Unit 7--Reading and Writing Workshop
Global Conflicts (c. 1900–present)
Theme: War, Revolution, and the Reshaping of the Modern World
Workshop Focus: Examining global conflict, ideology, and decolonization through source-based writing practice and group collaboration.
Session 1 – SAQ Practice: Causes and Consequences of Global Conflict
Part A – Standard SAQ (No Documents)
Prompt:
Answer all parts of the question that follows using your knowledge of world history in the twentieth century.
a) Identify and explain ONE cause of World War I.
b) Identify and explain ONE way World War II transformed global political structures.
c) Identify and explain ONE way anti-colonial movements challenged imperial rule during the twentieth century.
Group Activity – “Conflict Causation Web”
Part B – Stimulus-Based SAQ
Stimulus:
Excerpt – Woodrow Wilson, “Fourteen Points” Speech (1918):
“What we demand in this war… is that the world be made fit and safe to live in; and particularly that it be made safe for every peace-loving nation which, like our own, wishes to live its own life.”
🔗 Avalon Project – Wilson’s Fourteen Points (1918)
Prompt:
a) Identify and explain ONE principle of international relations expressed in the excerpt.
b) Identify and explain ONE way this speech reflects post–World War I ideals.
c) Identify and explain ONE reason why these ideals faced resistance or failure later in the century.
Group Discussion – “Idealism vs. Reality”
Session 2 – LEQ Practice: War and Transformation
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which global conflicts between 1900 and the present transformed political, economic, and social systems.
Rubric Alignment (6 pts)
Guided Example: Context through Source Analysis
Excerpt – Winston Churchill, “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” Speech (1940):
“You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us… to wage war against a monstrous tyranny.”
🔗 International Churchill Society – Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat (1940)
Discussion Questions:
Session 3 – DBQ Practice: Global Conflicts and Decolonization
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which global conflicts between 1900 and the present reshaped international relations and societies.
Documents and Excerpts
Document 1 – Woodrow Wilson, “Fourteen Points” (1918)
“A free, open-minded, and absolutely impartial adjustment of all colonial claims…”
🔗 Avalon Project – Wilson’s Fourteen Points (1918)
Document 2 – Joseph Stalin, “Speech on the Great Patriotic War” (1941):
“Our war for freedom and independence will end in complete victory. The Red Army is fighting for the liberation of the peoples of Europe.”
🔗 Fordham Internet History Sourcebook – Stalin Speeches
Document 3 – Winston Churchill, “Iron Curtain” Speech (1946):
“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.”
🔗 International Churchill Society – The Sinews of Peace (1946)
Document 4 – Ho Chi Minh, “Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam” (1945):
“All men are created equal. The Creator has given us certain inviolable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
🔗 Fordham Internet History Sourcebook – Ho Chi Minh Declaration (1945)
Document 5 – United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948):
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
🔗 United Nations – Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Document 6 – Chart: Military Expenditures during the Cold War (1949–1989)
🔗 National Security Archive – U.S.–Soviet Nuclear Arms Race Graphs
Group Activity – “From War to Peace: A World Divided”
Thematic Groupings
DBQ Rubric Alignment (7 pts)
Session 4 – Reflection and Synthesis: The Legacy of Global Conflict
Excerpt – Jawaharlal Nehru, “Speech to the Asian Relations Conference” (1947):
“We are of Asia, and the peoples of Asia are nearer and closer to us than others. India is part of that great world of Asia which finds herself again.”
🔗 Internet History Sourcebook – Jawaharlal Nehru, 1947
Group Activity – “Mapping the New World Order”
In 150–200 words, evaluate:
“Global conflicts of the 20th century dismantled old empires but created new forms of domination.”
Use at least two sources or examples from the workshop.
Group Roles (All Sessions)
Workshop Deliverables
Global Conflicts (c. 1900–present)
Theme: War, Revolution, and the Reshaping of the Modern World
Workshop Focus: Examining global conflict, ideology, and decolonization through source-based writing practice and group collaboration.
Session 1 – SAQ Practice: Causes and Consequences of Global Conflict
Part A – Standard SAQ (No Documents)
Prompt:
Answer all parts of the question that follows using your knowledge of world history in the twentieth century.
a) Identify and explain ONE cause of World War I.
b) Identify and explain ONE way World War II transformed global political structures.
c) Identify and explain ONE way anti-colonial movements challenged imperial rule during the twentieth century.
Group Activity – “Conflict Causation Web”
- In groups of four, assign roles:
- Historian: outlines political alliances or militarism.
- Economist: explains industrial and imperial competition.
- Diplomat: identifies failed negotiations or treaties.
- Activist: connects global conflict to independence or social movements.
- As a group, create a Cause-and-Effect Web showing how each cause led to transformative outcomes.
- Present one connection chain to the class (e.g., imperialism → resource competition → alliances → total war).
Part B – Stimulus-Based SAQ
Stimulus:
Excerpt – Woodrow Wilson, “Fourteen Points” Speech (1918):
“What we demand in this war… is that the world be made fit and safe to live in; and particularly that it be made safe for every peace-loving nation which, like our own, wishes to live its own life.”
🔗 Avalon Project – Wilson’s Fourteen Points (1918)
Prompt:
a) Identify and explain ONE principle of international relations expressed in the excerpt.
b) Identify and explain ONE way this speech reflects post–World War I ideals.
c) Identify and explain ONE reason why these ideals faced resistance or failure later in the century.
Group Discussion – “Idealism vs. Reality”
- Discuss whether Wilson’s vision of self-determination was applied globally or selectively.
- Identify countries or regions where this ideal failed (e.g., Vietnam, India, Africa).
- Conclude with one sentence summarizing the tension between idealism and realpolitik.
Session 2 – LEQ Practice: War and Transformation
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which global conflicts between 1900 and the present transformed political, economic, and social systems.
Rubric Alignment (6 pts)
- Thesis/Claim (1)
- Contextualization (1)
- Evidence (2)
- Analysis & Reasoning (2)
- Contextualizer: Describes conditions before major conflicts (imperialism, industrialization, nationalism).
- Thesis Builder: Crafts a defensible “extent” argument.
- Evidence Specialist: Selects three strong examples of change or continuity.
- Analyst: Adds complexity by comparing impacts across regions or conflicts.
Guided Example: Context through Source Analysis
Excerpt – Winston Churchill, “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” Speech (1940):
“You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us… to wage war against a monstrous tyranny.”
🔗 International Churchill Society – Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat (1940)
Discussion Questions:
- How did total war mobilize entire societies?
- In what ways did wartime production change global economic systems?
- How did women’s and colonial subjects’ participation shift postwar expectations of equality?
- Divide into small groups (WWI, WWII, Cold War).
- Each group outlines:
- Key transformations (political/economic/social).
- Continuities that persisted.
- End with a class discussion: Which war had the most lasting global impact and why?
Session 3 – DBQ Practice: Global Conflicts and Decolonization
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which global conflicts between 1900 and the present reshaped international relations and societies.
Documents and Excerpts
Document 1 – Woodrow Wilson, “Fourteen Points” (1918)
“A free, open-minded, and absolutely impartial adjustment of all colonial claims…”
🔗 Avalon Project – Wilson’s Fourteen Points (1918)
Document 2 – Joseph Stalin, “Speech on the Great Patriotic War” (1941):
“Our war for freedom and independence will end in complete victory. The Red Army is fighting for the liberation of the peoples of Europe.”
🔗 Fordham Internet History Sourcebook – Stalin Speeches
Document 3 – Winston Churchill, “Iron Curtain” Speech (1946):
“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.”
🔗 International Churchill Society – The Sinews of Peace (1946)
Document 4 – Ho Chi Minh, “Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam” (1945):
“All men are created equal. The Creator has given us certain inviolable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
🔗 Fordham Internet History Sourcebook – Ho Chi Minh Declaration (1945)
Document 5 – United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948):
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
🔗 United Nations – Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Document 6 – Chart: Military Expenditures during the Cold War (1949–1989)
🔗 National Security Archive – U.S.–Soviet Nuclear Arms Race Graphs
Group Activity – “From War to Peace: A World Divided”
- Assign each group one document. Analyze it using HIPP (Historical Context, Intended Audience, Purpose, POV).
- Rotate groups and connect their document’s theme to another (e.g., Wilson ↔ Ho Chi Minh; Stalin ↔ Churchill).
- On chart paper, map the shift from imperialism to Cold War rivalries and from colonial rule to independence.
Thematic Groupings
- Post–WWI Ideals: Wilson
- WWII & Early Cold War: Stalin, Churchill
- Decolonization & Human Rights: Ho Chi Minh, UN Declaration
- Cold War Rivalries: Military Expenditure Chart
DBQ Rubric Alignment (7 pts)
- Thesis/Claim (1)
- Contextualization (1)
- Evidence from Docs (2)
- Evidence Beyond Docs (1)
- Sourcing (1)
- Complexity (1)
Session 4 – Reflection and Synthesis: The Legacy of Global Conflict
Excerpt – Jawaharlal Nehru, “Speech to the Asian Relations Conference” (1947):
“We are of Asia, and the peoples of Asia are nearer and closer to us than others. India is part of that great world of Asia which finds herself again.”
🔗 Internet History Sourcebook – Jawaharlal Nehru, 1947
Group Activity – “Mapping the New World Order”
- Create a large world map (1900–2000).
- Mark colonial powers, newly independent nations, Cold War alliances, and conflict zones.
- Use color codes to show continuity and change in global power centers.
- End with a brief written reflection: To what extent did 20th-century conflicts lead to a more just and equitable world?
In 150–200 words, evaluate:
“Global conflicts of the 20th century dismantled old empires but created new forms of domination.”
Use at least two sources or examples from the workshop.
Group Roles (All Sessions)
- Content Expert – Provides factual details and examples.
- Connector – Links evidence to AP themes (GOV, ECO, SOC, ENV).
- Writer – Drafts group’s responses and thesis statements.
- Reviewer – Checks for rubric alignment and reasoning accuracy.
Workshop Deliverables
- SAQ Packet (Standard + Stimulus-Based)
- LEQ Outline (Thesis, Context, Evidence, Complexity)
- DBQ Organizer (Docs, Sourcing, Outside Evidence)
- Synthesis Map and Reflection Paragraph