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devry hist410 week 1,2,3 and week 4 discussion

week 1History through the Eyes of the Historian (graded)The American Historical Association defines history as "the never-ending process whereby people seek to understand the past and its meaning." Do you think everyone seeks to understand the past and its meaning? Why is this so important to some people? Elaborate.The First Twentieth Century (graded)Do you agree with Michael Parenti when he says, "Imperialism has been the most powerful force in world history over the last four or five centuries, carving up whole continents while oppressing indigenous peoples and obliterating entire civilizations?" Support your argument, either for or against Parenti's statement, by giving examples of the interaction between Western industrial powers and traditional, non Western societies. Were these contacts essentially positive or negative?week 2The Rise of Totalitarianism (graded)Compare and contrast the two types of totalitarian governments that arose after 1917, that is, communism and fascism. What were the origins of these governments, their accomplishments, and their failures? What accounts for the fact that the masses mobilized to support these movements? Elaborate.Nationalism and the Treaty of Versailles (graded)What were reasons that led to the ultimate failure of the Treaty of Versailles? What were the challenges facing the newly-formed League of Nations, and why was it so difficult to form a lasting agreement that would prevent another war? Elaborate.week 3Dictatorship and Democracy (graded)Compare and contrast the personalities and policies of Hitler and Stalin. How and why was Hitler able to become a dictator in Germany? Elaborate.World War II and the Holocaust (graded)The following statement is taken from a contemporary account of Germany in 1939:“…Though the Fuehrer’s anti-Semitic program furnished the National Socialist party in the first instance with a nucleus and rallying-cry, it was swept into office by two things with which the 'Jewish Problem' did not have the slightest connection. One the one side was economic distress and the revulsion against Versailles; on the other, chicanery and intrigue…Hitler and his party had promised the unhappy Germans a new heaven and a new earth, coupled with the persecution of the Jews. Unfortunately, a new heaven and earth cannot be manufactured to order. But a persecution of the Jews can…”How do you interpret this contemporary account of the persecution of people who are Jewish? Elaborate.week 4The Cold War and the United States (graded)How did the Cold War affect the political and social climate in the United States during the 1950s? In particular, how do you explain McCarthyism and the Red Scare? Can you think of any parallels to these events in today’s society? Elaborate.Struggles for Freedom and Equality (graded)Compare and contrast the goals and the tactics of Dr. Martin Luther King with those of Malcolm X in effecting change in America in the 1960s. Whose tactics were, ultimately, more successful? Elaborate.