Magna Carta

1215 is the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta ("The Great Charter"), one of the most famous historical documents in history. It established for the first time the principle that everybody, including the king, was subject to the law. Most of the clauses granted by King John dealt with specific grievances from the barons relating to his rule. However, included within them were a number of fundamental values , including the clause that gave all "free men" the right to justice and a fair trial. Some of Magna Carta's key principles are echoed in the United States Bill of Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. Although most of its clause have been repealed in English law, it remains of major importance because of its defence against arbitrary power and tyrannical rulers.

Take a look at the following websites and videos to find out more about Magna Carta.

The 800th Anniversary site

The Magna Carta Project
The British Library site on Magna Carta
Melvyn Bragg's Radio 4 series on the Magna Carta
Just how important is the Magna Carta 800 years on
In Our Time on Magna Carta

Here is a nicely produced video explaining why Magna Carta was issued:


And now is a Timelines TV video about the signing of Magna Carta:

Nelson Mandela

"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is the difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead."
"No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." Nelson Mandela.



Nelson Mandela, who died on December 5 2013, was one of the most universally respected and inspirational leaders of recent history. Imprisoned for 27 years by the South African government for campaigning to destroy the racist system of Apartheid, Mandela was finally freed in 1990. Rather than look for revenge and retribution, he negotiated with his former captors to lead South Africa into a remarkably peaceful transition to a democracy. He and FW de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1993 and Mandela was elected president of South Africa in 1994. He stepped down as president in 1999 to dedicate the remainder of his life to work for charitable foundations to help children, combat AIDS and end poverty.
Follow these links for the BBC obituary on Mandela, the Guardian page on the speech he made at his trial in 1964, the Guardian page on Mandela and the history.com webpage on Apartheid and a BBC article on one man's experience of the regime. And here is the BBC new item on his life:

How successful were the Paris Peace Treaties

Created with Padlet

Add your comments on the Treaty to the Padlet.

The Korean War

The Korean War (1950-53) was an example of when the Cold War turned hot, with the US and its allies fighting against North Korea and China, who were supported by the USSR. At least 1.5 million Korean civilians, and around 33,000 US, 217,0000 South Korean, 406,000 North Korean and 600,000 Chinese troops are estimated to have died. A ceasefire was agreed on 27 July 1953, but as South Korea would not sign up, the two Koreas are technically still at war.
For an overview of the war, have a look at this BBC webpage. The BBC World Service has two fascinating podcasts about the war: The Korean War and The End of the Korean War.
There is a full length episode on the Korean War in the excellent Cold War documentary series which is worth watching:


Here is a link to a news report on the investigation into the American massacre of civilians at No Gun Ri and a BBC report on the same incident. While finally here are two videos by historian Bruce Cummings on the war:

Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech

It is the 50th anniversary of one of the most dramatic and emotive speeches in modern history, Martin Luther King's call for an end to racism and segregation in the United States. King's "I have a dream" speech still resonates today and it's message continues to spark debate over whether or not real civil rights have been achieved for black Americans in the US.
Take a few minutes to have a listen to a shortened version of the speech and the most famous section which is partly improvised and thought to have been prompted by gospel singer Mahalia Jackson's cry "Tell them about the dream, Martin!"

The BBC have marked the anniversary with a selection of programmes about the March on Washington. If you want to find out more about the man and the struggle for Civil Rights follow these links:
Martin Luther King
What the speech tells us about Martin Luther King
King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, but was assassinated just four years later by criminal James Earl Ray.

America in the 1920s

American society in the 1920s has always grabbed the attention of historians and the public at large because of the changes that took place during the decade, but there has been an even greater focus on this period in recent years. This is partly because of the subsequent economic collapse and, inevitably, parallels have been drawn between the causes of the Great Depression and the current economic crisis. Here are a selection of resources which might help you gain a better understanding of this period in which new liberties and greater independence were combined with excess, consumerism, speculation, unequal distribution of wealth and prejudice to create a period known as the Roaring Twenties.


Have a look at the first part of this three-part documentary on 1920s as a good introduction to the period; you can find the rest of the series on this site's You Tube channel.



The History Learning Site has a good introduction to the topic, while the BBC Bitesize webpage has sections on the Roaring Twenties and other aspects of the 1920s in the USA as well as on racism and intolerance.

Why Appeasement?

Appeasement remains an emotive subject to this day, but it is important to understand why the policy was adopted and to realise that it was not just Neville Chamberlain that followed it. Try and understand the historical context and not to use too much hindsight when analysing it. Take a look at the links and resources from a previous post and then make your own comments about whether or not it was justified on the Wallwisher below.

Created with Padlet

Cuban Missile Crisis

Just over 50 years ago the world was teetering on the edge of nuclear war as the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolded following the USSR's decision to deploy nuclear missiles on the Caribbean island. The BBC produced three Witness podcasts to commemorate the Cold War Crisis, follow the links to find them:

The Photos, the Missiles, the Showdown.

The John Kennedy Library has some interesting resources and a microsite on the crisis called World on the Brink. You can also try out the Schools' World TV site, BBC Bitesize and J.D. Clare for further resources and information.

Here is the video from the BBC History 20th Century series on Cuba (Mr Kennedy and Mr Khrushchev)


 Have a look at the previous post on Cuba for some other resources and videos.

The Russian Revolution

The October Revolution of October 1917 was one of the most momentous events in modern history, changing as it did not just the future direction of Russia but also that of the rest of the world. But was the the Revolution a coup by a group of dedicated and disciplined professional revolutionaries or was it a social revolution sparked by the suffering of the people under tsarism and the Provisional Government? Have a look at the following resources to help you make up your mind:
 A list of resources from the School History site.
BBC Bitesize on the causes of the October Revolution
JD Clare's pages on Russia.
An episode of Radio 4's In Our Time on Lenin
Video: The Russian Revolution in colour
A comprehensive bank of resources on the Russian Revolution from Fordham University.
A BBC Witness podcast on the Russian Revolution outlining the experience of one woman in Moscow.

The New Deal

Introduced by US President Franklin Roosevelt, the New Deal was designed to revive the country's battered economy and restore her shattered morale after the devastating impact of the Wall Street Crash and the ensuing depression. FDR instituted a series of measures, including the setting up of the so-called "alphabet agencies", which aimed to ameliorate the worst effects of the economic depression on farmers, factory workers and the unemployed. The New Deal's achievements were significant and its agencies left their mark on the USA for decades to come, but the programme also met with considerable opposition from the American Right and its economic impact remains a subject for intense debate in the USA today. Have a look at the following resources about the Great Depression and then make your comments about the success of the New Deal on the Wallwisher below.

First-hand accounts of the Wall Street Crash in the BBC Witness podcast.
Another excellent Witness podcast, this time on the effects of the Great Depression.
The History Learning Site
BBC Bitesize and the Bitesize Higher site
A short BBC podcast, including extracts from FDR speeches outlining the problems faced by the USA.
A series of resources from the History Channel on the New Deal, including some good video clips.

The Assassination of Alexander II

The assassination of Alexander II (1855- 1881) can be seen as one of the tragic ironies of Russian history. The "Tsar Liberator" was killed by a terrorist bomb attack on the very day on which he had given his approval to political reforms that may have changed the course of Russian history. Instead his death was followed by a period of brutal repression and reaction. Have a look at the Alexander II biography on the Spartacus website for some more detail about his reign and then listen to the In Our Time podcast (you can listen to it here, or download it here) with a series of Russian experts including Orlando Figes as they discuss the impact of the assassination.

The sinking of the Titanic

This year is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, one of the greatest peacetime maritime disasters in history. The White Star passenger liner sank after colliding with an iceberg in the North Atlantic, causing the deaths of over 1,500 of the 2,223 people on board. Passengers included some of the wealthiest and most influential people in the world as well as more humble emigrants seeking a new life in North America. Many of those on board wrote letters to acquaintances or their loved ones as they left Southampton and posted them when the ship called in at Queenstown.


The BBC has now produced a brilliant series of mini podcasts about the letters; they make for a fascinating and emotive insight into life at the start of the 20th Century. Click on the link to have a listen. It is also worth taking a look at the website of the Titanic exhibition in Belfast.

Historical Podcasts

There are an increasing number of excellent historical podcasts available on the Internet. Here is a selection of some of the ones I listen to most frequently. Try them out when you get a little bit of time:
In Our Time: almost like a mini university lecture with a team of experts being quizzed by Melvyn Bragg on a variety of subjects covering History, Philosophy, Science, Religion and Culture.  
Great Lives: A celebrity chooses a person who they believe lived a "Great Life" and discusses it with Matthew Parris and an expert on the subject. A wide range of figures from all aspects of history.  
A History of the World in 100 Objects: A superb podcast that takes 100 different objects and uses them to analyse particular periods in history. Excellent, atmospheric explanation from Director of the British Museum, Neill MacGregor. Check out the webpage too. 
Witness: History as told by people who were there. Some great eye-witness accounts from the Spanish Civil War to 25 Years of the Simpsons.
History Extra: BBC History magazine's excellent bimonthly podcast on the latest historical research.
The Art of Monarchy: A virtual visit to the Royal Collection to understand some of the objects that have defined the history of the British monarchy.  
Making History: A programme that looks at ordinary people's links with the past. 
The House I grew up in: Influential Britons revisit their childhood homes and neighbourhoods. A good one for some social history.  
Things we forgot to remember: Politician Michael Portillo looks at our collective memories from great events and characters of the past.  
Tracing Your Roots: Family History stories and advice on how to trace your family tree.
More or Less: Statistics sound like a dry subject, but this programme tries to cut through the "spin" and get to the truth of the facts and figures that are bandied around so frequently in the media. Interesting and entertaining. 

The Causes of the Second World War

Following up on the previous post, take a few minutes to add your thoughts to the latest Wallwisher I've put up on the blog. This time add your thoughts as to what were the most important causes of the Second World War. Was it the legacy of the Treaty of Versailles, the failure of the League of Nations, US isolation, the policy of appeasement of Hitler's foreign policy? Outline your arguments below and remember you can add an image or a video to support your case.

 

The Second World War

There are probably more books written about the Second World War than about any other topic in History, so it is often difficult to find a new angle on this epic conflict. Journalist and military historian Max Hastings has tried to look at some lesser studied aspects of the war in his new book "All Hell Let Loose: The World at War 1939-45". For a taster of the book, listen to the excellent BBC History Extra podcast that can be heard via this link (just look for the podcast dated Oct 21st to listen or download).

1848 and 2011 - Revolutionary parallels

In 1848, a wave of revolutions engulfed the continent of Europe, apparently signalling the death knell of a string of despotic regimes and heralding the arrival of a new dawn of freedom and liberty. Events didn't quite play out that way in the end as the revolutionary movements ran out of steam and the old order made a comeback in many states. Now in 2011 a string of popular uprisings have spread like wild fire across North Africa and the Middle East triggering the collapse of a series of authoritarian regimes.

Will these revolts follow the same course as in 1848? Will they bring about long lasting changes in the area? Or will the revolutions fail to realise their objectives? How far can we draw parallels between these two periods? Here are a series of links to articles comparing 1848 and 2011.

1. Foreign Affairs.com

2. The Breaking Time

3. Mondediplo

4. History for Everyone

5. Common Dreams



Also have a look at the excellent BBC microsite on the Middle East revolts

The League of Nations in 1920

The League of Nations was set up after the First World War in an attempt to avoid future conflcit by encouraging nations to resolved their differences peacefully. But what obstacles did this new organisation face in its first decade of existence. Look at the Wallwisher and the video and add your own ideas based on your knowledge of the period.

9/11 - The 10th Anniversary

It's the 10th anniversary of 9/11 when nearly 3,000 people died after hijacked airliners were crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. Although it is still too early to judge the full effects of these horrific events, there is little doubt that they changed the world.

The attacks, for which al-Qaeda claimed responsibility, helped spur the USA and her allies into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, led to increased tension between Muslim and non-Muslim worlds, inspired devastating terror attacks in Bali, Madrid, London and Mumbai, prompted governments to restrict their citizens' freedoms, and provided the backdrop for torture and abuse following the abduction or arrest of suspects.

The attacks remain an emotive and controversial subject and arguments continue to rage about the the explanations for them and the ways in which they have shaped the world in which we live. A good place to start examining the subject is through the BBC's pages on the 10th anniversary, while the special coverage from other news organisations such as Al-Jazeera is also worth investigating. There is also an impressive new educational site on 9/11 which has been set up recently.

Napoleon

Here is an entertaining video on Napoleon that raises some interesting questions about his life and career with a nice dose of humour too!

If you want a bit more information about the French leader then you could check out the BBC website profile or try the website run by the Napoleon Foundation

The English Civil War

The English Civil War between King Charles I and Parliament, which broke out in 1642, played a pivotal role in shaping the subsequent development of the British Isles. For a brief introduction into this complex conflict take a look at this Timelines TV video clip. If you want a look at what happened after Charles' execution and during the Cromwellian era, then the next video in the series will give you a preview.