Due Tuesday, 12/15 - Japan ’45-‘52
Read pgs. 344-349 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Wednesday, 12/16
Answer questions #1-10 in the Japan ’45-’52 handout.
Due Thursday, 12/17
Early Cold War
Read pgs. 451-457 in Companion (yellow) book; pgs. 304-309 in Goff (black) book;
Due Friday, 12/18
Read pgs. 5-7 in Cold War Packet (CWP) and answer questions #1-7 on pg. 7.
Due Monday, 12/21
Read pgs. 7-12 in the CWP and answer questions #5-7 on pg. 10 and #2-5 on pg. 12.
Due Tuesday, 12/22
Read pgs. 309-314 and pgs. 13-20 in the CWP and answer questions #1-8 on pgs. 19/20.
Due Wednesday, 12/23
Read pg. 457-461 in Companion (yellow) book
Due Monday, 1/4
Read pgs. 24-28 in the CWP and answer questions #1-6 pgs. 26 and #1-5 pg. 28.
Due Tuesday, 1/5
Read pgs. 28-39 in the CWP and answer questions #1-7 on pg. 37. Questions about the Cominform will be asked/discussed in class.
Due Wednesday, 1/6
Read pgs. 39-44 in the CWP and answer questions #1-5 on pg. 42. Questions about the Treat of Brussels will be asked in class.
Due Thursday, 1/7
Read pgs. 312-314 in Goff (black) book. Questions in class – bring CWP
Due Friday, 1/8
Read pgs. 349-354 in Goff. Questions in class – bring CWP
Due Monday, 1/11
HOTA IA draft – hard copy in class and upload to turnitin.com. Class ID # 3030374, password: principled
Korean War
Read pgs. 462-464 in Companion (yellow) book and 361-368 in Goff (black) book
Due Tuesday, 1/12
Read pgs. 65-73 in the CWP and answer questions #1-6 pg. 69 and #1-8 on pg. 73
Due Thursday, 1/14
Read pgs. 467-468 in Companion book; pgs. 81-89 in the CWP and answer questions #1-6 pg. 84 and #1-6 pg. 86. Questions about Stalin’s crimes will be asked/discussed in class.
Due Friday, 1/15
Read pgs. 316-317 in Goff; pgs. 468-469 in Companion book and pgs. 90-94 in the CWP and answer questions #1-6 on pg. 94.
Due Tuesday, 1/19
U2 Affair
Read pgs. 319-320 in Goff and pgs. 105-110 of the CWP and answer questions #1-6 on pg. 110.
Due Wednesday, 1/20
Berlin Crisis
Read pgs. 320-321 in Goff; pgs. 472-473 in Companion book; and pgs. 116-119; 127-128 in the CWP and answer questions #1-3, 5, 7-8 on pg. 119 and 3, 5, 6 on pg. 128.
Thursday, 1/21
Early Cold War Test
Friday, 1/22
Preview of the rest of the Cold War
Monday, December 21, 2009
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Internal Assessment Dates
11/23: Topic declaration for HOTA IA due
1/11: Final draft of HOTA IA due
1/22: HOTA IA returned to students (latest date)
2/17: Final HOTA IA due
1/11: Final draft of HOTA IA due
1/22: HOTA IA returned to students (latest date)
2/17: Final HOTA IA due
HOTA Assignments 11/9-12/8
All readings are out of the Goff book (black book)
Due Monday 11/9
Chapter Twelve
Read pgs. 174-177 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. Outline each of the topics on pages 174-175.
2. Outline the reasons for the Great Depression.
Due Tuesday 11/10
Read pgs. 177-179 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. Describe the First New Deal (be sure to give specifics).
2. Was the First New Deal successful? Why or why not?
3. What happened with the Wagner Act?
4. What was the Second New Deal and what did it entail?
5. Describe FDR’s Court Packing Plan.
6. What were the twin engines in Mexico?
7. Briefly outline the course of the Mexican Revolution and its legacies.
Due Thursday 11/12
Read pgs. 182-189 and answer the following questions in your notes:
8. Describe the Good Neighbor Policy.
9. What problems existed in Brazil?
10. Describe Vargas’ actions in Brazil.
11. What did Alessandri do in Chili?
12. Compare Canada’s development after WWI with the U.S.’s.
13. What was Canada’s role at the beginning of WWII?
Due Friday 11/13
Chapter Thirteen
Read pgs. 190-198 and outline those pages in your notes.
Due Monday 11/16
Chapter Thirteen
Read pgs. 198-202 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. How did democracy grow in Japan in the 1920s?
2. What weaknesses existed in Japanese Democracy? Why?
3. How did the Great Depression impact Japan?
Due Tuesday 11/17
Chapter Sixteen
Read pgs. 228-234 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. What steps were taken toward dictatorship in Germany? (Probably easiest to outline.)
2. Describe the Nazi ideology.
3. How did Hitler isolate and degrade the Jews?
4. List the main reasons for Hitler’s success.
5. What was Mussolini’s “corporate state?”
6. List and briefly describe the other authoritarian governments taking over other places in Europe.
Due Wednesday 11/18
Chapter Sixteen
Read pgs. 234-238 and answer the following questions in your notes:
7. Outline Stalinism in the Soviet Union from ’33-’39. OVER →
8. What was the Great Terror?
9. Make a chart comparing and contrasting Nazism and Stalinism.
10. How did European democracies change (be specific as to country & changes)?
Due Thursday 11/19
Chapter Seventeen
Read pgs. 241-245 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. Describe Japan’s incursions into the rest of China.
2. How did China react?
3. What happened in China during the war?
4. Why was this a war of attrition?
5. What did the KMT and CCP do during WWII?
6. What steps did the US take to confront Japan?
Due Friday 11/20
Chapter Seventeen
Read pgs. 246-253 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Monday 11/23
Chapter Eighteen
Read pgs. 255-262 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Tuesday 11/24 & Wednesday 11/24
Video on the Holocaust/primary sources on Holocaust
Due Monday 11/30
Chapter Eighteen
Read pgs. 262-267 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. How did the US relate to Europe in 1940 and 1941?
2. Describe the confrontation(s) between the US and Japan.
3. Why did Japan attack the US?
4. List and briefly describe the Japanese conquests in the Pacific (’41-’42).
5. What was the Grand Alliance and why was it created?
6. What arrangements did the agree on?
7. Why did they fight over strategic priorities?
Due Tuesday 12/1
Chapter Eighteen
Read pgs. 267-271 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Wednesday 12/2
Chapter Eighteen
Read pgs. 271-275 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Thursday 12/3 & Friday 12/4
Videos and primary sources on D-Day and the atomic bombing of Japan.
Monday 12/7
Review for test
Tuesday 12/8
World War II test in class.
Due Monday 11/9
Chapter Twelve
Read pgs. 174-177 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. Outline each of the topics on pages 174-175.
2. Outline the reasons for the Great Depression.
Due Tuesday 11/10
Read pgs. 177-179 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. Describe the First New Deal (be sure to give specifics).
2. Was the First New Deal successful? Why or why not?
3. What happened with the Wagner Act?
4. What was the Second New Deal and what did it entail?
5. Describe FDR’s Court Packing Plan.
6. What were the twin engines in Mexico?
7. Briefly outline the course of the Mexican Revolution and its legacies.
Due Thursday 11/12
Read pgs. 182-189 and answer the following questions in your notes:
8. Describe the Good Neighbor Policy.
9. What problems existed in Brazil?
10. Describe Vargas’ actions in Brazil.
11. What did Alessandri do in Chili?
12. Compare Canada’s development after WWI with the U.S.’s.
13. What was Canada’s role at the beginning of WWII?
Due Friday 11/13
Chapter Thirteen
Read pgs. 190-198 and outline those pages in your notes.
Due Monday 11/16
Chapter Thirteen
Read pgs. 198-202 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. How did democracy grow in Japan in the 1920s?
2. What weaknesses existed in Japanese Democracy? Why?
3. How did the Great Depression impact Japan?
Due Tuesday 11/17
Chapter Sixteen
Read pgs. 228-234 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. What steps were taken toward dictatorship in Germany? (Probably easiest to outline.)
2. Describe the Nazi ideology.
3. How did Hitler isolate and degrade the Jews?
4. List the main reasons for Hitler’s success.
5. What was Mussolini’s “corporate state?”
6. List and briefly describe the other authoritarian governments taking over other places in Europe.
Due Wednesday 11/18
Chapter Sixteen
Read pgs. 234-238 and answer the following questions in your notes:
7. Outline Stalinism in the Soviet Union from ’33-’39. OVER →
8. What was the Great Terror?
9. Make a chart comparing and contrasting Nazism and Stalinism.
10. How did European democracies change (be specific as to country & changes)?
Due Thursday 11/19
Chapter Seventeen
Read pgs. 241-245 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. Describe Japan’s incursions into the rest of China.
2. How did China react?
3. What happened in China during the war?
4. Why was this a war of attrition?
5. What did the KMT and CCP do during WWII?
6. What steps did the US take to confront Japan?
Due Friday 11/20
Chapter Seventeen
Read pgs. 246-253 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Monday 11/23
Chapter Eighteen
Read pgs. 255-262 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Tuesday 11/24 & Wednesday 11/24
Video on the Holocaust/primary sources on Holocaust
Due Monday 11/30
Chapter Eighteen
Read pgs. 262-267 and answer the following questions in your notes:
1. How did the US relate to Europe in 1940 and 1941?
2. Describe the confrontation(s) between the US and Japan.
3. Why did Japan attack the US?
4. List and briefly describe the Japanese conquests in the Pacific (’41-’42).
5. What was the Grand Alliance and why was it created?
6. What arrangements did the agree on?
7. Why did they fight over strategic priorities?
Due Tuesday 12/1
Chapter Eighteen
Read pgs. 267-271 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Wednesday 12/2
Chapter Eighteen
Read pgs. 271-275 and be prepared to discuss in class.
Thursday 12/3 & Friday 12/4
Videos and primary sources on D-Day and the atomic bombing of Japan.
Monday 12/7
Review for test
Tuesday 12/8
World War II test in class.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
HOTA Assignments 10/13-11/06
Due Tuesday 10/13
Read pgs. 13-25 in the yellow companion book and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Wednesday 10/14
Read pgs. 15-25 (not the Source Analysis section) in peace packet and be prepared to discuss in class. Take notes on the reading.
Due Thursday 10/15
Assignment to be given and turned in during class.
Due Friday 10/16
Assignment to be given and turned in during class.
Due Monday 10/19
Read pgs. 26-35 in peace packet and pgs. 25-28 in yellow companion book, outline the readings in your notes, and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Tuesday 10/20
Assignment to be given and turned in during class.
Wednesday 10/21
Half day – no class.
Due Thursday 10/22
Read pgs. 35-41 in peace packet and pgs. 29-37 in yellow companion book, outline the readings in your notes, and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Friday 10/23
Read pgs. 46-61 in peace packet and answer each of the key issue questions & be ready to possibly turn in for a grade. Read pgs. 60-62 in the yellow companion book and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Monday 10/ 26
Read pgs. 67-78 in peace packet, and pgs. 39, 62-65 in the yellow companion book, outline the readings in your notes, and be prepared to discuss in class.
Dues Tuesday 10/27
Read pgs. 78-90 in peace packet, answer each of the key issue questions, and be prepared to discuss in class & possibly turn in for a grade.
Due Wednesday 10/28
Read pgs. 52-59 in yellow companion book and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Thursday 10/29
Read pgs. 66-74 in yellow companion book and be prepared to discuss in class.
Friday 10/30
Halloween/Magazine Assembly
Due Monday 11/2
Read pgs. 95-111 in peace packet. Answer key issue questions in packet & be ready to possibly turn in for a grade.
Due Wednesday 11/4
Read pgs. 111-116 in peace packet and be ready to answer questions in class.
Thursday 11/5
Review
Friday 11/6
1919-1935 Test
Read pgs. 13-25 in the yellow companion book and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Wednesday 10/14
Read pgs. 15-25 (not the Source Analysis section) in peace packet and be prepared to discuss in class. Take notes on the reading.
Due Thursday 10/15
Assignment to be given and turned in during class.
Due Friday 10/16
Assignment to be given and turned in during class.
Due Monday 10/19
Read pgs. 26-35 in peace packet and pgs. 25-28 in yellow companion book, outline the readings in your notes, and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Tuesday 10/20
Assignment to be given and turned in during class.
Wednesday 10/21
Half day – no class.
Due Thursday 10/22
Read pgs. 35-41 in peace packet and pgs. 29-37 in yellow companion book, outline the readings in your notes, and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Friday 10/23
Read pgs. 46-61 in peace packet and answer each of the key issue questions & be ready to possibly turn in for a grade. Read pgs. 60-62 in the yellow companion book and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Monday 10/ 26
Read pgs. 67-78 in peace packet, and pgs. 39, 62-65 in the yellow companion book, outline the readings in your notes, and be prepared to discuss in class.
Dues Tuesday 10/27
Read pgs. 78-90 in peace packet, answer each of the key issue questions, and be prepared to discuss in class & possibly turn in for a grade.
Due Wednesday 10/28
Read pgs. 52-59 in yellow companion book and be prepared to discuss in class.
Due Thursday 10/29
Read pgs. 66-74 in yellow companion book and be prepared to discuss in class.
Friday 10/30
Halloween/Magazine Assembly
Due Monday 11/2
Read pgs. 95-111 in peace packet. Answer key issue questions in packet & be ready to possibly turn in for a grade.
Due Wednesday 11/4
Read pgs. 111-116 in peace packet and be ready to answer questions in class.
Thursday 11/5
Review
Friday 11/6
1919-1935 Test
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
HOTA Assignments 9/23-10/8
Due Wednesday, 9/23
Chapter Three
On Tuesday you were assigned a country to read about in Chapter 3. Make sure you have read it.
Great Britain: pg. 32-35
France: pg. 35-37
Germany: pg. 37-38
Russia: pg. 38-40
Due Thursday, 9/24
Wednesday’s work will be continued. Be prepared.
Due Friday, 9/25
Chapter Seven
Read pgs 96-103 in the Goff book and pgs. 204-214 in the yellow book and be prepared to discuss.
Due Monday, 9/28
Continuation from Friday.
Due Tuesday, 9/29
Have answers for the activity on pg. 215 in the yellow book ready to turn in to me.
Chapter Eight
Read pgs. 105-111 and be ready to discuss in class.
Due Wednesday, 9/30
Read pgs. 111-118 and answer the following questions:
1. Outline, briefly, the war at sea.
2. How did the people back at home support the war effort?
3. What was the decisive point of the war?
4. How did the restarting of unrestricted sub warfare impact Britain?
5. What happened to Tsar Nicholas & Russia?
6. How did the war end?
7. What were the human and economic costs of the war?
Due Thursday, 10/1: Be prepared to discuss World War I
Due Friday, 10/2-Tuesday, 10/6: Primary sources on World War I in class
Thursday, 10/8
Finish primary sources, review for test
Friday, 10/9
Test on World War I
Chapter Three
On Tuesday you were assigned a country to read about in Chapter 3. Make sure you have read it.
Great Britain: pg. 32-35
France: pg. 35-37
Germany: pg. 37-38
Russia: pg. 38-40
Due Thursday, 9/24
Wednesday’s work will be continued. Be prepared.
Due Friday, 9/25
Chapter Seven
Read pgs 96-103 in the Goff book and pgs. 204-214 in the yellow book and be prepared to discuss.
Due Monday, 9/28
Continuation from Friday.
Due Tuesday, 9/29
Have answers for the activity on pg. 215 in the yellow book ready to turn in to me.
Chapter Eight
Read pgs. 105-111 and be ready to discuss in class.
Due Wednesday, 9/30
Read pgs. 111-118 and answer the following questions:
1. Outline, briefly, the war at sea.
2. How did the people back at home support the war effort?
3. What was the decisive point of the war?
4. How did the restarting of unrestricted sub warfare impact Britain?
5. What happened to Tsar Nicholas & Russia?
6. How did the war end?
7. What were the human and economic costs of the war?
Due Thursday, 10/1: Be prepared to discuss World War I
Due Friday, 10/2-Tuesday, 10/6: Primary sources on World War I in class
Thursday, 10/8
Finish primary sources, review for test
Friday, 10/9
Test on World War I
Friday, September 11, 2009
HOTA Assignments 9/14-9/22
Due Monday, 9/14
Chapter Five
Read pgs. 55-59 and answer the following questions:
1.Compare the Populist, Labor & Progressive struggles in the Americas in the 1900s.
2.What were the racial & ethnic divisions at the time?
Due Tuesday, 9/15
Read pgs. 59-62
3.Why did the US turn towards imperialism?
4.What were the general characteristics of Latin America at the end of the 1800s?
5.What was the liberal revolution?
Due Wednesday, 9/16
Chapter 6
Read pgs. 91-93 (& you may have to use additional resources) to answer the following questions:
1.Outline how the USA obtained Hawaii (I want more than what’s in the book). Suggestion: http://www.hawaiiforvisitors.com/about/annexation.htm
2.Outline the pro and anti-imperialists’ positions regarding the Philippines.
3.What did the USA do in the Philippines from 1899-1907?
Due Thursday, 9/17
Chapters 5 & 6
Read pgs. 62-64 & pg. 92 and answer the following questions:
1.Describe Cuba’s struggle for independence.
2.Why did the US get involved in the Spanish (Cuban) American War?
3.What were the results of the war?
Due Friday, 9/18
Read pgs. 64-66 & the summary on pg. 68 and answer the following questions:
4.Describe how TR obtained the rights to the Panama Canal.
5.What was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine and why was it necessary?
6.What areas in Latin America did the US intervene in after declaring the Corollary?
7.What were the major impacts of US Imperialism?
Due Monday, 9/21
Read pg. 66 and 91-94 and answer the following questions:
8.How did Taft approach relations with Latin America?
9.What did the USA do to “make up” for its behavior from 1899-1907.
10.How did Wilson approach relations with Latin America? (Handout)
Review and tutorial on how to prepare for a HOTA test/rubric of how it is graded handed out.
Tuesday, 9/22
Test on Imperialism
Chapter Five
Read pgs. 55-59 and answer the following questions:
1.Compare the Populist, Labor & Progressive struggles in the Americas in the 1900s.
2.What were the racial & ethnic divisions at the time?
Due Tuesday, 9/15
Read pgs. 59-62
3.Why did the US turn towards imperialism?
4.What were the general characteristics of Latin America at the end of the 1800s?
5.What was the liberal revolution?
Due Wednesday, 9/16
Chapter 6
Read pgs. 91-93 (& you may have to use additional resources) to answer the following questions:
1.Outline how the USA obtained Hawaii (I want more than what’s in the book). Suggestion: http://www.hawaiiforvisitors.com/about/annexation.htm
2.Outline the pro and anti-imperialists’ positions regarding the Philippines.
3.What did the USA do in the Philippines from 1899-1907?
Due Thursday, 9/17
Chapters 5 & 6
Read pgs. 62-64 & pg. 92 and answer the following questions:
1.Describe Cuba’s struggle for independence.
2.Why did the US get involved in the Spanish (Cuban) American War?
3.What were the results of the war?
Due Friday, 9/18
Read pgs. 64-66 & the summary on pg. 68 and answer the following questions:
4.Describe how TR obtained the rights to the Panama Canal.
5.What was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine and why was it necessary?
6.What areas in Latin America did the US intervene in after declaring the Corollary?
7.What were the major impacts of US Imperialism?
Due Monday, 9/21
Read pg. 66 and 91-94 and answer the following questions:
8.How did Taft approach relations with Latin America?
9.What did the USA do to “make up” for its behavior from 1899-1907.
10.How did Wilson approach relations with Latin America? (Handout)
Review and tutorial on how to prepare for a HOTA test/rubric of how it is graded handed out.
Tuesday, 9/22
Test on Imperialism
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Info for 2009-10
Specific information on material studied in the 2010 IB History Guide (click on the link to the guide for detailed information):
Route 2 is the route chosen at City Honors for the IB HOTA classes.
One Prescribed Subject must be taught. We teach:
Prescribed Subject #1: Peacemaking, peacekeeping - international relations 1918-36
Two topics are to be studied in 20th Century Topics. We teach part or all of:
Causes, practices and effects of wars
Origins and development of authoritarian and single-party states
The Cold War
Three sections of the Americas HL Option are required to be taught in HOTA. Many were covered in the first year of HOTA (AP American History & Government). Year two goes in depth into part or all of the following sections:
Emergence of the Americas in Global Affairs (1880-1929) [taught concurrently with Prescribed Option #1 & Causes, Practices, and Effects of Wars]
The Second World War and the Americas (1933-1945) [taught concurrently with topics: Causes, Practices, and Effects of Wars; Origins and developments of authoritarian and single-party states]
Political Developments in the Americas after the Second World War (1945-1979) [taught concurrently with origins and developments of authoritarian and single-party states]
The Cold War and the Americas (1945-1981) [taught concurrently with The Cold War topic and origins and developments of authoritarian and single-party states]
Into the 21st Century (1981-2000) [taught concurrently with The Cold War topic]
Route 2 is the route chosen at City Honors for the IB HOTA classes.
One Prescribed Subject must be taught. We teach:
Prescribed Subject #1: Peacemaking, peacekeeping - international relations 1918-36
Two topics are to be studied in 20th Century Topics. We teach part or all of:
Causes, practices and effects of wars
Origins and development of authoritarian and single-party states
The Cold War
Three sections of the Americas HL Option are required to be taught in HOTA. Many were covered in the first year of HOTA (AP American History & Government). Year two goes in depth into part or all of the following sections:
Emergence of the Americas in Global Affairs (1880-1929) [taught concurrently with Prescribed Option #1 & Causes, Practices, and Effects of Wars]
The Second World War and the Americas (1933-1945) [taught concurrently with topics: Causes, Practices, and Effects of Wars; Origins and developments of authoritarian and single-party states]
Political Developments in the Americas after the Second World War (1945-1979) [taught concurrently with origins and developments of authoritarian and single-party states]
The Cold War and the Americas (1945-1981) [taught concurrently with The Cold War topic and origins and developments of authoritarian and single-party states]
Into the 21st Century (1981-2000) [taught concurrently with The Cold War topic]
Monday, April 20, 2009
Assignments through the HOTA exam
HOTA Assignments 3/30-5/1
1991-1995
Due Monday 3/30
Read pgs. 533-541 in textbook (skip anything referencing events after 1995).
Due Tuesday 3/31
Read pgs. 541-550 in textbook (skip anything referencing events after 1995).
Due Wednesday 4/1
Read pgs. 550-553 (skip anything referencing events after 1995).
Due Thursday 4/2
Review course syllabus – course content needed for exam.
Due Friday 4/3
Content questions from course; How to answer a Paper 1 question.
Spring Break – complete Paper 1 of 2005 & 2006 IB History Exams
Exam Prep
Monday 4/20
Turn in 2005 & 2006 Paper 1 answers for a major grade. Go over answers to Paper 1 of 2005 & 2006 exams. Paper 1 of 2007 & 2008 will be handed out. RETURN CWP & TEXTBOOKS
Due Tuesday 4/21
Paper 1 – 2007 exam.
Due Wednesday 4/22
Paper 1 – 2008 exam. Paper 2 of 2006 & 2007 handed out.
Due Thursday 4/23
Outline answers for two questions in two separate sections of Paper 2 (either year). Go over answers in class.
Friday 4/24
Continue going over how to answer Paper 2 questions. Hand out 2008 Paper 2 Exams.
Due Monday 4/27
Turn in an outline for two questions from Paper 2 – 2008 IB Exam.
Tuesday 4/28
Finish Paper 2 and intro Paper 3. Hand out Paper 3 from 2005 & 2006.
Wednesday 4/29
Turn in an outline of one question from Paper 3 from 2005 or 2006. Go over 2005 & 2006 in class. Hand out 2007 &2008.
Thursday 4/30
Go over 2007 & 2008 Paper 3 questions.
Friday 5/1
Finish Paper 3. Answer any last questions.
Tuesday 5/5
Paper 1 & 2 – Afternoon IB exam
Wednesday 5/6
Paper 3 – Morning IB exam
1991-1995
Due Monday 3/30
Read pgs. 533-541 in textbook (skip anything referencing events after 1995).
Due Tuesday 3/31
Read pgs. 541-550 in textbook (skip anything referencing events after 1995).
Due Wednesday 4/1
Read pgs. 550-553 (skip anything referencing events after 1995).
Due Thursday 4/2
Review course syllabus – course content needed for exam.
Due Friday 4/3
Content questions from course; How to answer a Paper 1 question.
Spring Break – complete Paper 1 of 2005 & 2006 IB History Exams
Exam Prep
Monday 4/20
Turn in 2005 & 2006 Paper 1 answers for a major grade. Go over answers to Paper 1 of 2005 & 2006 exams. Paper 1 of 2007 & 2008 will be handed out. RETURN CWP & TEXTBOOKS
Due Tuesday 4/21
Paper 1 – 2007 exam.
Due Wednesday 4/22
Paper 1 – 2008 exam. Paper 2 of 2006 & 2007 handed out.
Due Thursday 4/23
Outline answers for two questions in two separate sections of Paper 2 (either year). Go over answers in class.
Friday 4/24
Continue going over how to answer Paper 2 questions. Hand out 2008 Paper 2 Exams.
Due Monday 4/27
Turn in an outline for two questions from Paper 2 – 2008 IB Exam.
Tuesday 4/28
Finish Paper 2 and intro Paper 3. Hand out Paper 3 from 2005 & 2006.
Wednesday 4/29
Turn in an outline of one question from Paper 3 from 2005 or 2006. Go over 2005 & 2006 in class. Hand out 2007 &2008.
Thursday 4/30
Go over 2007 & 2008 Paper 3 questions.
Friday 5/1
Finish Paper 3. Answer any last questions.
Tuesday 5/5
Paper 1 & 2 – Afternoon IB exam
Wednesday 5/6
Paper 3 – Morning IB exam
Monday, February 16, 2009
HOTA Assignments 2/12-3/24
DÉTENTE
Due Thursday 2/12
Background of Détente, Détente timeline. Read textbook pgs. 410-12, 414-415 & 417-421.
Due Friday 2/13
Sino-American Détente.
Due Wednesday 2/18
Berlin Accords (1971) & Nixon’s China Visit (1972). Read pgs. 156-159 in CWP. Answer #1-6 on pg. 157 and #1, 4-7 on pg. 159.
Due Thursday 2/19
ABM Treaty & SALT I (1972) & reasons for USSR/USA Détente. Read pgs. 160-165 in CWP and answer #1, 3-6 on pg. 165.
Due Friday 2/20
Vladivostok Summit (1974) & the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. Read pgs. 170-174 in CWP and answer #1-6 on pg. 172 & #2-4 on pg. 174.
Due Monday 2/23
High Point of Détente – Helsinki Final Act (1975). Read pgs. 174-178 in CWP & answer #1-7 on pg. 178.
Due Tuesday 2/24
Carter on Human Rights & Egyptian/Israeli Peace (1977-79). Read pgs. 178-185 in CWP & answer #1-13 on pg. 185. (Questions on Human Rights Doc will be asked in class).
Due Wednesday 2/25
Normalization of U.S.-Chinese Relations (1978-79). Read pgs. 185-190 in CWP and answer #1-8 on pg. 190/191.
Due Thursday 2/26
SALT II Agreement (1979). Read pgs. 191-193 – answers to #1-6 will be discussed in class. We will also discuss German/USSR Relations.
Friday 2/27
TEST on Détente
END of DÉTENTE, VIETNAM & END OF COLD WAR
Due Monday 3/2
Collapse of Détente. Read textbook pg. 424-426. Euromissile Crisis (1979). Read pgs. 194-198 in CWP & answer #1-6 on pg. 198.
Due Tuesday 3/3
Invasion of Afghanistan & Carter Doctrine (1979-80). Read textbook pgs. 390-391. Read pgs. 198-204 in CWP & answer #1, 2, 5-10 on pg. 202 & #4 on pg. 204.
Due Wednesday 3/4
Reagan’s Anti-Soviet Rhetoric (1981-83) & Arms Control Proposal (1981). Read pgs. 204-209 in CWP & answer #1-6 on pg. 206 & #1-4 on pg. 209.
Due Thursday 3/5
Impact of Cold War on Non-Aligned Countries – information given in class.
Due Friday 3/6
Vietnam. Read pgs. 444-449 in textbook. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964) & Lin Biao (1965). Read pgs. 135-139 of CWP & answer #1-5 on pg. 136.
Due Monday 3/9
Johnson & the Vietnam War (1965-68). Read pgs. 139-142 in CWP & answer #1, 2, 4, 6-8 on pg. 142.
Due Tuesday 3/10
Video on Vietnam & US withdraw from Vietnam (1973). Read pgs. 166-169 in CWP & answer #1-8 on pg. 169.
Due Wednesday 3/11
Poland in the 1980s & Andropov’s Peace Offensive (1982). Read pgs. 422-424 in textbook and pgs 213-214 in CWP & answer #1, 2, 4, 6.
Due Thursday 3/12
Reagan’s Star Wars Speech (1983), Nuclear Freeze Resolution (1983), KAL 007 Incident (1983) & Soviet Boycott of 1984 Olympics. Read pgs. 214-221 in CWP & be prepared to answer questions on all four topics in class (Socratic method class – be warned!!!).
Due Friday 3/13
Poland & the end of the Cold War, Gorbachev & the Geneva Summit (1985). Read pgs. 222-226 in CWP & answer #1-6 on pg. 226.
Due Monday 3/16
Reykjavik Summit (1986) & Reagan’s Berlin Speech (1987). Read pgs. 226-231 in CWP & answer #1-7 on pg. 229 & #3-5 on pg. 231.
Due Tuesday 3/17
Gorbachev’s New Thinking on International Relations; the INF Treaty (1987). Read pgs. 232-238 in CWP & answer #1, 2, 5-7 on pg. 234 & #1, 3, 5, 6 on pg. 237-238.
Due Wednesday 3/18
Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan (1988-89) & Berlin Wall. Read pgs. 238-240 & 244-245 in CWP and answer #1, 4-6 on pg. 140 & #2, 4-6 on pg. 245.
Due Thursday 3/19
NATO’s London Declaration on the End of the Cold War (1990) Read pgs. 245-250 in CWP & answer #1-6 on pg. 248 & #1, 4-6 on pg. 250.
Due Friday 3/20
The CFE Treaty (1990) & START Treaty (1991). Read pgs. 250-256 in CWP & answer #1-5 on pg. 253 & #1, 3, 5 on pg. 256.
Due Monday 3/23
Attempted Coup in USSR & Gorbachev’s Resignation (1991). Read pgs. 256-263 & be prepared to answer questions about these readings in class.
Tuesday 3/24
TEST on Vietnam & Cold War from end of Détente to the end of the Cold War.
Due Thursday 2/12
Background of Détente, Détente timeline. Read textbook pgs. 410-12, 414-415 & 417-421.
Due Friday 2/13
Sino-American Détente.
Due Wednesday 2/18
Berlin Accords (1971) & Nixon’s China Visit (1972). Read pgs. 156-159 in CWP. Answer #1-6 on pg. 157 and #1, 4-7 on pg. 159.
Due Thursday 2/19
ABM Treaty & SALT I (1972) & reasons for USSR/USA Détente. Read pgs. 160-165 in CWP and answer #1, 3-6 on pg. 165.
Due Friday 2/20
Vladivostok Summit (1974) & the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. Read pgs. 170-174 in CWP and answer #1-6 on pg. 172 & #2-4 on pg. 174.
Due Monday 2/23
High Point of Détente – Helsinki Final Act (1975). Read pgs. 174-178 in CWP & answer #1-7 on pg. 178.
Due Tuesday 2/24
Carter on Human Rights & Egyptian/Israeli Peace (1977-79). Read pgs. 178-185 in CWP & answer #1-13 on pg. 185. (Questions on Human Rights Doc will be asked in class).
Due Wednesday 2/25
Normalization of U.S.-Chinese Relations (1978-79). Read pgs. 185-190 in CWP and answer #1-8 on pg. 190/191.
Due Thursday 2/26
SALT II Agreement (1979). Read pgs. 191-193 – answers to #1-6 will be discussed in class. We will also discuss German/USSR Relations.
Friday 2/27
TEST on Détente
END of DÉTENTE, VIETNAM & END OF COLD WAR
Due Monday 3/2
Collapse of Détente. Read textbook pg. 424-426. Euromissile Crisis (1979). Read pgs. 194-198 in CWP & answer #1-6 on pg. 198.
Due Tuesday 3/3
Invasion of Afghanistan & Carter Doctrine (1979-80). Read textbook pgs. 390-391. Read pgs. 198-204 in CWP & answer #1, 2, 5-10 on pg. 202 & #4 on pg. 204.
Due Wednesday 3/4
Reagan’s Anti-Soviet Rhetoric (1981-83) & Arms Control Proposal (1981). Read pgs. 204-209 in CWP & answer #1-6 on pg. 206 & #1-4 on pg. 209.
Due Thursday 3/5
Impact of Cold War on Non-Aligned Countries – information given in class.
Due Friday 3/6
Vietnam. Read pgs. 444-449 in textbook. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964) & Lin Biao (1965). Read pgs. 135-139 of CWP & answer #1-5 on pg. 136.
Due Monday 3/9
Johnson & the Vietnam War (1965-68). Read pgs. 139-142 in CWP & answer #1, 2, 4, 6-8 on pg. 142.
Due Tuesday 3/10
Video on Vietnam & US withdraw from Vietnam (1973). Read pgs. 166-169 in CWP & answer #1-8 on pg. 169.
Due Wednesday 3/11
Poland in the 1980s & Andropov’s Peace Offensive (1982). Read pgs. 422-424 in textbook and pgs 213-214 in CWP & answer #1, 2, 4, 6.
Due Thursday 3/12
Reagan’s Star Wars Speech (1983), Nuclear Freeze Resolution (1983), KAL 007 Incident (1983) & Soviet Boycott of 1984 Olympics. Read pgs. 214-221 in CWP & be prepared to answer questions on all four topics in class (Socratic method class – be warned!!!).
Due Friday 3/13
Poland & the end of the Cold War, Gorbachev & the Geneva Summit (1985). Read pgs. 222-226 in CWP & answer #1-6 on pg. 226.
Due Monday 3/16
Reykjavik Summit (1986) & Reagan’s Berlin Speech (1987). Read pgs. 226-231 in CWP & answer #1-7 on pg. 229 & #3-5 on pg. 231.
Due Tuesday 3/17
Gorbachev’s New Thinking on International Relations; the INF Treaty (1987). Read pgs. 232-238 in CWP & answer #1, 2, 5-7 on pg. 234 & #1, 3, 5, 6 on pg. 237-238.
Due Wednesday 3/18
Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan (1988-89) & Berlin Wall. Read pgs. 238-240 & 244-245 in CWP and answer #1, 4-6 on pg. 140 & #2, 4-6 on pg. 245.
Due Thursday 3/19
NATO’s London Declaration on the End of the Cold War (1990) Read pgs. 245-250 in CWP & answer #1-6 on pg. 248 & #1, 4-6 on pg. 250.
Due Friday 3/20
The CFE Treaty (1990) & START Treaty (1991). Read pgs. 250-256 in CWP & answer #1-5 on pg. 253 & #1, 3, 5 on pg. 256.
Due Monday 3/23
Attempted Coup in USSR & Gorbachev’s Resignation (1991). Read pgs. 256-263 & be prepared to answer questions about these readings in class.
Tuesday 3/24
TEST on Vietnam & Cold War from end of Détente to the end of the Cold War.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Update: Assignments due 1/25-2/11
Due Monday 1/26
U2 Affair/Berlin Crisis
Read pgs. 319-320 in textbook and pgs 105-110 in CWP and answer questions 1-6 on pg. 110.
Due Monday 2/2
Read pgs. 116-119 and 127-128 in CWP and answer questions 1-6 on pg. 119 and 3, 5, 6 on pg. 128.
Due Thursday 2/5
Sino-Soviet Split & Nuclear Non Proliferation
Read pgs. 414-417 in textbook and pgs. 130-134 and 142-144 in CWP and
answer #1-5 on pg. 144.
Due Monday 2/9
USSR in Czechoslovakia & the Brezhnev Doctrine
Read pgs. 144-149 in CWP and answer #2-4, 6, 8 on pg. 147 and #3-6 on pg. 149.
Due Tuesday 2/10
USSR-China Border Conflict
Read pgs. 150-152 in CWP and answer #1-5 on pg. 152.
Due Wednesday 2/11
Détente
Read pgs. 153-157 in CWP and answer #3-6 on pg. 155 and 1-6 on pg. 157.
U2 Affair/Berlin Crisis
Read pgs. 319-320 in textbook and pgs 105-110 in CWP and answer questions 1-6 on pg. 110.
Due Monday 2/2
Read pgs. 116-119 and 127-128 in CWP and answer questions 1-6 on pg. 119 and 3, 5, 6 on pg. 128.
Due Thursday 2/5
Sino-Soviet Split & Nuclear Non Proliferation
Read pgs. 414-417 in textbook and pgs. 130-134 and 142-144 in CWP and
answer #1-5 on pg. 144.
Due Monday 2/9
USSR in Czechoslovakia & the Brezhnev Doctrine
Read pgs. 144-149 in CWP and answer #2-4, 6, 8 on pg. 147 and #3-6 on pg. 149.
Due Tuesday 2/10
USSR-China Border Conflict
Read pgs. 150-152 in CWP and answer #1-5 on pg. 152.
Due Wednesday 2/11
Détente
Read pgs. 153-157 in CWP and answer #3-6 on pg. 155 and 1-6 on pg. 157.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
President Obama's Inauguration Speech
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].“
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].“
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
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