Introduction
In this webquest you'll learn recent American historical events through music.
Task
You'll have to create your own American History timeline and most important facts listening to the greatest hits of the time.
Process
1. THE ROARING 20s
The 1920s represented an era of change and growth. America had become a world power and was no longer considered just another former British colony. American culture, such as books, movies, and Broadway theater, was now being exported to the rest of the world.
Here you are one of the best known songs of the time:
A. Don't you think the lyrics of the song are very optimistic and positive? Don't they make you happy? The Roaring 20s were also known as The Happy 20s or the Jazzhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waxW-R_fFSQ Age, but why? Watch the video and answer the questions: https://www.liveworksheets.com/oy838804ib
B. What do you know about Jazz?
“Man, if you have to ask what it is, you’ll never know.”
Lous Armstrong
01 image. Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five, Chicago, c.late 1920s.
C. Read the quotation, watch the picture and listen to the song “West End Blues” Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five 1928. Search for information about Jazz and create your own concept map using the following:
HEADING: What's Jazz?
BUBBLES: elements, roots, styles, musicians, society, cities, instrumets.
2. GREAT DEPRESSION AND WORLD WAR II, 1929-1945
The prosperity of the 1920s ended with the stock market crash in October 1929 and the great economic depression that followed. The depression threatened people's jobs, savings, and even their homes and farms.
The economic troubles of the 1930s were worldwide. Political chaos gave rise to dictatorial regimes such as Adolf Hitler's in Germany and the military's in Japan. When world war finally broke out in both Europe and Asia, the United States tried to avoid the conflict.
But when Japan attacked the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, the United States found itself in the war. However, mobilizing the economy for world war finally cured the depression since millions of men and women joined the armed forces, and even larger numbers went to work in well-paying defense jobs.
In the 1930s, big bands and swing music were popular. In the 1940s, the bands started to break up, and band singers like Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan went out on their own. War songs became popular.
D. Have a look at the notes on how to create a good article, search for information and write your own article about the 1929 economic crack.
3. THE POST WAR UNITED STATES, 1945-1968.
Overview
When World War II ended, the United States was in better economic condition than any other country in the world. But by 1948, a new form of international tension had emerged--Cold War--between the United States and the Soviet Union.
One of the most well-known artists of all times gained big success along this perios. Yes, we're talking about Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.
E. Now you need to search on his life and answer this worksheet. Now, listen to the song that made him famous and complete the activity.
F. Now that you know a lot about Elvis and what was going on in America while he was alive, try to analyse the folling song: In the Ghetto. What is a ghetto? What ghetto is Elvis talking about in this song? Could it refer to any other ghetto in the world (give examples)?
The Civil Rights Movement
A nationwide movement for equal rights for African Americans and for an end to racial segregation and exclusion arose across the United States. This movement took many forms, and its participants used a wide range of means to make their demands felt, including sit-ins, boycotts, protest marches, etc.
By the end of the 1960s, the civil rights movement had brought about dramatic changes in the law and in public practice, and had secured legal protection of rights and freedoms for African Americans. A few key moments include:
- Brown v. Board of Education: On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,” legally ending racial segregation in public schools.
- Rosa Parks arrested On December 1, 1955, civil rights activist Rosa Parks was arrested when she refused to surrender her seat on a bus to a white passenger. The arrest led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which also saw the rise to prominence of a young Montgomery minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Birmingham campaign In the spring of 1963, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., launched a campaign of sit-ins and marches in Birmingham, Alabama, to protest the city’s brutal segregation policies. Many of the protestors and leaders were jailed, and while behind bars, Dr. King wrote a long public letter that explained his philosophy of non-violent protest. This document, which became known as “The Letter from Birmingham Jail,” went on to be widely republished and regarded as a classic defense of the principles of civil disobedience.
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965: these Acts banned discrimination in public accommodations, public education, and employment, and prohibited race-based restrictions on voting.
G. Aretha Franklin was an American singer, songwriter, actress and pianist. She also spent most of her life campaigning for equal rights for women and Black people, writing songs which became important parts of social change. Watch the documentary and fill in the worksheet:
The times and life of Aretha Franklin
H. As you watch “Aretha Franklin- ABC News Close Up” select one quote from the documentary that resonates with you. It can be about Aretha Franklin, Gospel music, the recording process, or any other aspect of the film. Use the remaining space to take notes as you watch the film.
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I. Now listen to one of her most famous songs and fill in the gaps. Did you like it? Let's see why she sang that song.
J. Search on the net and find out one American singer of the time who also fought for Women's Rights. Record a peace of news (report) in which you include a short biography, most famous songs and a song in which he/she defended women's rights.
4. THE HIPPIE MOVEMENT
On March 8, 1965, U.S. Marines landed on beaches of Da Nang, marking the first official engagement of American troops in the Vietnam War. Over the next several years, hundreds of thousands of Americans joined in mass protests across the country, repulsed and outraged by the terrible bloodshed taking place in Vietnam.
They displayed the peace symbol on many things to show they opposed the war and supported world peace. And hippies began giving the peace sign, one way still used today to indicate a desire for peace.
Some of the concerns we have today about taking care of our environment began with the hippies. Many hippies wore flowers in their hair to emphasize their love of nature, described in a popular song of the time. This led to the popular phrase “flower power."
The hippies also expressed themselves through new kinds of music. They listened to psychedelic rock 'n' roll and folk music that protested the war and encouraged freedom from conformity. They held music festivals and large gatherings where they protested the war.
K. The Doors are considered to be the precursors of psychedelic rock 'n' roll. Click on the link and do the worksheet.
5. THE 80S. POLITICS, MOVIES, TV AND AIDS CRISIS
The 1980s, often remembered for its materialism and consumerism, also saw the rise of the "yuppie," an explosion of blockbuster movies and the emergence of cable networks like CNN and MTV, which introduced the music video and launched the careers of many iconic artists. The AIDS crisis of the 1980s would go on to kill more than 700,000 people in the United States alone.
POLITICS
By early 1982, the United States was experiencing its worst recession since the Great Depression. Nine million people were unemployed in November of that year. Many also overlooked the fact that Reagan’s policies created record budget deficits: During his eight years in office, the federal government accumulated more debt than it had in its entire history.
MOVIES
The decade was also the era when blockbusters dominated: Movies like “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," “Beverly Hills Cop” and mammoth franchises like the Indiana Jones, Back to the Future and Star Wars series appealed to moviegoers of all ages, making hundreds of millions of dollars in domestic and international releases.
TV
In 1980, the Cable News Network first aired, and soon CNN became a major player in delivering U.S. and international news via satellite worldwide, 24 hours a day. One year later, another revolutionary cable network, MTV, made its debut and completely changed the way Americans thought about music, dance and fashion.
AIDS
Within a few years, an alarmed public learned about the spread of a deadly infectious disease now known as AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluids. The disease spread rapidly, with at least 100,000 U.S. cases and an estimated 400,000 AIDS cases worldwide by the end of the 1980s.
MUSIC
The music videos MTV played made stars out of bands like Duran Duran, R.E.M. and Culture Club and megastars out of artists like Madonna, Prince, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, whose elaborate "Thriller" video helped sell 600,000 albums in the five days after its first broadcast.
Hard rock acts such as Metallica and Guns N’ Roses captured the sense of malaise among young people, particularly young men. The 1980s also saw the growing popularity of electronic music, house music, reggae, new wave and other dance-club favorites.
L. Turn to the following worksheet and find out more about Michael Jackson's life. Now, download the first two pages of this activity and hand it in to your teacher.
6. US IN THE 90S
The 1990s is often remembered as a decade of relative peace and prosperity: The Soviet Union fell, ending the decades-long Cold War, and the rise of the Internet ushered in a radical new era of communication, business and entertainment. However, the decade was not without violence and tragedy, including the Bosnian genocide, the Rodney King beating and subsequent L.A. Riots, and the bombing of the World Trade Center. The Columbine High School shooting marked a solemn chapter in gun violence, Yet the attitudes of Americans toward guns remained ambivalent. The percentage of U.S. households owning guns increased while membership in the National Rifle Association (NRA) declined.
M. Let's see what was going on with music: https://teachrock.org/lesson/the-emergence-of-grunge/
Evaluation
All the tasks proposed will be marked according to your marking criteria. Remember: reading 25%, writing 25%, listening 15%, speaking 15%.