The document summarizes an evaluation of 16 students' national histories of Poland. It finds that the students:
1) Did not use formal historical periods and instead focused on royal dynasties, important dates, and events.
2) Considered the baptism of Poland in 966 as the beginning of Polish national history.
3) Mentioned important Polish kings and other individuals but did not provide their own perspectives.
4) Discussed major events in Polish history like the partitions of Poland and various uprisings but mixed military and social narratives.
Milestones: 1989–1992
Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1989
On November 9, 1989, thousands of jubilant Germans brought down the most visible symbol of division at the heart of Europe—the Berlin Wall. For two generations, the Wall was the physical representation of the Iron Curtain, and East German border guards had standing shoot-to-kill orders against those who tried to escape. But just as the Wall had come to represent the division of Europe, its fall came to represent the end of the Cold War. In the White House, President George H. W. Bush and his National Security Advisor, Brent Scowcroft, watched the unfolding scene on a television in the study, aware of both the historical significance of the moment and of the challenges for U.S. foreign policy that lay ahead.
Milestones: 1989–1992
Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1989
On November 9, 1989, thousands of jubilant Germans brought down the most visible symbol of division at the heart of Europe—the Berlin Wall. For two generations, the Wall was the physical representation of the Iron Curtain, and East German border guards had standing shoot-to-kill orders against those who tried to escape. But just as the Wall had come to represent the division of Europe, its fall came to represent the end of the Cold War. In the White House, President George H. W. Bush and his National Security Advisor, Brent Scowcroft, watched the unfolding scene on a television in the study, aware of both the historical significance of the moment and of the challenges for U.S. foreign policy that lay ahead.
REVISION IGCSE CAMBRIDGE HISTORY: HUNGARIAN UPRISING 1956. It was a nationwide revolution against the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956. Leaderless at the beginning, it was the first major threat to Soviet control since the Red Army drove Nazi Germany from its territory at the End of World War II in Europe.
REVISION IGCSE CAMBRIDGE HISTORY: HUNGARIAN UPRISING 1956. It was a nationwide revolution against the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956. Leaderless at the beginning, it was the first major threat to Soviet control since the Red Army drove Nazi Germany from its territory at the End of World War II in Europe.
Slideshows about nonviolence and nonviolent resolution of conflicts, economic alternatives, ecology, social change, spirituality : www.irnc.org , Slideshows in english
Nonviolent resitance against communist dictatorhip in Europa
Poland
Hungary
East Germany
Czechoslovakia
Romania
Similar to Evaluation students national history 2012 1 (20)
1. 1
EVALUATION STUDENTS’ NATIONAL
HISTORIES
Date: May 2012
Number of students: 16
1. Do they use the Periods? Do they know them?
Only one work contains one Period – Renaissance
They don’t use the Periods
Usually they prefer to use:
- Years of rule royal dynasties
- Important dates
- Important events
2. What event/Period is considered as the beginning of the national history?
All students considered “baptism of Poland” (966) as the beginning of the national history
7 students mentioned about earlier times (the Slavic peoples)
3. What characters are mentioned? Do they speak about people? Individuals?
All students (16) said about people, they usually mentioned:
Polish kings:
Mieszko I and his wife Dobrawa
Bolesław Chrobry
Bolesław Krzywousty
Władysław Łokietek
Kazimierz Wielki
Władysław Jagiełło
Queen Jadwiga
Jan III Sobieski
2. 2
Stanisław August Poniatowski
Some of them mentioned about individuals (not only Poles):
Saint Wojciech / St. Adalbert
Otton III / Emperor Otto III
Gall Anonim / Gallus Anonymus
Konrad Mazowiecki / Konrad I of Masovia
Albreht Hochenzollern
Mikołaj Kopernik / Nicolaus Copernicus
Jan Kochanowski
Tadeusz Kościuszko
Napoleon
Gen. Jan Henryk Dąbrowski
Józef Wybicki
Józef Piłsudski
Pope Jan Paweł II (Karol Wojtyła)
Lech Wałęsa
4. What events are mentioned? /List of most popular events/
“Baptism of Poland” by Mieszko I (966)
The Congress of Gniezno (1000)
Bolesław Chrobry became the first king of Poland (1025)
Feudal fragmentation (1138 – 1320)
Signing of the Unions with Lithuania (1385, 1569)
Battle of Grunwald (1410)
Battle of Vienna (1683)
Adoption of Constitution of May 3 (1791)
Partitions of Poland (1773, 1793, 1795) – Poland disappeared from the world map (1795)
National Uprisings (Kościuszko Uprising 1794, November Uprising 1830, January Uprising
1863)
Napoleonic Wars – creation of Polish Legions (1797) and future Polish national anthem
“Mazurek Dąbrowskiego” (by Józef Wybicki)
World War I
Poland reappeared on the world map (1918)
Battle of Warsaw / the “Miracle at the Vistula” (1920)
World War II
Warsaw Ghetto Rising (1943)
Warsaw Rising (1944)
Communism in Poland (after war – 1989)
3. 3
Election of Pope John Paul II (1978)
Creation of Independent Self-governing Trade Union "Solidarity" (full name) (1980)
Martial law in Poland (1981 – 1983)
Polish „Round Table Talks” (1989)
Poland - member of NATO (1999)
Poland - member of European Union (12 V 2004)
5. What is their point of view?
Only two students said “I think” in their works.
Students didn’t notice progress. They talked only about facts.
All of them (16) mixed up military and social point of view.
6. The narrative
Generally they mixed up national and European history but only when it is important for
national (Polish) events.
All of them (16) used linear narrative.
All students mixed up militant and social narrative.
Nobody used judgment narrative
All works were correct (they weren’t anachronistic)
