OK, analyze this.......

This is a bit of a free-form post about an ad that I've seen here and there, most recently in Newsweek magazine. Your job is to figure out what issues are being discussed here and to post your comments. This is a 10 point assignment with a due date of Wednesday, May 6.

Where's Gus?

First correct answer (or closest answer if no correct answers are given) wins a fabulous prize.
By the way, "Mt. Washburn" is not, by itself, a correct answer.

Newsweek says "History does not repeat itself. But..."

The March 30, 2009 edition of Newsweek proclaims that history does not repeat itself but that themes and parallels abound our history. Take, for example, this article by Michael Kazin on how Obama's populist message parallels others in history. So, your assignment is to comment on how accurate the parallels are between now and points in the past are. Does Kazin have a valid point? Commentary is manditory; good commentary is rewarded. Click on the pictures below to make them bigger and more readable.

Name That Conservative!

First one to 100% wins a prize!

In the latest issue of Newsweek, this two-page spread appeared over the main story. I've had to reproduce it in 2 pieces, but can you identify these famous conservatives? You may receive help if you need it from some of the ...ah, more seasoned members of your family. Good luck!

So.......neat.

No need to respond unless you want to.
No credit involved here, just a really thoughtful piece on life.
Click here to be forwarded.........

Address to Joint Session Assignment

Your assignment, due for Float period on Thursday, Feb 26 is:
1) Watch President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress tonight at 9:00 P.M.
2) Choose ONE WORD that you think best summarizes, characterizes, or describes the speech and post it below.
3) Provide a couple of sentences that explains why you chose that word. Keep it short....maybe three sentences is too much.

Rosa Parks was NOT the first?

Who knew?
In a very interesting news story posted today, Rosa Parks was NOT the first to try to desegregate Montgomery, Alabama's city busses by sitting in the front. But just who is Claudette Colvin? Find out HERE and post your thoughts, comments, and observations by the Monday we get back (Feb 23).

(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Khrushchev reacts to American blockade to Cuba

In these two translated telegrams, Soviet Premier Khrushchev responds to President Kennedy's announced naval blockage of Cuba.

From the Library of Congress: "According to Nikita Khrushchev's memoirs, in May 1962 he conceived the idea of placing intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Cuba as a means of countering an emerging lead of the United States in developing and deploying strategic missiles. He also presented the scheme as a means of protecting Cuba from another United States-sponsored invasion, such as the failed attempt at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

"After obtaining Fidel Castro's approval, the Soviet Union worked quickly and secretly to build missile installations in Cuba. On October 16, President John Kennedy was shown reconnaissance photographs of Soviet missile installations under construction in Cuba. After seven days of guarded and intense debate in the United States administration, during which Soviet diplomats denied that installations for offensive missiles were being built in Cuba, President Kennedy, in a televised address on October 22, announced the discovery of the installations and proclaimed that any nuclear missile attack from Cuba would be regarded as an attack by the Soviet Union and would be responded to accordingly. He also imposed a naval quarantine on Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of offensive military weapons from arriving there."

You must post at least one comment about the letters that can be found at This Link. You may comment on the letters or comments left by others (or both). You may post more than once. This will be a graded exercise.

Obama Inauguration newspaper coverage

If you'd like to see the front page inauguration coverage of major U.S., Canadian, and world newspapers, check out the link below. It's really interesting stuff!

Click Here

Loose, Strict, and "Re-Contructionist"?

Presidential Inaugural "words"

I was sent this link by Parisa Zarringhalam ('12). It's a really interesting look at the words used by our presidents in their inaugural addresses, weighted to reflect how often they were used. Please poke around a bit and identify something that was interesting to you and put the address or the choice of words into some historical context. Then post your thoughts here. The link to the NY Times article is here.....just click.

Welcome to the APUSH blog.

I thought that this might be a good place for us to try something with collaborative learning.....