To vote in Athenian democracy, you had to be a. a free citizen b. a free land-owning citizen c. a free male citizen
The part of government made up of all eligible Athenian citizens was called a. the Senate b. the Council c. the Assembly
Most democracies around the world are a. direct b. representative c. authoritarian
Discussion/essay questions
Winston Churchill famously said “Democracy is the worst system of government except for all those other forms that have been tried.” What do you think of this quote? Do you agree or disagree? What do you think the best system of government would look like?
Transcript
The word “democracy” comes from the ancient Greek word demokratia. “Demos” means “people” and kratos means “rule.” The idea of demokratia originated in Athens around 500 BCE. Athenian democracy was a direct democracy, which meant it allowed the people to vote on decisions and laws. Not everyone could vote. Only free male citizens were eligible. The eligible people formed a part of government called the Assembly. To participate, Athenian men had to go to Assembly meetings and share their opinions. Although the word “democracy” originated in Greece, there is evidence for other ancient democracies. Some early tribes around the world used popular rule. Many historians now believe that civilizations in Mesoamerica also had democratic governments. Today, most democracies are representative, which means that people elect leaders to make decisions for them. However, some countries, like Switzerland, require referendums for important decisions.
The ruins of the Roswell craft were originally discovered by a. a farmer b. a spy c. a policeman
A news article claimed that the US military had found a. a Soviet spycraft b. a time machine c. a flying saucer
The US military originally claimed the craft was a. a drone b. a weather balloon c. a surveillance device
Discussion/essay questions
Do you believe that any UFO sightings have actually been aliens? Why or why not?
UFO theories have started to become popular again. Why do you think this is?
Transcript
The Roswell incident was a reported UFO sighting in 1947. It began when W. W. Brazel, a farmer from Roswell, New Mexico, discovered the ruins of a strange aircraft. Brazel brought some scraps from the aircraft to the local police, who took the evidence to the US military. By then, rumours were beginning to circulate. A news article claimed that the military had discovered a “flying saucer”, and there were reports of alien bodies recovered from the craft. The military originally claimed that the aircraft was a weather balloon. Over 40 years later, they explained that it was part of a classified mission to spy on Soviet nuclear projects. The “bodies” were likely test dummies. The US government’s secrecy during the Cold War made UFO reports common. Today, many people still hold conspiracy theories about UFO sightings.
The “cheese caves” are really a. large warehouses b. limestone mines c. natural caves
In the 1970s, the government bought dairy products in bulk to a. plan for food shortages b. stabilize dairy prices c. export them to other countries
Today, the government uses the cheese reserve to a. support food assistance programs b. collect money from tourism c. save for an emergency
Discussion/essay questions
The cheese caves are controversial. Some people argue that the government’s support of dairy farms is actively harming the environment. Do you think people will need to change their eating habits to protect the Earth? How might diets be different in the future?
Transcript
In Springfield, Missouri, limestone mines deep in the ground store over one billion pounds of cheese. These are called the “cheese caves”, and they are owned by the US government. The government began accumulating cheese in the 1970s, when the Department of Agriculture bought dairy products in bulk to help stabilize the prices of milk. They had the milk made into cheese so they could store it for longer. When they found that they had too much cheese and nowhere to put it, they built cold storage facilities underground. Today, there is still a national cheese reserve, which the government now uses to provide cheese to food assistance programs.
The fictional state of Oceania is a. democratic b. totalitarian c. anarchist
The main character’s job is to a. rewrite records of history b. punish people who protest the government c. spy on suspicious people
Winston must keep his journal hidden because a. it contains important government secrets b. his opinions would be considered “thoughtcrime” c. it contains plans to overthrow the government
Discussion/essay questions
What do you think the purpose of dystopian fiction is?
Transcript
1984 is a dystopian novel by English writer George Orwell. It is set in a fictional totalitarian state that supposedly developed after World War II. This state, known as Oceania, heavily controls the thoughts, words, and actions of its citizens. The main character of the story is a man named Winston Smith, whose job is to rewrite records of history. However, Winston secretly keeps a journal where he writes down his real opinions about the government. This is considered “thoughtcrime”, and Winston must keep his journal hidden. Orwell published the book in 1949. It was originally meant to criticize the Nazi and Stalinist regimes. However, the novel is still relevant today as a warning against censorship and government surveillance.
Although the civil rights movement ended a long time ago, racism did not. In recent years, a new movement called Black Lives Matter has gained international support. This movement aims to end racism and abuse of power within the police system. What are some of the major similarities and differences between this movement and the movement of the 1960s?
Transcript
John Lewis was an American activist and politician. He was born in 1940 in Troy, Alabama. When Lewis was growing up, segregation was still common in Southern states. As a teenager, Lewis was inspired by the speeches of activist Martin Luther King, Jr. While he was a student in college, Lewis became involved in the American civil rights movement, which aimed to gain equal rights and opportunities for Black people. He even helped to organize the March on Washington, one of the most important events of the entire movement. Lewis continued to advocate for the rights of Black Americans long after the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964. He decided to run for office in the 1980s to help marginalized communities. Lewis was elected to Congress in 1986, and he served until his death in 2020.
