March 10-March 14 Lesson Plan Roundup

This week, continuing on a theme we started last week in response to the current Ukrainian crisis, we here at passports have been working on lesson plans relating to Eastern and Southeastern Europe, a region with a long, fascinating and often troubled history.

Byzantine Istanbul (330-1453 CE) - Constantinople: the New Rome

Through the investigation of selected primary and secondary sources, students in this lesson will identify, understand and be able to explain why Constantine the Great chose to relocate the Roman capital to Byzantium, how the city preserved and expanded Greco-Roman philosophy and scholarship after the fall of Rome in the 5th century CE, and why, after over 1000 years as a center of Christianity, Constantinople fell to the sultan’s forces in 1453.

Byzantine Istanbul (330-1453 CE) - Constantinople: Hagia Sophia

Through the investigation of selected primary and secondary sources, students in this lesson will identify, understand and be able to explain the importance of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, how and why it was constructed, why it was converted from a church to a mosque by the Ottomans in 1453, how its design inspired later western architects and why the great building is seen today as a cultural masterpiece.

Byzantine Istanbul (330-1453 CE) - Fall of Constantinople 1453

Through the investigation of selected primary and secondary sources, students in this lesson will identify, understand and be able to compare and contrast in detail how different Christian and Muslim accounts saw the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, and then by judging the historical and cultural context of the sources, students will be able to assess the validity of the different versions of the story. As a follow-up, students should be able to use the knowledge gained from this lesson plan to assess and explain Winston Churchill’s assertion that history is written by the victors.

Byzantine Istanbul (330-1453 CE) - Great Schism of 1054

Through the investigation of selected sources, students in this lesson will identify, understand and be able to explain in detail the Great Schism of 1054 that split the Christian Church into Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, what different theological and political issues caused the rift, and what attempts have been made to reconcile those differences.

Scientific Revolution (16th/17th Century) - Heliocentric Model

Through the investigation of selected primary and secondary sources, students in this lesson will identify, understand and be able to explain the basics of the Copernican or Heliocentric model of the universe, how Galileo picked up the idea and expanded upon it, and how helio-centrism challenged the established scientific and religious authorities of the time.

Great War (1914-1918) - Austrian Ultimatum to Serbia 1914

Through an analysis of primary and secondary sources, including a full text reading of the Austrian Ultimatum to Serbia 1914 and the official Serbian response, students in this lesson will identify, understand and be able to explain the main provisions of the Austrian ultimatum, the major points of Serbia’s response, and how Austria’s hard-line stance against Serbia during the July Crisis of 1914 set in motion the series of events that led to the opening of the Great War.