A Big Weekend!

Hello! In ND, two presidential candidates dropped in for a little visit last weekend. They spoke at the Democratic Convention about their platforms and their goals for the White House, should they win the election.

Discussion Questions:

What is the purpose of campaigning in a small state that typically votes Republican in the presidential election?

What do you think Obama and Clinton are hoping to gain by campaigning here?

What benefits would there be for McCain if he chooses to make a campaign stop in North Dakota.

"A Treasury of Great American Scandals"

During political campaign season, scandal seems to be a common denominator that wreaks havoc on candidates, causes headaches for campaign staff and leads to much head-scratching and questions for supporters and adversaries alike. In the last few weeks, a few major scandals (Former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer, the Reverend of Barack Obama's church, etc.) have raised red flags for voters.

We are familiar with scandals from the last 20 years. Think White Water, Monica Lewinsky, Watergate, Iran-Contra. However, they have been part of the political arena for some time. There is a great book "A Treasury of Great American Scandals" by Michael Farquhar. It sure makes our times seem tame!

Assignment:

1) Use the internet to look up famous political scandals from 1776 - 1970. See what you come up with. There are some doozies out there!

2) Discuss with an adult (parent, guardian, older sibling, grandparent) the following points:
- What do you remember about any scandals from your generation.
- Did the scandal affect your perception of the officer in question? How?
- Do you think scandal is beneficial to the political process?

Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month. Check out some of the links below!

• Women in sports Timeline

• Women in Science Timeline

• Women of the Civil War Era

• Women during World War II

• National Women's Hall of Fame

Discussion Questions:

1) Ask your parents, grandparents or relatives about famous women they remember. Why are these women memorable?

2) Ask your parents, grandparents or other adults about the women who most influenced them.

3) Write a paragraph or two about the most important women in your life. Answer the question: Why they made a difference.

Negative Campaigns

Today in the news there were allegations that a negative ad by Hillary Clinton had darkened Obama's skin. Research and analysis of the ad showed that the entire ad was darker toned, not just Obama's skin color. What is the purpose of such allegations during a campaign year?

Discussion Question:

How do negative campaigns affect voters opinions of candidates? Do you think they play a role in how citizens vote?


Activity:

Log on to a news website (i.e. cnn.com, foxnews.com, msnbc.com, etc.). Find an article discussing negative campaigning by either Democrats or Republicans.

Primaries

Last night, primaries were held in VT, RI, OH, and TX. As a result of the primaries, Senator John McCain (AZ) secured the Republican nomination for President.

Senator Hillary Clinton (NY) won in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island. Senator Barack Obama (IL) won Vermont. It was (and still is) a heated race.

Discussion Questions:

1) What positive aspects would John McCain bring to the presidency? Negatives?
2) What positive aspects would Hillary Clinton bring to the presidency? Negatives?
3) What positive aspects would Barack Obama bring to the presidency? Negatives?
4) There are a lot of questions about how the Texas contest ran, with primaries and caucuses held the same day. Research this issue. What are some potential problems with this?

This Week in History

1791 - Pres Washington calls the US Senate into its 1st special session
1801 - 1st president inaugurated in Washington DC (Thomas Jefferson)
1807 - Congress bans slave trade effective January 1, 1808
1836 - Republic of Texas declares independence from Mexico
1861 - Confederate States adopt "Stars & Bars" flag
1861 - Lincoln's inaugurated as 16th president
1867 - Congress created the Department of Education
1927 - Babe Ruth becomes highest paid baseball player ($70,000 per year)
1933 - FDR inaugurated, pledges to pull US out of Depression & says "We have nothing to fear but fear itself"
1944 - 1st US bombing of Berlin
1946 - Ho Chi Minh elected president of North Vietnam
1965 - "Sound Of Music" opens
1966 - John Lennon says "We (the Beatles) are more popular than Jesus."

Welcome to Social Studies Central!

Here you will find information such as:
- This week in history
- Interesting news stories
- Discussion topics

This blog has a few purposes:

1. Provide a forum for students to check in, learn about, and research social studies.
2. Provide discussion questions so parents can talk to their child about social studies.
3. Provide links for students to further explore topics discussed in class.

Welcome!