General Debate 5/19

2.5% added to term paper for General Debate on 5/19

Italy: Jen Kreis and Jay Etkins

First Exam Practice

• questions that asked who was the most or which factor was the most


• exploration


• artistic movements


• "except" questions


• 1900's questions


• the Interregnum


• the biggest medical advancement of the 18th cent.


• Napoleon's Continental System


• specific attributes to specific countries


• the philosophes


• Metternich


• Zwingli


• Greece


• scientific method


• the Thermidorean Reaction


• Warsaw Pact


• Thirty Years War


• Zollverein


• Yugoslavia then and now


• Directory period of French Revolution

DBQ - World War I

World War I occurred during a time of alliances and a want of power in Europe. Serbia and Austria-Hungary were the two countries that began what was known as “The Great War”. Many causes resulted in this war, which ended up killing millions of people. Despite alliances being a factor of World War I, the reason for rising tensions was the want of more control and the feeling of superiority, resulting in Serbia killing Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which in turn stirrued up conflict that began World War I.

Austria-Hungarian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated, which was the one event which began the whole series of the war. It was present that Serbia wanted to expand their power, and one way they were going to do that was to have the Archduke killed. The want for more power is prevalent in Germany’s Yearning for Expansion and Power by Eyre Crowe (doc. 1). Crowe says, “The world belongs to the strong. A vigorous nation cannot allow its growth to be hampered by blind adherence to the status quo (doc . 1). It is visible that a nation would do whatever it can to avoid being overthrown and avoid the loss of control. Willaim II sent a letter to tsar Nicholas, which read, “The spirit which made the Servians murder their own King and his consort still dominates that country. Doubtless You will agree with me that both of us, You as well as I, and all other sovereigns, have a common interest to insist that all those who are responsible for this horrible murder shall suffer their deserved punishment…” (doc. 8). The killing of the Archduke led Willaim II to want to attack Nicholas II and his nation. Revenge is evident here, along with the need to remain in control. A nation would do what it could to maintain dominant control where it wanted it. In order to do this, and in order to avoid defeat, countries made alliances, which when it came time for war, involved many more countries than what was originally at hand.

The Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente were made to keep ties between countries known. It is said in the Triple Alliance that “If one, or two, of the High Contracting Parties, without direct provocation on their part, should chance to be attacked and to be engaged in a war with two or more Great Powers non-signatory to the present Treaty, the casus foederis will arise simultaneously for all the High Contracting Parties” (doc. 2). When one country in an alliance was attacked, all of the allies would be dragged into the war as well, creating more havoc. The reason that allies were created was to keep countries in control and stabilized, therefore solidifying the fact that tensions rose because countries wanted more power and went to drastic measures to maintain their power. Europe in the Twentieth Century states that “more and more people had acquired a larger stake in defending the state” (doc. 5). More and more people joined the defense, creating more tensions and racism leading to the war because more of different types of people were involved. In a book by Chamberlein, he states, “Physically and mentally the Aryans are pre-eminent among all peoples; for that reason they are by right, as the Stagirite expresses it, the lords of the world” (doc. 3). Chamberlein is being biased in this statement in saying that the Aryans are the best among all people. This remark demonstrates that countries or areas thought that they were better than others, leading them to think that they could overthrow other powers. The feeling of superiority, therefore ultimately the feeling of wanting to have the most, led to tensions before World War I.

In By-Laws of the Organization Union or Death, it says that Serbia will “organize revolutionary action in all territories inhabited by Serbs; Beyond the frontiers of Serbia, fight with all means the enemies of the Serbian national idea” (doc. 6). The Serbians are biased in the fact that they will fight any enemy of their, even if the enemy has done nothing particularly wrong to Serbia itself. The Serbians were a main cause of World War I, in that they wanted more power, and they were setting up their country to be able to hold a revolution because they knew war was coming. Serbia’s feeling of superiority allowed them to think that they were above others and did not have to respond to enemies. War was declared on Serbia exactly for this reason: they did not respond. The Austro-Hungarian Declaration of War of Serbia says, “The Royal Serbian Government not having answered in a satisfactory manner the note of July 23, 1914, presented by the Austro-Hungarian Minister of Belgrade, the Imperial and Royal Government are themselves compelled to see to the safeguarding of their rights and interests, and, with this object, to have recourse to force of arms. Austria-Hungary consequently considers herself henceforward in state of war with Serbia” (doc 7). The feeling of dominance by Austria-Hungary is evident because they declared war merely because Serbia did not answer their note in a way that was satisfactory for Austria-Hungary.

Tensions before World War II led to the first battle and the first declare of war between Serbia and Austria-Hungary. The need to be in control is the reason that tensions rose, causing alliances to be formed in Archduke Ferdinand to be killed. The feeling of ultimate power and the biased of this countries preceding World War I caused one of the biggest wars in history.

Second Peer Edit

This is my second peer edit already corrected with Rebecca's suggestions.

Her final remarks on my paper were:

Your paper is good, although I feel like the first half of the paper is spent explaining the relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, and not analyzing or arguing. This can be easily fixed: every now and then, just insert a little sentence that relates directly back to your thesis. Also, you can change the topic sentence of each paragraph to an argument. Overall, it was very good.

Second Peer Edit Link

Second Rough Draft of Term Paper

Second Rough Draft Link

Animal Farm Extra Credit Song

Ballad of A Thin Man - Bob Dylan

(references Mr. Jones from Animal Farm)

A cover of Bob Dylan's Song

You walk into the room
With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked
And you say, "Who is that man ?"
You try so hard
But you don't understand
Just what you'll say
When you get home.

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones ?

You raise up your head
And you ask, "Is this where it is ?"
And somebody points to you and says
"It's his"
And you says, "What's mine ?"
And somebody else says, "Where what is ?"
And you say, "Oh my God
Am I here all alone ?"

But something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones ?

You hand in your ticket
And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feel
To be such a freak ?"
And you say, "Impossible"
As he hands you a bone.

And something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones ?

You have many contacts
Among the lumberjacks
To get you facts
When someone attacks your imagination
But nobody has any respect
Anyway they already expect you
To all give a check
To tax-deductible charity organizations.
You've been with the professors
And they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have
Discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of
F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read
It's well known.

But something is happening here
And you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones ?

Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you
And then he kneels
He crosses himself
And then he clicks his high heels
And without further notice
He asks you how it feels
And he says, "Here is your throat back
Thanks for the loan".

And you know something is happening
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones ?

Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason ?"
And he says, "How ?"

And you say, "What does this mean ?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home".

Because something is happening
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones ?

Well, you walk into the room
Like a camel and then you frown
You put your eyes in your pocket
And your nose on the ground
There ought to be a law
Against you comin' around
You should be made
To wear earphones.

Does something is happening
And you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones ?

Animal Farm Discussion

Animal Farm Discussion Link