99 Matching Annotations
  1. Dec 2024
    1. The Russian famine of 1891–1892 caused up to half a million deaths, stirring popular discontent against the Tsarist regime. The United States, especially the American Red Cross, provided famine relief to Russia

      Half a million deaths. What percentage of the Russian population was that in 1891/1892?

    2. Taking advantage of Russia’s rapid industrialization, major American companies like Singer, International Harvester, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Baldwin Locomotive, New York Life Insurance, Equitable Life Assurance, and New York City Bank established subsidiaries in Russia.

      For information only.

    3. A wave of pogroms against Jews erupted in Russia in response to Tsar Alexander II’s assassination. The American public was slow to react, though the plight of Russia’s Jews received increased attention as more Jews emigrated to the United States.

      For information only.

    4. Siberia and the Exile System.

      Whoa! What is this? What did Keenan discover?

      Cite your source(s).

    5. Grant told Tsar Alexander II, that “although the two governments are very opposite in their character, the great majority of the American people are in sympathy with Russia,” which good feeling he hoped would long continue. Grant retained fond memories of his trip to Russia in his retirement.

      For information only.

    6. Following in the footsteps of the Mennonites, thousands of Volga Germans left Russia and settled in the United States.

      Who were/are the Volga Russians? How many immigrated to the US in this decade?

      Cite your source(s).

    7. hundreds of families from the pacifist sect left Russia and settled in the American Midwest.

      How many Mennonites immigrated to the US in this decade?

      Cite your source(s).

    8. A period of emigration by Russian Jews — many to America — began in earnest.

      How many Russian Jews emigrated to the USA in this decade?

      Cite your source(s).

    9. The highlight of the tour included a buffalo hunt with Buffalo Bill (William Cody), George Custer, and Pawnee Indian chiefs. Later, Alexis was crowned king of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

      Wow! What was Grand Duke Alexis' reaction to this "tour?"

      Cite your source(s).

    10. U.S. Secretary of State William Seward secured a deal to purchase Alaska from the Russian government for $7.2 million.

      Who was the ruler in Russia at this time? Why did Russia decide to sell Alaska to the US? Was this purchase actually a "folly?" Explain your answer and cite source(s).

    11. Upon seeing Odessa, he wrote, “Look up the street or down the street, this way or that way, we only saw America! There was not one thing to remind us that we were in Russia.”

      An interesting observation by Twain. What were the architectural/urban styles in the US and Ukraine at this time?

    12. Russia was among the first countries to present official condolences upon the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. The message came in a letter on behalf of the Tsar from Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov, Russia’s foreign minister from 1856–1882, who wrote, “it is easy for me to realize in advance the impression which the news of this odious crime will cause his Imperial Majesty to experience.”

      For information only.

    13. With American approval, Russian warships were based for a short time in New York and San Francisco to help secure the U.S. cities from potential British or French attack.

      Did you know this? I did not. Information only.

    14. Tsar Alexander II issued a manifesto emancipating Russian serfs. American abolitionists celebrated the Tsar’s move, using it to condemn slavery in America.

      Did you already know this? I did not. Information only.

    15. Russia under Tsar Alexander II announced an official position supporting the Union

      How was this announced? What was the reaction among American northerners? Southerners?

    16. Taras Shevchenko

      Who was Shevchenko? What did he write?

    17. The black American Shakespearean actor, Ira Aldridge, plays Othello in St. Petersburg.

      This is fascinating. In 1859, how many black actors were in the US? Where did they live?

  2. Nov 2024
    1. The Northern Society, a secret society that planned the revolt, relied heavily on the American Constitution for their plans to establish a Russian constitutional monarchy.
    2. The Kozlov Affair
    3. Russo-American Treaty of 1824
    4. American Influence on Russian Railroads
    5. Russians from the Russian-American Company were some of the first forty-niners.

      For information only.

    6. 100-mile zone of Russian control over water off the coast of its northwest American territories to protect its shores from Americans smuggling to natives

      Ok... so this is an extra credit question worth 50 points. How much do you know about international waterways and how they are regulated? Why do countries care about this? Explain the current agreement between the USA and Russia. Since 1821, how many times have the two countries had a disagreement related to this?

      Cite your sources!

    7. Fort Ross, the southernmost Russian outpost on the western North American coast, was sold by the Russian-American Company to an American rancher, Captain John Sutter.

      Find out more! Where is Fort Ross? What happened to it after Captain John Sutter bought it?

      Cite your source(s)!

    8. American support for Russia was reflected by the more than 30 American surgeons who volunteered to serve the Russian military and the presence of American military observers on the Russian side.

      Information only.

    9. restricted European expansion into North America, including Russia in Alaska.

      Find out more! What does the Monroe Doctrine say? (Summary)

      Cite your source(s)!

    10. Treaty of Ghent

      Find out more! What did the Treaty of Ghent say? In what ways did Russia mediate?

      Cite your source(s)!

    11. Shareholders of the Russian-American Company (RAC) ordered Ivan Kuskov, a RAC employee in Alaska, to establish a southern base at Fort Ross near Bodega Bay in California, which was at that time a territory of Spain, France’s ally against Russia in the Napoleonic wars. It was the furthest south Russia would move in North America.

      Information only.

    12. Andrei Dashkov

      Find out more! Who was Andrei Dashkov? What did he do (if anything) in his work with the United States?

      Cite your source(s)!

    13. Battle of Sitka

      Find out more! What was the Battle of Sitka? What was the outcome?

      Cite your source(s!)

    14. exchanged letters

      What are some specific things they discussed in their correspondence?

      Cite your source(s)!

    15. Russifying

      What did "Russifying" consist of?

      Cite your source(s)!

    16. Russian-American Company

      Find out more! What was the Russian-American Company? Did they trade things besides sea otter fur?

      Cite your source(s)!

    17. Ekaterina Dashkova

      Find out more! Who was Ekaterina Dashkova? Why did Benjamin Franklin admire her?

      Cite your source(s)!

    18. Grigory Shelekhov

      Find out more! Who was Grigory Shelekhov? Where is Three Saints Bay?

      Cite your source(s)!

    19. Alexander Radishchev

      Find out more! Who was Alexander Radishchev?

      Cite your source(s)!

    20. Adams’s 14-year-old son John Quincy, the future first official American minister to Russia and sixth U.S. president, accompanied Dana. Catherine withheld diplomatic recognition, and Dana was recalled in 1783 due to mounting costs with little gain from his embassy.

      For information only.

    21. Declaration of Armed Neutrality in the American War of Independence

      Summarize what this declaration said.

      Cite your source(s)!

    22. Empress Catherine the Great refused, on the grounds that supporting Britain against the colonists would spark a wider European conflict with France.

      Why would supporting Britain against the colonists have resulted in wider European conflict with France?

      Cite your source(s)!

    23. Mikhail Lomonosov

      Tell us more! Who was Mikhail Lomonosov, and what was he doing during this time period?

      Cite your source(s)!

    24. Franz Aepinus

      Tell us more! Who was Franz Aepinus, and what was he doing during this time period?

      Cite your source(s)!

    25. Josias Braun,

      Tell us more! Who was Josias Braun, and what was he doing during this time period?

      Cite your source(s)!

    26. Ezra Stiles

      Tell us more! Who was Ezra Stiles, and what was he doing during this time period?

      Cite your source(s)!

    27. Benjamin Franklin

      Tell us more! Who was Benjamin Franklin, and what was he doing during this time period?

      Cite your source(s)!

    28. The American merchant ship, the Wolfe, made the first direct voyage from Boston to St. Petersburg, inaugurating direct trade between Russia and the American colonies.

      Find out more about this and describe what happened.

      Cite your source(s)!

  3. Oct 2024
    1. 1763–64

      Who was the leader/emperor of Russia at this time?

      Cite your sources!

    2. scorched earth policy

      What is a "scorched earth policy?" Has the United States ever used this kind of policy?

      Cite your sources!

    3. Aleuts

      Describe the Aleut sto us. Where do they live? What is their traditional lifestyle like? How do they live today?

    4. Alaska

      Who owned Alaska at this time?

      Cite your sources!

    5. Inuit

      Describe the Inuit to us. Where do they live? What is their traditional lifestyle like? How do they live today?

    6. Alexi Chirikov

      Give us a biography of Alexi Chirikov. What is he known for other than making it to Alaska and back?

      Cite your sources!

    7. Vitus Bering

      Give us a biography of Vitus Bering. What is he known for beyond dying on his way back to Russia from Alaska?

      Cite your sources!

    8. Kamchatka Peninsula

      Tell us about this part of Russia! What is it known for? What is its population? What jobs/industries are there? Include a modern-day map (a link to one is fine).

      Cite your sources!

    9. Quakers

      What are the most important of the Quakers' beliefs?

      Cite your sources.

    10. the Tsar’s own challenges with religious sectarians in Russia

      What were these challenges?

      Cite your sources.

    11. British tobacco merchants monopoly rights in Russia, expanding the market for a key colonial American export.

      Explain this chain! British tobacco merchants sold to Russia, yet it expanded the US market. How did this work?

      Cite your sources.

    12. William Penn

      Tell us more about William Penn; provide a more complete bio covering his whole life.

      Cite your sources.

    13. rapid industrialization

      Describe how and when industriallization took place in each country, Russia and the US.

      Cite your sources.

    14. subsequent emancipation

      When did slavery end in Russia and in the US? In what ways was the emancipation of slaves similar and different in each country?

      Cite your sources.

    15. human bondage

      In what ways was Russian slavery similar to and different from American slavery?

      Cite your sources.

    16. internal colonization across a great plain;

      How do these compare? How big (square miles) was the Russian Empire in the 18th Century? What about the United States?

      Cite your sources.

    1. donations from individuals, joint fundraising committees, political action committees (PACs), and super PACs

      1) Explain each of these terms ("individuals," "joint fundraising committees," etc.), 2) How many $$$ has each campaign (Trump, Harris) raised and spent on their campaigns for this election? Cite your source(s).

    2. Russia, Iran, and China have all engaged in disinformation campaigns

      Provide an example of such a campaign from each of the three countries. Cite your sources.

    3. Laws vary from state to state, with some requiring merely a fee or a few thousand signatures, and others requiring tens of thousands of signatures gathered under tight deadline pressure, along with other administrative hurdles.

      What are Illinois laws on gaining access (being included) on a presidential ballot? Cite your source(s).

    4. He described state ballot laws in the United States as “the worst in the Western world, by orders of magnitude.”

      Explore ballot laws in another Western democracy and find either support for or against Nader's claim. Cite your source(s).

    5. 538 total electoral votes

      How many electoral votes does Illinois have? Cite yourr source(s).

    6. ballots are counted in each state

      By what method are ballots counted in Illinois?

    7. primaries and caucuses

      Two parts: 1) Does Illinois use a primary or a caucus system? 2) Does Illinois have an "open" or "closed" primary vote, and what does that mean? Cite your source(s)

    8. individuals interested in running for president officially declare their candidacy

      Under the US Constitution, what are the rules for becoming a Presidential candidate? Cite your source(s}

  4. Sep 2024
    1. Everyone has duties to the community

      Meliora #31 - Whoa! What does this mean? How do you define "community?" What duties do you think you have?

    2. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

      Meliora #30 -- how do you interpret this? Is it respected? Why or why not? Give example(s) and cite sources.

    3. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

      Meliora #29 -- how does the US measure up? Do we meet this standard? Explain why or why not.

    4. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

      Meliora #28 -- how would you define and measure tthis? Is the US meeeting this standard? Provide evidence, including sources.

    5. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

      Meliora #27 -- is this codified in the US constitution? If so, where? Do you think this is what actually happens? If not, provide example(s) and cite source(s).

    6. economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality

      Meliora #26 -- what is your interpretation of the meaning of this? Is it always respected in the US? If not, provide example(s) and cite sources.

    7. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

      Meliora #25 -- where in the US constitution is this guaranteed?

    8. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

      Meliora #24 -- is this always respected? If not, provide an example(s) and cite sources.

    9. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression

      Meliora #23 -- what do you find to be the reality in our society today? Is this respected? What are the obstacles, barriers, and pressures that countteract this declaration?

    10. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion;

      Meliora #22 -- what do you find to be the reality in our society today? Is this respected? What are the obstacles, barriers, and pressures that countteract this declaration?

    11. Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

      Meliora #21 -- this statement seems straightforward, yet there are obstacles? What might they be? What has happened in the past?

    12. The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

      Meliora #20 -- has the definition of "family" changed since 1948? Should families of all constructs be protected? Why or why not?

    13. Everyone has the right to a nationality.

      Meliora #19 -- Are there times this isn't respected? If so, find an example and cite your source.

    14. Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

      Meliora #18 -- wha? What do you think this actually means? Find example(s) and cite them.

    15. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

      Meliora #17 -- is this always respected? Can US citizens be booted/barred from living in the US? Cite source(s).

    16. presumed innocent until proved guilty

      Meliora #15 -- is this actually stated in the US constitution? How is implemented? Cite source(s).

    17. arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

      Meliora #13 -- is this always respected? If not, give a speecific example and cite the source.

    18. fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal,

      Meliora #14 -- how is this most commonly reflected in the United States constitution and laws?

    19. effective remedy

      Meliora #12 -- what would you consider an "effective remedy?" Give multiple examples.

    20. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.

      Meliora #11 -- is this always respected and enforced? If not, give an example and cite the source.

    21. as a person

      Meliora #10 - what would be an example of not being considered a "person?" Cite your source.

    22. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

      Meliora #9 -- how would you define "torture," or "cruel," or "degrading?" Provide a specific example and cite it.

    23. slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

      Meliora #8 -- is this alway respected and enforced? If not, give an example and cite it.

    24. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

      Meliora #7 -- how often is this betrayed? Find an example and cite it.

    25. no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

      Meliora #6 -- is this always respected? If not, find a specific example and cite the source.

    26. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

      Meliora #5 -- how can this be applied to all humans? What about people with developmental delays, or mental health issues, etc.?

    27. equal rights of men and women

      Meliora #4 -- is this included in the US constitution? If so, where?

    28. Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

      Meliora #3 -- why is this essential?

    29. foundation of freedom, justice and peace

      Meliora #2 -- how do equal and inalienable rights lead to freedom, justice and peace?

    30. the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948

      Meliora #1 -- what world events precipitated this?