Daniel Aaron Lazar » USH: World War One

Pro-Con Primary Source Documents: U.S. Intervention in WWI

Dan Lazar — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:57:42 +0000

Five Primary Sources For and Against U.S. Intervention in WWI

Arthur S. Link on Wilson’s Vision

Dan Lazar — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:32:50 +0000

Woodrow Wilson’s perspective on the League of Nations and the American debate over it is developed by Arthur S. Link of Princeton University in the first essay. A prominent Wilson biographer, Link explains the politics of the question and lauds Wilson as a prophet.

Read it here

Making “Peace”

Dan Lazar — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:11:41 +0000

Read the documents carefully and respond to the prompts given:

Versailles, 14 Points and Paris Peace Conference

Excerpts from the Treaty

Chapter One of the Report of the Commission to Determine War Guilt, 6 May 1919

Response Sheet for 3 Documents

The German Menace?

Dan Lazar — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:04:48 +0000

Part One: Develop an Argument

For those of you assigned to do so, post an argumentative essay which addresses a central question of the origins of World War One:

To what extent was Germany to blame for the outbreak of World War One?

Follow the following directions:

make sure that your name is in the post
make sure that you have a title that clearly indicates your position on the issue (e.g. “Shame on Germany” or “Germany: Not Innocent but Not the Primary Cause”)
one-page, single-spaced
Demonstrate a clear stance using a thesis statement that is specific, complex and refutable.
use and cite 2-3 scholarly sources toÂ support your argument (I just installed a proxy detector on my website to catch plagiarism. Be honest–if you use a source, cite it
Post your essay in the “comments” link below

Part Two: Defend Your Argument

When the essays are posted, you will have a couple of days to write a refutation of your classmates’ arguments.
Demonstrate that you have read 3-5 student essays that take a stance in opposition to yours
Address the authors with whom you do not agree by name (refer to specific authors)
You must disagree with them in a scholarly manner. Be diplomatic Do not get personal.

The Inevitable Great War?

Dan Lazar — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:01:23 +0000

Part One: Develop an Argument

For those of you assigned to do so, post an argumentative essay which addresses a central question of the origins of World War One:

Given the potentially lethal combination of long-term historical forces, was World War One inevitable?

Follow the following directions:

make sure that your name is in the post
make sure that you have a title that clearly indicates your position on the issue (e.g. “The Inevitable War” or “A War of Choice”)
one-page, single-spaced
Demonstrate a clear stance using a thesis statement that is specific, complex and refutable.
use and cite 2-3 scholarly sources to support your argument. Be honest–if you use a source, cite it
Post your essay in the “comments” link below

Part Two: Defend Your Argument

When the essays are posted, you will have a couple of days to write a refutation of your classmates’ arguments.
Demonstrate that you have read 3-5 student essays that take a stance in opposition to yours
Address the authors with whom you do not agree by name (refer to specific authors)
You must disagree with them in a scholarly manner. Be diplomatic Do not get personal.