Pompeii: Frozen in time

Images above: The city of Pompeii today, with Mount Vesuvius in the background

The history of Pompeii: frozen in time

The city of Pompeii was an ancient Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area, was mostly destroyed and buried under 4 to 6 m (13 to 20 ft) of ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The following videos give a great insight into what a city frozen in time would look like.

* A day in Pompeii

* The last day of Pompeii

* If these walls could speak 

* Buried alive 

* Unearthing Pompeii 

* Pompeii: The full movie

Historical questions to explore

 Image above: Women in World War 2

The historical investigation for the course

During this term the class has had the opportunity to research in depth and share an historical topic. The topics required the development of an historical question and/or angle to research.  Here are some videos the class used to share knowledge and understandings on each of the topics and to discuss the historical question.

 Historical questions and supporting videos

* The Sydney Harbour Bridge is more than just a bridge!















 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPQ7CzVHdMs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy5cZ-IO0Eg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mbrxSqx47I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb7utwN12WM


* The role of Australians in Vietnam is an important story to tell 

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUSo_gMu7XY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIL7Ty0oBCw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODWvj8aP-Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrXxACZRx30


* The Stolen Generation was the untold story of Australia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PKXELTiXNE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL_OnGjuImk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaZtOIsgBqQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HniHCZ9esVQ


* Pirates exist beyond storybooks

 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecSWHoCKC28

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpUgBBRyBOI

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY_nrQyL0T4

* The role of women in World War 2 is often underestimated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGp93ijzok4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9xADKeyB84

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcVwkdkia6U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiYbNViJFl0

On this day backstories

Image above: Annie Edson Taylor, our 'on this day' discussion from  24 October - an amazing story of going over Niagara Falls in a barrel - why? A fascinating historical 'backstory'.


10 November?

Having studied the Great War this year, we all know what happened on 11 November but what happened on 10 November?
Over recent weeks we have been doing 'On this day' discussions. Use the following links to find something to discuss with class that happened on this day and stimulated your thinking or 'pricked' your interest. Find out what you can about the happening and present orally to the class. 

* BBC on this day
* Historyorb
* History Channel  
* On this day
* New York Times
* British on this day 
* This day in history

During our discussion we have found that every happening has a fascinating historical 'backstory'. To make sense of the happening we need to explore and learn about so much history of people, events and phenomena.

South Australians at War

Image above: The RSL SA Virtual War Memorial

History sites to use
BBC on this day since 1953
On this day.com
History.orb
World War 1 Encyclopedia
Australian War Memorial
Victoria Cross recipients
RSL Virtual War Memorial
Interactive documentary on the Great War
Time Maps

Scoop.it sites for the class
Windows to the Great War
History and geography Scoop.it
Just real interesting


Remembrance on-line

Recently a great site was established by the Returned Services League of SA which attempts to document all of the SA Memorials and the soldiers and nurses from South Australia who served in the Great War. The site is call the Virtual War Memorial  and aims to connect communities with their history.  It links the names on memorials with the life behind the name.  It  connects those names with key places, organisations and events to add context to the story.

The site puts a life behind the names inscribed on memorials that we walk past every day. It retrieves data from official sources. Invites contributions of private records artefacts and images. Every name has a web page - a story on every page.

The Memorials across South Australia




The Virtual War Memorial is both a repository and a resource for students, family, researchers, teachers, historians, genealogists and communities.

As if today!

Image above: Europe. North Africa and the Middle East before the Great War

History sites to use
BBC on this day since 1953
On this day.com
History.orb
World War 1 Encyclopedia
Australian War Memorial
Victoria Cross recipients
RSL Virtual War Memorial
Interactive documentary on the Great War
Time Maps

Scoop.it sites for the class
Windows to the Great War
History and geography Scoop.it
Just real interesting


* Seeing the past through the eyes of the present via digital media

The Soldiers tale project is an interesting way for you to learn and empathise with a soldier in the Great War. Unlike the real letters of Jack, this site uses online and digital media to get involved with the lives of  people from the dramatic events of 1914 to 1918. This inventive project brings together a multitude of historical sources to tell an engaging narrative of life, both at War and on the Home Front. Events unfold in real time, 100 years to the day from when they happened.

The main character, Walter Carter blogs, posts and tweets at least 3 times per week. Through his social media activity you learn about:

• The differing opinions and experiences of our characters paint a broad picture of life at the time: social, economic, political and cultural

• The impact of the conflict on different countries and nationalities including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and the Caribbean is conveyed

• Important social issues are covered, many still valid today, e.g. the role of women, the effect of war on communities, identity and race, and the treatment of the physically and mentally injured

Links are also provided to archives and other interactive resources. This project is an interesting way to learn about period of the Great War via modern media.

* Take this test on the Great War

World War 1 through maps

Image above: Europe. North Africa and the Middle East before the Great War

History sites to use
BBC on this day since 1953
On this day.com
History.orb
World War 1 Encyclopedia
Australian War Memorial
Victoria Cross recipients
RSL Virtual War Memorial
Interactive documentary on the Great War
Time Maps

Scoop.it sites for the class
Windows to the Great War
History and geography Scoop.it
Just real interesting


You can learn a lot about the Great War through map

·        *  Maps to explain World War 1  http://www.vox.com/a/world-war-i-maps

 
One hundred years ago today, on August 4, 1914, German troops began pouring over the border into Belgium, starting the first major battle of World War I. The Great War killed 10 million people, redrew the map of Europe, and marked the rise of the United States as a global power. Here are 40 maps that explain the conflict — why it started, how the Allies won, and why the world has never been the same.

·        *  Map of Europe before World War 1

http://www.worldology.com/Europe/pre-war_imap.htm

http://www.maps.com/map.aspx?nav=MS&pid=1992&AID=10401816&CJPID=3568251

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/firstworldwar/maps/europe1914.htm

·         * Map of the Middle East before World War 1

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/firstworldwar/maps/maps.htm

The Hell of the trenches

History sites to use
BBC on this day since 1953
On this day.com
History.orb
World War 1 Encyclopedia
Australian War Memorial
Victoria Cross recipients
RSL Virtual War Memorial
Interactive documentary on the Great War
Time Maps

Scoop.it sites for the class
Windows to the Great War
History and geography Scoop.it
Just real interesting


Some great vision on the trenches

The following are excellent videos to show the nature and suffering of the trenches

* World War in colour: Episode: Slaughter in the trenches

* The reality of the trenches

* The madness of the Somme

Questions to ponder
* Why did the war become a trench stalemate*?
* What is meant when it is said that the trench stalemate led to a 'war of attrition'?
* What did the Generals do in trying to break the trench stalemate?
* What should the Generals have done to break the trench stalemate?
* Is there any way you can defend the Generals in their tactics and approach to the trench stalemate?

* A stalemate is a when a situation in which further action is blocked; a deadlock

Some background on the trenches

Life in the trenches was agonisingly uncomfortable.  In the wet months, the soldiers were constantly wet and muddy, while during the dry months water was at a premium.  Washing and activities such as brushing teeth proved almost impossible under such conditions.  Sleep remained difficult during the night from movement along the trenches, bombardment and gas precaution procedures.  Men usually slept on the floor of the trench during the day.  In winter, ankle-deep mud forced the men to dig into the side of the trench like rabbits to create a dry sleeping shelf.  The mud also made movement, dryness, comfort and cleanliness extremely difficult.  In addition to mud, lack of sleep and water restrictions, the soldiers also endured fleas, lice, rats, horrific smells from rotting bodies in no-mans land, stale food, body odours and bodily wastes in the trench area.  Explosions also left a strong smell.  Each length of trench was meant to have a latrine dug into the trench wall at right angles to the main trench.  It was common for men who had never smoked before to take up the habit just to mask the terrible smells that they were exposed to for 24 hours a day.

To add to the discomfort, the soldiers faced the ever-present fear of death by snipers, enemy raids/attacks or orders to go over the top and attack.