- Last 7 days
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usrussiarelations.org usrussiarelations.org
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The Northern Society, a secret society that planned the revolt, relied heavily on the American Constitution for their plans to establish a Russian constitutional monarchy.
For information only. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Decembrist
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The Kozlov Affair
For information only. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1958-60v10p1/d90
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Russo-American Treaty of 1824
For information only. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240417/the-bicentenary-of-the-russo-american-treaty-of-1824-could-russia-stay-in-america--1117983843.html (This is a Russian-operated news site)
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American Influence on Russian Railroads
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Russians from the Russian-American Company were some of the first forty-niners.
For information only.
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100-mile zone of Russian control over water off the coast of its northwest American territories to protect its shores from Americans smuggling to natives
Ok... so this is an extra credit question worth 50 points. How much do you know about international waterways and how they are regulated? Why do countries care about this? Explain the current agreement between the USA and Russia. Since 1821, how many times have the two countries had a disagreement related to this?
Cite your sources!
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Fort Ross, the southernmost Russian outpost on the western North American coast, was sold by the Russian-American Company to an American rancher, Captain John Sutter.
Find out more! Where is Fort Ross? What happened to it after Captain John Sutter bought it?
Cite your source(s)!
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American support for Russia was reflected by the more than 30 American surgeons who volunteered to serve the Russian military and the presence of American military observers on the Russian side.
Information only.
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restricted European expansion into North America, including Russia in Alaska.
Find out more! What does the Monroe Doctrine say? (Summary)
Cite your source(s)!
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Treaty of Ghent
Find out more! What did the Treaty of Ghent say? In what ways did Russia mediate?
Cite your source(s)!
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Shareholders of the Russian-American Company (RAC) ordered Ivan Kuskov, a RAC employee in Alaska, to establish a southern base at Fort Ross near Bodega Bay in California, which was at that time a territory of Spain, France’s ally against Russia in the Napoleonic wars. It was the furthest south Russia would move in North America.
Information only.
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Andrei Dashkov
Find out more! Who was Andrei Dashkov? What did he do (if anything) in his work with the United States?
Cite your source(s)!
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Battle of Sitka
Find out more! What was the Battle of Sitka? What was the outcome?
Cite your source(s!)
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exchanged letters
What are some specific things they discussed in their correspondence?
Cite your source(s)!
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Russifying
What did "Russifying" consist of?
Cite your source(s)!
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Russian-American Company
Find out more! What was the Russian-American Company? Did they trade things besides sea otter fur?
Cite your source(s)!
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Ekaterina Dashkova
Find out more! Who was Ekaterina Dashkova? Why did Benjamin Franklin admire her?
Cite your source(s)!
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Grigory Shelekhov
Find out more! Who was Grigory Shelekhov? Where is Three Saints Bay?
Cite your source(s)!
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Alexander Radishchev
Find out more! Who was Alexander Radishchev?
Cite your source(s)!
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Adams’s 14-year-old son John Quincy, the future first official American minister to Russia and sixth U.S. president, accompanied Dana. Catherine withheld diplomatic recognition, and Dana was recalled in 1783 due to mounting costs with little gain from his embassy.
For information only.
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- Nov 2024
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usrussiarelations.org usrussiarelations.org
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Declaration of Armed Neutrality in the American War of Independence
Summarize what this declaration said.
Cite your source(s)!
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Empress Catherine the Great refused, on the grounds that supporting Britain against the colonists would spark a wider European conflict with France.
Why would supporting Britain against the colonists have resulted in wider European conflict with France?
Cite your source(s)!
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Mikhail Lomonosov
Tell us more! Who was Mikhail Lomonosov, and what was he doing during this time period?
Cite your source(s)!
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Franz Aepinus
Tell us more! Who was Franz Aepinus, and what was he doing during this time period?
Cite your source(s)!
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Josias Braun,
Tell us more! Who was Josias Braun, and what was he doing during this time period?
Cite your source(s)!
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Ezra Stiles
Tell us more! Who was Ezra Stiles, and what was he doing during this time period?
Cite your source(s)!
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Benjamin Franklin
Tell us more! Who was Benjamin Franklin, and what was he doing during this time period?
Cite your source(s)!
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The American merchant ship, the Wolfe, made the first direct voyage from Boston to St. Petersburg, inaugurating direct trade between Russia and the American colonies.
Find out more about this and describe what happened.
Cite your source(s)!
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- Oct 2024
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usrussiarelations.org usrussiarelations.org
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1763–64
Who was the leader/emperor of Russia at this time?
Cite your sources!
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scorched earth policy
What is a "scorched earth policy?" Has the United States ever used this kind of policy?
Cite your sources!
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Aleuts
Describe the Aleut sto us. Where do they live? What is their traditional lifestyle like? How do they live today?
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Alaska
Who owned Alaska at this time?
Cite your sources!
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Inuit
Describe the Inuit to us. Where do they live? What is their traditional lifestyle like? How do they live today?
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Alexi Chirikov
Give us a biography of Alexi Chirikov. What is he known for other than making it to Alaska and back?
Cite your sources!
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Vitus Bering
Give us a biography of Vitus Bering. What is he known for beyond dying on his way back to Russia from Alaska?
Cite your sources!
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Kamchatka Peninsula
Tell us about this part of Russia! What is it known for? What is its population? What jobs/industries are there? Include a modern-day map (a link to one is fine).
Cite your sources!
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Quakers
What are the most important of the Quakers' beliefs?
Cite your sources.
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the Tsar’s own challenges with religious sectarians in Russia
What were these challenges?
Cite your sources.
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British tobacco merchants monopoly rights in Russia, expanding the market for a key colonial American export.
Explain this chain! British tobacco merchants sold to Russia, yet it expanded the US market. How did this work?
Cite your sources.
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William Penn
Tell us more about William Penn; provide a more complete bio covering his whole life.
Cite your sources.
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rapid industrialization
Describe how and when industriallization took place in each country, Russia and the US.
Cite your sources.
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subsequent emancipation
When did slavery end in Russia and in the US? In what ways was the emancipation of slaves similar and different in each country?
Cite your sources.
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human bondage
In what ways was Russian slavery similar to and different from American slavery?
Cite your sources.
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internal colonization across a great plain;
How do these compare? How big (square miles) was the Russian Empire in the 18th Century? What about the United States?
Cite your sources.
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www.chalkbeat.org www.chalkbeat.org
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donations from individuals, joint fundraising committees, political action committees (PACs), and super PACs
1) Explain each of these terms ("individuals," "joint fundraising committees," etc.), 2) How many $$$ has each campaign (Trump, Harris) raised and spent on their campaigns for this election? Cite your source(s).
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Russia, Iran, and China have all engaged in disinformation campaigns
Provide an example of such a campaign from each of the three countries. Cite your sources.
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Laws vary from state to state, with some requiring merely a fee or a few thousand signatures, and others requiring tens of thousands of signatures gathered under tight deadline pressure, along with other administrative hurdles.
What are Illinois laws on gaining access (being included) on a presidential ballot? Cite your source(s).
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He described state ballot laws in the United States as “the worst in the Western world, by orders of magnitude.”
Explore ballot laws in another Western democracy and find either support for or against Nader's claim. Cite your source(s).
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538 total electoral votes
How many electoral votes does Illinois have? Cite yourr source(s).
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ballots are counted in each state
By what method are ballots counted in Illinois?
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primaries and caucuses
Two parts: 1) Does Illinois use a primary or a caucus system? 2) Does Illinois have an "open" or "closed" primary vote, and what does that mean? Cite your source(s)
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individuals interested in running for president officially declare their candidacy
Under the US Constitution, what are the rules for becoming a Presidential candidate? Cite your source(s}
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- Sep 2024
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Everyone has duties to the community
Meliora #31 - Whoa! What does this mean? How do you define "community?" What duties do you think you have?
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Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
Meliora #30 -- how do you interpret this? Is it respected? Why or why not? Give example(s) and cite sources.
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Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
Meliora #29 -- how does the US measure up? Do we meet this standard? Explain why or why not.
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Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Meliora #28 -- how would you define and measure tthis? Is the US meeeting this standard? Provide evidence, including sources.
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Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
Meliora #27 -- is this codified in the US constitution? If so, where? Do you think this is what actually happens? If not, provide example(s) and cite source(s).
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economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality
Meliora #26 -- what is your interpretation of the meaning of this? Is it always respected in the US? If not, provide example(s) and cite sources.
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The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Meliora #25 -- where in the US constitution is this guaranteed?
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Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Meliora #24 -- is this always respected? If not, provide an example(s) and cite sources.
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Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Meliora #23 -- what do you find to be the reality in our society today? Is this respected? What are the obstacles, barriers, and pressures that countteract this declaration?
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Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion;
Meliora #22 -- what do you find to be the reality in our society today? Is this respected? What are the obstacles, barriers, and pressures that countteract this declaration?
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Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
Meliora #21 -- this statement seems straightforward, yet there are obstacles? What might they be? What has happened in the past?
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The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Meliora #20 -- has the definition of "family" changed since 1948? Should families of all constructs be protected? Why or why not?
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Everyone has the right to a nationality.
Meliora #19 -- Are there times this isn't respected? If so, find an example and cite your source.
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Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Meliora #18 -- wha? What do you think this actually means? Find example(s) and cite them.
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Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Meliora #17 -- is this always respected? Can US citizens be booted/barred from living in the US? Cite source(s).
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presumed innocent until proved guilty
Meliora #15 -- is this actually stated in the US constitution? How is implemented? Cite source(s).
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arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Meliora #13 -- is this always respected? If not, give a speecific example and cite the source.
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fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal,
Meliora #14 -- how is this most commonly reflected in the United States constitution and laws?
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effective remedy
Meliora #12 -- what would you consider an "effective remedy?" Give multiple examples.
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All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.
Meliora #11 -- is this always respected and enforced? If not, give an example and cite the source.
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as a person
Meliora #10 - what would be an example of not being considered a "person?" Cite your source.
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No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Meliora #9 -- how would you define "torture," or "cruel," or "degrading?" Provide a specific example and cite it.
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slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Meliora #8 -- is this alway respected and enforced? If not, give an example and cite it.
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Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Meliora #7 -- how often is this betrayed? Find an example and cite it.
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no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Meliora #6 -- is this always respected? If not, find a specific example and cite the source.
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All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Meliora #5 -- how can this be applied to all humans? What about people with developmental delays, or mental health issues, etc.?
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equal rights of men and women
Meliora #4 -- is this included in the US constitution? If so, where?
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Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Meliora #3 -- why is this essential?
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foundation of freedom, justice and peace
Meliora #2 -- how do equal and inalienable rights lead to freedom, justice and peace?
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the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948
Meliora #1 -- what world events precipitated this?
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- Feb 2024
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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It already Feels like I am going to war.
Shred-mulch, or is it mulch shreds, multi-colored confetti fluttering to the ground. Spreading a blanket to feed, to enrich the soil that feeds us.
Ouch! A rigid bit of plastic, ripping a gash in the foot of the conqueror treading the ground.
I fear much less the war of massaging words on the page than the war to eradicate the “forever” toxins we, Homo Sapiens, have inflicted upon Mother Earth.
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- Oct 2023
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www.getty.edu www.getty.edu
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machine learning offers potential assistance
Read the linked article, #Meliora students. Are you inspired to become a machine learning scientist?
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Enheduanna
Read this article about Enheduanna and describe one way women were treated in this ancient Mesopotamian society. One thought per #Meliora student, no duplicates
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On this day the boy feels successful, but on the next, his teachers repeatedly beat him for infractions such as tardiness, talking, and poor handwriting. In the end, the boy’s father invites the headmaster to dinner and gives him gifts and money. Appeased (and bought off, although such payments may have been expected), the headmaster declares to the boy: “You have carried out well the school’s activities. You are a man of learning!”
Bribery and payoffs existed even back then!
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Working harder could lead to a prosperous life composing legal documents—or even writing correspondence for a royal court. Those who persevered could become scholars with knowledge of mathematics, medicine, religious ritual, divination, laws, and mythology, or even authors of literature
Who would you consider "scribes" in today's world, based on this description, #Meliora students? One example per student, no duplicates!
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Mesopotamians used seals, mostly of durable and sometimes expensive materials.
What is a modern-day equivalent of these ancient seals, #Meliora students? First come, first served, no duplicate answers!
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This tablet reflects bureaucratic accounting, but similar lists were used in the following centuries by individuals to keep track of personal property and business agreements
Today, what do we use to keep track of personal property and business agreements, #Meliora students? First come, first served, no duplicates!
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At about the same time, or a little later, the Egyptians were inventing their own form of hieroglyphic writing.
Why do you think this happened, #Meliora students? Why did this technological advancement take place at the same time in multiple cultures? Cite the source(s) that you use.
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The earliest known writing was invented there around 3400 B.C. in an area called Sumer near the Persian Gulf.
To find out more and see where this area is, look at the linked article.
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- Jul 2023
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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And it all starts with coffee on the porch swing, a form of time machine that keeps the day at bay for just a few minutes longer just by oscillating to the amplitude of our wind chimes.
Or the sweet stillness of a blushing sunset, the majesty of tall trees silhouetted against the falling dusk, the sound of a great horned owl announcing the beginning of her day.
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- Jun 2023
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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Note #2: Please read Note #1 above if you haven't already done so. HERE (Note #2), Bard is pandering, giving props for being "thoughtful and nuanced." This is in direct contradiction to what Bard had to say earlier.
I will sarcastically comment that this is a good mirror of how our society is functioning today. In one situation, for one audience, we may have one point of view, then represent a totally different point of view with a different audience. So much for #authenticity!
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Note #1: Ok... so here Bard is saying how utterly unacceptable it is to use the n-word, in ANY circumstances. Please reference Note #2.
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- May 2023
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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future of learning
Terrry, your use of "check out" made me think of variations: 1) checking out library materials that help students learn more about different career paths; 2) checking out materials that help develop skills related to a career path; 3) creating networks of internships, work shadowing, etc. available to students to find out about and "check out" throughout their K12 experience.
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collection of links
Terry, did you create this? I've broused your Wakelet and didn't find it.
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- Apr 2023
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www.gutenberg.org www.gutenberg.org
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Art, like speech, is a means of communication, and therefore of progress, i.e. of the movement of humanity forward towards perfection.
What do you think, Meliora students? Has art progressed toward "perfection?" Provide example(s).
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The third consequence of the perversion of art is the perplexity produced in the minds of children and of plain folk. Among people not perverted by the false theories of our society, among workers and children, there exists a very definite conception of what people may be respected 179and praised for. In the minds of peasants and children the ground for praise or eulogy can only be either physical strength: Hercules, the heroes and conquerors; or moral, spiritual, strength: Sakya Muni giving up a beautiful wife and a kingdom to save mankind, Christ going to the cross for the truth he professed, and all the martyrs and the saints. Both are understood by peasants and children. They understand that physical strength must be respected, for it compels respect; and the moral strength of goodness an unperverted man cannot fail to respect, because all his spiritual being draws him towards it. But these people, children and peasants, suddenly perceive that besides those praised, respected, and rewarded for physical or moral strength, there are others who are praised, extolled, and rewarded much more than the heroes of strength and virtue, merely because they sing well, compose verses, or dance. They see that singers, composers, painters, ballet-dancers, earn millions of roubles and receive more honour than the saints do: and peasants and children are perplexed.
A fascinating observation and assertion, Meliora students. Do you agree with Tolstoy? Explain and provide example(s).
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The art of the future, therefore, will not be poorer, but infinitely richer in subject-matter. And the form of the art of the future will also not be inferior to the present forms of art, but infinitely superior to them. Superior, not in the sense of having a refined and complex technique, but in the sense of the capacity briefly, simply, and clearly to transmit, without any superfluities, the feeling which the artist has experienced and wishes to transmit.
Tolstoy wrote this essay about 125 years ago. Do you believe his prediction to be true, Meliora students? Explain.
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True science investigates and brings to human perception such truths and such knowledge as the people of a given time and society consider most important. Art transmits these truths from the region of perception to the region of emotion.
What do you think, Meliora students? Are science and art intertwined as Tolstoy describes here? Explain and provide an example(s).
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Therefore this third condition—sincerity—is the most important of the three. It is always complied with in peasant art, and this explains why such art always acts so 155powerfully; but it is a condition almost entirely absent from our upper-class art, which is continually produced by artists actuated by personal aims of covetousness or vanity.
What do you think, Meliora students? Does an artist need to be "sincere" in order to create powerful art? Explain.
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If a man is infected by the author’s condition of soul, if he feels this emotion and this union with others, then the object which has effected this is art; but if there be no such infection, if there be not this union with the author and with others who are moved by the same work—then it is not art. And not only is infection a sure sign of art, but the degree of infectiousness is also the sole measure of excellence in art.
So, Meliora students, if we take this to a certain level of abstraction, this statement implies that if we had enough art touting world peace that we would be "infected" to this condition as humankind. What do you think? Explain fully.
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Symbolists and Decadents
What are Symbolists and Decadents, Meliora students? What do these terms mean? Is there anyone in either of these categories you particularly admire? Why?
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We think the feelings experienced by people of our day and our class are very important and varied; but in reality almost all the feelings of people of our class amount to but three very insignificant and simple feelings—the feeling of pride, the feeling of sexual desire, and the feeling of weariness of life. These three feelings, with their outgrowths, form almost the only subject-matter of the art of the rich classes.
What do you think, Meliora students? Are these the only feelings, or are there others? Explain fully and provide specific examples (works of art) of any other feelings that are expressed through art.
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what distinguishes a work of art from all other mental activity is just the fact that its language is understood by all, and that it infects all without distinction.
So, Meliora students, what do you think of this claim? Explain fully.
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While art was as yet undivided, and only religious art was valued and rewarded while indiscriminate art was left unrewarded, there were no counterfeits of art, or, if any existed, being exposed to the criticism of the whole people, they quickly disappeared. But as soon as that division occurred, and the upper classes acclaimed every kind of art as good if only it afforded them pleasure, and began to reward such art more highly than any other social activity, immediately a large number of people devoted themselves to this activity, and art assumed quite a different character and became a profession.
What do you think, Meliora students? Agree? Disagree? Explain fully.
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Wagner wishes that musical art should submit to dramatic art, and that both should appear in full strength. But this is impossible, for every work of art, if it be a true one, is an expression of intimate feelings of the artist, which are quite exceptional, and not like anything else.
What do you think, Meliora students? Do you agree or disagree with Tolstoy? Explain (you may want to listen to some Wagner music as you do so :-)).
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If it is true that art is an activity by means of which one man having experienced a feeling intentionally transmits it to others, then we have inevitably to admit further, that of all that among us is termed the art of the upper classes—of all 144those novels, stories, dramas, comedies, pictures, sculptures, symphonies, operas, operettas, ballets, etc., which profess to be works of art—scarcely one in a hundred thousand proceeds from an emotion felt by its author, all the rest being but manufactured counterfeits of art in which borrowing, imitating, effects, and interestingness replace the contagion of feeling.
I wonder how you feel about this assertion, Meliora students? Are the examples of art that borrow, imitate, etc. from others "counterfeit?" Why or why not? Provide specific example(s) of art pieces (any format -- visual art, book, music, etc.) to support your point of view.
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It is true that their foremost thinkers—Socrates, Plato, Aristotle—felt that goodness may happen not to coincide with beauty. Socrates expressly subordinated beauty to goodness; Plato, to unite the two conceptions, spoke of spiritual beauty; while Aristotle demanded from art that it should have a moral influence on people (κάθαρσις). 62But, notwithstanding all this, they could not quite dismiss the notion that beauty and goodness coincide.
No question here, Meliora students, just highlighting this as a short synopsis of what these three philosophers thought about art and beauty, and their relationship.
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The artists of the Middle Ages, vitalised by the same source of feeling—religion—as the mass of the people, and transmitting, in architecture, sculpture, painting, music, poetry or drama, the feelings and states of mind they experienced, were true artists; and their activity, founded on the highest conceptions accessible to their age and 57common to the entire people, though, for our times a mean art, was, nevertheless a true one, shared by the whole community.
What is your reaction to this, Meliora students? Was the artistic representation during the Middle Ages, as well as the reaction of the "entire people" universally shared?
Identify one work of art (any form of art) that serves as an example of your point of view, and explain how that work was either generally admired by "everyone" or had different reactions from different people.
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all that is being lived through by his contemporaries is accessible to him, as well as the feelings experienced by men thousands of years ago, and he has also the possibility of transmitting his own feelings to others
What do you think, Meliora students? Do you think the artist's feelings are transmitted accurately generation over generation? What factors may alter how one generation perceives coffee compared to an earlier or later generation?
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Every work of art causes the receiver to enter into a certain kind of relationship both with him who produced, or is producing, the art, and with all those who, simultaneously, previously or subsequently, receive the same artistic impression.
What do you think, Meliora students? Do you feel like you "enter into a certain kind of relationship" with whomever creates each work of art that you observe? Explain fully.
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And the reason of this is that the conception of art has been based on the conception of beauty.
What is your reaction to this statement, Meliora students? How was your conception of art formed, and how is it related to your idea of beauty?
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According to Véron (1825-1889), art is the manifestation of emotion transmitted externally by a combination of lines, forms, colours, or by a succession of movements, sounds, or words subjected to certain rhythms.
What say ye, Meliora students? Do you agree or disagree? Provide example(s) to support your point of view.
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“That which is beautiful is harmonious and proportionable, what is harmonious and proportionable is true, and what is at once both beautiful and true is of consequence agreeable and good.”[13] Beauty, he taught, is recognised by the mind only. God is fundamental beauty; beauty and goodness proceed from the same fount.
"beauty and goodness proceed from the same fount." What do you think, Meliora students? Do you agree or disagree? Why? Provide examples (e.g. a piece of art that is "good" but not "beautiful," or vice-versa) to support your position.
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With reference to the manifestations of beauty, Baumgarten considers that the highest embodiment of beauty is seen by us in nature, and he therefore thinks that the highest aim of art is to copy nature. (This position also is directly contradicted by the conclusions of the latest æstheticians.)
What do you think, Meliora students? Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain fully.
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In Russian, by the word krasota (beauty) we mean only that which pleases the sight. And though latterly people have begun to speak of “an ugly deed,” or of “beautiful music,” it is not good Russian. A Russian of the common folk, not knowing foreign languages, will not understand you if you tell him that a man who has given his last coat to another, or done anything similar, has acted “beautifully,” that a man who has cheated another has done an “ugly” action, or that a song is “beautiful.” In Russian a deed may be kind and good, or unkind and bad. Music may be pleasant and good, or unpleasant and bad; but there can be no such thing as “beautiful” or “ugly” music.
What do you think about this, Meliora students? How much do you think language influences our perception of "beauty" or "art?" Which came first? Find an example of a linguist's interpretation and summarize it.
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But without even asking the ordinary man what differentiates the “good” ballet and the “graceful” operetta from their opposites (a question he would have much difficulty in answering), if you ask him whether the activity of costumiers and hairdressers, who ornament the figures and faces of the women for the ballet and the operetta, is art; or the activity of Worth, the dressmaker; of scent-makers and men-cooks, then he will, in most cases, deny that their activity belongs to the sphere of art.
What do you think, Meliora students? In this scenario, which of the occupations and activities would you consider "art?" Why?
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the labourers produce food for themselves and also food that the cultured class accept and consume, but that the artists seem too often to produce their spiritual food for the cultured only—at any rate that a singularly small share seems to reach the country labourers who work to supply the bodily food! Even were the “division of labour” shown to be a fair one, the “division of products” seems remarkably one-sided.
What do you think, Meliora students? What are your observations about "division of labor" in our society currently? What is being done, or could be done, to ensure all people, regardless of their "class" have access to art and culture?
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But my companion (who prided herself on being an artist) remarked with conscious superiority, that from an artist’s point of view the subject was of no consequence. The pictures being very well executed were artistic, and therefore worthy of attention and study. Morality had nothing to do with art.
What do you think, Meliora students?
- Is all art "worthy of attention and study?" Why or why not?
- Where are the boundaries? (If there are any)
- Which western philosophers would agree with your viewpoint? How do you know?
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- Feb 2023
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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transmogrified
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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rewilders
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quiet quitting
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paint-by-numbers
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postures
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good-natured memes
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www.mtsu.edu www.mtsu.edu
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McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission (1995) also ruled that individuals can publish anonymous criticisms of political issues,
Today, countless people post (typically online) vicious criticisms on a wide range of topics. Should anonymity always be protected? Meliora students, what do you think would be different about our public discourse if we were required to identify ourselves each time we posted an opinion/criticism?
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In Near v. Minnesota (1931), the Supreme Court set a strong presumption against prior restraint of publication
I urge Meliora students to read the linked article summarizing Near v. Minnesota. "Jay Near was the muckraking editor of The Saturday Press. In fall 1927, Near published a series of articles attacking several Minneapolis city officials for dereliction of duty." A very brief summary of the ruling is that the state could not shut down Near's publication just because they didn't like it. They could sue for libel, but had to allow the newspaper to print "whatever" in honor of freedom of the press.
Meliora students, please find a freedom of the press case from the last decade, summarize it and provide a link. No duplicates!
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Yellow journalism usually refers to sensationalistic or biased stories that newspapers present as objective truth.
This article refers to newspapers. Although much news is now consumed from social media platforms, this form of journalism persists. Meliora students, please find a recent (within the last two years) article/topic that is an example of "yellow journalism." What did the story claim, and what was falsified or exaggerated? Include a link to the story.
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- Jan 2023
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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we are finally starting to find the seeds of real agency in the ruins of apparent historical necessity
I wonder how Rao came to this conclusion? Because of the Great Resignation? I think it is too soon to know what/why this means in the long run. If it leads to more balanced employer-employee relationships and job satisfaction, then bravo. If it means more people are living in their parents' basement, then not so much.
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- Nov 2022
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hthunboxed.org hthunboxed.org
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They spent an entire year just focusing on how to end the lesson well. All their PD for a year was “How do we end our lessons well?”
I love this idea! Focusing on just one aspect of the project design for a whole year.
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interactive word wall
This is a new term to me. There's an explanation further along in the article, and I also found this short video very instructive.
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No one in this class is going to fully understand this page—nobody
Great way to allay the fear students may have about the complexity of the text, and to normalize the situation.
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I’m much less worried about free writes happening all the time, than that kids are writing with purpose about topics they care about
I disagree somewhat on this. Certainly writing with purpose about topics students care about is key. However, my experience has been that #freewrites are a great tool to help students (and myself!) to "loosen up" and learn to breathe about writing.
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we need to work with kids at the outer edge of their reading ability and writing ability so they’re being pushed
Very #Vygotsky, Zone of Proximal Development.
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Ron Berger
I have admired Ron Berger from afar for a very long time. His Austin's Butterfly exemplar is a permanent item in my PBL professional development toolkit. His book An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of Craftsmanship with Students has principles all PBL practitioners should incorporate into their practice.
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- Oct 2022
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heterodoxacademy.org heterodoxacademy.org
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The student-centered mindset has led to a dumbing-down of curricula and a constant pressure on educators to motivate students, rather than a pressure on students to take ownership of their own success and failure.
Categorically disagree with this. I would argue that the student-centered assignments, projects and expectations I challenge my secondary students with exceed the majority of assignments found in any typical scope and sequence. Yes, they have "voice and choice" in much of their work, especially how they demonstrate their evidence of learning, however they are consistently asked to dig deep, to use critical thinking skills in analysis and support of their arguments.
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constitutioncenter.org constitutioncenter.org
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they cannot conceive how God can have an attribute of justice, and show mercy to us because it pleased Him to make us black—which color, Mr. Jefferson calls unfortunate!!!!
Meliora students, when (in what document(s)) did Thomas Jefferson name black skin color as "unfortunate?" What was the context of his statement? How does that square with "all men are created equal?" @Bella, what do you think? Was Jefferson a "racist?" Was he a visionary? Was he none of the above? He is a complex historical character; I look forward to your pondered answer and your cited sources.
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Document Excerpt
Meliora students, why do you think the Constitution Center chose these particular excerpts from Walker's 76-page document? @Everyone, without reading it in detail, scan through the whole pamphlet and identify another segment you think should have been included.
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Remember, to let the aim of your labors among your brethren, and particularly the youths, be the dissemination of education and religion
Meliora students, how has this played out since 1829? @Marilyn, who have been the touchstones across the past 200 years of people who have responded to this call? Cite your sources.
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Tragically, Walker died as a young man in 1830
Meliora students, imagine how much more impact he could have had if he had lived longer! @Marie, sleuth out his biography, as well as how he died. I found multiple explanations, so see what you find and try to decide which explanation is correct. Cite your sources.
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“But when a long train of abuses and usurpation, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.”
Meliora students, where is this quote from? What was Walker suggesting/provoking other Black Americans to do? @Thor, please answer this and cite your sources.
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It also helped spark a backlash in the white South.
Meliora students, another dramatic claim. @Niko, please find us some evidence. Newspaper article(s), other press pieces, etc. Cite your sources.
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Walker’s Appeal shocked the American conscience and set in motion a burgeoning movement for immediate abolition.
Meliora students, this is a forceful claim. @Gabi, find evidence to support this -- newspaper article(s), other reportage of the time, etc. Cite your sources in your response.
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americanantiquarian.org americanantiquarian.org
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Newspaper
Meliora students, as you research information about your individual topics, Pew Research (pewresearch.org) is one good place to look. Reporters Without Borders (rsf.org) also has some very interesting information, the World Press Freedom Index is especially disheartening.
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Meanwhile, small town weeklies, with hand-operated presses, two or three employees, and circulations in the hundreds were thriving as well.
Meliora students, what is the current situation with small town newspapers? @Niko, please dig into this and report to the class (including source citations, of course!).
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Commercially, as new businesses flourished, so did the advertising function of the newspaper press.
Meliora students, where are media advertising dollars spent today? @Gabi, please dig into this and report to the class (including source citations, of course!).
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Rapidly urbanizing cities could even support multiple daily newspapers.
Meliora students, what does this look like today? @Thor, please dig into this and report to the class (including source citations, of course!). Look into the newspaper statistics for the five (5) largest cities in the United States. How many daily newspapers do they have? How many include print editions? How many are digital-only newspapers?
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By the 1830s the United States had some 900 newspapers, about twice as many as Great Britain—and had more newspaper readers, too.
Meliora students, how does this compare today? What are the circulation per population statistics? @Marie, please dig into this and report to the class (including source citations, of course!)
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federal policy was the opposite: to subsidize newspapers through the postal system
Is this still the case? @Marilyn, please dig into this and report to the class (including source citations, of course!)
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Not only did the federal government choose not to tax newspapers or advertising, as many governments of Europe did
Is this still the case? @Bella, please dig into this and report to the class (including source citations, of course!)
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www.metmuseum.org www.metmuseum.org
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leaving behind an extremely valuable record of their anonymous, if not invisible, lives
Meliora students, what do you think of this statement? Do people take photos today as an expression of their relevance, or for some other reason? Explain.
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Among the many momentous social transformations generated by photography’s invention was the possibility of self-representation by a large variety of groups previously excluded from official portraiture.
Meliora students, how does this compare to today? What has the era of the selfie done in terms of representation of groups of people?
Tags
Annotators
URL
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- Sep 2022
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www.newyorker.com www.newyorker.comBack Issues12
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To tell the story this way, as a struggle between tyranny and liberty, between King and Gazette, or even between John Adams and Benjamin Edes, is to write a Whig history, something that historians generally sniff at, mainly because eighteenth-century Whigs (and Whig printers) saw their world in just this way, with themselves on the side of liberty, and people aren’t to be trusted in accounting for their own place in history.
Meliora @Isabella tell us more about this. What were the main viewpoints of 18th-Century Whigs?
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The following year, Edes, with the help of Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, turned the shooting by British soldiers of five rioting civilians into the “Boston Massacre.”
Meliora @Thor tell us more about this. What exactly was the "Boston Massacre?" Who all was involved, and what impact did the reporting of this incident have on the tension between the US Colonies and England?
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What Jefferson wanted for the nation under his governance was a “union of opinion.”
Meliora @Marie what would/could "union of opinion" lead to?
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During his beleaguered second term, Jefferson suggested that newspapers ought to be divided into four sections: Truths, Probabilities, Possibilities, and Lies.
Meliora @Niko what is your reaction to Jefferson's declaration? How does this parallel the current-day news channels (of all kinds - print, TV, online, etc.)?
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Without partisan and even scurrilous printers pushing the limits of a free press in the seventeen-nineties, Marcus Daniel argues, the legitimacy of a loyal opposition never would have been established and the new nation, with its vigorous and democratizing political culture, might never have found its feet.
Meliora @Gabi what is your reaction to this statement? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
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And it’s not the newspaper that’s forever at risk of dying and needing to be raised from the grave. It’s the freedom of the press.
Meliora @Marilyn, what are current-day example(s) of this concern?
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In July of 1798, Adams signed into law the Sedition Act, making defaming his Administration a federal crime.
Meliora @Gabi, what would/could have happened to the press if this had remained in effect? When was the second Sedition Act, what did it consist of, and what happened with it?
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On November 1, 1765, that Black Day, Bostonians staged a funeral for Liberty, beneath the Liberty Tree.
Meliora @Thor, tell us more about this. Who all participated? What happened as a result?
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When Massachusetts’s royally appointed governor, Francis Bernard, who believed that Edes’s paper “swarmed with Libells of the most atrocious kind,” threatened Edes and Gill with prosecution, Adams urged the printers on. Do not, he told them, “suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberty by any pretences of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three names for hypocrisy, chicanery, and cowardice.”
Meliora @Marilyn, what is John Adams implying here about Massachusetts's governor Francis Bernard?
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Standards of journalistic objectivity date to the nineteenth century. Before then, the whole point was to have a point of view.
Meliora @Isabella, based on this statement, pretend you are a person living in the 1700s. What would have motivated you to read a newspaper, and how would you have interpreted what you read? [This is an opinion question!]
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Cotton Mather
Meliora @Niko, tell us about Cotton Mather. Who was he? Why did he matter? Why would he have been mad at Franklin?
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Jill Lepore
Meliora @Marie, please give us some biographical information on Jill Lepore. Who is she, and why is her writing considered credible?
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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she demonstrates the casual and ugly cruelty of positivity as she worked her way through her own personal breast cancer struggle. One person blamed her for not believing that cancer was an opportunity in disguise.
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- Aug 2022
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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Should my granddaughter even listen to a word I say about the world?
I think elders are the carriers of much wisdom, and that part of their "job" is to pass the wisdom forward to future generations. As I've mentioned elsewhere (where, oh where?) in our conversations, I feel that part of the malaise in our society is that we don't have a solid foundation of values, principles and ideals that we staunchly stand on. "Every choice is ok, don't judge, don't say the wrong thing..." has led to young people being frightened to express their opinions, for fear they will be pounced on.
And, playing devils' advocate on the "we are doomed" mindset, both you and I lived through the "fuel crisis" of the 1970s (and imagined toilet paper shortages then and more recently), dire predictions of acid rain destroying our planet, and a number of other things.
Don't get me wrong, I am dismayed at what poor stewards we have been and continue to be of our planet. Yet, we allow giant corporations (BigFarma and BigPharma) to continue to poison the earth and look elsewhere for answers, rather than looking to our elders of long ago for wisdom on how to live in beautifully balanced harmony with the earth.
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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asking students which fears/worries they have about learning
I typically start my classes with a "hopes and fears" exercise, using a NSRF protocol of the same name.
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Second, your own project could be a mentor text showing students how to go about their own forecast from the future.
What I'm interpreting this as, Terry, is the ability to think conceptually, to combine current information/reality with (informed) conjectures/predictions about what's happening next. I love this kind of thinking/daydreaming, and also think it's hard to teach. Probably lots of "what if..." and similar inquiries. And, I love inquiries. I look forward to exploring this further.
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my friends at EPIC learning (Kayla and Charlene are the driving forces there)
Hey Terry! Tell us more!
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- Jul 2022
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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why aren’t we doing these things already?
Amen! Why can't we have "fun" while learning? Like every young child does while playing with blocks or banging on pots and pans? I like Quinn's (and have also seen the term elsewhere) use of "learning experiences" as a way to look at educational design.
In fact, all "learning" is based in experience, and some students "learn" how to game the system, others "learn" to disengage, etc. What if, instead, learning was exciting and something to look forward to?
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- Jun 2022
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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comment box
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- May 2022
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tachesdesens.blogspot.com tachesdesens.blogspot.com
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We fail to realise that mastery is not about perfection. It’s about a process, a journey.
This is such an important concept to acknowledge and face! EVERYTHING we do is framed by a process, whether we are conscious of it or not. There are so many things I consider myself a beginner at, especially in terms of the arts. It is easy for me to say "I'll never be good at [fill in the blank]..." I've become increasingly aware that being "good" at something is relative, and harks back to the "journey" part of this quote. We only become better through practice, and "good" and "perfection" are in the eyes of the beholder anyway. Who amongst us hasn't been moved by a small child's drawing, not because of its "perfection," but because of the the story the child is telling in their art?
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- Mar 2022
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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unrandom scimitar of ants
Ants are definitely unrandom in their marching!
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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writing non-fiction
I feel like the process is similar. It's about making connections, right? So, a long walk is instructive. Letting one's mind wander and paying attention to whatever floats in. Then sifting through it all to try and make sense. I feel like the older we get, the more connections we make, as well, because we've read more widely and have experienced more things. This little stream of consciousness vomit reminded me of an exercise of several years ago, a "twisted pair." Taking seemingly unrelated things and finding connections. I think at the end of the day, pretty much everything is connected in some way. In non-fiction, maybe the trick is to identify the strands that you want to focus on in making the connections.
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impedagogy.com impedagogy.com
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“Dream on,” I whisper these words to you.
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- Feb 2022
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write.as write.as
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Dear Martin,
Both versions are beautiful, Kevin!
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- Nov 2021
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docdrop.org docdrop.org
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story essay script scribble code note
Each of these words has a distinct connotation, some more "important" or "credible" than others. Do we honor all forms of written communication?
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- Jan 2021
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www.africa.upenn.edu www.africa.upenn.edu
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16 April 1963
Meliora students, when was the Civil Rights Act passed into law? How much influence do you feel Martin Luther King, Jr had on this? In what ways did he contribute to this becoming law?
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Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.
Meliora students, 57+ years later, how much closer do you think we are to this goal? What are some of the things impeding our progress?
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Chief Pritchett in Albany, Georgia
Meliora students, this refers to Laurie Pritchett. Who was he? What did he do? Why was MLK angry with him? Cite your source(s).
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James Meredith
Meliora students, who was James Meredith? Why was he important to the Civil Rights Movement? Cite your source(s).
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You warmly commended the Birmingham police force for keeping "order" and "preventing violence." I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes. I doubt that you would so quickly commend the policemen if you were to observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city jail; if you were to watch them push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls; if you were to see them slap and kick old Negro men and young boys; if you were to observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we wanted to sing our grace together. I cannot join you in your praise of the Birmingham police department
Meliora students, what is your reaction? Was this behavior by the police force more extreme then than now? See if you can find statistical information on incarceration of black people then and now. Cite your source(s).
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If his repressed emotions are not released in nonviolent ways, they will seek expression through violence; this is not a threat but a fact of history.
Meliora students, what do you think? Is history repeating itself? What is different today than it was in 1963? What is the same or similar? Are we any closer to the ideal in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness?" Include examples and/or sources to support your opinion.
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I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice
Meliora students, what do you think of this statement? Do you agree or disagree? What example(s) do you have to support your position? Cite your source(s).
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Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered.
Meliora students:
1) What are (some of) the methods that have been used over the years to prevent certain segments of the population from voting? Please cite your source(s).
2) Is this a problem today, or is it completely resolved? Cite your source(s).
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Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States.
Meliora students, for deeper understanding of what the segregation laws were in Birmingham, Alabama at this time, please read the overview and linked city ordinance document found here:
What surprises you?
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- Aug 2020
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www.scholarlyteacher.com www.scholarlyteacher.com
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Humans do not learn in a void; learning is a social event.
I think this is the most important point of this article. I find it too easy to get bogged down in the academic details, yet it is the social side that will build trust, openness and lead to engagement.
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- Apr 2020
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www.washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com
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He said he’s concerned that some people seem to be talking about human lives as expendable, while others are talking about rationing health-care resources.
Meliora students, what do you think? Given limited health care resources, what should be the decision making process in terms of who gets treatment? (Like many questions, there are no "#right" or "#wrong" answers, but different points of view) Explain your answer.
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#NotDying4WallStreet
Meliora students, go to #Twitter (twitter.com) and browse tweets with the hashtag #NotDying4WallStreet (you do NOT need an account to browse):
- Choose one that you find impactful in either a positive or negative way.
- Explain in a reply below what your reaction is, and why.
- In your reply, also post the link to the tweet you are referring to.
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must find a balance between public health and economic concerns
Meliora students, a line in our text says "The Aztecs believed that their god Huitzilopochtli needed to be suppiied with the hearts of enemy warriors or the sun would cease to rise and all life would come to an end." In what ways was the Aztecs worldview similar and different from the points this article is making? Explain
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“There’s an attitude toward the elderly of ‘Let them eat cake,’ ”
Meliora students, the Aztecs sacrificed children as well as adults. Is there a difference in how you feel about sacrificing people of different ages? If so, what is the difference? If not, why do you feel the way you do?
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he suggested Monday that he and other older Americans should be willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the economy
Meliora students, we are going to use this article to compare and contrast our behavior today and that of the #Aztecs.
Before reading further, what is your immediate response to this statement?
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www.smithsonianmag.com www.smithsonianmag.com
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very few people have a part in every step from bean to bar.
Meliora students, what do you think about this? Should chocolate be "localized," where only people near the growing areas have access? What other ways could the access be made more equitable?
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Cocoa prices are relatively volatile compared to commodities like corn or wheat.
Meliora students, what does this statement mean?
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Commodities traders
Meliora students, what is a commodity? What is a commodity trader?
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It takes a long and complicated supply chain to manage a product that is consumed thousands of miles from where it's grown.
Meliora students, what is a "supply chain?" What does a long supply chain say about the ecological impact?
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The top four producers—Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana and Indonesia—are all in the bottom half of nations by per-capita GDP
Meliora students, what does #GDP mean? What does this tell us about people who live in these countries?
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Almost all of the world's cocoa is grown in developing countries and consumed by industrialized countries.
Meliora students, what do you think about this?
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Farm workers who harvest cocoa are, on average, extremely poor, with some below the World Bank poverty line of $1.25 per day.
Meliora students, please note.
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