NAME _________________________ DATE _____________________ PERIOD _________

Mini-Qs in World HistoryVolume 2, Unit 3

Why was the Jewish state of Israel created in 1948?

MINI-Q LESSON PLANDay 1 – 45 Minutes

Step One: Hook - Refer to the Step One teacher notes in the Mini-Q. Read the directions aloud. The purpose is to get students engaged, talking, and wanting to do the Mini-Q.Step Two: Background Essay - Refer to the Step Two teacher notes in the Mini-Q. Students can write out answers to the BGE questions or the questions can simply be discussed.Step Three: Understanding the Question and Pre-Bucketing - The task of recognizing and defining key words in the question is a crucial habit of mind. The second task of pre-bucketing based on clues in the question and in document titles is a huge categorization skill.Step Four: Document Analysis - Do Document A with the whole class, modeling the kind of detail you might expect in student answers to the Document Analysis questions.Homework: Analyze the remaining documents and answer the questions that follow.

Day 2 – 45 Minutes

Step Four (continued): Discussion of DocumentsOption One: Working in pairs or threesomes, have students discuss the answers to the first set of Document Analysis questions they did for homework. Using a different-colored pen than they used for homework, they may add to their answers. After five minutes, open the discussion of that document to the full class. Then proceed to the next document and repeat.Option Two: Proceed as above, but have a volunteer group lead each of the three or four different document discussions. Students at their desks may add to their notes, again in a different color ink.Step Five: Bucketing and Chicken Foot - Have students complete the bucketing and chicken foot work page. This step will help students clarify their thesis and road map.Step Six: From Thesis to Essay Writing – (For homework) Have students fill out the Outline Guide Sheet or write their multi-paragraph essay.

Day 3 – (Optional)

Step Six (Continued): Conduct an in-class Writing Workshop.

MINI-Q LESSON PLAN: CLEAN VERSION OPTION

If students are ready, use the clean version of the Mini-Q, which requires them to handle more of the analysis on their own. Estimated time to complete is 1 – 2 class periods.

The Tale of Sam and Jane – Hook Scene OneOnce upon a time in a house very similar to yours there were two young people that lived with their parents. One child was named Sam and his older sister was named Jane.One day Jane and Sam’s mother said “ We will be leaving for the store in 5 minutes – go get in the car”Immediately Jane says “I call SHOTGUN”Scene TwoClose your eyes and imagine: In front of you is a car and the passenger door on the car is open and sitting in the front seat (with a big grin on his face) is Sam and Jane is walking toward the carSam yells from the front seat of the car “Beat you, I have possession of the front seat – it is mine”Jane is looking a little upsetScene ThreeNow imagine 3 possible things that can happen now:

1. There could be a calm discussion between Jane and Sam and an agreement could be reached –

OR

2. A WWF Smack down occurs – Jane grabs Sam – Sam hits the pavement of the driveway – Jane throws a full body slam – I am sure you can imagine

OR

3. Jane or Sam scream at each other until a third party mediator steps in. In this case MOM and tries to settle the argument.

Which would happen in your household?

Now imagine this on a much bigger scale. In our next unit of study we will be looking at the conflict taking place between the Palestinians and the Israelis – See if you see any similarities.

Mini-Q Sample Essay: Non-Proficient

Why Did Islam Spread So Quickly?

How would you like to live in a cave? I wouldn’t and Muhammad wouldn’t either. He mostly just prayed there and got ideas for his new religion. These ideas were the ghazu attacks, setting up new trade routes, and having a good organization.

One of Muhammad’s best ideas was to spread his religion quickly with ghazu attacks, it isn’t clear but ghazu were very fast camels who led great attacks all the way to Spain (Document C).

An even better idea was trade. The idea is talk to a lot of merchants and get them on your side. Then build a lot of roads across the desert and spread the news about paradise (Document B). This will happen fast because all of those camels I mentioned.

Islam also spread because people like their government. They had people who were called caliphs who did a great job. They also sang Hymns which the people loved and they signed up.

So that’s how Islam spread very quickly. Each reason was more important than the one above it.

Mini-Q Sample Essay: Basic ProficiencyWhy Did Islam Spread So Quickly?

It all began in a cave. Muhammad started Islam in 610 BC and after that it spread throughout Arabia and regions near it. Islam was able to do this quickly because of its military success, trade connections, and political order.

One reason Islam spread fast was because Muslims used force. From the beginning, Muhammad believed that Arab Muslims should not attack other Muslims. However, they could raid non-Muslims and take their things. These were called ghazu raids (Document D). Later the raids got bigger and became military campaigns and spread across the middle east, North Africa, and into Spain (Document C). Without force, Islam would not have spread so quickly.

Another thing that helped spread Islam quickly was how good they were with trade. There were a lot of busy trade routes with the holy city of Mecca at the center that included trade of many different goods, like silk and spices (Document A). The more they traded, the more they were able to meet new people and spread Islam.

Finally, Islam had a good political system. The caliph had certain duties, like settling legal problems and providing security (Document E). Some conquered people , like the people of

Hims in Syria, preferred the Muslims over the Byzantines and the Persians (Document F). These people said they liked Muslim justice better than Byzantine tyranny. They simply agreed to the Pact and paid the jizyah tax and they could go about their business. It is clear that Muslim justice and the Pact helped Islam to spread quickly because it reduced opposition.

Although Islam spread for other reasons as well like, the Qur’an’s promise of everlasting life to the faithful (Document B), the main reasons seem to be military force, trade, and order.

From Thesis to Essay Writing

Mini-Q Essay Outline Guide

Working Title

Paragraph #1(Grabber)

Background

Stating the question with key terms defined

Thesis and road map

Paragraph #2

Baby Thesis for bucket one

Evidence: supporting detail from documents with document citation

Argument: connecting evidence to the thesis

Paragraph #3

Baby Thesis for bucket two

Evidence

Argument

Paragraph #4

Baby Thesis for bucket three

Evidence

Argument

Paragraph #5

Baby Thesis for bucket four

Evidence

Argument

Paragraph #6

Conclusion: Restatement of main idea along with possible insight or wrinkle.

Mini-Q Sample Essay: High Proficiency

Why Did Islam Spread So Quickly?

In the year 610 BC a man went to a cave to pray. His name was Muhammad and he would change the world. Inside that cave, Muhammad said, he received the word of God, who was called Allah in his language of Arabic. The religion that came out of this event, Islam, grew very rapidly. But why was it able to become so big, so fast? There were four main factors that caused Islam to spread so quickly: military success, economic trade, religious appeal, and political order.

Perhaps the major reason for the swift spread of Islam was raids followed by military conquest. Land controlled by Muslims expanded greatly in a relatively short period of time (about 120 years). Why? Muslims were not allowed by the Qur’an to attack other Muslims. However, they were allowed to conduct ghazu raids against pagans, which helped increase their territory (Document D). The ghazu raids, which began against non-Muslims in Arabia, soon expanded into full-blown military campaigns across the Middle East, North Africa, and even into Spain (Document C). The military success of the Muslims greatly helped increase the area they controlled an boosted their ability to fight off others who might want to harm them.

Another key factor that helped Islam become popular very quickly was the trading routes of Muslims. The center of Islam was Mecca, a very prosperous trading town in western Arabia (Document A). Traders on camels carried products such as spices, metals, and Chinese silk from Arabia to Persia, North Africa, and regions of the Mediterranean. No doubt the teachings of Islam traveled with them. Islam spread because of this.

A third important factor that led to Islam’s spread was the appeal of its message. The Qur’an described the importance of being sincere, patient, and charitable (Document B). It also

promised good things, like everlasting life in paradise, for people who are true to Islam (Document B). Even non-Muslims appreciated that they could still follow their faith as long as they agreed to a Pact that had them pay a bit extra for rights and protections (Document E). The Qur’an and the Muslim tolerance for other people provided ideas about God and ways of living that many people found very attractive, and because of this, many more people became Muslims.

Finally, Islam spread quickly because of its political order. The Duties of the Caliph, which were written by Al-Mawardi, clearly listed what the leaders of the Muslim community were responsible for and that helped Islam become strong and well established (Document E). Some of the duties of the Muslim leaders included defining the meaning of the faith, serving as a judge, defending the lands of Islam, and waging jihad against those who threatened the faith (Document E). This was a welcome change for many people who had been under the control of the Byzantines and the Persians. For example, Syrians like those in Hims (Document F) after the Muslim victory at al-Yarmuk announced their preference for Islamic rule. This order and balance and fairness enabled Islam to capture new land because it reduced opposition.

The world was changed because of Muhammad’s visit to that cave near Mecca over 1,500 years ago. That moment gave birth to Islam, which would soon establish itself as a major world religion. Islam’s quick spread was due to its initial military success, the boost given by established trade routes, and appealing religious message, and its welcome political order.

Jews and Palestinians: Two Claims to Palestine

Ancient Palestine

The diverse land of historic Palestine, the ancient homeland of both the Jews and Palestinians, ranges from a lush coastal plain in the west to the drier Jordan River valley in the east. The Jordan River flows south and empties into the Dead Sea, which lies north of the Negev Desert. The original Jews came to Palestine around the twelfth century BC from southern Mesopotamia (which is now in Iraq). Initially settling in the hilly interior, the Jews believed the land had been given to them by their God in exchange for a promise to live according to their God’s laws. The Palestinians were of Greek origin who initially settled on the coastal plain around the same time.

Kingdom of Israel and the Diaspora

About 200 years after the two groups settled in Palestine, the Jews established a kingdom called Israel. In 73 AD, the Roman Empire conquered this area and put down a Jewish uprising. This caused what is known as the DIASPORA (when the majority of Jews left Palestine and scattered throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean). The Palestinians remained in the region and mixe4d with other people in the region, mainly Arabs.

Zionism

From the time of the diaspora, most Jews dreamed of a return to their ancestral homeland in the region of Palestine. In the 1800s, European Jews began organizing political movements aimed at moving back to Palestine, which was then ruled by the Ottoman Empire and occupied by Palestinians. This movement became known as ZIONISM. In both western and eastern Europe, many Jews were angered by anti-Jewish feelings and persecution. Many joined the Zionist cause, participating in boycotts and protests. In 1916, Britain and France signed the Sykes-Picot Agreement, which called for the partition of Ottoman Empire lands in the Middle East after World War I. According to this agreement, Britain would take control of Palestine. During this time, Zionist leaders lobbied the British to allow for a Jewish country in Palestine.

Jewish Immigration into Palestine

Beginning in 1882, waves of Jews began immigrating to Palestine. By 1914, Jews made up almost 10% of Palestine’s population. The Palestinians increasingly feared that Zionism was an extension of European colonialism in Palestine, taking their land and rights. Eventually, increased Jewish immigration and land purchases intensified these fears of Zionism among the peasants. While initially most Jewish immigrants were minor, over time, their situations improved as they settled the land and formed communities. However, Palestinians who had been displaced from their land as a result of these settlements moved into overcrowded cities and became increasingly impoverished. Violence erupted in the region in a three year violent conflict known as the Arab Revolt. During this revolt, the British government drew up a plan intended to solve the problem by calling for the partition of Palestine into two states, one Jewish, and one Arab (Palestinian). While Zionist leaders accepted this plan, Arab leaders were strongly against any plan that called for the division of their homeland. In 1947, with British soldiers were tired of fighting Zionists and policing Arab-Jewish violence, Palestinians, the British government turned Palestine over to the United Nations. At this time, there were 1,300,000 Palestinians and 600,000 Jews living in Palestine. As the majority population that had lived there for thousands of years, the Palestinians believed they had the right to govern all of Palestine. Many Jews favored a division of Palestine, and used biblical and anti-Semitic persecution as evidence that they should have their own homeland.

Your Task

The reading above should give you a picture of the history of Palestine and the two groups of people who are, to this day, still fighting over it. You know that the Jews wanted a country in this region, and that many opposed this – violently so. You also know that there is a country, named Israel, today. Your task is to analyze the documents put before you to find EVIDENCE to discover, why, if there is so much contention about this country, why was it created? Answer the question – WHY WAS ISRAEL FORMED?

Background Essay Questions

1. Describe the location of ancient Palestine?

2. Which two groups settled in Ancient Palestine in the 12th century BC?

3. What caused the Jews to leave ancient Palestine?

4. What did the Zionists hope to accomplish?

5. Which European country was in charge of Palestine after the Ottoman Empire?

6. What happened as Jews began to immigrate back to Palestine?

7. Describe the Arab Revolt.

8. Define these terms:

a. Diaspora

b. Zionism

c. Partition

Timeline

1100 BC – Jews migrate to Palestine from Iraq

1100 BC – Palestinians migrate to Palestine from the Mediterranean

900 BC – Establishment of Israel by the Jews

73 AD – Roman Empire conquers the area; Diaspora occurs

1800s AD – Zionist movements form

1882 – Jewish Immigration to Palestine begins; Palestinians are moved from their farms into overcrowded cities

1916 – Sykes-Picot Agreement signed between France and Britain; Britain has control of Palestine

1936 – Arab Revolt

1947 – Britain gives Palestine to the United Nations

Document A

Source: Arthur James Balfour, The Balfour Declaration, November 3, 1917

Note: During World War I, British policy became gradually committed to the idea of establishing a Jewish home in Palestine. After discussions in the British government, and speaking with Zionist leaders, the decision was made known in the form of a letter by Arthur James Balfour to Lord Rothschild, a British banker and Zionist. The letter represents the first political recognition of Zionist goals by a government.

Foreign Office

November 2nd, 1917

Dear Lord Rothschild,

I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which have been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.

“His Majesty’s Government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”

I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur James Balfour

Document Analysis

1. When was this document written? What world event is occurring at this time?

2. In this letter, who is “His Majesty”?

3. What does, in your own words, “His Majesty” say he will do in regards to Palestine?

4. What is the purpose of this document?

5. Why is this document historically important?

6. Which “basket” does this document fall into?

7. Highlight the evidence above that you will use in your essay.

Document B

Source: The Council of the League of Nations, The Mandate for Palestine, July 24, 1922.

Note: The League of Nations for formed in 1919, following World War I, in an attempt to maintain peace among nations and prevent any further wars like the one that had just ravaged Europe. This group contained countries from around the world. Though by the 1930s it was clear that the League had failed in this mission, the organization nevertheless paved the way for the creation of the United Nations, which ultimately created the country of Israel. This mandate gave authority over Palestine to Great Britain and set out explicit instructions for the government.

…”Whereas recognition has thereby been given to the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country”…

…”The Mandatory (Great Britain) shall be responsible for placing the country under such political, administrative, and economic conditions as will secure the establishment of the Jewish national home”…

…”The administration of Palestine, while ensuring that the rights and position of other sections of the population are not prejudiced, shall facilitate Jewish immigration under suitable conditions”…

Document Analysis

1. When was this document written?

2. In what three ways does this document support the Zionist cause?

3. The last quote talks about Jewish immigration to Palestine. In what specific ways could this anger the Palestinian Arabs?

4. Which “bucket” does this document fall into?

5. Highlight the important information you will use in your essay.

Document C

Source: The Holy Bible, New International Version Note: The Promised Land is the land promised or given by God, according to the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible), to the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob. The promise is first made to Abraham and them renewed to his son Isaac, and to Isaac’s son Jacob (also called Israel), Abraham’s grandson.

The promise that is the basis of the term is contained in several verses of Genesis. In Genesis 12:1 it is said:

The LORD had said to Abram (Abraham), “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”

The LORD appeared to Abram (Abraham) and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” Genesis 12:7

He also said to him, “ I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” Genesis 15:7

And in Genesis 15:18-21 the boundary of the promised land is clarified in terms of the territory of various ancient peoples, as follows:

On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abraham and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates – the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgasites and Jebusites.”

And the LORD said to Moses in Exodus 33: 1-3.

“Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants…Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.”

The promise is fulfilled at the end of the Exodus from Egypt. Deuteronomy 1:8 says:

“See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers – to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and to their descendants after them.”

Document Analysis

1. What is the source of this document? In which “bucket” would this document be included?

2. Who was Abraham? What is he being told to do?

3. Which river in Egypt is referred to in Genesis 15:18 – 21? What is the purpose of these verses?

4. How does this document support the creation of the Jewish State of Israel?

Document D

Source: “Anti-Semitism.” Georgia Standards. Georgia Department of Education. 2011. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. https://www.georgiastandards.org/resources/Videos/Social-Studies-Video-Dictionary.aspx

Note: While the term anti-Semitism did not come about until 1879, people of Jewish descent have been persecuted for hundreds of years. The nature of this persecution has evolved over time without ever fully disappearing. This document seeks to clarify the historical background of anti-Semitism.

Document Analysis

1. When was the term anti-Semitism first used? What does it mean?

2. What did anti-Semitism look like in ancient history?

3. In the Middle Ages, how did anti-Semitism worsen against the Jewish people?

4. What are programs? How were they instituted?

5. How could the occurrence of anti-Semitism have been a catalyst for establishing a Jewish homeland?

Understanding the Question and Pre-Bucketing

Understanding the Question

1. What is the analytical question asked by this Mini-Q?

2. What terms in the question need to be defined?

3. Rewrite the question in your own words.

Pre-Bucketing

Directions: Using clues from the Mini-Q question, suggest general analytical categories and label the buckets.

Basic Core Writing Points Earned

Incorporates background knowledge in introduction.

1

Has acceptable thesis with roadmap in introduction.

1

Analyzes documents by organizing them into at least 3 groups.

1

Topic sentences state a main idea which will be clearly supported in the paragraph.

0-3

Provides evidence and demonstrates understanding of the documents by using them to clearly support the claim statement.

0-3

Uses ALL documents. 0-4

Cites ALL evidence. 0-4

Grammar, Spelling, Neatness 0-3

Total

RESPONSE QUALITY

POINTVALUE

CRITERIA

Exceeds Expectations 4 The student demonstrates a THOROUGH understanding of all concepts by correctly responding to the question, using 3 reasons as outlined in the documents.

A. Biblical reasons – Doc. CB. International support – Doc. A

an B, Balfour Declaration and the League of Nations Mandate

C. Persecution of Jews – Doc. D Video – Holocaust and pogroms

Meets Expectations 3 The student demonstrates a BASIC understanding of the concepts by responding to the question using 2 out of the 3 reasons outlined in the documents – see above.

Approaches Expectations

2 The student demonstrates a PARTIAL understanding of the concepts using 1 out of the 3 reasons outlined in the documents – see above

Minimal Response 1 The student demonstrates limited understanding of the concept.

No response 0

Subtotal X 20 Total =