Berkeley City College Week 12 Cold War and World Historical Tensions Essay

I’m working on a History question and need guidance to help me study.

Assignment: Write a thoughtful and well-written 1-2 pages (about 250-500 words) historical analysis and please try to submit the assignment by the end of Week 12 (Sunday, November 15th) if possible (you can still submit it after that).

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Expectations: 1-2 pages (about 250-500 words) of clear and strong quality writing, definitely proofread!, using any appropriately cited evidence to support your interpretation.

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Topic: Cold War, Decolonization, and world historical tensions

The Cold War and decolonization marked different kinds of challenges to what had been the “world order” of the 1800s and 1900s prior to World War 2 as first a “bipolar” world emerges and then new states, especially in the “global south,” gain their freedom. The overall effect of these changes was frequently posed in terms of “order” and “disorder.”

The challenges, opportunities, and crises to different powers and peoples across the world offered by these changes had no definitive solutions to many remaining tensions (or “conundrums” if you prefer), such as:

• Political Sovereignty (Central States) vs. Personal Sovereignty (Individual Liberty)
• Nationalism vs. Internationalism
• Ideology as either community-oriented or individually-oriented
• Industrialization vs. Exploitation
• Imperialism vs. Decolonization

Based on your understanding of world history up to the 1960s, how would you have proposed “solving” any of the above tensions? (Or would you not?) Explain.

*If you prefer you could also offer a different tension to address and/or you could write this as a political advisor or commentator in the 1960s (your choice!).

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Tips: You can (but don’t have to!) consider any of the following:

• The historical context of the Cold War and how, or not, to achieve peace (or not)?
• The impact of “Decolonization” on global trade and how to create a “fair” trading system (or not)?
• Whether “order” or “disorder” in the context of world history is preferable? For whom (who benefits from each)?
• Whether the 1940s-1960s actually were “disordered” or whether it was more a reflection of a “new order?” If so, what was that “new order?”

*NOTE: There are no right or wrong arguments; I just want you to practice making connections to produce a historical argument.

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Feedback: Your feedback, which will become part of your overall evaluation in this course, will be based on 5 criteria of emphasis–

1. POINT: This will be your specific response to the question (“World peace would have been possible by the 1960s if __________”). Usually 1 sentence; this is the thesis or topical sentence.

2. EVIDENCE: Cite strong evidence to support your POINT. Remember, evidence should directly relate to your point and support it and you need to identify and cite it as necessary.

3. EVALUATION: Having explained your EVIDENCE you then need to tie your argument together by explaining how and why the EVIDENCE supports your POINT. This evaluation, or analysis, connects your argument together to form a strong circle: POINT-EVIDENCE-EVALUATION-POINT.

ARGUMENT: How well you are combining your point, evidence, and evaluation together to form an overall ARGUMENT. The clearer and more specific your connections between your POINT, EVIDENCE, and EVALUATION are the stronger your overall ARGUMENT will be to your audience.

WRITING: The quality of your WRITING doesn’t have to be perfect, but any argument is stronger when it is well-written so be sure to proofread for spelling, grammar, and word-choice.

POINTS: CANVAS LOVES USING POINTS EVEN IF I DON’T WANT TO. PLEASE NOTE:

• THE ASSIGNMENT POINT (1 POINT) IS BASED ON WHETHER YOU HAVE SUBMITTED THE ASSIGNMENT AND I PROVIDED YOU FEEDBACK–IT IS OTHERWISE MEANINGLESS!

Rubric

Weekly Assignment Rubric