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!
Tuesday, February 6
TDIGH: Happy Birthday, Bob Marley!
Bob Marley’s legacy extends beyond reggae music. He is associated with Jamaican national identity and Rastafarian spirituality.
Map: Bob Marley played hundreds of concerts in his life, all of them listed here. Have students use Esri’s Story Maps or Google’s Tour Builder to navigate Marley’s career, and include music when you can!
Context: Read this interview with filmmaker Jeremy Marre, who made the American Masters portrait of Bob Marley, Rebel Music. Why do you think Marre calls Marley and reggae music “a dynamic political force that reflected the history, politics and aspirations of” Jamaica?
Activity: Although he never identified as a social or political activist, Bob Marley used his music and his status as a celebrity to advocate for causes he supported. Can students think of other artists who use their fame to draw attention to their political or spiritual beliefs? How do students think celebrities contribute to social and political conversations in the world?
Tuesday, February 6
Photograph by Robin Hammond, National Geographic
TDIGH: African Americans Migrate to Liberia
In 1820 the American Colonization Society created the colony of Liberia to serve as a “home” for freed American slaves.
Map: Liberia
Context: More info about the founding of Liberia
Activity: Watch this short video about the history of Liberia. Discuss the pros and cons of creating the colony of Liberia. How were the actions of U.S. presidents toward Liberia hypocritical?
Friday, February 9
TDIGH: McCarthy Launches Red Scare
Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy’s 1950 speech incited a witch hunt against teachers, union supporters, and government workers for supposed communist sympathies.
Map: Read through our DOGSTAILS definition of what makes a good map, then take a look at the map Sen. McCarthy displayed during his later testimony. What is wrong with Sen. McCarthy’s map?
Background: The start of the Cold War
Saturday, February 10
Photograph by Jack Fletcher, National Geographic
The 1763 treaty which ended the war between Britain and France (and their respective allies) forced France to give up its colonies in North America.
Map: The French and Indian War
Background: More about the Treaty of Paris, 1763
Activity: How did the Seven Years’ War help lay the groundwork for the American Revolution? (Answer can be found in this video.)
Sunday, February 11
Photograph by Chris Johns, National Geographic
After 27 years in prison for his work fighting against South Africa’s system of racial apartheid, Mandela was freed in 1990.
Map: Homelands in South Africa during apartheid
Background: Timeline of Mandela’s life, including fast facts and photos
Activity: Listen to an audio clip from NPR’s series about Nelson Mandela and his legacy.