January 7th :

Malcolm X's speech "Take it!"

Compréhension orale -

Notes :

Africans / not Americans - kidnapped / brought to America = slaves not citizens

ref to Plymouth Rock (Pilgrims / forefathers)

ref to the US Constitution

African Americans claiming rights / citizenship

reactions : unfriendliness / hostility

Promotes : action / it is an assertive speech / nationalism

January 10th:

At the time of this speech, Malcolm X believed that nationalism was the only system which could give oppressed people freedom.

He advocated a "separate but equal system".

Later in his life, he changed his mind and came to believe that maybe integration was possible and he was assassinated because of his new ideas.

Group work : Compare Malcolm X's and Martin Luther King's speeches and postures.

 January 14th:

Recap

Written comprehension : text page 94

Yes we can

Spotting historical references

January 17th:

 Historical references to :

- the founding documents of the US namely the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution including the first 10 amendments called the Bill of Rights

- the abolition of slavery by Abraham Lincoln

- immigration procedures at Ellis Island (end of 19th century / beginning of 20th)

- the Conquest of the West (the wild west) by pioneers

- social conquests through unions and famous movements like the suffragette movement which gave women the right to vote

- President Kennedy's new frontier : space - Appollo 13 space mission to walk on the moon.

- Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech on Capitol Hill.

January 21st:

All the events referred to in the song and speech were in relation with important changes in American society.  They illustrated the idea of progress :

social, technological and political progress.

Barack Obama chose these events because they would have come across as impossible to achieve...and yet! Yes, we can.

Synthèse à partir des questions page 95 (recap)

January 24th:

Mudbound - movie to wrap up the sequence

February 4th:

What notion could you illustrate with this film? Explain (10 lines)

Pistes :

- war as a trigger for progress?

- status and power?