LEQs Unit 8
1. Causes and Consequences of World War IPrompt: Evaluate the extent to which nationalism was the primary cause of World War I.
Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
Contextualization Ideas: Imperial rivalries, alliance systems, militarism, and industrialization
Possible Thesis: While nationalism played a significant role in the outbreak of World War I, factors such as militarism, imperial competition, and the alliance system were equally or more influential in triggering the war.
2. Causes and Consequences of World War IIPrompt: Compare and contrast the causes of World War I and World War II.
Historical Thinking Skill: Comparison
Contextualization Ideas: Treaty of Versailles, economic instability, rise of totalitarianism, and expansionist policies
Possible Thesis: While both World War I and World War II were caused by militarism and alliance systems, the primary distinction was that World War II was significantly driven by the failures of the Treaty of Versailles and the aggressive expansionism of fascist leaders.
3. Russian Revolution and the Rise of CommunismPrompt: Evaluate the extent to which the Russian Revolution of 1917 was caused by economic factors.
Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
Contextualization Ideas: Role of World War I, political instability under the Romanovs, Marxist ideologies, and peasant unrest
Possible Thesis: While economic hardship, particularly food shortages and industrial stagnation, was a critical cause of the Russian Revolution, the collapse of the Romanov autocracy and the influence of revolutionary ideology also played significant roles.
4. Fascism, Totalitarianism, and GenocidePrompt: Evaluate the extent to which the rise of totalitarian regimes in the 20th century was a response to economic crises.
Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
Contextualization Ideas: Great Depression, Treaty of Versailles, rise of Hitler and Mussolini, and the failure of democratic governments
Possible Thesis: Although economic crises such as the Great Depression accelerated the rise of totalitarian leaders, ideological factors, propaganda, and the failures of democratic institutions were equally crucial in enabling fascist regimes.
5. The Cold War in Europe (1945–1991)Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the Cold War was primarily caused by ideological differences between the Soviet Union and the West.
Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
Contextualization Ideas: Post-WWII power vacuum, Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, Marshall Plan vs. COMECON, NATO vs. Warsaw Pact
Possible Thesis: While ideological conflict between capitalism and communism was central to the Cold War, power struggles over postwar Europe and security concerns also significantly contributed to the division between the Soviet Union and the West.
6. Contemporary Europe (1991–Present)Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the collapse of the Soviet Union reshaped European political and economic structures.
Historical Thinking Skill: Change and Continuity Over Time (CCOT)
Contextualization Ideas: European Union expansion, NATO’s role, economic globalization, resurgence of nationalism
Possible Thesis: The collapse of the Soviet Union led to profound political and economic transformations in Europe, including the expansion of the European Union and NATO, but persistent challenges such as economic inequality and nationalist movements have continued to shape contemporary Europe.
1. Causes and Consequences of World War IPrompt: Evaluate the extent to which nationalism was the primary cause of World War I.
Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
Contextualization Ideas: Imperial rivalries, alliance systems, militarism, and industrialization
Possible Thesis: While nationalism played a significant role in the outbreak of World War I, factors such as militarism, imperial competition, and the alliance system were equally or more influential in triggering the war.
2. Causes and Consequences of World War IIPrompt: Compare and contrast the causes of World War I and World War II.
Historical Thinking Skill: Comparison
Contextualization Ideas: Treaty of Versailles, economic instability, rise of totalitarianism, and expansionist policies
Possible Thesis: While both World War I and World War II were caused by militarism and alliance systems, the primary distinction was that World War II was significantly driven by the failures of the Treaty of Versailles and the aggressive expansionism of fascist leaders.
3. Russian Revolution and the Rise of CommunismPrompt: Evaluate the extent to which the Russian Revolution of 1917 was caused by economic factors.
Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
Contextualization Ideas: Role of World War I, political instability under the Romanovs, Marxist ideologies, and peasant unrest
Possible Thesis: While economic hardship, particularly food shortages and industrial stagnation, was a critical cause of the Russian Revolution, the collapse of the Romanov autocracy and the influence of revolutionary ideology also played significant roles.
4. Fascism, Totalitarianism, and GenocidePrompt: Evaluate the extent to which the rise of totalitarian regimes in the 20th century was a response to economic crises.
Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
Contextualization Ideas: Great Depression, Treaty of Versailles, rise of Hitler and Mussolini, and the failure of democratic governments
Possible Thesis: Although economic crises such as the Great Depression accelerated the rise of totalitarian leaders, ideological factors, propaganda, and the failures of democratic institutions were equally crucial in enabling fascist regimes.
5. The Cold War in Europe (1945–1991)Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the Cold War was primarily caused by ideological differences between the Soviet Union and the West.
Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
Contextualization Ideas: Post-WWII power vacuum, Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, Marshall Plan vs. COMECON, NATO vs. Warsaw Pact
Possible Thesis: While ideological conflict between capitalism and communism was central to the Cold War, power struggles over postwar Europe and security concerns also significantly contributed to the division between the Soviet Union and the West.
6. Contemporary Europe (1991–Present)Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the collapse of the Soviet Union reshaped European political and economic structures.
Historical Thinking Skill: Change and Continuity Over Time (CCOT)
Contextualization Ideas: European Union expansion, NATO’s role, economic globalization, resurgence of nationalism
Possible Thesis: The collapse of the Soviet Union led to profound political and economic transformations in Europe, including the expansion of the European Union and NATO, but persistent challenges such as economic inequality and nationalist movements have continued to shape contemporary Europe.