Leon+Bourgeois

Bonjour Leon!

//**Background Information:**// France is located in Western Europe bordering the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the United Kingdom; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain. The climate consists of cool winters and mild summers; however, along the Mediterranean there are mild winters and hot summers. Some of the natural resources in France are coal, iron, zinc, timber, and fish. There are many current environmental issues in France that the United States can relate to are air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions, and water pollution from Urban Wastes.

Resource: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html

Well, how did Mr. Bourgeois do it?!

It was the combination of all his hard work in the French government that lead him to the Nobel Peace Price in 1920. Bourgeois began his career in government in 1888 when he was named the undersecretary of state in Floquet's (radical-socialist) cabinet. He slowly climbed his way to the top while along the way "instituting major reforms in education structure, reconstituting the universities, and reforming secondary and primary systems." In 1895, Bourgeois formed his own government, which only last six months, but during those six months he formed a political program that included "enactment of a general income tax, the establishment of a retirement plan for workers and implementation of plans for the separation of church and state." Bourgeois was a representative of France in 1899 and in 1907 at the Hague Peace Conferences, and was also minister of state during the war in 1917. In 1918 he became the President of the French Association of the League of Nations, and also "served as a French representative on the League of Nations Commission chaired by Woodrow Wilson." Finally in 1920 Bourgeois became the first president of the Council of the League of Nations, and was awarded for his work in politics and in public work by receiving the Nobel Peace Price.

Resource: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1920/bourgeois-bio.html

//**Instruction Ideas:**// Obviously I would most likely use this for instruction in the sixth grade since the focus is on South America and Europe. I took a look at that objectives, and I decided that I would focus in on objective 8.01 (Describe the role of key historical figures and evaluate their impact on past and present societies in South America and Europe) What I want to focus on is the League of Nations versus the United Nations, and the choices/decisions they make when it comes to wars (such as World War II vs Gulf War, War in Iraq). First I will introduce the League of Nations and the United Nations, and discuss their purposes as well as background information (politicians, countries, dates, historical events). Assuming I have a class size around twenty eight students I will divide the class up into four groups each focussing on one of the Wars and either the involvement of the League of Nations and the United Nations. Each group should focus on the countries involved, the political figures involved, decisions, disagreements, and outcomes. The class will have time in the library and the computer lab. After research is gathered the groups are to compile the information into a presentation (power point, presi, poster board); students can choose how they would like to present the information as long as all of the topics are covered. The presentations will represent 60 percent of the assessment, but after the presentations are given the class will come together to discuss the differences between the two (League of Nations, United Nations). After a group discussion, with me facilitating questions/comments, students are to write down why either the League of Nations or United Nations made the decisions they did, and how it has effected today's society (students can also take the opposition and explain what would have happened if they didn't make the decisions that they did and how it would have effected today's society) - 40 percent.