As with a lot of the more tragic/epic events in history, such as wars, I like to present this as a timed slide show that tells the story through pictures and text. Making this especially effective is accompanying it with somewhat somber music to set the proper mood. The effect I'm trying to achieve is the sort that Ken Burns creates in his documentaries.

When I first tried this approach, I was surprised at how much my students liked it. Therefore I've applied it to my lessons on the Byzantine Empire, the Crusades, the disastrous process and results of colonization in Africa, and virtually all my art slide lectures and major wars in history. It can be run as a timed presentation on its own, presented slide by slide for discussion, or integrated into your other lectures.

This packet also contains a student reading, flowchart, and the author’s own research notes which contain lots of details and interesting trivia to spice up your class.



For more information on my flowcharts and approach to teaching history, please view my profile or visit my website at www.flowofhistory.com


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