Here’s an advance look at some of the “This Day in Geographic History” (TDIGH) events coming up this week. For each date, we’ve matched it with a map or visual, background information, and a classroom activity so you can plan ahead.
Check out our Pinterest board for more related resources!
Monday, December 18
A few months after the Civil War ended in 1865, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution officially abolished slavery.
Map: Underground Railroad Routes
Background: Interactive Timeline of Slavery in the U.S.
Activity: Why didn’t President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 end slavery? Why was the 13th Amendment necessary to abolish slavery?
Tuesday, December 19
TDIGH: Britain Agrees to Return Hong Kong to China
In 1984, the United Kingdom agreed to return the colony of Hong Kong to China, though the official handover did not happen until 1997.
Map: China
Background: Timeline: British control of Hong Kong
Activity: Read about how Hong Kong’s culinary scene reflects its history.
Wednesday, December 20
In 1989 the U.S. invaded the Central American nation to remove General Manuel Noriega from power.
Map: Panama
Background: Manuel Noriega
Activity: Discuss the pattern of U.S. military interventions abroad. Do you think this use of force is justified? Why or why not?
Friday, December 22
TDIGH: Archives of Terror Discovered
These files, discovered in Paraguay in 1992, document “Operation Condor,” a campaign of violent political repression carried out by U.S.-backed governments in Latin America in the 1970s and 1980s.
Map: South America
Background: Human Geography of South America
Activity: Analyze and discuss this timeline of leftist movements and U.S. involvement in Latin America.
Sunday, December 23
TDIGH: Happy Birthday, Madam C.J. Walker
The African American entrepreneur, who lived from 1867 to 1919, was the first woman to be a self-made millionaire in the U.S.
Visual: Video: “Meet Madam CJ Walker”
Background: Biography
Activity: Check out this list of America’s wealthiest self-made women in 2017.