Reference no: EM133464928

Question  1. In thinking about the European enlightenments, we can see that they generated new attitudes to the world and to humans. One example where these attitudes came through was with the Lisbon Earthquake (mentioned in the selection from Voltaire's Candide) In addition to the course readings, consider Voltaire's "Poem on the Lisbon Disaster," John Wesley's "Some Serious Thoughts Occasioned by the Late Earthquake at Lisbon," and Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "Letter to Voltaire." How do these writers take different positions in responding to the Lisbon Earthquake and tidal wave? What do they stress? How do their responses help us understand the counter-currents of the 18th century?

Question 2. Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill were both noted for their leadership in the 1930s and 1940s. Another example of leadership comes from Dwight D. Eisenhower, the American General. How do these speeches demonstrate leadership? What strategies of rhetoric do they employ to gain support? How do they set immediate events in a larger context? What are their ultimate goals?

Question 3. In thinking about the Cold War clash between the West and Communism, consider authors such as George Kennan, Ronald Reagan, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Also consider the commentary provided by Whittaker Chambers in his book Witness [available on the Course Page]. How do these figures reflect on the nature of the USSR? What was at stake in the Cold War? What choices were presented to the world in the middle of the Twentieth Century?