Americanists....worldwide!

From Lugano to La Jolla....what a remarkable amalgam of ideas, insights, and perspectives. Welcome to this site. Mr. Izsa (TASIS) and Mrs. Shaul (LJCDS) invite you to join us in our conversations about the history and the realities of America's history and culture--from a decidedly international perspective.

Each month a new series of questions will be posted here by Mr. Izsa and Mrs. Shaul. Please click on the blog posts and write in your comments for the questions below, per your teacher's instructions.

Please make certain that entries are thoughtfully written (check for typos and grammatical faux pas), as erudite as you can make them, and appropriately worded for a school-related activity (note: students from other parts of the world may not share your same philosophies or your same sense of humor, so please be mindful of our differences).

With every blog session assigned, one or two can be direct responses to the questions, but at least one MUST respond directly to the students who have already written posts, answering one thread per question (more is welcome, this is the minimum requirement).Be specific. Explain why you might agree or disagree with their (his/her) opinions. Feel free to "debate" or "discuss" with your international counterpart. Make sure we can identify you with your name so you can receive credit for your contributions.


Monday, November 24, 2014

November question #1: LAND


A core component of any study of 19th century American history focuses on land:  how America acquired it,  how America solidified its borders, and how land--and migration--are reflections of both the American Dream and the impending destruction of the Native American way of life.  In today's political climate, the addition of casinos to many reservations has become a main source of income for the tribes on government-assigned reservations.  Considering the relationship between the voters and the tribes (with respect to the casinos) and/or the realities of American involvement in countries worldwide, do you think this notion of Manifest Destiny exists today?  In what way?  Why or why not?



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November question #2: Supreme Court

This year the Supreme Court made some powerful decisions regarding the Defense of Marriage Act.  In your studies, you have examined the Supreme Court cases that shaped the early decades of the court's existence.  Consider a series of Supreme Court decisions (from your own research, from your studies, or from the newspaper).  Do you feel like the court's inclinations have changed?  How so (or why not)?  Choose a court case that you think would have been decided differently in another age.
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November question #3: Mid-Term Elections and Looking Forward to 2016


Consider the election results from earlier in the month in the United States.  How does this election set up the country for the 2016 Presidential election?  What hypotheses can you make about the outcome of that next election?  Why?
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