Historians 4 Social Change

• Write an op-ed covering when Italy invaded Ethiopia, on whether Italy was justified in invading Ethiopia or not. What might you tell others to persuade them to agree with you?
  • Ethiopia
    • Haile Selassie, “Appeal to the League of Nations”
    • Excerpt on the Bottom Left of the Page
    • Poison Gas and Atrocities in the Italo-Ethiopian War 
  • Italy/Mussolini
    • Mussolini’s Statement to the Fascist Assembly, Transcript
    • Mussolini’s Statement to the Fascist Assembly
    • Image of Mussolini Giving Speech Following the Invasion of Ethiopia

• Write an op-ed about the Scramble for Africa from the perspective of either a pro-imperialist European or an African citizen who wants independence. Keep in mind what to say to persuade others into agreeing with you.
  • Imperial Powers
    • “White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling
    • French Illustration
    • European Motives For Imperialism
  • African People/Anti-Imperialist
    • “The Black Man’s Burden” by Edward Morel 
    • The Economic Basis of “Imperialism” by Charles A. Conant
    • Imperialism A Study, Part Two Chapter “One Moral and Sentimental Factors” by John A. Hobson
    • Mutilated African Children From King Leopold II rule over the Congo 

• Imagine the Rwandan Genocide is currently happening, and you have to write an op-ed on either the Hutu’s or the Tutsis’ actions. Keep in mind what to say to persuade others to help and support the group.
  • Hutus
    • Multiple First Hand Accounts From Perpetrators and Survivors 
    • Hutu Refugees Stay in Refugee Camps in Fear of Retaliation in Rwanda
  • Tutsis
    • Eyewitness Report from Hamis Kamuhanda an 11 Years Old Tutsi Boy in 1994
    • Second Video Shows the Horrors the Tutsi People Went Through
    • Rwandan Genocide Surrivor Recalls Horror
  • Both Sides/Cover the Issue
    • Children Flee to Burundi Camps
    • Rwandan Apocalypse

• Write an op-ed about the African Independence movements supporting the movements or you can object to them. Keep in mind what to say to persuade your audience to support freedom movements or imperialism.
  • African Nations
    •  The Arusha Declaration
    • The Kenya Africa Union is Not the Mau Mau
    • Prime Minister Ian Smith’s Announcement of Unilateral Declaration of Independence
    • Kwame Nkrumah:  I Speak of Freedom, 1961
  • Imperial Powers
    • “White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling
    • “Wind of Change” by Harold Macmillan
    • Newspaper from Wisconsin Covering Decolonization
    • PSQ American Attitudes Toward Decolonization in Africa (Not Primary)

• Write about Ancient Greece from a journalistic point of view covering the ancient Greek society. Write as if you were an outsider, and think about some of the most important aspects of Greek society.
  • The Poetry of Anyte
  • Various Quotes of Ancient Greeks Discussing the Democratic Process of Ostracism in Athens
  • The History of Herodotus
  • The Agora Museum’s Collection
  • The Polity of the Athenians
  • The Odyssey

• Write about Mesopotamia from a historical perspective, and focus on how Mesopotamia influenced the rest of the world.
  • Hammurabi’s Code
  • Proto-Cuneiform Tablet with Seal Impressions
  • Mesopotamian Headdress
  • Oriental Institution Collection
  • Neo-Babylonian Cuneiform Tablet
  • Cuneiform Tablet

• Write about ancient Rome if you were a journalist covering daily life and how Roman society functions. When writing your article focus on aspects of Roman culture that is unique to the Romans.
  • Mount for Spear Shaft
  • M. Tullius Cicero, Speech before Roman Citizens on Behalf of Gaius Rabirius, Defendant Against the Charge of Treason
  • Livy: The Roman Way of Declaring War
  • Letters of Sailors in The Roman Navy
  • Pliny: The Grandeur of Rome
  • Roman Educational Practices

• Write about ancient Egypt from a journalistic perspective. Focus on daily life in Egypt and the unique aspects of Egyptian culture. (Note: as all of the links included here are taken from the Louvre, you will have to translate the web page from French to English)
  • The Sarcophagus of the Egyptian Greek Dioskoridès
  • Statue of Ouahiba, Governor of Upper Egypt
  • Wall-Covering Tile
  • Three Cups of Tôd’s Treasure
  • Pair of Sandals
  • Plate With Cups

• Write about the Persian Empire from a journalistic perspective that focuses on Persian society and culture.
  • Relief: Persian Guard
  • Relief of a Spear-Carrier
  • Stone Relief From the Apadana (Audience Hall) at Persepolis
  • Offering Bringer
  • Second Stone Relief From the Apadana (audience hall) at Persepolis
  • Lion’s Head

• Write about Confucian morals from the perspective of someone in China during the rise of Confucianism. Write either in favor of Confucianism or rejecting the ideology.
  • The Sayings of Confucius
  • The Analects By Confucius 
  • Mencius By Confucius
  • The Doctrine of the Mean By Confucius
  • The Great Learning By Confucius
  • Image of Confucius

• Write an op-ed from a British or Chinese perspective on the Opium Wars. In the op-ed attempt to convince the reader to side with either the Chinese or Britain.
  • European Countries
    • The Treaty of Nanjing
    • Responses to the Morality of the Opium Trade
    • Lord Palmerston Letter
    • Not Primary But Useful
  • China
    • Letter of Advice from Commissioner Lin Zexu to Queen Victoria
    • Dead Chinese Soldiers at a Fort Bombarded by the British in the Second Opium War
    • Qianlong’s Letter to George III

• Write an op-ed about the Taiping rebellion from the perspective of someone supporting the Manchu Qing dynasty or the Taiping kingdom. In the op-ed address whether you support the rebellion or not, and attempt to convince the reader to side with either the Taiping or the Manchu Qing dynasty.
  • Manchu Qing dynasty
    • Quotes from Zeng Guoquan Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom Page 359
    • The Nature of Taiping Rebellion
  • Taiping Kingdom
    • Excerpts from “The Land System of the Heavenly Kingdom”
    • Excerpts from “Ode for Youth”
  • Other
    • Person Recolection by Ven. Archdeacon Moule of the Taiping Rebellion
    • Twelve Years in China: The People, the Rebels, and the Mandarins

• Write about the Silk Road from a journalistic point of view. Focus on the time period, and its importance.
  • Account of a Journey to the West by Ye-lü Ch’u ts’ai 
  • The Travels of Ch’ang Ch’un to the West Recorded by His Disciple Li Chi Ch’ang
  • William of Rubruck’s Account of the Mongols
  • The Travels of John De MarIgnolli
  • The Travels of Pero Tafur
  • Chinese Accounts of Rome, Byzantium and the Middle East
  • The History of the Life and Travels of Rabban Sawma

• Write an op-ed from the perspective of someone living in China during the Boxer rebellion about whether they support the rebellion or not. In the op-ed focus on convincing the reader to side with or against the rebellion.
  • Pro Revolution
    • Newspaper Rationalizing the Boxer Rebellion 
    • Excerpts from the Treaty of Nanjing
    • A Disturbing Possibility in the East
  • Anti Revolution
    • Account from a Prisoner of the Boxer Rebellion
    • Fei Ch’i-hao on the Boxer Rebellion
    • Newspaper from Pittsburgh Covering the Dangers of the Boxer Rebellion
    • Yao Chen-Yuan:  My Adventures During the Boxer War

• Imagine that you are in Europe during the enlightenment, and you have to write an op-ed on accepting or rejecting enlightenment thoughts. In the op-ed persuade the reader to accept or reject the enlightenment.
  • Pro Enlightenment/ Enlightenment Thinkers
    • Selections from Thomas Hobbes’  Leviathan 
    • The Spirit of the Laws
    • Enlightenment Thinkers Quotes
  • Anti Enlightenment
    • The Counter-Enlightenment
    • Hume: Ethics

• Imagine that the Reformation is going on, and you have to write an op-ed convincing the reader to side with the Roman Catholics or the Protestants. In the op-ed focus on the time period and the beliefs of each group to attempt to convince the reader.
  • Roman Catholic:
    • Genesis 1
    • Scipione Pulzone’s “Lamentation”
    • The Confessions of the Lutheran Church
  • Pro-Protestant:
    • Satirical Medal
    • The 95 theses
    • Propaganda During the Reformation

• Write about the Renaissance as a non-European journalist living in the same time period. In the article focus on aspects of the renaissance lifestyle that are unique.
  • Renaissance Manuscript Collection
  • Marchionne di Coppo di Stefano Buonaiuti’s Statements on the Plague
  • The Golden Bull of Charles IV
  • Deeds of Arms
  • The Witch Hunts
  • Renaissance Festivals

• Write an article about the plague from the perspective of someone living in Europe during the plague. Focus on how the plague changed daily life.
  • Gabriele de’ Mussi on the Plague
  • Petrarch on the Plague
  • Francesco Petrarca wrote in response to the black death in Tuscany, Italy
  • Excerpt From The Decameron
  • The Florentine Chronicle
  • Black Death Chronicle

• Write an op-ed about the British and French mandate systems. In the op-ed imagine that the mandates are currently going on and attempt to persuade the reader to be in favor of the mandate system or against them.
  • • The Sykes-Picot Agreement
    • The Balfour Declaration
    • Peace Treaty of Sèvres
    • The Palestine Mandate of the League of Nations
    • British White Paper 1939
    • The Oslo Accords

• Imagine that the Suez Crisis is happening, and you have to write an op-ed to convince others to help support Egypt or Israel. In the op-ed focus on what to tell the reader to have them support your side.
  • Egypt
    • Denouncement of the Proposal for a Canal Users’ Association
  • Israel/France/Britain
    • Collection of US Intelligence Document Relating to the Sinai Crisis
    • Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State
    • Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State
  • America:
    • The Suez Crisis – A Test for the USSR’s Middle Eastern Policy

• Imagine that the Gulf War is happening currently, and you have to write an op-ed about the Gulf War. In the op-ed, you should try to persuade the reader to support or oppose Iraq.
  • Iraq
    • Meeting Between Saddam Hussein and His Military Commanders After the First Gulf War
    • Saddam Hussein and the Revolutionary Command Council Discussing the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait and the Expected U.S. Attack
    • A Report on Iranian Efforts to Obtain Nuclear Weapons
  • Other
    • Operation Desert Storm
    • Photographs of Operation Desert Storm
    • Interview with Gulf War Veteran

• Write about the rise of Islam from a journalistic point of view.
  • Islam
    • Al-Baladhuri: The Battle Of The Yarmuk
    • Pact of Umar
    • Selections from the Life of Muhammad
  • Other religions
    • Pope Innocent III:  License to Venice to Trade with the Saracens
    • Indulgence for Fighting the Heathen
    • Gregory VII: Call for a Crusade
    • A Christian/Muslim Debate of the 12th Century

• Imagine that you are reporting covering Egyptian mythology during the time period when it was popular. Keep in mind the time period and how religion impacted society.
  • The Osirian Cycle
  • Isis Learns Ra’s Name
  • Atum Creates the World
  • A Hymn to Ra
  • The Book of the Dead
  • Herodotus Describes the Process of Mummification

• Write about Greek and Roman mythology from the perspectives of Greek or Roman citizens and focus on how the ideology impacted society.
  • Prayers of Ancient Greece
  • Accounts of the Roman State Religion
  • Pythagoreans: Some Texts
  • Xenophanes: Fragments and Commentary
  • The Institutions of the Roman Religion
  • Roman Religions Licitae and Illicitae (Legal and Illegal)

• Write about Mesopotamian religion from the perspective of someone not from Mesopotamia, focusing on how their religion influences their society and how Mesopotamian religion is unique.
  • The Destruction of the Sumerians
  • Sumer Prayer: Penitential Prayer to Every God
  • Epic of Gilgamesh, Sumerian Flood Myth
  • The Babylonian Creation Myth
  • The Reports of the Magicians & Astrologers of Nineveh & Babylon
  • A Collection of Babylonian Prayers

• Write about Christianity as if you were a reporter during the rise of Christianity.
  • Josephus’ Description of Jesus
  • Paul’s Letter to the Galatians
  • Letters of Pliny the Younger and the Emperor Trajan
  • The Gospel of Peter
  • The Pilate Inscription
  • Testimonium Flavianum

• Write about Ithe rise of Islam from a journalistic perspective.
  • Ibn Ishaq:  Selections from the Life of Muhammad
  • From The Sunnah
  • Peshawar Nights
  • The Koran on Women
  • Accounts of The Arab Conquest of Egypt

• Write about the beginnings of Buddhism as if you were there from a journalistic perspective. When writing, keep in mind the time period and your perspective.
  • Buddha, the Gospel
  • The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path 
  • Amitabha, A Story of Buddhist Theology
  • The Buddhist Catechism
  • Dialogues of the Buddha
  • The Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan-King: A Life of Buddha by Asvaghosha Bodhisattva

• Imagine that the Reformation is going on, and you have to write an op-ed convincing the reader to side with the Roman Catholics or the Protestants. In the op-ed focus on the time period and the beliefs of each group to attempt to convince the reader.
  • Roman Catholic
    • Genesis 1
    • Scipione Pulzone’s “Lamentation” 
    • The Confessions of the Lutheran Church
  • Pro-Protestant
    • Satirical Medal
    • The 95 Theses
    • Propaganda During the Reformation

• Imagine that the French Revolution is happening currently, and you have to write an op-ed that is either for or against the revolution. What might you tell others to persuade them to join the Revolutionaries or act against the revolution?
  • Anti-Revolutionary
    • British Newspaper Coverage of the French Revolution
    • New Square of the Bastille
    • The Crushed Aristocracy
  • Pro-Revolutionary
    • People Under the Old Regime
    • The Tennis Court Oath
    • Parisian Fishwives

• Imagine that the Haitian revolution is happening, and you have to write an op-ed from either someone in favor of slavery in Haiti or someone in favor of the revolution. What would you convey in your op-ed to gather support for your cause?
  • Pro-slavery
    •  Marronage in the Atlantic World: Sources and Life Trajectories
    • Le Code Noir
    • General Whyte’s Proclamation to the People of Saint-Domingue
  • Anti-Slavery
    • Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
    • The Sonthonax Broadside
    • Slaves and Free Blacks in Saint Domingue
  • Neutral (criticizes both)
    • French Liberty, British Slavery

• Write an op-ed imaging that the scientific revolution is currently going on. In the op-ed try and convince the reader to be for or against science, and think about what to say to persuade your reader.
  • Pro-science
    • Galileo’s Telescope
    • Dedication of the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies to Pope Paul III
    • A Discourse Concerning A New World
  • Anti-Science
    • The Crime of Galileo:  Indictment and Abjuration of 1633
    • Ptolemaic Model
    • Ptolemy, That the Earth Performs No Progressive Motion

• Imagine that the Industrial Revolution is happening currently and you have to write an op-ed on the Industrial Revolution. In the op-ed write from the perspective of someone who is pro-revolution or anti-revolution. In your op-ed think about what you would say to persuade someone to join or oppose the revolution.
  • Pro-industrial
    • The Workers’ Anvil
    • First Telegraphic Message
    • Labor and Capital
  • Anti-industrial
    • Anti-trust Cartoon
    • With Drops of Blood the History of the Industrial Workers of the World Has Been Written
    • Child Labor in the Canning Industry of Maryland

• Imagine that the Cuban revolution is currently going on, and you have to write an op-ed describing your stance on the revolution.
  • Pro-revolution
    • History Will Absolve Me
    • The Revolution Begins Now
    • Cuban Rebel Chief is Visited in Mountain Hideout: Leader of Revolt Found Still Alive
  • Anti-Revolution
    • Fear and Loathing of Fidel Castro: Sources of US Policy Towards Cuba
    • Hearings Before the Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws of the Committee on the Judiciary of the United States Senate 
    • Interim Report: Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders

• Imagine you are a witness to the conquest of the Aztecs, and you have to write an op-ed either defending or opposing the conquest. In your op-ed focus on what to say to persuade the reader to agree with you.
  • Conquistadores
    • Letters of Hernan Cortes
    • Requirement: Pronouncement to be Read by Spanish Conquerors to Defeated Indians
    • Historia Verdadera
  • Aztecs/Incas
    • An Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico
    • An Aztec Description of the Smallpox Outbreak
    • The Popol Vuh

• Imagine that the Mexican-American war is currently happening, and you have to write an op-ed defending or opposing the war. In the op-ed focus on what to say to someone to persuade them to back your cause.
  • Anti-war:
    • Abraham Lincoln, Speech on the Mexican War
    • A Mexican General Denounces the United States
    • Coverage of the Mexican American War Covered by Mexican Press
  • Pro-war:
    • 1847 U.S. Army Recruiting Poster
    • Polk’s First Annual Address to Congress
    • John L. O’Sullivan on Manifest Destiny

• Imagine that the Panama Canal is about to be built, and you have to write an op-ed in favor of building the canal or an op-ed stating that the canal should not be built. What would you say to someone to convince them to either support or reject the building of the canal?
  • Pro-canal
    • Convention for the Construction of a Ship Canal (Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty), November 18, 1903
    • National Security Action Memorandum No. 152 Panama Canal Policy and Relations with Panama
    • Panama Canal Proposition
  • Anti-canal
    • 1905 political cartoon about Congressional debate over funds to build the Panama Canal.
    • Panama Talking Paper
    • Newspaper depicting as a Panama Canal considered “a failure up to date” in 1905

• Imagine that information about Operation Condor has been released, and you have to write an op-ed defending it or disagreeing with it. In your op-ed focus on persuading the reader to either support or oppose Operation Condor.
  • CIA Weekly Briefing
  • Montevideo 2702, July 20, 1976 Obtained by John Dinges
  • CIA Weekly Meeting – 30 July 1976, “Operation Condor”
  • Operation Condor Documents Indicate 1976 Terrorist Attack In Washington Might Have Been Prevented
  • CIA weekly Meeting, 27 August 1976, “Operation Condor”
  • October 4, 1976, “Operation Condor”