Enlightenment Website Assignment
Your task for this assignment is to work collaboratively with your peers to create, design, write, and publish an original website using Google sites. You will be working in groups of 4-6 people, and each of you will be responsible for writing one page for the website. More details are below. The assignment is due Sunday. If you have questions, ask! If you need help, ask!
Background Information:
During the Enlightenment, philosophes were amazed by the developments of the Scientific Revolution, and saw that reason had lead scientists to important discoveries. The philosophes made reason their guide and motto. If reason was applied to politics and government, society would improve and become more just.
Task:
You are a writer and printer during the Enlightenment. You and several of your peers get transported through time and arrive in Claremore, OK in the year 2021. You will create a website that reports and comments on current events through the eyes of Enlightenment reasoning and ideals. You will each select and act as the voice of one of the Enlightenment thinkers below (two members of the same group cannot be the same historical figure). You will then create a website with specific pages for each "persona" that addresses present day debates over opinions held in your school, local community, or government.
Audience:
Your audience is your classmates, teacher, and other interested adults.
Procedures:
During the Enlightenment, philosophes were amazed by the developments of the Scientific Revolution, and saw that reason had lead scientists to important discoveries. The philosophes made reason their guide and motto. If reason was applied to politics and government, society would improve and become more just.
Task:
You are a writer and printer during the Enlightenment. You and several of your peers get transported through time and arrive in Claremore, OK in the year 2021. You will create a website that reports and comments on current events through the eyes of Enlightenment reasoning and ideals. You will each select and act as the voice of one of the Enlightenment thinkers below (two members of the same group cannot be the same historical figure). You will then create a website with specific pages for each "persona" that addresses present day debates over opinions held in your school, local community, or government.
Audience:
Your audience is your classmates, teacher, and other interested adults.
Procedures:
- With your group, each person will select a historical person from the list below and assume their "voice" or train of thought for this assignment. Work with your group to brainstorm ideas for your website (you will be writing articles/blog posts for it). Consider a variety of article types, such as feature articles, book reviews, interviews with famous figures, editorials, etc. Have each group member select one article to write.
- Review your class notes and utilize your peers and teacher to get a feel for how your historical person viewed concepts and ideas. Remember that you need to write from his or her perspective. You can also utilize the internet and other resources outside of class.
- Prepare a rough draft of your article.
- Share your rough draft with your group and give and receive feedback on one another's work.
- Revise your article, taking into consideration your group's suggestions in your revision. Prepare a final version of your article.
- With your group, create an original website using Google Sites. (If you need a tutorial or help on how to create a google site click here) Each website should have the following:
- a homepage with the name of the site, the full names of all the members of your group (you can list them as editors), and at least one picture on the front of the homepage that relates to an idea or theme of the website.
- A page for each member of the group to write their article/blog post as the "persona" that they have assumed. This page must have at least 5 sentences of text that are written from the perspective of your persona that discusses a current event or issue.
- Each page must also have at least 1 image that relates in some manner to what is being written.
- Each page must be "signed" by the persona that is writing it.
- Note this is the bare minimum of what should be on the website. Feel free to be creative and add more images, links, etc. Just make sure they relate to the assignment!
- Publish your website by Sunday and upload the link to classroom to get credit.
Historical Figures (Each person of your group select one):
- John Locke: wrote about how people think and learn. Main theory: if a rational environment can be created, then people will be rational and good in turn.
- Charles Montesquieu: believed in the importance of separation of powers. He thought that by separating the government into different branches, each branch would act as a check against the others and prevent the abuse of power.
- Voltaire: wrote a lot about the individual and society. He was deeply affected by being imprisoned for insulting a nobleman. Spoke out against unjust laws. Strong opponent of the Catholic Church and organized religion.
- Thomas Hobbes: Believed in the importance of a strong central government. Thought that people in general could not be left to govern themselves because they were too selfish and would be cruel to others. Thought that people should agree to a social contract in which they give up some rights to the government in order to get protection and support.
- Rousseau: argued for concept of social contract. All people should be governed by "general will" of the people. Then what is best for the people will happen.
- Adam Smith: political economist. Believed in concept of laissez-faire. Government should not interfere with economic concerns. Government should only be concerned with protecting society from invasion, defending citizens from injustice, and keeping up public works such as roads and canals.
- Mary Wollstonecraft: One of the first "feminists". Argued that all humans (male and female) were reasonable beings. Wanted equal rights for men and women.
Important things to remember:
- Make sure you give your website a title and include all the names of the team members on the website (perhaps listed as editors of the website).
- Make sure you "sign" your article/page as the person who are you pretending to be.
- Remember you are writing as an Enlightenment thinker. Reason and logic should be the basis for your arguments!!!
- Each person is responsible for writing at least one article/page.
- You may need to work together after school to complete the website online. You can utilize the library or you can work from home. Whatever works best for you.
- If you have questions or concerns come seem me or email me!
Some examples/suggestions of topics to write about:
- issues you'd like to see addressed at school: homework policy, lunch policy, dress code, shorter days, etc.
- issues in community: creation of bowling alley or skate park, concerns about drought, city violence or homeless problem, etc.
- issues important to you: whatever those may be! sports, politics, pop culture, you name it.
- issues in our country: citizenship rights, voting rights, political corruption, etc