Conflict

=Conflict=

Reading
Throughout the history of the United States, we struggled through many conflicts that eventually led to an outbreak of war, both on our own as well as on foreign soil. It is important to understand the cause and effect relationships of each conflict to better understand current conflicts in our present time. Is what we are going through today related to events in our past? What can we do to work through conflicts so they do not become physical altercations? Download the charts below to your H:drive, depending on US I or US II class, and work through the assignment, completing research online.





Watching
What is Conflict?

This peace education video was created by European Peace Univerity Students in the Fall Term of 2008. Based on the World Cafè methodology, this video brainstorm session starts from the question: 'What is conflict?' and expands from there! This video is intended to give an introductory insight into the complexities of peace and conflict, and use creative film media and the internet to give more people access to these concepts and tools of peace education. The hope was that this experimental methodology would provide a dynamic, entertaining and simplified means of educating on these complex topics, and a mind mapping tool for those wishing to delve further into what Peace and Conflict Studies is all about.

The video moves very fast, so you may need to watch it multiple times to get the full gist of what they are saying. media type="custom" key="10436092"

Learning
Taking your new knowledge of the history of conflicts in the United States and comparing it to the video on conflict, write a blog about conflict overall. Use the following questions as a guide in your writing.


 * 1) In your opinion, what is conflict?
 * 2) What causes conflict?
 * 3) Is conflict always negative?
 * 4) Are there times when conflict is necessary?
 * 5) What are strategies that can override conflict or work past it?
 * 6) What can we learn from historical conflicts to help us work through current US conflicts?
 * 7) How has conflict impacted your life?

Remember to follow our guidelines for netiquette, refer back to the reading and watching assignment in your reflection and create hyperlinks.

Doing
Go to http://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/battlelines/index_good.html. This online exhibition of letters and audio, created by the Gilder Lehrman Institute and the Legacy Project, features correspondence from over 200 years of American conflicts, ranging from the Revolution to the war in Iraq. This exhibition uses the words of famous generals and lesser-known troops, as well as parents, sweethearts, and children, to explore such themes as leaving home, life in the military, the pride and worries of those left behind, and ultimate sacrifice.

Select **one letter from each category**: Enlisting, Comforts of Home, Love, Combat,and End of War from the time period that corresponds with US I or US II. Create a blog and in your blog link to each letter you chose to read. Write a paragraph summary of each letter read, be sure to highlight the conflict being waged and the personal experiences of war. At the end of the blog reflect on how conflict affects people's lives on both the home front and on the war front. Make sure to highlight similarities across the themes and time periods of the letters you read. Please use specific references from the letters.

//Extension: Extra Credit// Visit someone who is back from the war or the family of someone fighting in the war and interview their experience of this current conflict. Get permission to record the interview and publish it before you start the interview. You can take a video or audio recording of the interview and make a presentation from the recording. Once you have created your presentation, post a new blog either embedding your presentation or hyperlink to it. Make sure to include a thank you to your interview subjects on your blog post so they get the recognition they deserve.