China's one-child policy

Here you have some links and short videos to learn more about China's one-child policy and why the Chinese government decided to abandon it last year: -These three links explain why the Chinese government decided to intervene in order to reduce birth rate in China and the results of this anti-natalist policy:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/population/managing_population_rev3.shtml

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-34667551

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/11/151113-datapoints-china-one-child-policy/ 


 - This video explains 10 important key data about China's one-child policy:

   

 - A short explanation of why China left the one-child policy in October 2015:

 

 - These two videos focus on the consequences of the anti-natalist policy over ordinary people. ageing population, only children and secret children with no rights:

 

Pro-natalist and anti-natalist policies

Here you have a short video made by some foreign students that summarizes demographic policies:

 

Countries with the highest and lowest birth rate

Here you have some short videos to learn about the countries with the highest and lowest birth rate in the world:

Some videos about world population and its future

These videos explain very interesting facts about world population growth. If you watch them, you will quickly understand that the main demographic problem in the world is IMBALANCE: 

 

Some videos about the Demographic Transition model

Here you have some easy videos to review the contents about the Demographic Transition model. There is a song too!

And this is the song. Click on the image to be redirected to the link on Youtube (the author doesn't allow the embedding of the video in other websites: 

If 100 people lived on Earth...

Have a look on this video to understand the differences and unequal distribution of resources and possibilities in world population:

Some music videos about the independence of the USA

Here you have some musical videos that explain the USA independence process:

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR

- From Schoolhouse Rock, No More King!: 

USA CONSTITUTION

This song explains the Preamble of the Constitution:

Another song about the Preamble, called We The People:

A rap that explains the content of the Constitution:

 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION 

- A school version of Taylor Swift's song Shake it off that explains the Bill of Rights: 

The Bill of Rights in hip hop style:

The Bill of Rights rap:

- Another very funny school project from McAlpine Elementary School in Charlotte Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA:

This is another song by another crazy history teacher, which explains why the Bill of Rights was included in the Constitution:

The 27 amendments to the USA Constitution.

National Episodes project

Cartoon by Moya representing writer Benito Pérez Galdós writing the National Episodes, 

Madrid Cómico 1898

Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Caricatura_de_Gald%C3%B3s_en_Madrid_C%C3%B3mico_ca.1898.JPG/800px-Caricatura_de_Gald%C3%B3s_en_Madrid_C%C3%B3mico_ca.1898.JPG

As you know, this year we are going to study Spain's history using a family saga, as a homage to Galdós' National Episodes. The story will start in the 18th century and will continue until present day. There will be different chapters for every historical period and you will have to adopt the personality of a person who lives every historical moment and write about your life and how the historical events affect you and the rest of the ordinary people.  The final version will have to be as an old book and include drawings or images related to what you write in every chapter.

Here you have the instructions for the first four chapters and some links to complete the information of the notes:

CHAPTER 1

This story starts at the beginning of the 18^th century and you are working as a servant in the Royal Alcázar of Madrid. You started working there in the last years of Charles II’s life. And now a new dynasty has arrived and things are changing. You have to explain your life in the palace and how the different historical events of the period affect people’s lives. In the first chapter you should include the following contents:

•           The arrival of Philip V to the court, his personality, hobbies, family life…
•           War of Spanish Succession and Treaty of Utrecht
•          Reforms introduced by Philip V
•           Philip V’s abdication in 1724 and his return to the throne
•           The fire in the Alcázar in 1734 and the moving of the court to the Buen Retiro Palace, uring the construction of the Royal Palace
•           Philip V’s death and Ferdinand VI’s reign and reforms.

This chapter should end with Ferdinand VI’s death in 1759 and the arrival of the new monarch, Charles III.

You don’t have to copy the notes, but invent situations that allow you to explain these contents, being part of them. You have to include information about your family, your everyday life, feelings… Remember that you are a member of the Third Estate and you know how to write because someone taught you (invent who). One of your children, who started working in a coffee shop, is going to be the protagonist of Chapter 2.

Links:

http://madmonarchs.guusbeltman.nl/madmonarchs/philip5/philip5_bio.htm

http://madmonarchs.guusbeltman.nl/madmonarchs/ferdinand6/ferdinand6_bio.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buen_Retiro_Palace

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Alcazar_of_Madrid

http://elpais.com/diario/2006/10/09/madrid/1160393067_850215.html

CHAPTER 2

Your father/mother passed away and you’ve decided to continue to write the story of your family. You live in the 2nd half of the 18th century, during Charles III’s reign.  You work in a coffee shop and many members of the bourgeoisie go there and talk about the main political events in the court. In this chapter you have to include the following contents:

•           Charles III’s arrival from Naples
•           Inauguration of the Royal Palace
•           Charles III as an enlightened monarch
•           The Esquilache Riots and their consequences (you have to participate in the riots)
•           Reforms made during Charles III’s reign. 

     You have to serve drinks in a meeting of an Economic Society of the Friends of the Country to explain what they did there.  One of your children has to participate in the colonization of Sierra Morena. Another is going to  find a job as an apprentice in the Royal Tapestry Factory, where he is meeting Goya, the painter (Goya worked there from 1775 to 1792).

This chapter should end with Charles III’s death and Charles IV assuming power.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_III_of_Spain

http://www.madridtourist.info/royal_palace.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esquilache_Riots

http://todayinsocialsciences.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/charles-iiis-colonies-in-andalusia.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociedad_Econ%C3%B3mica_de_los_Amigos_del_Pa%C3%ADs

http://www.realfabricadetapices.com/#/eng/history

CHAPTER 3

You are the boy who met Goya in the Royal Tapestry Factory. He hired you as his assistant and you have decided to continue your family saga. Goya is working for the court and you always go with him to help him with his paints, canvas…, so you have the possibility of getting a lot of information about what’s happening in the government and in the country. This chapter has to include the following events:

•    Charles IV’s personality and his ministers
•    The reception of the news of the French Revolution and Godoy’s decisions
•    El Escorial Conspiracy
•    Signature of the Treaty of Fontainebleau
•    Mutiny of Aranjuez
•    Beginning of the Peninsular War
•     Abdications of Bayonne

Before this chapter ends you have to receive a letter from your brother in Andalusia, who explains you that he’s a councillor in his village and they are preparing to resist the French.

Links: 

http://www.biography.com/people/charles-iv-of-spain-21389243#early-years

http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/g/godoy.htm

http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/f/fernando_vii.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdications_of_Bayonne

CHAPTER 4

This chapter is going to be an exchange of letters between the man in Madrid -who still works for Goya- and the man in Andalusia:

-          - The man in Madrid’ writings are dealing with Joseph I’s court, the Francophiles and The Disasters of the War, the series of etchings Goya painted in this period. This person, influenced by Goya, has got liberal ideas.

-         -  The man in Andalusia is going to focus on the war, the guerrilla and the news about what is happening in Cádiz (Cortes and Constitution). This person has got absolutist ideas and doesn’t like the reforms made in Cádiz.

You have to write at least 2 letters per person. Don’t forget to include personal information about your family…

This chapter is going to end with Ferdinand VII’s comeback. The man in Madrid is afraid of what might happen to Goya and him. The man in Andalusia is happy.

Links: 

http://www.peninsularwar.org/penwar_e.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470451/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Disasters_of_War

http://goya.unizar.es/InfoGoya/Work/Desastres.html

http://www.nationalgeographic.com.es/historia/grandes-reportajes/viva-la-pepa-1812-las-cortes-de-cadiz-y-la-primera-constitucion-espanola_10223

The deadline for the first two chapters finished will be the 22nd November and the deadline for chapters 3 and 4  will be the 20th January. 

Presentation for Unit 2: Demography

This is the presentation we are going to use to learn the contents about population:

Presentations to study the 18th century

These are the three presentations we'll use to study the 19th century. The first one includes the general information about the Ancien Régime, the Enlightenment and the independence of the USA. The second presentation includes the contents referred to Spain and the last one includes art.

Art in the 18th century de papefons Fons

Some information about the USA political parties and electoral system

Here you have some answers to the questions you asked about the USA political parties and electoral system: 

- Here you have the explanation to the symbols of the Democratic and Republican party:

 Source: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ist/?next=/arts-culture/political-animals-republican-elephants-and-democratic-donkeys-89241754/

The donkey started being used by the Democrats in the 19th century. During the presidential campaign of that year Democrat candidate Andrew JAckson was called a jackass (a donkey) by his opponents and he decided to adopt this animal for his campaign. Later cartoonist Thomas Nast popularized the symbol.

Thomas Nast was also the inventor of the elephant that became the symbol of the Republican Party. In 1874 he drew a cartoon inwhich the Democrats' donkey appeared as clothed in lion's skin, scaring all the other animals. There was an elephant labelled as "The Republican Vote" and from then on the elephant was associated with the Republican Party.

Here you have Nast's cartoon in Harper's Weekly:

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-the-parties-got-their-animal-symbols/

Democrats today say that the donkey is smart and brave, while Republicans say that the elephant is strong and dignified.

Here you have some more information about this topic: 

http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/how-did-the-republican-and-democratic-parties-get-their-animal-symbols

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0881985.html

- The colours associated to every party date back from year 2000 and it comes from the colours the TV channels used to represent the states every party won. . Red is associated to the Republican Party and blue to the Democratic Party. This is the opposite to the use of these colours in Europe, where red colour is associated to leftist parties and blue colour is associated to the conservative- rightist parties. Curiously, before 2000 several channels used red for the Democrats and blue for the Republicans, as we do in Europe.

Here you have two more links about this topic:

http://www.vox.com/2016/9/15/12926618/why-red-means-republican-and-blue-means-democrat

http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/6/3609534/republicans-red-democrats-blue-why-election

- This video explains why they vote on Tuesday. There is a campaign to move the voting day to a holiday, so that more people can vote:

- This is a video that explains the process of primary elections, where the USA citizens elect the candidates of each party:

- This video explains all the process to run for the presidential elections:

 - Here you have some short videos that explain the peculiar electoral system of the USA, with the importance of the electoral college:

More interactive games to review physical geography of Spain

Here you have some more games to review different parts of Unit 1. With these games you can learn/ review Spain's main peaks, national parks, the features of its coasts and rivers and review concepts you will need for the climate graph analysis. Click on the images below to be redirected to the games: 

Some videos to learn about the Enlightenment

These two videos  summarize the main features of Enlightenment and the main ideas of its most significant thinkers:

Video about the scientific revolution

This is a short video with drawings to understand the Scientific Revolution and the changes that took place in the 18th century with the Age of Reason. Pay special attention to this kind of video, because one of our firther projects will be something similar:

More Hispanic Baroque paintings

These are some more videos about the paintings the students have explained today:

Christ in the House of Mary and Martha, explained by Cristina:

And two links to learn more about the painting:

http://www.diego-velazquez.org/christ-in-the-house-of-martha-and-mary.jsp

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/diego-velazquez-christ-in-the-house-of-martha-and-mary

 The Waterseller of Seville, which was explained by Ana:

 

The Surrender of Breda, which was explained by Laura Ortiz:

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The Meninas, explained by Marcos:

 

 The Drunks, explained by Natalia:

 

The Forge of Vulcan, explained by Paula: 

And here you have some links for the rest of the paintings we analyzed:

The Martyrdom of Saint Philip (José de Ribera)


https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-martyrdom-of-saint-philip/a221ea0e-d38c-4018-be83-af9119458701


The Holy Family with a Little Bird (Murillo):

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-holy-family-with-a-little-bird/8008380e-fef5-48b4-8caf-d78b810fb62c

The Martyrdom of Saint Serapion (Zurbarán):

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/monarchy-enlightenment/baroque-art1/spain/a/zurbarn-the-martyrdom-of-saint-serapion

Old Woman Cooking Eggs (Velázquez):

http://www.artble.com/artists/diego_velazquez/paintings/an_old_woman_cooking_eggs

The Jester Sebastián de Morra (Velázquez):

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-buffoon-el-primo/cc7a8493-e2ff-4d33-a0d0-91d7dc210d5a

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_Sebasti%C3%A1n_de_Morra

Christ on the Cross (Velázquez):  :

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-crucified-christ/72cbb57e-f622-4531-9b25-27ff0a9559d7

The Toilet of Venus (Velázquez): :

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/diego-velazquez-the-toilet-of-venus-the-rokeby-venus

Pope Innocent X (Velázquez): :

http://www.artble.com/artists/diego_velazquez/paintings/portrait_of_pope_innocent_x

The Spinners (Velázquez):  :

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-spinners-or-the-fable-of-arachne/3d8e510d-2acf-4efb-af0c-8ffd665acd8d

http://www.artble.com/artists/diego_velazquez/paintings/las_hilanderas

Some more games to review physical geography

As usual, click on the images to play the games and review:

- This one is to review concepts related to geographic coordinates:

- Here you have another game to review the basic types of maps: 

- And the last one is to review all the concepts related to bodies of water: