UPDATE: 20min ORAL HG EXAM ANTICIPATED FOR WEEK 13-17 MAY 2024 followed by the 4hr WRITTEN EXAM 8h-12h Wednesday 29 May 2024.
B.F.I. American Section History and Geography essays must follow a three part structure:
INTRODUCTION (with thesis statement)
DEVELOPMENT
CONCLUSION
Be aware and never forget that HG essays are not “étude de document style” exercises. It is vital to have an analytical thesis statement which drives your essay. In addition, American Section essay paragraphs are shorter compared to what is expected in French HG essays.
How much are you expected to write in the exams?
Word count minimum objectives:
DBQ essays = 750 words + (four pages or more)
Regular essays = 1000 words + (upwards of six pages)
Introduction
Establish context (time, place, key terms and actors), and show understanding of instructions such as ‘To what extent’, ‘Analyse’, ‘Explain’, ‘Evaluate’ etc.
For Data Based Questions, it is not required to mention the documents in the introduction.
End with a clear and arguable thesis statement: aim for one sentence which answers the questions and directs your argument through an analytical angle.
Development/Body
This is where the line of analysis / argument identified in the thesis statement is developed making use of supporting evidence.
It is divided into short paragraphs.
The TEEC method can help you if you’re struggling: Topic Sentence = what the paragraph will prove. Use analytical expressions such as because, as a result of, or due to. (one sentence).Explanation Sentences = Explain the point made by the topic sentence, using specific key terms and dates. (Around three sentences). Evidence Sentences = Prove your argument with evidence: using direct or indirect quotes and/ or specific examples of phenomena. **Always use key terms and dates!** Clincher = Summarize/restate your point. This is a good place to transition to the next paragraph’s idea. (One sentence).
Conclusion
The Conclusion of the essay summarizes the evidence and restates your argument. You can do that by reformulating your topic sentences. Do not introduce new information in the conclusion. Do not open up to a new issue. Always stay relevant to your argument. It should have a “drop the mic” ending.
Some important points to bear in mind about Data Based Questions:
A DBQ demands as essay response not a commentary. A DBQ is an essay that answers a question using documents to support the answer to the question, along with other evidence. This answer must also include an analysis of the values and limitations of the document.
Thing to remember about the DBQ essays: The documents are there in service to the answer and the values and limitations of these documents must be discussed in the essay. Basic responses will use phrases like ‘the source is useful because..’ or ‘however there are limitations because…’ whereas stronger responses will integrate this analysis throughout the essay.
Geography DBQ responses can point out which voices are not named or heard in a document and should use the issue of scale on maps as a limitation, provided this is explained.
Contextualizing
It is not necessary to mention the documents in the introduction (although it is possible). The first time you use a document, contextualize it by giving the type of document, the year, and the main idea.
Explain the context briefly. Address in your essay how the documents connect both to their context and the period in which they were produced.
Supporting
Use the documents throughout your essay to support your points as much as you can! However, there is no need to quote extensively from them. You do not have to use the documents in every paragraph. Careful! Don’t use the very French “we can see”.
As we can see in Document One, … → As shown in Document One…
We can observe in Document Two that… → Document Two depicts …
The Federalists argued for an energetic executive (Document 2).
Analyzing
When you use the documents for support, link your observations to outside knowledge, and analyze their values and limitations.
The values are what can be observed in the document that add to understanding.
Always link what you see in the document to your evidence. Use the document to prove your argument.
The limitations are what is absent from the source and the bias inherent within it. Absence of information in a source can be very telling and help you to advance your argument and analyze a situation. Bias must also be identified but you must explain how it is a limitation. Link your limitations to outside knowledge and evidence as well. Use them as a springboard to other points that connect to your thesis.
Compare and contrast the documents in a way which is relevant to your argument. Is there a theme evident in both docs? Do the documents show conflicting points of view? Are they complementary? Bring it up! What does it show or help to understand about the period?
If you aren’t 100% sure about your assertion and don’t want to seem overconfident, then use a modal construction such as “could be” or “may be”.
What is meant by bias in a document?
Bias is when the creator’s perspective is so strongly for or against something that the information in the source is unbalanced or prejudiced. All sources contain some degree of bias, but it is not always possible to detect it.
Bias can either be extremely positive or extremely negative.
If extremely positive, it is described as “pro-”, or “in favour of”, etc.
If extremely negative, it is described as “anti-”, or “strongly against”, etc.
If you cannot detect a bias, it is described as a “balanced” source.
Look for times in a source where any of the following happen:
When describing people or events, the language is too positive and does not admit anything negative
When describing people or events, the language is too negative and does not admit anything positive
The source fails to mention very important information of which you are aware
The source provides clearly incorrect information
If you noticed any of the above in your source, it indicates that the creator has a specific bias about the person or event and wants communicate in a way that positions the audience to see things from the same perspective.
The Connaissance du Monde oral exam is scheduled for the 14th and 15th May whilst the 4hr HG written exam will take place between 8h and 12h on Wednesday 29th May. Finally the 20min oral exam will take place at EJM Paris between 3rd-7th June.
This is the History book for obligatory background reading assignments in each chapter:
This is the corresponding Geography book for each chapter:
T°BFI Syllabus
History
Theme 1: Challenges to Democracy, Rise of Totalitarianism and World War II: 1929-1945
Chp1: Causes and impacts of the 1929 Crisis + Great Depression
Chp2: Totalitarian Regimes (Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR)
Chp3: World War Two (Survey of the war, Violence, French Experience)
Theme 2: The Post War Bi-Polar World and Challenges
Chp1: End of WW2 and Emergence of the Cold War
Chp2: A New Geopolitical Order and Emergence of the Developing World
a) Creation of Israel and the Arab Response *
b) Emergence of Mao’s China *
c) Vietnam War, 1955-63
d) French Republic and Nationalist Movements in Africa, 1954-62
e) Castro’s Cuba, 1959-62 *
Theme 3: Economic, Political and Social Changes: 1950s-91
Chp1: International Economic and Political Changes
a) Oil and Political Islam
b) Deng and Reagan
c) The Rise of the EU and Fall of the USSR
Chp2: Domestic Challenges within the USA and France from the 1950s to 2001
Pillar One: The USA
Impact of Vietnam War
Civil Rights Movement
Rise and Evolution of Conservatism
Pillar Two: Protest and Government Responses in the USA and France
1968 and Counterculture
Feminism and Women’s Rights
LGBTQ+ Rights
Geography
Theme 1: Seas and Oceans at the Core of Globalization
-Importance of Maritime Space in globalization
-Unequal integration of territories into globalization
-Tensions between States over the control and use of maritime space (e.g. South China Sea)
–Question spécifique: France and the USA – a comparison of maritime powers
Theme 2: Territorial Dynamics, Cooperation and Tensions in Globalization
-Unequal integration of territories into globalization
-The place of the USA in Globalization
-Examples of Globalization at different scales:
Local, Regional, Global
Question spécifique: France – differentiated international influence and unequal attractiveness in globalization
Theme 3: Complex Dynamics: The European Union and Globalization
– The European Union and Globalization
Question Spécifique – The differential dynamics of cross- border territories of the United States and of France in the EU.
This chapter studies the impact of the global economic crisis on societies and politics in the short, medium and long term. It focuses on the causes of the crisis triggered by the 1929 Wall Street Crash, the transition from an American crisis to a global crisis and the consequences, including unemployment and political instability. It also draws attention to the immediate and longer-term implications of increased federal government intervention in the economy. Thus, it also introduces the rise of neoliberal economic thought (Friedrich Hayek) and Keynesian economic theory foreshadowing the post WW2 debate between a big government welfare state versus the ideology of the invisible hand of the market.
Key Questions
How did the economic crisis of the 1930s pose a challenge to democratic governments?
What were the key economic, social, and political consequences of the Great Depression in the United States?
How did the New Deal transform the role of the federal government in American society?
In what ways were the approaches to the Depression in the USA and France similar and different?
Resources for the Great Depression and the New Deal
The 1929 Stock Market Crash (9m):
The Great Depression Explained in 2 minutes:
Analysis of Ideas of Keynes vs Hayek:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-14366054
KEY IDEAS:
Keynesian economics is a macroeconomic economic theory of total spending in the economy and its effects on output, employment, and inflation. … Based on his theory, Keynes advocated for increased government expenditures and lower taxes to stimulate demand and pull the global economy out of the depression.
Friedrich Hayek believed that the prosperity of society was driven by creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation, which were possible only in a society with free markets.
The Dust Bowl and the Depression (3m41):
Hoovervilles:
The New Deal Explained:
HELP FOR DBQ ASSIGNMENT;
POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION FOR DBQ HOMEWORK: (feel free to copy, use, adapt or not use this introduction)
This essay will assess how the New Deal changed the role of the federal government in the USA. The New Deal was a series of reforms implemented by President Roosevelt following his election in 1933 which were designed to get Americans back to work and jump start the economy in order to help it recover from the Great Depression. These innovations fundamentally altered the role of the federal government by making it more deeply involved in the nation’s economy life. This piece of work examines why the New Deal was needed, the changes it made, and how they led to greater levels of federal government intervention in US economic and social life. (Thesis in bold)
_______________________________________
The subsequent paragraph can describe (briefly) what the Great Depression was (and in so doing demonstrate that the crisis was so profound that a BIG government response was needed).
The following paragraphs need to describe and explain what the New Deal was (use the chapter from your summer homework if you want and/or the History Chapter 1 Study Pack) and also show how it was led by the federal government on a scale which had never been seen before. These paragraphs are also where you could bring in a reference to Keynesian ideas (or not).
DON’T FORGET to include a discussion (maybe a single substantial paragraph) of the values and limitations of both documents – this is IMPORTANT!
In the conclusion return to the question and underscore how the role of the federal government had changed (the government was now much bigger in terms of what it did in national life).
THEME 1 Chapter 2
Introduction
This chapter surveys the characteristics of totalitarian regimes (ideology, forms of adhesion, use of violence and terror for coercion and control devices) and their consequences on the European order. You will compare and contrast the characteristics of Stalin’s USSR and Nazi Germany and consider how ‘totalitarianism’ differs from ‘authoritarianism’.
Key Questions
How did totalitarian regimes exploit the economic crisis in order to gain and maintain power in the 1930s?
How important was the role of ideology and coercion in the consolidation of power in Nazi Germany and Stalinist Soviet Union?
How can we explain popular support for the regimes in Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany?
How effective were the regimes in maintaining their power and control?
Compare and contrast the characteristics of the Soviet and Nazi regimes.
Video resource:
Watch this 15 minute video for a clear overview of Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany – it also covers two of the points de passage: the Ukrainian Famine and the Spanish Civil War:
Kristallnacht: Pictures capture horrors of 1938 Nazi pogrom
Feedback of students’ responses to the collaborative exercises on Stalin’s and Hitler’s regimes:
1. Using examples, justify why the regime you have researched can be described as totalitarian
NAZI REGIME:
A Totalitarian regime is a form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of individual life to the authority of the state. That notion also is associated with propaganda and censorship which Hitler did during his campaign in 1933. The Nazi Party strived to be strict and therefore, have a strong hold over Germany in order to bannish all political parties, and most importantly communists, so they could have more power. However, this led to the reduction of individuals’ liberty which meant they could no longer be able to think and vote for others than nazis. Trade unions, which could be a source of resistance, were also abolished by them. And to finally control the germans from its roots, the education was controlled and formed mini-nazis throughout a biased transmission of knowledge.
When a government is Totalitarian it means it theoretically does not permit individual freedom and lowers all aspects of life to the authority of the state. When Hitler first came to power and became chancellor in 1933, he quickly established his party in the political life. In February 1933, the Reichstag was dissolved and a new election was called. This event was used by the Nazis as a pretext to ban the communist party. A month later in March, Hitler assumed full constitutional powers and in July the Nazi party became the only official party. The Nazi party didn’t permit individual freedom as many religions were forbidden, some ethnies were persecuted and political, public opinions were suppressed. Hitler and the Nazis installed their government, banishing all other parties and controlling all parts of the economical, social and political life. The Nazi regime didn’t hesitate to use violence for justice on those who didn’t approve of their ideology. Also the Nazi regime had a political police called the Gestapo which was feared by all. The Nazis spread their ideology by using propaganda and also creating a youth organisation that was mandatory. The Nazi regime was a totalitarian regime as it had a single powerful leader, authorized only one party (it’s own), a political police, control over society, and used terror in order to maintain their sovereignty.
USSR REGIME:
TOTALIRIAN REGIME : form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of individual life to the authority of the state. doc p 383: “a totalitarian regime is one in which there is dictatorial rule in one party state which totally controls all activities (economic, political, social, intellectual and cultural) and directs them towards achieving the state goals.” And so, when Stalin took over in 1927, he wanted to build the power of the Party within the USSR. His regime was totalitarian because only one party was powerful, no one was safe. The state attempted to indoctrinate everybody with the party ideology. They used violence, physical terror and mental terror to crush the opposition and keep the regime in power. So, people had no rights they were always watched.
2a. How did the Nazi regime exploit the economic crisis in order to gain and maintain power in 1930s?
Nazis implemented a propaganda campaign to take advantage of the crisis.
Hitler also attributed many of Germany’s ills to the Jews who he held as responsible for Germany’s defeat in WW1.
The unpopular French occupation of the Ruhr also contributed to Germany’s economic weaknesses and made the Weimar Republic seem weak – the offer of a strong Nazi alternative as a government thus appeared even more attractive in the eyes of voters.
The 1929 economic crisis led to factory closures in Germany thus exacerbating its unemployment problem (reaching a new height of 6 million).
As a result of all these problems The government was criticized mostly by the working class and the industrialists for not improving the situation making the Weimar Republic lose support
The Nazi suggested new alternatives and solution which attracted all levels of society. The Nazi party had many different ideas to fix the problem such as: ridding Germany of Jesuits, Freemasons, Jews, and Marxists, overthrowing the Versailles settlement and creating the Nazi private army which would give small wages and uniform to the soldiers helping solve unemployment.
In addition to all these reforms, Hilter was a great politician that knew exactly what to say and how to portray his ideas to the masses. Because of fear of communism (which brought industrialists and landlords on his side because he was agains communism) and socialism + unemployment, Hitler and the Nazi party were able to come into power by grabbing the attention of everyone with their ideas and notions, which would have been more difficult if the population wasn’t as desperate due to the economy plummeting.
How did the USSR’s regime exploit the economic crisis in order to gain and maintain power in 1930s?
After WW1 industrial production remained low, Stalin believed a rapid rise in industrial production was vital. This also offered an advantage because industrialization meant more urban workers who were more likely to support the Communist Party than the rural peasants.
Stalin implemented Five Year Plans with clear targets and successfully increased production (steel, oil, iron, coal etc) thus making the USSR a modern industrial power and providing jobs.
2b. How important was the role of ideology and coercion in the consolidation of power in Stalin’s USSR?
Stalin used force to frighten the mass of the population into obedience (via mass arrests).
As a further example of coercion, Communism was applied to all aspects of life (e.g. farms were shared, families also lived together in the the same houses and building) and this greatly extended the reach and power of the State thus contributing to the consolidation of Stalin’s power.
During the 1930s Stalin tightened his grip on the Party by purges of dissidents.
A Great Terror was implemented between 1936 and 1938 – estimates suggest approximately 3 million were executed and sent to labour camps. Hundreds of important officials were also arrested.
How important was the role of ideology and coercion in the consolidation of power in Nazi Germany?
The election campaign of 1933 was extremely violent – Nazi supporters wrecked rival political party meetings.
Having Nazis in charge of local government all over the country (particularly Prussia, the largest German State) also gave them control and access to the Police.
The Reichstag was subsequently destroyed by fire and this was blamed on the Communists as a means of stirring up fear.
2c. How can we explain popular support for the regime in Nazi Germany?
The Nazi Party was effectively the only political party.
They held huge rallies, press conferences and made radio broadcasts + employed mass advertising campaigns to attract and maintain popular support.
How can we explain popular support for the regime in the USSR?
Exceptional workers were rewarded (known as the Stakhanovite movement after Aleksei Grigorievich Stakhanov, who was credited for mining 102 tons of coal in less than 6 hours (14 times his quota) on 31 August 1935.
There was a great deal of free education, there were free meals in workspaces, and free clothes in workspaces.
More production made it feel like they had more, and more production meant more money, and the more money people collectively make, the more money people individually receive when this was divided between them.
2d. How effective was the regime you have researched in maintaining their power and control?
Nazi Germany:
Hitler used the Reichstag Fire as a pretext to passing the ENABLING LAW on 23 March 1933. It stated the government could introduce laws without the approval of the Reichstag for the next four years, ignore the Reichstag and the constitution.
The govt tried to control as many aspects of life as possible – all other political parties were banned, the state governments (Landers) lost all power since their functions were taken over by a Nazi Special Commissioner, the Civil Service was purged of all Jews and anyone opposing the State, Trade Unions were abolished, school textbooks rewritten to fit with Nazi theory, a Hitler Youth organization was created in which children were taught that their first loyalty was to Hitler and not the family. All communications and media were also brought under the control of the minister of propaganda, Dr Joseph Goebbels.
STALIN’S USSR:
Massive investment in education (in 1930 the govt announced all children aged 8 to 11 must be enrolled in schools and consequently the number of pupils increased from 13 million to 20 million between 1929 and 1931). Orthodox soviet thinking was promoted.
There was a cultural revolution from 1929-31 under which the State mobilized artists, writers and musicians to extol virtues such as hard work in order to raise morale and inspire people to great efforts.
Cinema was also employed as a means of propaganda (eg the work of Sergei Eisenstein in films such as Battleship Potemkin).
Past student essays on Totalitarian Regimes:
Two examples of well constructed, well researched and logical argued essays with sound conclusions:
This chapter examines the defeat of France, and the paths of Collaboration and Resistance that confronted the country during the early 1940s. It also covers the extent and violence of WWII, including the brutality of the war on the Eastern front in order to come to some understanding of the crimes against humanity committed during the Holocaust. An additional component is on the impact of war on the US ‘homefront’, with particular attention to the role of women in defence industries, for example, and the internment of Japanese-Americans on the West Coast. The role of the two atomic bombs in ending the war in the Pacific theatre of conflict, and the circumstance of the end of the war in Europe form important links to the emergence of the Cold War tensions after the war.
Shoah is the Hebrew word for “catastrophe”. This term specifically means the killing of nearly six million Jews in Europe by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Second World War. English-speaking countries more commonly use the word Holocaust, which is Greek for “sacrifice by fire”.
Please visit the Memorial de la Shoah website to learn more, the FAQs are particularly informative:
When Harry Truman became president upon the death of Franklin Roosevelt, the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of World War II were quite different. Hitler’s government was falling apart, and Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945, less than a month after Truman took office. In contrast, Japan appeared unstoppable. Bombs and napalm dropped on Tokyo had claimed approximately 100,000 Japanese lives. The ferocious resistance by Japan’s army on the island of Okinawa, where 10,000 American and 100,000 Japanese soldiers died, reinforced the notion that Japan would never surrender.
A committee appointed by Truman soon after he took office in April had a solution to dealing with Japan. It reported that a top-secret weapon, the atomic bomb, would be available soon and should be used without warning. The report offered no alternatives. While the president had agreed in mid-June to plan for a possible U.S. invasion of Japan in the fall of 1945, his lack of experience in office, determination to minimize American casualties, and desire to demonstrate strength to the Soviet Union made him inclined to accept the study committee recommendation. Furthermore, the bombing of civilian populations became an acceptable practice due to the possibility of aerial attacks by all sides in the war. Finally, Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 justified any counterattack. On July 25, Truman learned that the bomb had been successfully tested. He ordered military commanders to deploy the weapon at their discretion.
After a final diplomatic attempt to obtain Japan’s unconditional surrender failed, the bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6. Truman was shown aerial photos of the devastation two days later. He was unaware that 80,000 Japanese had been killed and that tens of thousands more would die from ensuing radiation sickness. A second strike on August 9 destroyed the Japanese port city of Nagasaki, killing 40,000 more people. Japan surrendered on August 14.
China and several of its neighbours have been involved in a decades-long dispute over who controls the South China Sea. China claims most of the sea as its territory, but the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan say parts of the sea belong to them. Tensions have risen over the years and resulted in several confrontations as well as US involvement. The South China Morning Post looks at the origins of the dispute, what these countries are fighting over and what they’re doing to assert their territorial claims.
Problems and Solutions to the Digital Divide in the USA:
Using Undersea Cables to close the digital divide in Africa:
Production Spaces
Explanation of globalization and how it affects economy, politics and culture (8m):
Globalisation involves widening and deepening global connections, interdependence and flows (commodities, capital, information, migrants and tourists).
This means increases in flows of:
goods and services (including commodities)
products and commodities, that can be bought, and are often made or grown in other countries
capital
flows of money between people, banks, businesses and governments
people (including migrants and tourists)
information
e.g. data transferred between businesses and people, often using the internet
80% of the final grade for HG DNL is assessed by a 20 minute oral exam, divided into two sections:
The first part of the exam lasts for 10-minutes.
You will be expected to present, describe, analyse and comment on a document(s) based on any part of the History or Geography programme.
The examiners may ask you questions to check your understanding.
The second part of the exam is free form and also lasts for 10 minutes.
You may be invited to talk about your experiences in the European Section, visits to other countries, organisation of the Festival of Arts and Science and you may nominate a subject of your choice which you are ready to discuss with the examiners.
1) Alphabet agencies: US federal government agencies created as part of the New Deal by President Roosevelt. Examples included the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) lasted between 1933 and 1943 and hired 2.5 million men to plant trees and build roads and parks. Another was the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) which created dams to control flooding and generate hydroelectric power along the Tennessee river watershed.
2) Authoritarianism: type of governmental system which (usually) lacks free elections and is dominated by one party although it does not control all institutions in a society (e.g. Mussolini’s Italy was an authoritarian government but it did not control the Church or Monarchy).
3) Capitalism: economic and political system in which trade an industry are controlled by private owners for profit and multiple political parties exist.
4) Communism: system of government in which the means of production (land, industries, banks etc) are controlled by the State and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs.
5) Cult of the personality: the result of an effort by a government to present an idealized and heroic image of a leader.
6) Fascism: a far-right authoritarian ideology characterized by dictatorial power and use of violence.
7) Federal government (US): This means there is a national government and governments of the 50 states.
8) Mein Kampf: Adolf Hitler’s 1925 manifesto, (which means ‘My Struggle’) promoted his racist world view and expansionary policies aimed at obtaining more living space Lebensraum in Eastern Europe.
9) New Deal: reform programs promoted by President Roosevelt which aimed to prevent a repetition of the Great Depression.
10) Propaganda: information of a biased or misleading nature intended to promote a certain point of view.
11) USSR: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a communist state that spanned Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.
Great Britain in WW2
DNL Vocabulary
1) Battle of Britain: fought in the air between Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Luftwaffe, Nazi Germany’s air force from July 10 through October 31, 1940 for control of airspace over Great Britain,
2) Blackout: regulations imposed on 1st September 1939 aimed at eliminating outdoor light to prevent crews of enemy aircraft from identifying cities.
3) Blitz: intense Nazi bombing campaign undertaken by Nazi Germany against the UK from 7th September 1940 until 11th May 1941. Named after German word blitzkrieg meaning ‘lightning war’.
4) Censorship: newspapers were not allowed to write about Defense Notices (so called D Notices) which meant fortification or ongoing planning. When the Blitz began
Churchill asked the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) to send out news on the radio in a positive manner and not focus on the destruction.
5) Winston Churchill (1974-1965): British Prime Minister (1940-45 and 1951-55) who was famous for his speeches and his refusal to give in, even when the outlook was grim.
6) Commonwealth: formed between 1931 and 1949, this is a free association of sovereign states comprising the United Kingdom and a number of its former dependencies who have chosen to maintain ties of friendship and practical cooperation and who acknowledge the British monarch as symbolic head of their association.
7) D-Day: 6th June 1944 – day on which Allied forces invaded northern France by beach landings in Normandy.
8) Dunkirk: also known as Operation Dynamo, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk between 26th May and 4th June 1940 due to their encirclement by German troops during the Battle of France. Over 300 000 troops
were rescued by an assembled fleet of 800 boats, prompting Churchill’s ‘We shall fight on the beaches’ speech of June 4th.
9) Evacuation: several waves of the evacuation of people, particularly children, took place from cities due to the risk of aerial bombardment.
10) Remembrance Sunday: marked in the UK on the Sunday that falls closest to November 11 in commemoration of the end of hostilities in 1918 and 1945. People were poppies which are associated with those that grew on the churned battlefields of WW1.
11) Spitfire: most widely produced and very fast British aircraft which became famous due to its role in the Battle of Britain.
Seas and Oceans
DNL Vocabulary
1) Blue economy: describes all economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts.
2) Blue water navy: a marine force capable of operating globally.
3) Green water navy: a marine force capable of operating in a nation’s littoral zone and the surrounding region.
4) Maritime Choke point: naturally narrow channels of high traffic because of their strategic locations.
5) Containerization: a system of intermodal freight transport using intermodal metal containers. Intermodal means they can be easily transferred from one mode of transport to another (such as from a ship to a truck or train).
6) EEZ: An exclusive economic zone as prescribed by UNCLOS in 1982. It is an area of sea in which a sovereign state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources. It extends to 200 miles from shore.
7) Hard power: a coercive approach to international political relations, usually involving the use of the military.
8) Soft power: a persuasive approach to international relations, involving the use of cultural, economic and diplomatic means.
9) Strait: a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or other large bodies of water.
10) UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982), also known as the Montego Bay Convention, is an international agreement that establishes a framework for all marine and maritime activities.
11) Under water cables: subsea or submarine fiber optic cables that connect countries across the world and transmit huge amounts of data rapidly.
European Construction since 1945
DNL Vocabulary
1.CAP: (Common Agricultural Policy) the early CAP encouraged better agricultural productivity so that consumers had a stable supply of affordable food. It offered subsidies to guarantee high prices for farmers and provided incentives for them to produce more. It was successful in meeting its objective of moving towards EU self-sufficiency in the 1980s but it lead to permanent surpluses of major farm commodities. Some of these were exported and others were stored in the EU. However, as it became increasingly costly it also became unpopular with consumers and so was reformed. Today farmers are not paid just to produce food and they must respect certain environmental standards.
2.Commonwealth: an association of states comprising Britain and most of its former colonies.
3.Council of Europe: Founded in 1949 to promote democracy and protect human rights and the rule of law in Europe. The council has 47 member countries today. No country has ever joined the EU without first belonging to the Council of Europe.
4.ECSC: (European Coal and Steel Community) combined coal and steel production in France and West Germany, it was intended as a means of stimulating growth, and the process was placed under the supranational control of the High Authority.
5.EEC: (European Economic Community) this was a customs union between the Six with the aim of bringing about economic integration. It became known as the European Community in 1967.
6.EFTA: (European Free Trade Area) this free trade organisation was created in 1960 as a trade-bloc alternative to the EEC. The founding members were Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK (referred to as the Outer Seven, in the 1960s). Today’s EFTA members are Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
7.EURATOM: a political body to co-ordinate the development of nuclear energy within Western Europe.
8.GDP: (Gross Domestic Product) value of all goods and services produced within annually within an economy plus overseas earnings.
9.: (Gross National Product) value of all goods and services produced annually within an economy.
10.Hague Conference: Held from 7th to 11th of May 1948 and presided over by Winston Churchill, this conference brought together representatives from across the political spectrum in order to discuss ideas about the development of Europe.
11.Marshall Plan: proposed by George C. Marshall, US Secretary of State, in 1947. Also known as the European Recovery Programme (ERP). It involved the injection of large sums of money ($17 billion) from the USA into European economies between 1947 and 1952. It was proposed because of US concern about growing support for Communism in Europe and fear that Europe would not recover as a trading partner.
12.Maastricht Treaty: signed on 7th February 1992 by members of the EC and entered into force on 1st November 1993. It created the European Union and led to the creation of the single currency, the euro. It also created the concept of EU citizenship, allowing people from member countries to move freely between states. The ratification process of the treaty was fraught with problems, Denmark had to hold two referendums in order to pass it, in France it was only narrowly ratified by referendum in September 1992 with 51.05% in favour, and the UK government nearly collapsed due to opposition from MPs in the British parliament.
13.OEEC: (Organisation of European Economic Co-operation) set up to promote trade within Europe between economies stimulated by funds from the Marshall Plan.
14.Schuman Declaration: proposal of French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, to create a supranational organization of European states leading to the creation of ECSC and eventually the EU. The date of the declaration, 9th May 1950, is celebrated annually as Europe Day and Schuman is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the EU.
15.The ‘Six’: refers to the signatories of the Treaty of Rome, France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg
16.Social Chapter: refers to the part of the Maastricht Treaty which covered issues such as worker’s pay and health and safety. The UK won an opt-out from the social chapter under John Major’s government although it subsequently joined under the government of Tony Blair.
17.Supranational: giving up national sovereignty to the authority of an international body.
18.Treaty of Rome: (1957) Treaty which established the EEC signed on 25th March 1957 and entered into force on 1stJanuary 1958.-