Anne Bradstreet Webquest

Today in class, please begin the following webquest with your partner. You likely will not finish during the period, so please do so for homework. You should each turn in your own copy of the answers, but you can work together for the duration of the period (e.g., print out two copies of a Word document). Your completed work is due in class on Tuesday, November 21st.

1. Browse these resources to learn about the life and work of Puritan poet Anne Bradstreet:

• Anne Bradstreet Biography
  
• Anne Bradstreet (ca.1612-72)
  
• Selected Poetry of Anne Bradstreet (ca. 1612-1672)
  
• Index to the Poetry of Anne Bradstreet
  
• Study Texts on Anne Bradstreet's Poetry

2. Use this information to create an identity chart of at least 10 details for Anne Bradstreet.

3. Read several of her poems, including:

• The Author To Her Book
  
• Prologue
  
• In Reference to her Children
  
• Verses upon the Burning of our House
  
• By Night when Others Soundly Slept
  
• To My Dear and Loving Husband

4. Reread these poems in light of these general ways to approach Anne Bradstreet's poems.

5. Please write your answers to the following questions, in complete and well-punctuated sentences:

• Contrast Bradstreet’s early writing with her later poetry in terms of style and subject. How does the contrast reflect the changing circumstances of her life? Note: You don't need to read her earlier work to answer this question. It will be apparent in the biographical information.
  
• Discuss where you see Bradstreet's poetry reflecting Puritan thinking. Analyze, in particular, the way Bradstreet reflects her own spiritual and metaphysical fears in the process of describing an actual event in “Verses upon the Burning of Our House.”
  
• What does Anne Bradstreet's poetry reveal about Puritan ideas of the proper role of women? Are her experiences as a woman and her beliefs as a Puritan in harmony or at odds with one another? Explain.
  
• What does her poetry reveal about attitudes towards women as writers? What is her defense of her poetry? Do you "buy" her assertion that she had a secondary and defective talent, or is something else going on here?
  
• How well do her themes and strategies travel across time? What elements seem to connect to contemporary concerns? What fails to relate? Why?
  

Reminder: Names of poems go in quotations; names of books of poetry (like other book titles) should be underlined or italicized.


Book of Anne Bradstreet's poetry published in Boston (1678)

Contemporary Crucibles?

In the early pages of The Crucible, Arthur Miller writes:

“[O]ne can only pity them all, just as we shall be pitied someday. It is still impossible for man to organize his social life without repressions, and the balance has yet to be struck between order and freedom.”

Your task is to research a contemporary issue that could be considered a potential parallel to the “witch hunts” of Salem and/or the McCarthy era, and evaluate whether the comparison is appropriate. Follow these steps:

1. Choose a topic below and click to enter the web quest.
   
2. Go to the links provided and view or listen to the material you find there. Take good notes on the information you find and answer the questions on the worksheet. Remember, you’ll be writing a paper on the subject of the contemporary relevance of the play.
   
3. You may choose to do your own additional web research on this topic; just be sure to use reliable sources in your investigation. (Tips: Do not use Wikipedia as a cited source; do use Media Center databases; do ask if you have questions.)
4. For extra credit, go to the databases available through the Media Center or the public library, and find at least one relevant and interesting article from The New York Times, The Boston Globe, or another nationally recognized, reputable publication on your topic to read, print, and attach to your notes. See below for links and instructions.
   

Click one of the issues below to enter the web quest. You may want to explore a few topics before settling on one to research in more depth.

Freedom vs. Security: The Patriot Act
Some feel that in the “war against terror” our government has gone too far in trading the freedoms of its citizens for increased security. Do the Patriot Act and related measures cross the line?

National Security and Guantánamo Bay Detainees
Is it ever acceptable to violate the rights of the individual in the name of safety for the masses? Does the “war against terror” change the rules of the game? Or has the detention of terrorist suspects at Guantánamo Bay become a modern witch hunt?

School Security and Students’ Rights
In a post-Columbine world, school administrations have to walk the delicate balance between the safety of their students and staff, and infringing on the rights of the people they are charged with protecting. Are their decisions justified? As on the national level, schools struggle with the difficult balance between freedom and privacy, on the one hand, and security and order, on the other.

Academic Free Speech
Are there limits to what people should and should not be able to say on university campuses? In McCarthyism and in The Crucible we see the dangers people can get into for speaking their minds. Do those cautionary tales still apply?

Day Care “Satanic Abuse” Trials
The 1980s saw strange headlines about horrible, unthinkable cases of child abuse. Court trials showcased small children describing nightmarish acts of sexual abuse. However, it turned out that many of these allegations were ultimately false or misguided, raising dark questions about mob mentality, the believability of children, and the demands of revenge.

Caution: As you might suspect, the topic of these trials is very upsetting to many people. Please do not pursue this avenue of inquiry if it conflicts with your religious or cultural views, or if it makes you uncomfortable.

Just For Fun!
If you have some extra time, why not “experience the trials” at the National Geographic witch hunt website, with historically accurate information about the real Salem Witch Trials! Click here:
http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/salem/

Extra Credit: Minuteman Regional Library Database
For extra credit, go to the Media Center or Minuteman Regional Library databases and search the archives of The New York Times or The Boston Globe for an article relevant to your topic. Print and attach to your webquest. You will need a library card account number to access the MMRLS site. If you don't have a public library card, you can use the access number on the password sheet from the Media Center. These are terrific archives for research in this class, history class, or anything you're just curious about:

Minuteman Regional Library Databases
Media Center Databases

Day Care “Satanic Abuse” Trials

“From time to time during the 1980s, Americans awoke to headlines announcing that another day care center had been discovered to house a coven of child-abusing conspirators. The resulting court trials showcased often bizarre dramas of small children describing unthinkable acts of sexual abuse. What was especially alarming was that the alleged abusers looked like wholesome loving people, like us.”

However, it turns out that many of these allegations were false, raising dark questions about mob mentality, the limitations of children’s testimony, and the demands of revenge.

Caution: As you might suspect, the topic of these trials is very upsetting to many people. Please do not pursue this avenue of inquiry if it conflicts with your religious or cultural views, or if it makes you uncomfortable.

McMartin & Michaels Preschool Abuse Trials
The Kelly Michaels day care case is featured on Professor Douglas Linder’s terrific website of famous trials. Start with his concise summary of the case. Then be sure to check out his analysis of whether this is a modern day “witch hunt," and read the provocative comparison to McCarthyism right on the front page:
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mcmartin/mcmartin.html

Court TV Website
Cable’s Court TV takes on the McMartin case. The background information is very easy to read.
http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/psychology/mcmartin_daycare/1.html

Frontline: Innocence Lost the Plea
PBS Frontline produced a documentary detailing the Little Rascals Day Care Case in Edenton, NC. Explore the Frontline website by beginning with the summary and a brief chronology. Then go on to browse the roundtable discussion to read testimony from experts in law, child psychology, repressed memory, etc.

Warning: There is great information on this PBS website. But it’s a very upsetting topic and some of the content – particularly the trial transcripts – are very graphic. Be very cautious if you stray off the web quest.

Readings on the Believability of Children
Excerpts from the experts on how we can evaluate the testimony of children in difficult issues.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/innocence/readings/

Academic Free Speech

Are there limits to what people should and should not be able to say on university campuses? In McCarthyism and in The Crucible we see the dangers people can get into for speaking their minds. Do those cautionary tales still apply?

American Civil Liberties Union
Links to articles on freedom for student speech.
http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/index.html

First Amendment Center
From the First Amendment Center, an overview of the concept of academic freedom and recent controversies including speech codes and objections to campus speakers.
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/pubcollege/overview.aspx

The Case of Ward Churchill
One particularly interesting and incendiary example pertaining to the limits of free speech is the case of Ward Churchill. Churchill is a professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, whose work has focused on the treatment of political dissidents and American Indians in the United States. He was also the center of great controversy after making some extreme statements about the World Trade Center attacks.

Primary Source Documents
These resources include Churchill’s original essay sparking the controversy, formal reactions from the university, etc.
http://www.politicalgateway.com/news/read.html?id=2739

Democracy Now
This article in Democracy Now takes a view in support of Churchill’s rights to free speech.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/18/157211

Weekly Standard
This article in the The Weekly Standard argues that the university is right in acting to censor Churchill.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/496cjzrn.asp

Interview in Satya Magazine
Interview with Ward Churchill in Satya Magazine, “Dismantling the Politics of Comfort.”
http://www.satyamag.com/apr04/churchill.html

School Security and Students’ Rights

In a post-Columbine world, school administrations have to walk the delicate balance between the safety of their students and staff, and infringing on the rights of the people they are charged with protecting. Are their decisions justified? Like on a national level, how do we balance questions freedom and privacy with those of security?

The Free Child Project
The Free Child Project advocates for human rights for students. Browse their Student Rights Directory, with helpful links to relevant topics.
http://www.freechild.org/student_rights.htm

American Friends Service Committee
The American Friends Service Committee provides a very accessible overview of high school students' rights.
http://afsc.org/youthmil/militarism-in-schools/High-school-students-rights.htm

Student Press Law Center
Although slightly dated, this article from 2000 addresses the balance between fear of violence and potential violations of student rights.
http://www.splc.org/report_detail.asp?id=574&edition=6

Talk of the Nation
”In the wake of the Columbine tragedy, students across the country are being disciplined for activities ranging from discussing violent impulses to wearing black clothing. Eleven students in Ohio were suspended for posting satirical essays about reaction to the Columbine shootings on their website. Join Ray Suarez and guests to discuss the tension between protecting schools and protecting students' rights.”
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1050129

Exploring Constitutional Conflicts at UMKC
Overview of court cases featuring the free speech rights of students. Be sure to scroll down for information about the Frederick v. Morse, decided in June 2007 by the Supreme Court, in which a student was suspended for 10 days for "promoting illegal substances" at a school sponsored event with a controversial banner.
Exploring Constitutional Conflicts

If you're interested researching the Frederick v. Morse case, read the ACLU's opinion here.

Religious Tolerance: Friction Over Clothing and Jewelry
This website tracks recent cases of students and schools clashing over freedom of dress. Check out their citations at the bottom of the page, too.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/sch_clot5.htm

National Security & Guantánamo Bay Detainees

Is it ever acceptable to violate the rights of the individual in the name of safety for the masses? Does the “war against terror” change the rules of the game? Or has the detention of terrorist suspects at Guantánamo Bay become a modern witch hunt?

The New York Times
The New York Times has a page highlighting its recent and historical coverage of the Patriot Act. You won't want to read all of these articles, but skim for headlines that catch your eye. Start with their summary at the top of the page, however, for a great overview:

Guantanamo Bay Naval Base Highlights

Then check out this article, "Naming Names at Gitmo."

This American Life: Habeas Schmabeas
“The right of habeas corpus has been a part of this country’s legal tradition longer than we’ve actually been a country. It means the government has to explain why it's holding a person in custody. But now, the war on terror has nixed many of the rules we used to think of as fundamental.” Is there a parallel to be drawn between the hysteria of Arthur Miller’s Salem and the imprisonment of suspected terrorists at Guantánamo Bay without legal representation – or, in a post-9-11 world, are the rules of the game different? Radio show This American Life explores the issue in this show.

Description of the show and link to the audio:
http://thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=331

Transcript of the show (.pdf):
http://thislife.org/extras/radio/310_transcript.pdf

The Price of Security: Guantánamo Diary
This multimedia presentation of the Discovery Channel’s investigative trip to Guantánamo Bay features amazing and rare photographs.
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/koppel/slideshows/slideshows.html

Amnesty International
Amnesty International argues that the detention of “enemy combatants” is a “symbol of injustice and abuse” in our government’s administration. Read their argument here to evaluate it for yourself. First start with the background description here:

http://web.amnesty.org/pages/guantanamobay-background-eng

Then move on to recent updates:

http://web.amnesty.org/pages/guantanamobay-index-eng

Department of Defense
Browse the Department of Defense website on “news about the troops on the frontlines in the global war on terror.”
http://www.defendamerica.mil/

Fox News
President Bush rebuts the allegations made by Amnesty International in this article by Fox News.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158139,00.html

Freedom vs. Security: The Patriot Act

Some feel that in the “war against terror” our government has gone too far in trading the freedoms of its citizens for increased security. Do the Patriot Act and related measures cross the line?

The Price of Security
Ted Koppel’s documentary, The Price of Security (2006) explores the rights and freedoms Americans have sacrificed in the years since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. Koppel writes, “The experts are all but unanimous: There will be another terrorist attack on the United States. When that happens, the opportunity for rational discussion and debate will be over. That's why we feel it's so urgent to address this issue now.”
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/koppel/highlights/highlights_02.html

This website has great features, including "Your Digital Footprint", an interactive simulation of how corporations and the government track information about YOU on a daily basis, from simple decisions like how you get to work in the morning; an “Airline Security Quiz”; and more.

American Civil Liberties Union
The ACLU argues that abuses of power have been committed in the war on terrorism. Read the fact sheet on the Patriot Act, check out recent ACLU news articles, and read the timeline on habeas corpus.
http://action.aclu.org/reformthepatriotact/whereitstands.html

Department of Justice
The Department of Justice defends the Patriot Act.
http://www.lifeandliberty.gov/highlights.htm

The New York Times
The New York Times has a page highlighting its recent and historical coverage of the Patriot Act, as well as interesting external links. You won't want to read all of these articles, but skim for headlines that catch your eye.
New York Times Topics Page

Koppel Interview
Ted Koppel, senior news analyst, discusses his documentary, The Price of Security, on National Public Radio. Includes bonus audio clips and the interview transcript.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6043706