing America.

Alternate Ending: British Win the Revolution

Let's pretend for a moment that the British actually won the Revolution. The patriot rebels, though fighting gallantly in the open fields of battle, were no match for the British. Despite honorable efforts by Washington, Gates, Greene, and Lee to lead the Continental Army, the American Uprising was squashed by the most powerful force in the world, leaving America under the control of the Crown. What would have happened had this been true? As we have talked about and read about, this war was by no means a "blow-out" for the patriots. The odds were stacked against us quite heavily, especially in the early goings of 1776. Victory was NOT a forgone conclusion when Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence. Certain factors led to American victory, one of which was luck. Let's think, (yes, think) about what would have happened had the British won the war. I have provided a few websites for you to read about this scenario. Now, be careful. These are websites for you to read, not copy. Just because a website says something, doesn't mean that is what you should believe. Use what these websites say to help you form an opinion on what things would have been like had the British won the war. Post a comment on what you think.

Websites:

Yahoo! Answer

Trivia Library (Good one)

Educational Forum

Length: At least 200 words (which is the length of what I have typed above.)

Points: 30

DUE Date: November 13th, 2009. 10:00 pm

Words can not express how much I enjoy working with you people everyday. I appreciate your hard work and positive attitude a great deal. Thank you.

Thank You, Sir

Write a Thank you Letter to a founding Father. People to Choose from: George Washington, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, or a Patriot Soldier. Use the PowerPoint on the right to help you think about what to Thank these people for. You are writing the letter to the person as if they are actually going to receive it. Your first paragraph should tell them about yourself. The second and third paragraphs should be used to thank them for what they did. In these paragraphs, besides thanking them for what they did, state what they did that was so important. Tell them why you are thankful, explain to them why you are thankful for the significant things they did. Explain to them how much what they did meant to you and to America. Perhpas you have a question for the person you selected, well ask 'em then! You will not get a response, obviously, but it will give the readers of the Brandon Valley Challenger something to think about. Perhaps you would like to include one of their famous quotes and explain why you like that quote/how you feel. Do a good job. Try hard. Do the best you can. Make it a meaningful assignment. Actually pretend that you are writing to this peson for real and you will actually experience the feeling of thankfulness for real. Trust me.

Grade:
Type your Letter for an "A"
Hand write the letter on the paper I handed out for a "B"

DUE: Tuesday, November 10th, 2009.
Points: 30

What's that Picture?

Through various modes of learning, we have covered the American Revolution from its beginning conflicts up to major battles. As Dr. Mullin stated, the American Revolution is often described as pre-1776. Post-1776 is considered the War for American Indepedence. Either way, it is an amazing time period in the history of our country. We should not take for granted the sacrifices made by the founding fathers. Would you be so brave as to sign your name to a document that meant death if captured? This is more than a simply something you learn about in school, it is one of the greatest stories ever told. The powerpoint I have posted takes you through a picture review of what we have talked about thus far. We discussed in class the significance of these pictures. Not everybody gets to share everything they want in class. The History Book, however, provides that ability. By posting a comment, you can share what you think/know about what we have covered thus far.

**Select 3 pictures from the PowerPoint**
1. State what picture you have selected.
2. Explain why that picture is important/what the picture represents.

Goal: To review via blogging the major events of the American Revolution.

Points: 20
DUE Date: November 6th, 2009. 10:00 p.m.

Project Beyond the Classroom Feature: Dr. Michael J. Mullin

I would like to welcome Dr. Michael J. Mullin to The History Book. Dr. Mullin is a professor at Augustana College. Dr. Mullin is the first professor to participate with us in Project Beyond the Classroom and for that, I would like to thank him very much. It is the goal of Project Beyond the Classroom to provide opportunities for students to learn about American History in a different way. Being able to learn from an esteemed professor of history with seemingly limitless knowledge can benefit us all. As a class, we brainstormed and came up with a list of questions we would like to know a little bit more about. With the help of Dr. Mullin, we have an opportunity to dig a little deeper in American History. Again, thank you, Dr. Mullin. My students are excited to read your thoughts.

Questions:
1. Why did the Declaration of Independence exclude certiain groups such as Native Americans, African Americans and women yet the document was based on individual freedom and rights? Was it ever changed?

2. Do you think the Patriots could have won without foreign help?

3. What 2 people do you think were the MOST important in the American Revolution? Why?

4.What do you think was the key to American victory?

5. What was the level of Native American involvement in the American Revolution?

6. How did the Continental Congress fund the American Revolution?

7. What if the Patriots would have lost?

Thank you very much, we are all looking forward to hearing from you.

Continental Army Vs. British Army

As we enter the Battles of the American Revolution and the eventual surrender of the British Army (sorry to ruin the ending), we are going to take a look at the state of the Continental Army and the British Army. We are going to discuss the advantages both had and the disadvantages both had. At first glance, looking at the colonists going up against the most powerful military in the world, it may seem that the colonists did not have any advantages. That, however, is untrue. Using your discussion notes in class or reviewing the powerpoint, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both armies.



Task:
1.Describe the state of the Continental Army in the early goings of the American Revolution.
2. Describe the advantages the British army had and HOW the Continental Army took those advantages away.
3. Describe the Advantages of the Continental Army
4. Describe the Disadvantages of the British Army
5. Describe the Disadvantages of the Continental Army. How did the patriots turn their disadvantages into advantages?

Points: 20
DUE Date: October 30th, 2009

On the Path Towards Independence

Between the First and Second Continental Congress meetings, many things happened to increase tension between the Colonists and the Crown. Things such as Lexington/Concord, Bunker Hill, and Battle of Dorchester Heights. These three items seemed to suggest that War between America and Great Britain was a sure thing. As these things were going on, it appeared quite obvious to some that there was no turning back. The Second Continental Congress decided to form a committee to write a document declaring Indepedence from Great Britain. One man was instrumental in raising support for this cause. His name was Thomas Paine. Paine wrote and published a book called "Common Sense" which we have discussed in class. At first, Paine published this book anonymously. For this blog post, we are going to look at Paine's "Common Sense" and the Declaration of Indepdence itself.

Task #1: Why was Thomas Paine's book "Common Sense" so important? What did it do? Why do you think Paine published "Common Sense" anonymously at first? What made this book so popular among the colonists? Do you think that most colonists would have supported Indepednece without "Common Sense" ? Answer all questions I have just posed.

Task #2: The Declaration of Indepdence, written and published by white males, officially announced our break from Great Britain and our quest for Independence. However, the Declaration of Indepdence excluded a few groups of people such as Native Americans, African Americans, and Women. Why was that? How come these groups of people, groups of people who had many people in the thirteen colonies, get excluded from the Declaration? In a document based on equality and individual rights, did it "miss the boat" with these other groups of people?

Points: 20
DUE: October 30th, 2009. 11:00 p.m.

Revolution Begins: Attempts at Peace--Movement Toward War

As the American Revolution is about to begin, the Continental Congress formed to decide what to do about King George's repeated refusal to listen to them and his continuing moves to make things harder. The continentl congress was split as far as what to do about the British. Some wanted things to remain peacefully and others wanted to go to war and solve the issue with violence. It was decided that a compromise would be reached in which the Continental Congress would continue to seek peace, yet prepare for war. For this blog post, I want you to explain to me what attempts the Continental Congress made to achieve a peaceful solution and what the Continental Congress did to move towards war.

***You should have 4 attempts at Peace and 4 examples of movement toward War.***
Number each example in your lists.

Points: 20
DUE Date: October 16th, 2009. 10:00 p.m.

Revolution Begins PowerPoint

American Revolution Website Search

Your task is to search the World Wide Web (Internet) and find a website that deals with the American Revolution. There are many, many good websites out there, so this task should not be difficult. If the website you find and publish has already been found by another student, yours will get deleted and you will have to find another one--so don't wait too long to do this!
Details:
1. Find a website about the American Revolution.
2. Post a comment with the website address so I can create a American Revolution website list
3. Along with the website address, tell me what you thought about the site.
What was good about it?
What was bad about it?
Is it a cool site?
What are the features? (ie. games? audio? video?)
Who owns the site?
Grade the site with the standard Letter Grade system
Done.

Money: $5,000
Points: 20
DUE Date: October 13th, 2009. 10:00 p.m.

Causes of the American Revolution

Essay Question Possibilities

The following are the Essay Questions for your first test: Colonial America. I will be selecting one of the essays below for your test on Friday. You will not know what essay I have selected until Friday. So study all of the essay questions below to make sure you are prepared for Friday. Thank you.

Essay #1: Explain what Christopher Columbus did and what Impact he had in the World.

Essay #2: Describe the colony of Jamestown.

Essay #3: Compare the colony of Jamestown with the New England colonies. How are they similar? How are they different?

Essay #4: Explain why the colonies came to hate the British. Support your answer by discussing what the British did to cause conflict in the American Colonies.

Money Maker! If you blog some thoughts about any or all of these essay questions, in other words, if you answer these questions on The History Book, I will give you $5000 for your colony. You will get $5,000 for each answer you post. Your answer must be a good answer, though.

Share your Topic! Make Some Money!

I started to feel bad (kind of) about the Gum tax. So I decided to give you an opportunity to earn some money to help you in your quest to defeat me and win the American Revolution. This post is quite simple, tell us/world about your YouTube project topic and you will earn money for your colony. How much money you ask? I'll give you five grand. ($5,000). You must share five things about your topic to earn the money. You have until September 27th to do this. Each member of your colony can do this and earn money even though you do not all have the same topic. No School points, but Money to be made!

Welcome to The History Book

Welcome to the new home of The History Book.