Making Historical Connections

Making Historical Connections

Tying historic events into modern concerns.

     Something I've mentioned which could potentially help make history be more interesting and engaging in the classroom is making it relevant.  By this I mean that a teacher can take a historic event, period, theme or other category of study and tie it in with current events.  Comparing these things might help shed some new light on topics which might be considered boring if not treated properly.  With that said I figured I'd share an inspiration I had recently, one which might be more controversial than we'd normally be comfortable considering.  This might end up being a series over the course of my teaching, but I don't know if it'll be added to regularly at this time. Let's dive in!

Today's Historic Period and Connections

     One of the big topics in international news these days is the situation in the middle east, specifically with ISIS.  That's already a controversial topic, but controversy creates interest and interest can lead to engagement.  Something characteristic of this whole debacle is that foreign fighters traveling to Syria and Iraq to join one of the factions currently fighting.  Many of these foreigners are young people, which could offer another connection for students.  Or at least maybe make the topic more something they could relate to.  What's this got to do with history?

The Crusades had some striking similarities to the current situation in the middle east.

     Enter the other controversial side of this inspiration: the middle ages, specifically the Crusades.  Don't get me wrong, the Crusades were an incredibly messy period in world history.  Also very confusing with the amount of political maneuvering that occurred during the period.  Having read a good deal about it recently I realized that there are connections to be made between this mess and the current one.  Specifically that we have in both cases: young people leaving their homes, sometimes thousands of miles away, to join a non-governmental fighting force in the same region.  Groups that operate with religious motivation of a bent that strays from mainstream interpretations.

Conclusions

     Establishing the connections is one thing, figuring out how to utilize them is another thing.  At the moment this is more of a general inspiration rather than a solid unit plan, project or even a singular lesson.  This would be more likely to be something to be discussed with older students - high school would seem to be a more appropriate fit than middle school.  The best idea I have regarding this so far would be to connect the connections with a Common Core standard appropriate for the level it's being taught at.  Raising the spectre of the Crusades is a very touchy subject and it won't work in all situations.  Yet it's also an important period of history that has connections to what's happening in our world today.  How do you think this kind of content could work?  Would it work?  Questions, comments and ideas are all welcome as always.