Assignment: OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT: Current Events Exploration Activity + Exit Ticket

WORLD HISTORY-A
2023-08-28T02:26:29Z

Due: Nov 28, 2023 by 11:59pm

Choose 1-3 current event topics to explore during class today. Read the provided resources, and then answer the questions. Then, submit your answers to the questions to this assignment in a textbox. You should be answering the questions using at least 2 complete and thorough sentences.

Each current events topic/questions you answers = 0.67 XC points on your test for up to 2 points (3 current events). 2 points = +10% on your test!

Topic | East African Federation | Democracy and Authoritarianism in Sub-Saharan Africa | Racism in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Resources

Article 1

Article 2

Article (longer)

Article 1

Article 2

Questions to Answer

1. What is the East African Federation? What countries are involved?

2. What are the goals of the East African Federation?

3. What are 2 pros and 2 cons (2 reasons for and 2 reasons against) creating the East African Federation?

4. How does the East African Federation relate to the idea of Pan-African Unity?

1. How has Covid-19 led to the decline of democracy across Africa?

2. What factors have made maintaining a democracy difficult?

3. How does geography play a role in whether a country is not free, partly free, or free?

4. Based on what we learned in this course, are you surprised that a majority of countries in Africa are becoming less democratic / moving towards authoritarianism? Explain your response.

1. How are people of color, but especially Black people, being treated as they try and leave Ukraine? Include at least one specific example.

2. Do countries' official responses about racism at the border differ from people's personal experiences? Explain your response.

3. What is your reaction/response to what is happening at the border?

4. How is this related to Cold War politics? (competition between the "West" and Russia and their allies)

Topic | Impact of Agent Orange | China and Taiwan | Protests in China: Covid and Communism

Resources

Article 1

Article 2

Article 1

Article 2

Article 1 (longer)

Questions to Answer

1. What is Agent Orange and what makes it so dangerous? What are the results of the US using Agent Orange for people exposed to it in Vietnam?

2. Why do you think that the United States has not taken formal responsibility for the use of Agent Orange?

3. What has the US done to try and "fix" their use of Agent Orange?

4. Do you think that what the US has done so far is enough? If no, what would make the US response "enough" / what would the US need to do? If yes, what has the US done that was the most significant?

1. What major event after WWII caused conflict between mainland China and Taiwan?

2. Why might some people argue that Taiwan should be governed by China? Why might some people argue that Taiwan should be independent from China?

3. Why might Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen want to frame the recent election as a way to send a message to China about China's rising aggression towards Taiwan?

4. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, said that "[China] would never [say no to using] force to take Taiwan" and make it a part of China. What do you think the international community would do if China invaded Taiwan? Explain.

1. What has China been trying to do to stop the spread of Covid? Why might some people be frustrated by these policies / practices?

2. Why did the fire in Urumqi cause people to protest?

2. Why is it significant that people are chanting "Xi Jinping! Step down! CCP! Step down" while they protest?

3. How do the protestor's blank pieces paper relate to defying China's censorship?

Topic | African countries + the World Cup | "Earthquake Diplomacy" with Greece and Turkey | The Armenian Genocide Today

Resources

Source 1: Audio clip + transcript

Article 2

Article 3 (for Question 4)

Article 1 (for question 1)

Article 2

Article 3

Article 1

Article 2

Questions to Answer

1. Why does Danny Jordann argue that an African national team has not won a World Cup yet?

2. How are club teams in South Africa trying to keep local soccer talent playing in South Africa versus for club teams abroad?

3. With 54 countries, Africa gets 5 spots in the World Cup. With 10 member countries, South America gets 4-5 spots. With Should Africa have more teams at the World Cup? Why or why not?

4. Out of Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon, and Tunisia, which team do you think will make it the farthest in the World Cup + why?

1.Describe the who, what, when, where, and significance (including current death toll) of the earthquake

2. What is earthquake diplomacy? Define the term, and give an example using Greece + Turkey.

3. What has the relationship between Greece and Turkey usually looked like in recent years, NOT including earthquake diplomacy? Include examples of specific conflicts.

4. One article is titled "Earthquake Diplomacy Sparks Hope of Normalization Between Greece and Turkey." Why might some people see "earthquake diplomacy" as a sign of "hope"?

1. What is the stated purpose of the Armenian Genocide memorial in Irvine, California? Do you think memorials like this one can "quell [stop] other instances of hate"? Why or why not?

2. How was community involvement critical for getting the memorial built?

3. According to the article, what caused countries like the US and Mexico to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide?

4. Why do you think Uruguay was the first country to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in 1965?

Topic | Israel Hamas Temporary Truce | |

Resources

Source 1:

Article 2

Article 3

Questions to Answer

1. What are the details of the temporary truce between Hamas and Israel? How many days was it planned to last for? What are the conditions of the truce?

2. The truce was recently extended. What are the details of the truce EXTENSION? Why do you think both sides agreed to extend the truce?

3. Qatar is a key negotiator/mediator between Israel and Hamas. What makes Qatar an effective mediator between the two sides, and/or an effective mediator in past years in other negotiations?

4. A few weeks ago, people around the world would have found a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas unimaginable. Now, not only was there a temporary truce, but it was extended. Do you think this could be the start of peace in the Israel Hamas War, or will the violence continue? Why do you think what you do?

1.

1.

Choose 1-3 current event topics to explore during class today. Read the provided resources, and then answer the questions. Then, submit your answers to the questions to this assignment in a textbox. You should be answering the questions using at least 2 complete and thorough sentences.

Each current events topic/questions you answers = 0.67 XC points on your test for up to 2 points (3 current events). 2 points = +10% on your test!

Topic | East African Federation | Democracy and Authoritarianism in Sub-Saharan Africa | Racism in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Resources

Article 1

Article 2

Article (longer)

Article 1

Article 2

Questions to Answer

1. What is the East African Federation? What countries are involved?

2. What are the goals of the East African Federation?

3. What are 2 pros and 2 cons (2 reasons for and 2 reasons against) creating the East African Federation?

4. How does the East African Federation relate to the idea of Pan-African Unity?

1. How has Covid-19 led to the decline of democracy across Africa?

2. What factors have made maintaining a democracy difficult?

3. How does geography play a role in whether a country is not free, partly free, or free?

4. Based on what we learned in this course, are you surprised that a majority of countries in Africa are becoming less democratic / moving towards authoritarianism? Explain your response.

1. How are people of color, but especially Black people, being treated as they try and leave Ukraine? Include at least one specific example.

2. Do countries' official responses about racism at the border differ from people's personal experiences? Explain your response.

3. What is your reaction/response to what is happening at the border?

4. How is this related to Cold War politics? (competition between the "West" and Russia and their allies)

Topic | Impact of Agent Orange | China and Taiwan | Protests in China: Covid and Communism

Resources

Article 1

Article 2

Article 1

Article 2

Article 1 (longer)

Questions to Answer

1. What is Agent Orange and what makes it so dangerous? What are the results of the US using Agent Orange for people exposed to it in Vietnam?

2. Why do you think that the United States has not taken formal responsibility for the use of Agent Orange?

3. What has the US done to try and "fix" their use of Agent Orange?

4. Do you think that what the US has done so far is enough? If no, what would make the US response "enough" / what would the US need to do? If yes, what has the US done that was the most significant?

1. What major event after WWII caused conflict between mainland China and Taiwan?

2. Why might some people argue that Taiwan should be governed by China? Why might some people argue that Taiwan should be independent from China?

3. Why might Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen want to frame the recent election as a way to send a message to China about China's rising aggression towards Taiwan?

4. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, said that "[China] would never [say no to using] force to take Taiwan" and make it a part of China. What do you think the international community would do if China invaded Taiwan? Explain.

1. What has China been trying to do to stop the spread of Covid? Why might some people be frustrated by these policies / practices?

2. Why did the fire in Urumqi cause people to protest?

2. Why is it significant that people are chanting "Xi Jinping! Step down! CCP! Step down" while they protest?

3. How do the protestor's blank pieces paper relate to defying China's censorship?

Topic | African countries + the World Cup | "Earthquake Diplomacy" with Greece and Turkey | The Armenian Genocide Today

Resources

Source 1: Audio clip + transcript

Article 2

Article 3 (for Question 4)

Article 1 (for question 1)

Article 2

Article 3

Article 1

Article 2

Questions to Answer

1. Why does Danny Jordann argue that an African national team has not won a World Cup yet?

2. How are club teams in South Africa trying to keep local soccer talent playing in South Africa versus for club teams abroad?

3. With 54 countries, Africa gets 5 spots in the World Cup. With 10 member countries, South America gets 4-5 spots. With Should Africa have more teams at the World Cup? Why or why not?

4. Out of Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon, and Tunisia, which team do you think will make it the farthest in the World Cup + why?

1.Describe the who, what, when, where, and significance (including current death toll) of the earthquake

2. What is earthquake diplomacy? Define the term, and give an example using Greece + Turkey.

3. What has the relationship between Greece and Turkey usually looked like in recent years, NOT including earthquake diplomacy? Include examples of specific conflicts.

4. One article is titled "Earthquake Diplomacy Sparks Hope of Normalization Between Greece and Turkey." Why might some people see "earthquake diplomacy" as a sign of "hope"?

1. What is the stated purpose of the Armenian Genocide memorial in Irvine, California? Do you think memorials like this one can "quell [stop] other instances of hate"? Why or why not?

2. How was community involvement critical for getting the memorial built?

3. According to the article, what caused countries like the US and Mexico to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide?

4. Why do you think Uruguay was the first country to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in 1965?

Topic | Israel Hamas Temporary Truce | |

Resources

Source 1:

Article 2

Article 3

Questions to Answer

1. What are the details of the temporary truce between Hamas and Israel? How many days was it planned to last for? What are the conditions of the truce?

2. The truce was recently extended. What are the details of the truce EXTENSION? Why do you think both sides agreed to extend the truce?

3. Qatar is a key negotiator/mediator between Israel and Hamas. What makes Qatar an effective mediator between the two sides, and/or an effective mediator in past years in other negotiations?

4. A few weeks ago, people around the world would have found a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas unimaginable. Now, not only was there a temporary truce, but it was extended. Do you think this could be the start of peace in the Israel Hamas War, or will the violence continue? Why do you think what you do?

1.

1.