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Course: World History Project - Origins to the Present > Unit 7

Lesson 5: End of Empires and Cold War | 7.4
Arts and humanities
World History Project - Origins to the Present
Era 7—The Great Convergence and Divergence (1880 CE to the future)
End of Empires and Cold War | 7.4
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BEFORE YOU WATCH: Decolonization and Nationalism Triumphant

Google Classroom
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. Why has the late twentieth century not been an era of vast, formal empires?
  2. What were some experiences that many decolonizing states had in common?
  3. What was the difference between Gandhi’s and Jinnah’s understandings of what a postcolonial India should look like?
  4. What were some of the problems that resulted from the partition after Indian independence?
  5. How did Japanese rule over Indonesia differ from Dutch rule?
  6. Who did the French fight in Vietnam and what happened after they were defeated?
  7. How was Egypt’s situation different from other colonized territories from 1922 through the 1950s?
  8. How were the borders between new nation-states decided in this period? What problems did this situation cause?
  9. What were some challenges African states faced during decolonization?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
  1. How can evidence from this video help you evaluate the communities frame narrative?
  2. Can we tell a single history about decolonization or nationalism? Why or why not? Using evidence from this video, make a claim in response to the Era 7 Problem: What are the virtues and challenges of trying to tell one human history as opposed to multiple human histories?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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