Primary Source Investigation #2

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This discussion addresses the following outcome:

Analyze policy options related to Vietnam available to Lyndon Johnson through 1965 (CO#1);

Interpret key primary sources related to situation assessment and policy decisions from 1963-1965 (CO#3).

By 1965, there was a good deal of international disagreement concerning the fate of Vietnam. Chinese and the Soviet leaders preferred any policy that would strengthen North Vietnam and present the greatest long-run chance for Vietnam to be united under a communist government. The French (and much of the rest of the international community) were fearful of the ramifications of an all-out war involving the US in Vietnam. US policymakers believed that a conciliatory approach, such as ones proposed by the French and others, would invariably lead to an advantageous situation for North Vietnam.

For this activity, consider the primary sources among this week’s readings: Tonkin Bay Resolution [PDF File size, 12 KB], Aggression from the North “White Paper” on Vietnam. [PDF File size, 96 KB] France’s Attitude Toward US Policy in Vietnam [PDF File size, 161 KB], and “A Compromise Solution in South Vietnam” Memorandum. [PDF File size, 104 KB]

After reading these primary sources, Chapter 4 in Herring, and listening to/reading the Module 4 Notes Presentation

 (Links to an external site.)

Links to an external site.

, consider the following questions/directives as you craft a post of at least 250 words:

How does the State Department “white paper” depict the situation in Vietnam in 1965?

Why was the US, in effect, wholly against the approach proposed by de Gaulle?

Using the primary sources as well as the other course readings, pretend you are an advisor to the president. Create a list of policy options (what Johnson could have decided to do) available to Johnson in 1965. Then, select the one you believe he should have, in retrospect, taken. Explain why.

The medieval period in history is the period in which monotheist took root against polytheism and pantheism. It was a definite transition period that changed the scope of history and shaped everything from artwork and philosophy to science and fashion.Imagine if that hadn’t happened. Imagine if polytheism and pantheism had remained strong and Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and the other monotheistic religions hadn’t become strong. Choose a country in the world and tell what would be different about that country if monotheism had been just one of many options in religion rather than the dominant religion of the state. Each student must pick a different country. Find out what the native religion of the country was and explain how that might have effected the development of the nation. 

Write at least 20 complete, grammatically correct sentences about this matter

Respond to a classmate’s post after posting your own adding to their picture if you know any other details about the development of their country (3 complete, grammatically correct sentences at least).

student post

If polytheistic religions would have overtaken monotheistic religions, then we would be living in a very different present. Mexico has been a catholic country after the conquistadores found America. Before the conquistadores got to Mexico, the Aztecs and many other tribes occupied the territory that we call today Mexico city. All of these tribes worshiped their own gods like the constellations, the moon, the sun, the rain, etc. They even made animals and human sacrifices to honor their gods. When the conquistadores arrived in Mexico, they saw, not only the thousands of human bodies that were sacrificed, but the culture and mentality that these tribes had. The conquistadores were surprised by how ignorant these tribes could be. They got in exchange tons of gold for mirrors that the conquistadores had. Today, the world knows about the conversion of the tribes through the conquistadores. It was violent and the tribes were forced to convert to Christianity. The wrong method was used by Spain to convert Indians to Catholicism, and even catholic people today recognize it. But, what if the conquistadores never said anything? Would Mexico be having many gods today? I feel like if that would have happened, then not only Mexico but the whole world would be a very different place. Because Mexico is and has always been a catholic country, the culture of today would be very different. Mexico would probably be having many influences from Asia and Africa, instead of having developed a unique culture. Even when Mexico was not as catholic as it is today, La Virgen de Guadalupe appeared to an Indian man named Juan Diego in 1531 and since then, Mexico has developed a culture towards Catholicism. I am Mexican and catholic, and the Mexican culture for me is very unique and friendly to any other culture around the world. There are many religions in Mexico, not just catholic people, but the truth is that it is a very fun country to live in, people never get bored

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  Submit a one-page outline of your proposed term paper. In your outline, identify your thesis and the main arguments you plan to use to demonstrate/support it.

  The written assignment paper formatting requirements are: Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced. Include a title page containing the activity title and your name. Below is the beginning to my paper. 

   

   

  Before the invention of aircraft, people used to fly using balloons and gliders. On December 17, 1903, life changed after Orville and Wilbur Wright came up with the first powered flight. After four years of research, they invented a heavier than an air machine flight which took twelve seconds. Leo Delagrange was their first passenger who rode it from meadow outside Paris in 1908. In order to ensure the safety of the passenger, several laws were put in place which included Federal Aviation Act, which was passed on by the Congress to regulate air traffic through administrative agencies (Hingham, 2003). These laws are meant to govern maintenance of aviation facilities and operations in the sky. The Air Commerce Act is another law that was formed to provide the certification and registration of aircraft in foreign and domestic commerce.

  The transition of aircraft started in 1914 when Glen Curtiss designed a plane that carried little undercarriage and could take off and land on water. This invention was a technological improvement as the plane two hours faster than a boat. Due to the Democratic landslide in an election of 1932, smaller airlines raised issues of being denied airmail contracts by Brown. The Congress, however, gave the complaints a deaf ear as he preferred the contract to be handed over to the Army. This poor decision making led to accidents as the Army pilots were unfamiliar with mail routes. It was until Second World War when Aviation industry picked up.

  According to Sweetman (2002), due to demands of planes from a government, more powerful motors were created with speeds up to 1300 miles per hour. This speed was twice that of pre-war aircraft. American becoming a super power nation made it possible for the creation of larger aircraft. Because of increased accident in the planes, laws were created to protect the passengers. World War focused on making more military aircraft, and this was associated with bombing and aerial dogfights. These associations brought insecurity threats in the commercial aviation, and people fear to travel. Aviation accident law was created to cover air carrier and general aviation accidents. The kind of accidents covered included pilot error, faulty equipment, and negligence by Federal Air Traffic Controllers.

  Airport security protocols have been created to protect the passenger, staffs and aircraft from accidents, threats, malicious harm and crimes. With increased terror attacks, such protocols like having to go through scanners are necessary as the staffs can identify those passengers with malicious motive (Hingham, 2003). Goods which are entering into cargo planes also need to be scanned to determine dangerous goods that could danger the lives of the pilots. In order to reduce the number of accidents in the aircraft, it is reasonable to pass through the airport security protocol as it is expected of us in order to help stop crimes worldwide.

Students, please view the “Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment” in the Student Center. 

Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center. 

Assignment 3: Cultural Activity Report
Due Week 10 and worth 100 points

As a way of experiencing the Humanities beyond your classroom, computer, and textbook, you are asked to do a certain type of “cultural activity” that fits well with our course and then report on your experience.   Your instructor will require you to propose an activity and get instructor approval before you do it and report on it (students should look for any instructions in that respect). Every effort should be made to ensure that this is a hands-on experience (not a virtual one), that this activity fits the HUM 112 class well, and that the activity is of sufficient quality for this university course. The two (2) key types of activities are a museum visit or a performance. Note: This must not be a report on the same activity (and certainly not the same report) as done for another class, like HUM 111. For instance, one might go to the same museum as done for HUM 111, but this HUM 112 report will focus on entirely different works and displays. 

1. Visit a museum or gallery exhibition or attend a theater, dance, or musical performance before the end of Week 10. The activity (museum or performance) should have content that fits our course well. Have fun doing this. 
2. Write a two to three (2-3) page report (500-750 words) that describes your experience.

• • Clearly identify the event location, date attended, the attendees, and your initial reaction upon arriving at the event.
  • Provide specific information and a description of at least two (2) pieces.
  • Provide a summary of the event and describe your overall reaction after attending the event.
  • Use at least the class text as a reference (additional sources are fine, not necessary unless required by your content). Your report should include connections you make between things observed in your activity and things learned in the course and text. 

Note: Submit your cultural activity choice to the instructor for approval before the end of Week 5 (earlier is even better). Look for guidance from the instructor for how or where to make your proposal. You may also seek advice from your instructor (provide your town / state or zip code) for a good activity in your general area. 

Visiting a Museum 

• It makes sense to approach a museum the way a seasoned traveler approaches visiting a city for the first time. Find out what is available to see. In the museum, find out what sort of exhibitions are currently housed in the museum and start with the exhibits that interest you.
• If there is a travelling exhibition, it’s always a good idea to see it while you have the chance. Then, if you have time, you can look at other things in the museum.
• Every effort should be made ahead of time to identify a museum that has items and works one can easily connect to our HUM 112 class and book. Since HUM 112 covers from 1600 AD to the present, it makes more sense to focus on items from this time frame. In general, museums with fine arts work better than history museums. 
• Any questions about whether a museum-visit activity fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the student seeks approval for the activity. Any alternative activity outside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally, we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity. 
• Make notes as you go through the museum and accept any handouts or pamphlets that the museum staff gives you. While you should not quote anything from the printed material when you do your report, the handouts may help to refresh your memory later.
• The quality of your experience is not measured by the amount of time you spend in the galleries or the number of works of art that you actually see. The most rewarding experiences can come from finding two or three (2 or 3) pieces of art or exhibits which intrigue you and then considering those works in leisurely contemplation. Most museums have benches where you can sit and study a particular piece.
• If you are having a difficult time deciding which pieces to write about, ask yourself these questions: (1) If the museum you are visiting suddenly caught fire, which two (2) pieces of art or exhibits would you most want to see saved from the fire? (2) Why would you choose those two (2) particular pieces?  

Attending a Performance

• Check your local colleges to see if there are any free or low-cost performances or student recitals. Student performances are generally of almost the same quality as professional performances, but typically cost much less. However, performances of high school level or lower will not meet this requirement. 
• Try to do a quality performance that fits the class subject matter well. Sorry—but this is not for pop music or rock music, rap, country music, gospel music, comedy routines, your kid’s dance recital, your international friend’s wedding, high school plays, renaissance fairs, etc. Instead, think of college level or professional recitals, string quartets, symphony orchestras, opera, jazz, some stage dramas, etc. 

• Any questions about whether a performance activity fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the student seeks approval for an activity. Any alternative activity outside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally, we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity. 
• Unlike visiting a museum, where you can wear almost anything, people attending performances are often expected to “dress up” a bit.
• Take a pen or pencil with you and accept the program you are offered by the usher; you will probably want to take notes on it during or after the performance.
• Turn off your cell phone before entering the auditorium. Do not use your phone to record the music or to take pictures or videos. To play it safe, turn the phone off. 
• Most long musical performances have at least one (1) intermission. If the lights start blinking, it is the sign that the performance is about to begin. 
• Look for very specific things (such as a particular piece of music or the way certain instruments sounded at a specific time) which tend to stand out as either enjoyable or not enjoyable. Be sure to take notes of the things which you find enjoyable as well as the things which are not enjoyable.  

Note: If a student is unable to attend a cultural event in person due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, then the instructor will recommend an alternate event / activity for the student to “attend” online. The “virtual” event / activity is usually only for students who, due to their physical location, cannot possibly attend an event / activity in person; typically, these students are stationed overseas or have no means of transportation. Experience shows most museums and activities are modest in cost and manageable for students, and you will often see students from other universities there on similar course projects. If you are facing financial hardship, keep in mind that many museums have a free day each week and performance discounts are often available for students and veterans, among others. Feel free to ask your instructor to help with finding low-cost options. If you believe that you have a legitimate reason for attending a “virtual” activity, you must contact the instructor no later than Week 5 for your request to be considered.  

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the Additional Resources section of their Student Center within their course shell for reference)
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context. 
• Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of world cultures.
• Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper writing mechanics

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric here.

We are doing the museum visit