I’ve always found the 20th century to be a fascinating period in history. Some of the most important scientific discoveries were made, cultural icons were born and world-changing events occurred. When searching for a topic, I immediately turned to this era. After brainstorming and making a list of ideas, I settled on the Treaty of Versailles because I wanted to study WWI, but have little interest in battlefield history. The diplomatic side of the war sounded much more interesting and it fit the turning point theme of this project perfectly.
I used a mixture of books and websites for research. My main resources include Milestone Documents in World History, a reference book; Encyclopedia Britannica Online; the Avalon Project, an online database of historical legal and diplomatic documents; and Paris 1919, by Margaret MacMillan. Mr. Nelson recommended Milestone Documents and it was very helpful, giving basic facts and analysis on WWI, the Council of Four and the Treaty of Versailles itself. I found articles on the Fourteen Points, League of Nations, Paris Peace Conference, Treaty of Versailles and 20th century international politics in the Encyclopedia Britannica. The Avalon Project contains the complete Treaty of Versailles with links to each section. Paris 1919 is an extremely detailed account of the Paris Peace Conference. It includes chapters on each member of the Council of Four and an entire section on the peace settlement with Germany.
I chose to present my project as a website because this format allowed me to use several different methods of displaying information; words, photos, and videos. Weebly worked very well for the project; it was easy to navigate and had no limit on content. I also used timetoast to make an interactive timeline and easybib for the bibliography.
The Treaty of Versailles was a turning point in European history. It was drafted during the historic peace conference that ended World War I in order to set terms of peace with Germany. The treaty was a long-term cause for World War II as it was so unpopular that the German public resented their government for accepting it and the Nazis used it in their propaganda. The absurd financial reparations demanded by the treaty weakened the German economy although ultimately they were never paid. Lax enforcement of military regulations imposed by the Treaty allowed Hitler to remilitarize Germany. The document also established the League of Nations, a predecessor to the modern United Nations.
I used a mixture of books and websites for research. My main resources include Milestone Documents in World History, a reference book; Encyclopedia Britannica Online; the Avalon Project, an online database of historical legal and diplomatic documents; and Paris 1919, by Margaret MacMillan. Mr. Nelson recommended Milestone Documents and it was very helpful, giving basic facts and analysis on WWI, the Council of Four and the Treaty of Versailles itself. I found articles on the Fourteen Points, League of Nations, Paris Peace Conference, Treaty of Versailles and 20th century international politics in the Encyclopedia Britannica. The Avalon Project contains the complete Treaty of Versailles with links to each section. Paris 1919 is an extremely detailed account of the Paris Peace Conference. It includes chapters on each member of the Council of Four and an entire section on the peace settlement with Germany.
I chose to present my project as a website because this format allowed me to use several different methods of displaying information; words, photos, and videos. Weebly worked very well for the project; it was easy to navigate and had no limit on content. I also used timetoast to make an interactive timeline and easybib for the bibliography.
The Treaty of Versailles was a turning point in European history. It was drafted during the historic peace conference that ended World War I in order to set terms of peace with Germany. The treaty was a long-term cause for World War II as it was so unpopular that the German public resented their government for accepting it and the Nazis used it in their propaganda. The absurd financial reparations demanded by the treaty weakened the German economy although ultimately they were never paid. Lax enforcement of military regulations imposed by the Treaty allowed Hitler to remilitarize Germany. The document also established the League of Nations, a predecessor to the modern United Nations.