Embedded Files
Class Date: October 28th
Location: Your couch! See your weekly e-mail for Zoom link!
Monuments Men
Monuments Men
This week we have a guest speaker to talk to us about the Monuments Men! Before we get there, let’s briefly review the major events between our last class (turn of the century) and World War II!
April 1896 - Athens hosts the first modern Olympic Games
The Olympics had been held in Ancient Greece for many years, but largely died out until a French nobleman named Pierre de Coubertin decided to institute an education program that embraced the ancient Greek idea of balanced mind and body development. He convinced 13 countries to take part in the first modern games in Athens. The games featured –cycling, fencing, gymnastics, lawn tennis, shooting, swimming, track & field, weightlifting, and wrestling. The first Olympic games featured only men, but by the second games in 1900, women’s sports were included.
1905 - The Niagara Movement begins
A group of Black intellectuals, including W.E.B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter, formed an organization to call for civil and political rights for African Americans. The organization served as a frontrunner for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the civil rights movement. To read more about this group, please click here:
March 5, 1891 - Carnegie Hall Opens
As New York began to rise as an international capital for industrialization and culture, Carnegie Hall opened its doors to become a stalwart of the stage. For a wonderful overview and pictures of this iconic space, scroll through a Google guide here:
1914 - Archduke Francis Ferdinand assassinated
Austria-Hungary had annexed Bosnia, so Archduke Ferdinand and his wife toured the capital of Sarajevo. His assassination by a Serbian nationalist infuriated Austria-Hungary, who declared war on Serbia with Germany’s support. Germany then declared war on Russia, Serbia’s ally. Germany invaded France via Belgium, which then prompted Britain to declare war on Germany.
April 6, 1917 - United States declares war on Germany
Though the United States attempted to avoid becoming embroiled in the conflict ‘over there’, it became impossible. American combat forces arrived in France by June of that year.
Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and Marie Dressler tour the U.S. to support America’s involvement in the war. Demand for motion pictures increases as Americans seek an escape to wartime news.
November 11, 1918
Germany signs the Armistice at Compiegne, ending World War I. To read more about the Armistice agreement, click here:
1920 - 19th Amendment is passed
The 19th Amendment granted all female citizens the right to vote in U.S. elections. That same year, the League of Women Voters was formed as a grand ‘experiment’ to help women be informed voters.
1921 - Quota system curbs immigration
Congress passes the Emergency Quota Act, which curbs legal immigration. Fueled by fears of radicalism and drawing on eugenics research, the measure limited immigration “scientifically” based on immigrants’ country of birth. Immigration was capped at 3% of the total number of foreign-born immigrants from each country as recorded in the 1910 census. Confusion followed, as those seeking a new life were abruptly denied entry to the United States as quotas filled quickly.
1929 - Stock Market Crash
Known as ‘Black Tuesday’, on October 29, 1929, investors traded some 16 million shares on the New York Stock Exchange and billions of dollars were lost. Thousands of investors were wiped out and the United States, as well as the rest of the industrialized world plunged toward the Great Depression, the longest-lasting economic downturn up to that point in the Western world. To read more about the crash, its causes, and the aftermath, click here:
1932 - Franklin D. Roosevelt elected
Roosevelt contracted an illness, most likely polio, in 1921, which resulted in his paralysis from the waist down. After becoming president, Roosevelt helped to found the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which is now known as the March of Dimes. His leadership and advocacy for this issue is one of the reasons his likeness appears on the dime.
Jan 30, 1933 - Hitler appointed German leader
President Paul von Hindenburg named Hitler the chancellor of Germany. Hitler had risen to prominence in 1932, playing on German frustrations with poor economic conditions and a still smoldering defeat in the Great War (later known as WWI). He channeled these frustrations into support for his new Nazi party. After the election of 1932, Nazis and Communists held over half the parliamentary seats in the Reichstag.
For a 3 and a half minute overview of the rise of the Nazi party, click here:
In March of 1933, the first concentration camp was established in Nohra, Thuringia. Using the Reichstag Fire as a pretext for mass arrests, concentration camps were initially used to suppress political opponents.
1937 - Buchenwald concentration camp established
One of the largest concentration camps, Buchenwald initially housed non-Jewish political prisoners and criminals. Following the 1938 Kristallnacht pogrom, more and more Jews were imprisoned at the camp.
1938 - Germany annexes Austria
Known as the Anschluss, or ‘Union’, Germany marched into Austria and encountered no resistance, per design. Other nations protested the annexation, but no one interceded on Austria’s behalf. For more detail, click here: https://www.britannica.com/event/Anschluss
September 1, 1939 - World War II begins
Germany invaded Poland, prompting Poland’s allies, Great Britain and France, to declare war on Germany.
For a more comprehensive look at the beginnings of World War II, check out this 7 minute video here.
That is where our timeline leaves us for this week! Check below for additional reading resources and tune in this week to hear more!
Recommended Reading
Recommended Reading
To read more about this period, here are some great books to get you started:
For kids:
The Greatest Treasure Hunt in History: The Story of the Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel
Robert M. Edsel brings the story of his #1 NYT bestseller for adults The Monuments Men to young readers for the first time in this dynamic, narrative nonfiction project packed with photos.
Robert M. Edsel, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Monuments Men, brings this story to young readers for the first time in a sweeping, dynamic adventure detailing history's greatest treasure hunt.As the most destructive war in history ravaged Europe, many of the world's most cherished cultural objects were in harm's way. The Greatest Treasure Hunt in History recounts the astonishing true story of 11 men and one woman who risked their lives amidst the bloodshed of World War II to preserve churches, libraries, monuments, and works of art that for centuries defined the heritage of Western civilization. As the war raged, these American and British volunteers -- museum curators, art scholars and educators, architects, archivists, and artists, known as the Monuments Men -- found themselves in a desperate race against time to locate and save the many priceless treasures and works of art stolen by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
World War 1 & 2 History for Kids: Courageous Tales, Stories & Fascinating Facts to Inspire & Educate Children about WW1 & WW2: (2 books in 1)
Perfect for curious minds, homeschool learners, classroom support, or young readers who love action and real-life adventure, this book is more than just dates and names. It’s packed with engaging stories, vivid metaphors, emotional depth, and important life lessons that make the past feel relevant and real.
Inside this two-in-one kids’ history book, you’ll discover:
What triggered World War 1, from tangled alliances and the arms race in Europe to the assassination in Sarajevo that shocked the world
How World War 2 erupted after the rise of dictatorships in Germany and beyond, including the events that led to Nazi expansion and global conflict
Epic battles like the Battle of Beersheba (1917), where soldiers on horseback braved gunfire to achieve victory, and The Battle of Britain (1940), a turning point in the skies over the UK
The devastating and historic attack on Pearl Harbor (1941) and how it drew the United States into the war
The creation of secret codes, wartime inventions, and the rise of spies and resistance movements across Europe
The emotional story of refugees, forced migrations, and how entire families faced loss, change, and rebuilding their lives
The powerful ending of each war—including the dropping of the atomic bomb, the surrender of Japan, and the global celebration of Victory in Europe (V-E) Day
And much, much more
Through these incredible stories and lessons, readers will gain a deeper understanding of how ordinary people became heroes, how decisions made by leaders changed the world, and how history still shapes our lives today.
Whether you're a parent, teacher, or young learner looking to explore the past, this is the perfect entry point into the real stories of World War 1 and World War 2 for kids.
For adults:
The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel
The heroic, #1 New York Times bestselling tale of the men who saved the world's greatest art from the Nazis, and the basis for the acclaimed motion picture starring George Clooney.
At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuhrer had begun cataloguing the art he planned to collect as well as the art he would destroy: "degenerate" works he despised.
In a race against time, behind enemy lines, often unarmed, a special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians, and others, called the Monuments Men, risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture.
Focusing on the eleven-month period between D-Day and V-E Day, this fascinating account follows six Monuments Men and their impossible mission to rescue invaluable art.
Monuments Man: The Mission to Save Vermeers, Rembrandts, and Da Vincis from the Nazis’ Grasp by James J. Rorimer
A classic now back in print and enriched with new imagery, James J. Rorimer’s riveting first-hand account takes readers on a treasure hunt as he follows the Allied troops across France and Germany to save Nazi-stolen masterpieces of art.
James J. Rorimer, former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, became a leading figure in the art recovery unit known as the Monuments Men, an elite group imbedded in the US Army, who risked their lives during World War II to save Europe’s greatest artworks from Hitler’s grasp. In the film Monuments Men, Matt Damon’s character is based on Rorimer as he embarks on the world’s most dangerous real-life hunt for stolen artworks with the goal of locating, seizing, and returning the works to their original holders, including museums and private collectors.
This new edition of a book first published in 1950 includes the original illustrations from the first edition plus a wealth of new imagery and ephemera uncovered during extensive research, including WWII photo-graphs, many taken by Rorimer himself, that are accompanied by gorgeous reproductions of many of the Old Masters Rorimer helped save by artists such as Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, Bruegel, Vermeer, Goya, Velazquez, and van Eyck. Maps created specially for this volume, and other facts about WWII history and geography, add new dimension to a remarkable story of courage, perseverance, and ultimately, triumph.
Works Cited
Works Cited
P-Blog/June-2019/The-Rise-and-Fall-of-Hollywood%E2%80%99s-Golden-Age
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pickford-chronology/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/19673/quick-10-10-facts-about-yankee-stadium
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/world-war-ii-major-events-timeline/#
https://www.britannica.com/event/Anschluss
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/adolf-hitler-is-named-chancellor-of-germany
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/world-war-ii-key-dates
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