War and Peace is set during a. The Russian Revolution b. The Napoleonic Wars c. World War I
The number of characters in War and Peace is nearly a. 600 b. 800 c. 1,000
War and Peace can be described as a. simple b. fantastical c. realistic
Discussion/essay questions
What is the longest book you have ever read? Do you prefer long books or short ones?
What is the purpose of reading fictional stories about history? Do you think fiction is as useful as facts? Why or why not?
Transcript
War and Peace is a book by Russian author Leo Tolstoy. It was originally serialized in a magazine in 1865, but Tolstoy left the serial unfinished and published the whole book in 1869. The story follows five Russian families during the Napoleonic Wars. War and Peace is notorious for its length and complexity. It is more than 1,000 pages long, and it contains almost 600 different characters. It is also famous for its realistic treatment of war and human experiences. Even though War and Peace is a work of fiction, Tolstoy did not consider it a novel. Many of its chapters are descriptions of historic events. Others are philosophical arguments. War and Peace has a reputation for being difficult to read, but it is widely considered a literary masterpiece.
Les Miserables, like many of Victor Hugo’s works, criticizes the way society treats people who commit crimes in order to survive. Do you think justice systems have improved since Victor Hugo’s time? Why or why not?
Joan of Arc grew up during a war between France and a. England b. Germany c. Spain
Joan started having visions when she was a. 12 b. 13 c. 17
She was put on trial for a. spying b. witchcraft c. war crimes
Discussion/essay questions
It is uncertain how much of Joan of Arc’s story is true. There are many common myths about Joan and her life. Have you heard the story before? What do you believe?
The Battle of Puebla was a battle between Mexico and a. America b. England c. France
The war was caused by a dispute about a. debt repayments b. borders c. political systems
Mexico’s victory in Puebla a. ended the war with France b. became a representation of strength and patriotism c. gained the interest of the American military
See answers below
Discussion/essay questions
Cinco de Mayo has become a very popular holiday in the U.S., but many people who celebrate it do not know the history. Why do you think this is?
Transcript
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates Mexico’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla. The war began in 1861, after Mexican president Benito Juarez paused debt repayments to European countries so he could support the struggling economy in his own country. France invaded Mexico in response. On May 5th, 1862, Mexican troops defeated French troops in Puebla. Their victory did not end the war, but the day came to represent strength and patriotism for the Mexican people. Although Cinco de Mayo originated in Mexico, celebrations in Mexican-American communities introduced the holiday to the U.S. as well. Today, it is more widely celebrated in the U.S. than it is in Mexico.
Art is very subjective. Everyone has different opinions about it. What do you think makes art “good”? Why?
Transcript
Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist. He was born in 1881, in Málaga, Spain. When he was just 14 years old, Picasso was accepted into an art school in Barcelona. He had his first exhibit in Paris in 1901, and he moved there three years later. Throughout his life, Picasso became very famous. He was best known for being a pioneer of the Cubist art movement. Along with French artist Georges Braque, he created paintings that deconstructed objects and showed multiple angles at once. However, he also experimented with many other art forms, including sculpture and Surrealist painting. Picasso died in 1973, at age 91. He is known today as one of the most important artists of the 20th century.
While Marie Curie’s research did help scientists develop cancer treatments, her research was also important for the invention of the atomic bomb during World War II. The atomic bomb is still a controversial subject because of the amount of deaths it caused. Do you think Curie’s discoveries had a positive impact on the world, or a negative one?
Transcript
Marie Curie was a Polish-born French physicist, known for her research of radioactive chemicals. She was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1867, the youngest of five children in her family. Growing up, Curie was smart and curious, and dreamed of getting a university degree. However, the University of Warsaw only admitted male students at the time. In order to get her degree, Curie moved to Paris. She studied physics at Sorbonne University, and later received another degree in math. After her education, Curie went on to become a scientist. While working with a mineral known as pitchblende, Curie discovered a new chemical property, which we now know as radioactivity. She also discovered two new elements, which she called polonium and radium. Because of these scientific discoveries, Curie became the first person to ever win two Nobel Prizes. Curie died in 1934 from an illness caused by her exposure to radiation. However, her research has helped modern scientists develop treatments for cancer, and she is still seen as one of the greatest scientists of all time.
France was one of the first countries in Europe to abolish their monarchy. Many other countries began to do the same thing as time went on. Today, most European countries have elected leaders. Do you think this would have been different if the French Revolution had never happened?
Transcript
The French Revolution was a violent political movement that took place in the late 18th century. The unrest in France began during the reign of King Louis XVI, whose spending decisions had led the country into debt. In order to solve this problem, Louis XVI called on an assembly of French citizens to vote on what to do. However, poor citizens found that higher-class citizens had the power to outvote them. This led to the decision to place higher taxes on commoners. Angered by this decision, the commoners created their own assembly, and began to revolt. After invading Louis XVI’s palace, the revolutionaries gained control of France. The new government abolished the monarchy and executed both the king and his wife, Marie Antoinette. But while the king was no longer in charge of France, the French Revolution would continue for years after his execution, as the new government waged war against other European countries that were afraid their citizens would follow France’s example.
The Mona Lisa’s fame came from the 1911 theft. If Vincenzo Peruggia had stolen a different painting, do you think that painting would have the same popularity that the Mona Lisa has today?
Transcript
The Mona Lisa is considered the most famous painting in the world. The piece was painted by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is currently displayed in the Louvre, a famous art museum in Paris, France. The painting gained international attention when it was stolen from the museum in 1911. It was missing for two years before a former Louvre employee named Vincenzo Peruggia was caught trying to sell the painting. Peruggia had stolen the painting because he believed that it should belong in an Italian museum, rather than a French one. After Peruggia’s arrest, the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre. However, the Mona Lisa’s fame attracted many vandals. In 1956, a vandal threw acid at the painting, causing damage. It is now kept behind bulletproof glass to protect it from any acts of vandalism. The Mona Lisa is also one of the most commonly replicated paintings. Since 1911, many artists have tried to recreate the Mona Lisa, and a few older copies exist that may have been painted by da Vinci’s students.
