Before I begin, I just want to say that you guys are absolutely amazing. I am so proud of the work you guys put in every single week, and I thank you for going along with my passion. I love you guys.
That being said, time for death and politics.
Optional assignment: Watch this video. He does talk about maritime shipping, so it technically goes along with this class. (Vanbucks if you watch it, and extra vanbucks if you mention the key phrase in your presentation. 🙂
Optional Vanbucks assignment: Write down something you have learned in my class. What new perspectives have you considered? What new ideas have you understood? If you want even more vanbucks, and my sincere and heartfelt praise, make me a meme that displays your new knowledge and send it to me in addition to your paper.
STUDY/LEARN
As we wrap up our study of the wars in the Middle East, I want to make sure you guys understand who is supporting who in all the regions conflicts.
Assignment: Recreate the image below. I don’t care how you do it, get however creative you want; I just want you guys to understand where everybody stands in relation to each other.
Assignment: Watch this video.
KNOW/UNDERSTAND
Now we get to the fun part: drawing borders.
There are many different factors to drawing borders, and if you want to make strong, long lasting borders you must consider all of them. These factors are namely:
- Topography (Mountains and rivers are almost always a safe bet for border creation)
- Natural Resources (A stable country needs water and arable land, which can be challenge in the Arabian deserts)
- Language (It’s much easier to maintain a stable country if you can all understand each other)
- Ethnicity (Some people need to be separated, such as Germans and French, or Tutsis and Hutus as we learned by reading Left To Tell)
- Religion (Some religions and beliefs cannot coexist safely, specifically Jews and Muslims)
If you want to learn more about what these look like in practice, watch this video about Pakistan’s geography.
Failure to adhere to these factors will result in turmoil and violence. If you don’t believe me here’s the evidence: Two Gulf Wars, Religious violence in Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon, dictators galore, Arab Spring revolutions, toppled governments, rampant assassinations, terrorism, decades long wars in Yemen, and Syria, government corruption, poverty, political prisoners, police crackdowns, more terrorism, public beheadings, religious extremism, Muslim Brotherhood, Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and dozens and dozens of other ruthless militant groups. Need I say more?
Now here is the actual ASSIGNMENT. Look at all these maps. I would highly suggest looking over each one multiple times before drawing any lines in the sand. Then you need to print out the map that says PRINT THIS MAP!!!
You can also print out a map with borders if it helps, or any of the other maps in the folder, it’s really up to you what resources you use. However, I do want you to put in your best effort to make a functioning map, but I also realize that means different things for each of you. What I don’t want to hear though is “I drew a border here just because”.
I at least need you to know where and why you are drawing your borders, and I need you to give a name for each country you create. You can use current countries’ names, or you can make up your own, just don’t use gibberish. Tip: ia and stan mean “land of”, (Arabia means ‘land of Arabs’ or Kurdistan means ‘Land of Kurds.”) So you can just name an ethnic group or natural feature and put ia or stan at the end.
Also, Douglas and Archer, don’t give it all to Al-Qaeda and ISIS please.
Next Assignment: Once you are finished with your map, text or email me a picture of it at 385-450-0914 or cael.andersen@hotmail.com. Please send it to me before 5 PM on Wednesday, you will get Vanbucks if you do. However, I assume someone will complete this Wednesday night, not going to say who, for that person, just send it to me before midnight so you don’t get in trouble with Sara for doing your work on Thursday.
Final Assignment: Prepare a 3 minute presentation on your map. I will have your map pulled up on the projector, provided you send a picture to me, and you will simply tell us about your creation.
Lastly, if you need extra encouragement, I will be giving out Vanbucks based on how well you did your assignment, and they will be very generous (I’m talking upwards of thirty if you blow my mind.)
BECOME/SERVE
I know I gave you guys a lot of work, so I will simply tell you to listen to at least one of my favorite gospel songs this week.
- Running Back To You – Seph Schlueter
- Praise – Elevation Worship
- To Hell With The Devil – For King And Country
- Canvas – Colton Dixon
- Gratitude – Brandon Lake
If you want to be really cool, send me one of yours.
Thanks for making it to the end. I love you guys! Have fun studying, and I will see you in class.
