Instructions: Read and analyze the information below. Answer the questions given with at least 135 words per answer.
1- Reconstruction to the Gilded Age:
“I Will Fight No More Forever” – Chief Joseph, 1877
The following is the emotional speech given by Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce (c. 1840-1904) upon his capture.
“Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me before, I have it in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Our Chiefs are killed; Looking Glass is dead, Ta Hool Hool Shute is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led on the young men is dead. It is cold, and we have no blankets; the little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are – perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my Chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.”
What is your reaction to this declaration? What emotions do you detect? How is Joseph’s speech representative of many native sentiments during the end of the 19th century?
2- American Imperialism to the Age of Anxiety:
The Christmas Truce of 1914
On December 25, 1914, the armies of the Central Powers & the Allied Powers laid down their arms & celebrated the holiday of Christmas together in a stunningly uncommon act of human solidarity. Watch the following re-enactment & record your observations & reactions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGO9Q1vl-iM
Can you imagine opposing forces engaging in such festivities today? Why or why not? What has changed (if anything)?
World War I Propaganda – 1914-1918
The following posters attached are pieces of wartime propaganda from The Great War, aka World War I (1914-1918). The emergence of highly dualistic materials became a common feature of war hereafter, and it became all too easy to dehumanize the enemy in the interest of a unifying message.
Pick a couple of the images and provide some commentary. What message(s) are these attempting to convey and why? What is/are their purpose(s)? What audience(s) are they geared toward?
3- The Reactionary Twenties To The Red Scare:
WWII in Color – “The Rise of the Third Reich”
In this outstanding series from the Discovery Channel, WWII in Color provides colorized film footage from the events that shaped the world during the second world war, much of it never seen before. This short excerpt, narrated by actor Kenneth Branagh, details Hitler’s rise to power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmNFbcIq23E
Considering Hitler’s methods concerning politics when compared to that of Mussolini, which do you think is more effective? Which is more haunting in retrospect? Record any other reactions or questions you may have.
Thank you in advance.
