The First World War officially ended on June 28, 1919, when Germany signed a peace treaty with the Allies. Signed in the Hall of Mirrors at the palace in Versailles, the treaty instantly became a lightning rod for debate due to its broad and harsh terms. Germany lost substantial territory, was stripped of most of its powerful military, and was obliged to pay an enormous indemnity.
The Treaty of Versailles is one of the most debated events of the past hundred years. Even today, dozens of books about the treaty come out every year–some in favor of it, some opposed to it. Adolf Hitler famously used the treaty as an excuse to seek absolute power in Germany and then turn his attention to the domination of Europe.
But was the treaty fair on June 28, 1919? It’s easy to look back at any historical event and criticize it, but we must remember to put ourselves in the positions of the people who were there. And that’s exactly what I asked grade 9 to do this week.
Divided into two teams, their task was to pool their collective knowledge and develop a coherent argument either for or against the treaty. Their preparation included writing opening statements, questions for the other team during cross examination, and (most difficult of all) imagining what the other team would argue and how best to attack those arguments.
Grade 9 really showed me something in this debate. They were engaged. Their arguments were sharp. Their questions were well thought out and their answers to those questions were spot on.
In short, they synthesized and applied the past four weeks of learning in a way that made history come alive.
