AP: Writing a DBQ

Historical Review: Beloved

In this post, I'm going to be delving into the depths of historical fiction! While it may not be quite as accurate if, say, the book was nonfiction, depending on the writer the books can be very accurate when teaching about a certain era in history. Today's book will be Toni Morrison's classic Beloved, a tale of former slaves yearning to escape their inner demons. (I will admit, I did not enjoy the book, but I loved the post-Civil War era that Morrison chose).

DISCLAIMER: This was originally written for a language arts class. Sorry if it gets a little dense.

It’s not often that I’ll dislike a book involving history. I especially enjoy stories set in the early days of the US, when the wilderness was wild and the people were larger than life; they speak a character to me that I feel has been lost by modern principles in all of their cybernetic glory. That said, I could not bring myself to enjoy the book Beloved. It had everything I could love in a novel: a post-Civil War story involving former slaves being haunted by their past in the form of a lustrous poltergeist; at least three subjects rolled into one book. But no matter how often I scrutinized the tone, diction, and imagery of Toni Morrison’s award-winning “masterpiece”, I just couldn’t see it. I couldn’t see why I was supposed to care for any of the characters at all, and got extremely caught up in Morrison’s attempt to glamorize her own writing with dense descriptions and not-so-subtle allusions. For all intents and purposes, I was just plain bored.

                The problem for me began with the characters themselves. Almost instantly upon opening the first chapter, I had at least seven people thrust upon me with so much fast development that I was re-tracing my steps to see who was related to who by page 15. The novel’s focus on the widowed Sethe and her daughter Denver, and Sethe’s fellow slave-turned-lover John D, almost seems stretched too thin. Because of this, I felt no connection to any of them by the end of the first chapter, and this ended up being a major problem when Morrison tried getting me to play sympathetic. The tone of regret and remorse is also just poured on way too thick, and it made me nervous that the sadness I would feel for Sethe and her years of torture at her plantation and her possessed home would be misplaced (as I found out, it was). The point I’m trying to make here is that it just seems faked; as if the characters are in a bad play and trying their hardest to emote but just can’t do it right. The character of John D was also a thorn in my side for much of the novel, mostly because his mood swings involving his love/hate for Sethe detract from the main message of the author. A message which, for the life of me, I still don’t know.

                But I could forgive all of this, if it wasn’t for Morrison’s writing style. In short, I hate it. In length, it reads like an edgy teenager decided to research about the Civil War, became obsessed with ghosts, and then tried replacing every simple noun with the most outrageous synonym imaginable (with a few f-words and n-words thrown into the mix) without even trying to form a sentence that conveyed realism. Granted, Morrison is an honored author, and I am a lowly English student, but if a student can see through the boring allusions of the book to grasp what little plot exists and still can’t find the purpose, then perhaps the student is not the right audience for such advanced writing. Even such imagery as Sethe’s “tree” (scars retained from the whippings at Sweet Home plantation) is so forced that I felt like I was being spoon-fed a metaphor every two paragraphs. Hell, even the name “Sweet Home” for a plantation is so blatantly a symbol that I laughed when I first read of its existence. I did not laugh at the baby’s name.

                To be quite honest, I haven’t read a book quite like this, nor would I choose to. If I had to compare it, it seems more in line with the filth that is A Separate Peace by John Knowles. Both novels take place historically (Knowles’ in WWII), and involve characters that deal with regret and anger at how life has given them the short end of the stick. The difference, however, is I chose to read Beloved, and even with all of its faults I could at least see development of a coherent story. The names Gene and Finny still haunt my nightmares to this day. So yes, I did not like Toni Morrison’s attempt at a historical novel, mostly due to her writing. Among the red badges and soldier’s hearts, it doesn’t capture the image of the Civil War and all of its aftermath; rather, it focuses too much on sending a message to those living almost a century after it.

So, in the end, while the book has a colorful setting in the post-Civil War society, I would NOT recommend you have your students read this. Unless, of course, you want them to read about a lot of sex.

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

History and Religion: Adhering to Conflicting Views

It always happens in at least one class. When you get to a touchy subject, there will always be that one student whose religion disagrees with whatever you're teaching. Sometimes, the student will not care; they'll absorb and learn the info, but disregard it based on faith (or, if you get a REALLY good student, they'll be open to differing opinions and may change their mind). But many times, the student will take it upon themselves to be their class' "savior": outbursts over your material being wrong, refusal to compromise, threats of civil suit, etc. While usually condensed to science courses, religious arguments are often found in history class. Many find the idea of Abraham basing the Jewish god Yahweh on a Persian god sacrilegious; many Christians will agree. The mere mention of Muhammad having child brides can send an Islamic student over the edge.
What I'm trying to get at is that teaching about history can be tough when it involves religious figures that are still quite popular. Students may have been told from a young age that this is what they believe in, and anything trying to "disprove" it should be met with scorn and denouncement. But there is a way you can teach about religious history without being called a pagan. It only takes Understanding, Compromise, and Education to break through to those who need to learn the material, but refuse to.

Understanding

The point of teaching history is to give your students a full picture of what came before them so they can better prepare for the future. When a student refuses to actively participate in learning about something they disagree with, it can be frustrating for teachers to understand why a student would get so worked up over something. As a personal experience, one of my fellow classmates refused to learn about evolution in Biology because they believed in Creationism. I'm a Christian myself, and I had been fed the Creationist view, but I rejected it because it didn't make sense to me. However, I could understand that the student most likely didn't want to experience their whole belief being brought into question, or didn't want to realize that they themselves didn't believe it. If teachers can come to the understanding that some students don't want to lose their whole faith in one day, then the process of their teaching can continue unabated. In these situations, either let the kid go or figure out a compromise where they can learn about the subject in a way suited to their beliefs.

Compromise

Let's say you and your student have come to an understanding between faith and history. Now it is time to find a common ground where you as a teacher will not upset the student and where the student will respect the material they are given. A lot of people seem to think that only the student's views are affected in situations like this. It's often hard for them to see that the teacher's whole lesson rides on the participation of the class and for them to see that there exists more than one opinion on a subject. They learned all of these things in college, where they spent years refining their craft, and are now teaching it to as many people as possible so we don't enter another Dark Age. To compromise religious views and historical understandings, a compromise from both parties needs to occur. The student could only participate in material that is irrelevant to their religion and then leave the room when it becomes too touchy. The teacher could structure their lessons to avoid saying certain things when the student in question is present that would upset them. While it's never fun to have to bow over to make sure students learn something, at least they're learning. But the best way to go about a compromise is with education on all differing views involved.

Education

Even with compromise and understanding, it's your classroom. Just teach about all of the conflicting viewpoints WITHOUT any pandering opinions. Don't imply that one side is more right than the other, or that one side is very flawed; if you can keep it very neutral, everyone will benefit. The war between faith and fact will never be over, so it's in the best interests of everyone to just teach as much as you can about Abraham, Jesus, and Muhammad. If you and your students can have a professional level of involvement, you shouldn't have a problem with conflicting views.

Religion is a slippery slope. History, however, shouldn't have to slide backwards every time it tries getting over it. With Understanding, Compromise, and Education, you can adhere to all of your students without having to worry about a lawsuit. Just be careful about what you say.

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Quick Tips: Using Your Brain

In history class, we oftentimes have to rely on only one source for a subject: our brain. At the end of the day, this 3 lb mass sitting in our heads is the best way to get that last answer on a test of remember the name of that one king from a long time ago. But many simply choose to guess without thinking on a subject just to get it done. Why?
When all else fails, your brain is there to save you. It can be difficult sometimes to truly find an answer that is correct, but as long as you made the effort to think, you'll be fine. We give our brains too little credit; they can remember quite a lot of things, including history. So how can you use your brain?
Before a test, after the studying is all done, give your brain a good night's rest. Have breakfast in the morning so it's sharp, then get in there and ave your history exam!
Really, that's all. Its not rocket science to know how to you use your brain. But don't rely on it alone! Studying is always the first step for your brain to learn something!

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Lesson Idea: Black Tuesday Game

On October 29th, 1929, the US' stock market crashed, and with it went the rest of the world's economies. Millions and millions of people lost their jobs, their homes, and in some cases, their lives. As the world struggled to come back from the brink, the US particularly had a hard time coming to terms that not everyone could be "self-made", and a deep-seeded distrust of banks and investments was begun that still prevails into 2016. Many historians also point to Black Tuesday as the beginning of Nazi popularity in Germany, due to Adolf Hitler's promises to restore Germany with his Third Reich throughout the early '30s. Once again, a great way to teach about this to your students is with a historical game (I'm obsessed, I know)!
The point of this game is to help students learn about the Roaring '20s and their subsequent fall from grace, which ended up causing much of the conflicts that occurred in the early 20th century. Banks invested without car, alcohol was illegal, and gangs ran wild; all of this was born and died within 10 years. I suggest that as the game progresses, you tell the students of events and central ideas they must connect with this era so they will have a better idea of what it actually was when they're tested over it.

The name of the game is this: you can NOT tell the students what this game entails. The investors on that October day didn't have the foresight to prepare for the crash, and neither can your students. In fact, I'd avoid mentioning the '20s unit at all if you can, just so they can be blindsided better. In place of Black Tuesday, you can call this game "The Investment Game". Here are the rules:

• Students each get $1,000 (preferably in Monopoly money) and are given two ultimatums: they can get an extra $1,000 dollars for not participating in the investments, or put the money into your own stocks to "earn twice as more". Really try to sell the idea of investing!
• Set up your own stocks for the students to invest in. The minimum they can invest is $1, but they can keep putting in as much as they want. You can call them names (like DOW or JFK), but in the end they function like actual stocks. The only difference is that you determine their value from day to day.
• As the students invest, try subliminally favoring those who end up with "smart" investments, so they'll end up investing more. The goal is to get all of their money invested over several stocks.
• Encourage the students to also have others invest for them based on what they consider "safe". These students will unwittingly play the role of the banks.
• After about a week, have your "Black Tuesday". Tank all of the stock values until any students who invested would only get a fraction of what they originally started with.
• As the panic ensues to get any amount of money that's left, offer to buy all of a student's stocks for a minimal fee-nowhere near the original amount-and watch as those who stayed out of the stock market gloat.

After the final rule, the game is over. The students will either be penniless or loathed, and then you can launch into your lesson about the Crash and the Depression. If you could fool them, it'll be a success: the students will now identify with those who also lost money, albeit in the real world. However, I don't take responsibility for making them hate banks.

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Quick Tips: How to Summarize

Teachers will oftentimes require their students to write about a specific era of history. Now, you can show off all you want about your knowledge of history-as you should-but you can't get too carried away in what you're trying to explain. Teachers don't want to read more than they have to, and may become frustrated that they've wasted more time grading your summary than they did for 5 others.
Summarizing isn't very difficult to master; the name itself means "to give a brief statement" about a topic. A summary never usually goes on beyond a paragraph, nor is it shorter than a sentence. In this paragraph, you'll need to tackle basic ideas and concepts you've learned in history class, and most of the time these summaries will resemble AP World Definitions, only longer. Just for fun, I'll summarize the Eighties in around 3 sentences:

The 1980s was a decade of human history that contained both feelings of change and hope for the future and conflict among many of those considered superpowers. Under the leadership of Reagan and Gorbachev, communism as a governing body was ended in Europe towards the end of the decade, and the economies of the world went through a roller coaster of fluctuations as many prepared for the new European Capitalist Renaissance. However, in the Middle East and Asia many conflicts and wars took place, and by the end of the '80s there was a feeling of distrust towards the US due to their action or inaction in them; these feelings still exist to this day.

While it isn't perfect, you can probably see the gist of my summary. I kept it within 3 sentences, mentioned important people and topics (capitalism, communism, wars in the Middle East), and demonstrated an understanding of the era at hand. When you summarize, keep these 3 points in mind. They could either save you from writing to little or from going overboard, much to your teacher's appreciation.

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

AP: Writing Short Answer Responses

In AP US History more than AP World, Short Answer Questions will determine your understanding of history in the moment. With nary a textbook or guide, you will be given a question that will test you on your knowledge of historical events and themes and how you can connect ideas together to form a coherent response. Basically, you need to use your own memory to answer these questions correctly, but it's not as hard as it sounds! What students balk at is the amount of short answer questions on the APUSH test; there are normally 3, broken up into 2 or 3 parts per question. Students are given about 20 minutes to answer all of them, which causes many to begin hyperventilating, and most either putting in minuscule effort or avoiding them entirely. But instead of panicking and giving up on the question, you just need to stay calm, focus, and follow these steps to ensure that you answered them to the best of your ability.

3. Plan Out Your Question

Many students go into the AP tests without a plan of action to follow and help keep them on course for a 5. These students will then come across the short-answer questions and panic, usually resulting with less desired results. But if you look and study the question for 2 minutes, you'll be able to put an answer together in your mind that actually makes sense. Here's an example of a SAQ you would see on the APUSH test:

How did 2 of the following events affect American identity in the 20th century, and how do they compare?

• The Great Depression
•  World War II
• Vietnam

Before anything, analyze the question. You'll discover that it only wants you to compare 2 of the 3 events listed below it, so any you were more vague about can be crossed off. It also requires you to know how the events affected "American identity" and how they compared to each other. In my opinion, I would choose the Depression and 'Nam, as they both caused Americans to become dissuaded by the government and made many question their self-worth in their respective societies. By taking a few minutes to go over the question, you can already begin to have an outline ready, and a basic idea of what you need to write, with enough time left to write a response.

2. Short but Elaborate

Getting ready to write the question can be easy, but actually doing so can be quite challenging. A lot of students believe that writing long responses without going very deep into their subjects suffices for a good statement. They are wrong. The people grading your test can see through responses where the person obviously knew little about their subject, and making it very long will only make it worse. When writing, being quick to the point yet still elaborate enough to answer the question is the way to go. An SAQ should only be about 5 sentences, and in those sentences, you can be as blunt or eloquent as you want. These are based on your knowledge, so I cannot tell you what to write, only what you should follow.

1. Answer ALL Parts

This is something that should be well understood, but isn't. When the question has multiple parts, you don't only answer one part unless specifically instructed to do so. Most SAQs are 3 parts, and you'll lose a lot of points if you only answer one. Pay attention and be prepared to write at least a paragraph per question.

The most important part of SAQs is to not panic. It's just a little writing over things you should already know and understand. You'll be able to get through it if you follow these three steps.

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep