- Choose the issue that you want to investigate for your presentation. Select one issue from the following list to research:
- Climate change
- Pollution
- Deforestation
- Research your issue.
- Read and analyze the resources about your chosen issue in the the Primary and Secondary Sources for United Nations Briefing PDF document. These resources provide important historical context for current discussions about these issues that you’ll want to discuss in your presentation.
- Note: You can do some of your own research to add to the resources provided. If you decide to do so, make sure that you choose reliable sources.
- Present your issue. For this project, create 8–12 slides with speaker notes. To learn more about creating a presentation, refer to the Supporting Materials section. Remember to cite your sources.In your presentation, Dr. Turner has asked you to do the following:
- Describe your chosen issue.
- Describe your research approach.
- How did you analyze primary and secondary sources on the issue? What questions did you ask about the documents?
- How did you identify the facts to make your point? What did you learn from the documents about the history of your issue?
- Analyze your issue.
- What is the history of the issue? Describe the issue based on your analysis of the primary and secondary sources that you researched.
- How have historians described and interpreted this issue in the past? How has this changed over time? (Note: Be sure to discuss multiple perspectives and focus on how these perspectives changed over time.)
- How did various groups present the issue throughout history (including social, economic, and political interests)? Have these presentations changed or remained the same over time?
- Relate your issue to the present.
- How does the history of your issue relate to current circumstances?
- What are the similarities and differences between past and present?
- Explain how history informs current discussions about the topic.
- How could historical context and inquiry inform current discussion and future decisions about your issue? Historical context refers to the norms and values of a particular time in history. For example: Take the current issue of expanding voting rights to prisoners in the United States. When analyzing this issue, it’s important to consider the historical context of voting rights in this country. In 1865, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution gave African American men the right to vote. In 1920, women were given the right to vote by the 19th Amendment. Understanding this context can help inform your discussion of the issue.
Project Rubric: Presentation Presentation Which Resources Can Help?
Describes the history of the issue based on an interpretation of primary and secondary sources☐ Mastered☐ Not Yet
- Unit Resources: Assessing Historical Sources
Discusses research approach, including how you analyzed primary and secondary sources and used them to inform your claims☐ Mastered
☐ Not Yet
- Unit Resources: Assessing Historical Sources
Examines how historians and other (social, economic, political) groups perceived and recorded their interpretations of the issue over time☐ Mastered
☐ Not Yet
- Unit Resources: History and Historiography
Demonstrates how the history of the issue relates to current circumstances, including the similarities and differences between past and present☐ Mastered
☐ Not Yet
- Unit Resources: Interpreting the Past and Present
Explains how historical context and inquiry could inform current discussions and future decisions related to the issue☐ Mastered
☐ Not Yet
- Unit Resources: Interpreting the Past and Present
- Unit Resources: Connecting the Past and Present
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
For this presentation, I have chosen to investigate the issue of deforestation. Deforestation is the clearing of forests or trees and transforming a forested area to non-forested land due to various reasons, including agricultural or urban expansion, commercial logging, or mining. Deforestation has a significant impact on the environment and the living beings dependent on it. In this presentation, I will describe the issue of deforestation, discuss my research approach, analyze the issue, relate it to the present, and explain how history informs current discussions about the topic.
1. Describe your chosen issue:
Deforestation is a significant issue that affects the environment and the living beings dependent on it. Deforestation leads to loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, climate change, and displacement of indigenous communities. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world loses around 10 million hectares of forest every year, and deforestation is responsible for about 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Describe your research approach:
To research the issue of deforestation, I analyzed various primary and secondary sources provided in the Primary and Secondary Sources for United Nations Briefing PDF document, including reports, publications, and journals. I also did some independent research and made sure to choose reliable sources. In my research, I asked various questions about the documents, such as what is the reason for deforestation, what is the impact of deforestation on the environment, and what is being done to address the issue.
3. Analyze your issue:
The history of deforestation shows a continuous increase in deforestation rates, which accelerated in the last century due to industrialization and population growth. Historians have described and interpreted this issue in various ways over time, including as a necessary step for economic growth or development, as well as a destructive practice for the environment. The ways in which various groups present the issue of deforestation have also changed over time, depending on their social, economic, and political interests. In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the issue and efforts to address it through conservation programs, sustainable forest management, and reforestation projects.
4. Relate your issue to the present:
Deforestation continues to be a significant issue in the present, with various consequences, including loss of biodiversity and increased greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The similarities between the past and present include the continued demand for forest products and land-use change for agricultural and urban expansion. However, there is also a growing recognition of sustainable practices and efforts to address the issue through international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, and initiatives by governments, NGOs, and the private sector.
5. Explain how history informs current discussions about the topic:
Understanding the historical context of deforestation is essential in informing current discussions about the topic. Historical context refers to the norms and values of a particular time in history, which may impact the present. For example, the historical context of deforestation includes the colonial exploitation of natural resources, the industrial revolution, and the growth of the global economy. By understanding this context, we can identify the root causes of deforestation, recognize its social, economic, and political dimensions, and develop effective strategies for conservation and sustainable management.
