So ph om or e En glis h 2 6 3
Na m e:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Di cta tor s hips of t he T w ent ie th C ent ur y
Par tn er R es e ar c h Sp ee ch
dic-ta-tor-ship n
1. A government in which
political power is
exercised by a single
individual whose rule is
considered illegitimate
The Dictators
An odor has remained among the sugarcane:
a mixture of blood and body, a penetrating
petal that brings nausea.
Between the coconut palms the graves are full
of ruined bones, of speechless death-rattles.
The delicate dictator is talking
with top hats, gold braid, and collars.
The tiny palace gleams like a watch
and the rapid laughs with gloves on
cross the corridors at times
and join the dead voices
and the blue mouths freshly buried.
The weeping cannot be seen, like a plant
whose seeds fall endlessly on the earth,
whose large blind leaves grow even without light.
Hatred has grown scale on scale,
blow on blow, in the ghastly water of the swamp,
with a snout full of ooze and silence.
2. Government by a ruler
having absolute authority,
especially one
considered tyrannical or
oppressive
3. Government by a single
person or group of people
who are in no way held
responsible to the
general population and
whose discretion in using
the powers and
resources of the state is
unrestrained by any fixed
legal or constitutional
rules.
–Pablo Neruda.1950
I believe that despite the enormous odds which exist, unflinching, unswerving, fierce intellectual
determination, as citizens, to define the real truth of our lives and our societies is a crucial obligation
which devolves upon us all. It is in fact mandatory. If such a determination is not embodied in our
political vision we have no hope of restoring what is so nearly lost to us - the dignity of man.
–Harold Pinter, Nobel Lecture, 2005
The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use
– of how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public.
–John F. Kennedy, ‘I Remember, I Believe,’ The Pursuit of Justice, 1964
It is said that power corrupts, but actually it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are
usually attracted by other things than power.
–David Brin, The Postman, 1997
Stealing Freedom, Abusing Power
A prolonged glance through an international newspaper or a 20 th century history book is enough
to reveal that the majority of people living now or in the last hundred years have not experienced
complete freedom. For them, life has not been an occasion for developing their own interests, talents,
and passions. Rather their existence has been constrained by the ideologies, convictions, and delusions
of a handful of power-hungry individuals. It could be said that these individuals have misused their own
freedom, their human right to opportunity and self-expression, in order to attain an unnatural state of
dominance and control. In abusing their own freedom, they have stolen freedom from all of those over
whom they rule.
Whether we call them autocrats, authoritarians, despots, or dictators, and regardless of whether
they espouse a specific ideology or claim a divine right to power, totalitarian rulers share certain
unmistakable characteristics. Among these are paranoia, greed, corruption, and ruthlessness. Worst of
all, though, is their common legacy of oppression enacted upon the people they claim to serve.
Revealing Truth and Transforming the Status Quo
Recognition of this situation begs the question: How is it possible that a handful of individuals have
controlled the destinies of millions? What allows such people to rise to power and to stay there? And
can human civilization be transformed in such a way that totalitarianism is no longer a predictable status
quo? As Harold Pinter noted in his Nobel Lecture in 2005, these questions can and must be answered
through “fierce intellectual determination.”
We must know the truth about our past before we can
create a vision for a different future. The truth begins to emerge when we read stories and research
history.
The novel we will be reading this quarter is set in a time and place where a dictator was in power.
But the novel does not tell his story. Rather it tells the story of four ordinary women who were unwilling to
be broken by his selfish and heavy-handed rule, unwilling to accept injustice and suppression. These
women were not much different from other citizens in terms of wealth, education, or status. In that way
they were ordinary.
However, their commitment and courage made them extraordinary.
To fully
appreciate that commitment and courage, it helps to understand the conditions in which they lived.
And to do that we must understand what a dictator is and what it is like to live under one’s rule. Your
objective in this project is to achieve that understanding.
Essential Questions:
 What are the qualities that characterize a dictator?
 What impact does a dictatorial government have on a nation, its citizens and society?
 How have foreign governments responded to dictatorships in the last century?
 To what extent can an individual shape his or her own future when the society in which he/she lives
offers no opportunity for free self-expression or self-directed action?
Objectives:
 To answer the essential questions above by researching a specific dictator and learning from your
classmates about others
 To gain insights to support the reading of In the Time of the Butterflies
 To practice and improve your research skills
o
Finding and choosing appropriate resources
o
Reading for information
o
Taking notes
o
Organizing research material and information effectively
o
Using correct MLA style for citations and bibliography
 To collaborate effectively as a researcher, planner, and presenter
 To communicate in a way that instructs and engages an audience
The Dictatorship Speech:
You will work in groups of 2. (No, you may NOT pick your partner. Partners will be assigned.) Each
group will research a different dictatorship. As a group, you will read and annotate resources, take
notes, write summaries, and keep a record of all bibliographic information. Each group will be
responsible for submitting an outline, an initialed checklist, and 2 note cards with speech notes, as well
as a typed Works Cited page. This research project will culminate in a 7-8 minute visual presentation
that provides an in-depth look at the dictatorship and covers the topics and three subtopics listed
below the list of possible researchable dictatorships.
Choose one dictatorship:
With your partner, pick one dictatorship from the list below. Multiple groups cannot pick the same dictatorship. This
will work on a first come, first serve basis.
Pol Pot (Cambodia)
Nicolae Ceausescu (Romania)
Ferdinand Marcos (Phillipines)
Mobuto Sese Seko (Congo/Zaire)
Jean Bedel Bokassa (Central African Republic)
Augusto Pinochet (Chile)
Heidar Aliev (Azerbaijan)
Enver Hoxha (Albania)
Slobadon Milosevic (Yugoslavia)
Saddam Hussein (Iraq)
Omar al-Bashir (Sudan)
Hugo Chavez (Venezuela)
Muammar al-Qaddafi (Libya)
Islam Karimov (Uzbekistan)
Saparmurat Niyazov (Turkmenistan)
Kim Jong-il (North Korea)
Ayatollah Rubollah Khomeini (Iran)
Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe)
Haile Selassie I (Ethiopia)
Anastasio Somoza Garcia (Nicaragua)
Thojib Suharto (Indonesia)
Josip Broz “Tito” (Yugoslavia)
Alfredo Stroessner (Paraguay)
Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam)
Mao Tse Tung (China)
Pervez Musharraf (Pakistan)
Than Shwe (Myanmar)
Sayyid Ali Khamenei (Iran)
Hu Jintao (China)
Fidel Castro (Cuba)
Topics: (mandatory)
a. Dictator’s personal biography
b. Dictator’s idiosyncrasies and
personality
c. Rise to power
1. Conditions that allowed
(set the stage) for…
2. Actions taken by
dictator in order to…
d. Dictator’s political ideology
Subtopics: (pick 3)
a. Dictator’s methods of control
Consider…
1. Use of military
2. Use of secret police and
spies
3. Suppression of
opposition groups
4. Violence and torture
5. Theft and taxation
6. Corruption and
nepotism
7. Exploitation of racial
prejudice
8. Rewriting
laws/constitution
9. Election fraud
b. Dictator’s use of propaganda
Consider…
1. Cult of personality
2. Use of media
3. Use of national
education system
4. Use of art &
entertainment
5. Use of church
c. Opposition Groups
Consider…
1. Ideologies
2. Alliances and
supporters
3. Actions and
significant events
4. Protests through
writing and art
5. Dictator’s
responses to…
d. Standard of living during
dictator’s rule
Consider…
1. Economy, jobs, and
trade
2. Education
3. Public works
(buildings,
transportation,
utilities)
4. Use of natural
resources
5. Health and
healthcare
6. Protection of
human rights
7. Peace and
Prosperity
e. History
1. of country over
which dictator ruled
2. notable events
during dictator’s
rule
f. Foreign Relations
1. Foreign alliances
2. Foreign enemies
3. International image
SPEECH REQUIREMENTS
1. Length: 7-8 minutes (minimum of 7, start losing points after 8)
2. Visual aid: Power Point (6 x 7 rule—no more than 6 bullet points per slide and no more than 7
words per bullet) (Must be saved in my ToTeach folder prior to class on 2/4/09.)
3. Quote 3 sources during your speech. Need 6 total.
4. A Works Cited page in MLA format
5. An outline
6. Completed initialed task list
SPEECH PLANNING SCHEDULE
Jan. 27 – Jan. 30: researching in the IMC, computer lab; working on the speech outline.
Feb. 2: working on final details for your speech
Feb. 3: speeches begin—SEE SCHEDULE IN PACKET—ALL VISUAL AIDS DUE.
IF YOU ARE ABSENT ON THE DAY OF YOUR PRESENTATION, THEN YOU MUST EMAIL
(askaouris@glenbrook.k12.il.us) or CALL ME (847-486-4494) PRIOR TO THE START OF CLASS. A 20%
DEDUCTION WILL ENSUE FOR A LATE SPEECH. TRY TO CALL YOUR PARTNER, AS WELL.
POINT VALUE
Speech: 75 points
Completed outline: 10 points
Task checklist: 5 points
Works Cited page: 10 points
Total: 100 points
*your group can earn extra credit if you both dress up for your speech*
Tasklist
Outline
Works Cited
yes
yes
yes
no
no
no
Name ____________________________
Topic ____________________________
Sp eech E v al uat io n
Introduction or Attention (10 points)
Gained audience attention and created interest (5)
Included a clear and a precise thesis statement (2)
Included a bridge statement (3)
Support Materials (15 points)
3 different sources were identified (6) during speech.
1.
2.
3.
Power Point slides followed the 6 x 7 rule (3)
Power Point slides were neatly organized and attractive (6)
Quality of Information (20 points)
Information was interesting, informative, and thoughtfully planned and organized
Conclusion or Action (10 points)
Summarized main points (3)
Ended with a thoughtful statement for the audience to remember (7)
Delivery (15 points)
Students were prepared and familiar with material (4)
Eye contact was maintained with the audience and not the Power Point slides (3)
Voice had appropriate volume, rate, and tone (3)
Gestures added emphasis and description (2)
Presenters played off each other and shared the speaking time equally (3)
Time (5 points)
7-8 (5 pts)
Speech _________/75
6-6:55 (4 pts)
Outline _________/10
5-5:55 (3 pts)
Works Cited _____/10
4-4:55 (2 pts)
Tasklist ______/5
3-3:55 (1 pt)
TOTAL_________/100
Work Plan
You will be in the IMC during the week of Jan. 27 – Jan. 30. Speeches will begin on
Tuesday, February 3.
What you need to do WHILE in the IMC or in the computer lab:
1) Read as much information as possible on your dictator.
2) Print any valuable information. KNOW AND WRITE THE SOURCE! (Don’t forget the
URL.)
3) Find information from at least 3 different resources. (book, magazine, newspaper,
etc.) (You need 6 total sources.)
4) Work on your speech outline.
What you need to have done by the time you are finished with the IMC:
1) 1 article from an online newspaper.
2) 1 article from an online magazine.
3) 1 article from a book, a magazine, a newspaper, a journal, or an interview.
4) Any other articles, books, magazines, etc., that have aided in your knowledge
about your dictatorship.
5) A semi-completed outline
What you need to have with you on the day of your speech:
1) two 3X5 notecards maximum
2) a Power Point file already sent to my ToTeach folder prior to class on Tues. 2/3
3) a typed works cited page in MLA format
4) a completed outline
5) a complete and initialed task form
What you will turn in on the day of your speech:
1) two 3X5 notecards maximum
2) a typed works cited page in MLA format (10 points)
3) a completed outline (10 points)
4) task form containing the teacher’s signature (5 points)
5) completed group evaluation form
Task Form
Directions: Obtain a signature from the teacher after you have completed each task.
Hand in this sheet on the day of your speech (5 points).
Task
1. A clear thesis statement
Write it down here:
Deadline
Wed.
Jan. 28
2. A printed online database source (article)
Article title:
Wed.
Jan. 28
Source:
3. A printed online database source (article)
Article title:
Wed.
Jan. 28
Source:
4. A 3rd source (article, magazine, book, reputable
website)
Title:
Thursday
Jan. 29
Source:
5. A completed or mostly completed outline
Monday
Feb. 2
Signature
INFORMATIVE SPEECH BLANK OUTLINE
Topic: _________________________________________________________________________________________
Thesis: _________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
I NT R OD U C TI O N
Attention getter: ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Link: __________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
State Thesis: ___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
State Bridge: ___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
BODY
I. First main point:_______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
A. sub-point 1: __________________________________________________________________________
1. support: _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
B. sub-point 2: _________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. support: ______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Transitional sentence: __________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
II. Second main point:__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
A. sub-point 1: __________________________________________________________________________
2. support: _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
C. sub-point 2: _________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. support: ______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Transitional sentence: __________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
III. Third main point:_____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
A. sub-point 1: __________________________________________________________________________
3. support: _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
D. sub-point 2: _________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. support: ______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
IV. Fourth main point:___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
A. sub-point 1: __________________________________________________________________________
4. support: _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
E. sub-point 2: _________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. support: ______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Summary sentence: ___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
C O N C L U SI ON (D o n o t re st at e y o ur bri dg e ! )
Restate Thesis: _________________________________________________________________________________
Memorable closing statement: _________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Group Evaluation Form
Self-Evaluations
Describe your effort, understanding and follow-through on the following. Feel free to add any
information about these topics that you want me to know.
Research Abilities
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Power Point
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Your Subtopics in the Presentation
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Describe what you contributed to your group’s preparation for the presentation. You can describe
specific things you were in charge of as well as any qualities you exhibited that you feel aided your
group.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Is there anything else you would like me to know about your role in the group?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(continued on the next page)
How well would you say your group did as a whole in the following areas?
Organization
1
2
3
4
5
poorly
not well
ok
good
very good
Meeting Deadlines
1
2
3
4
5
poorly
not well
ok
good
very good
Cooperating
1
2
3
4
5
poorly
not well
ok
good
very good
Communicating Clearly
1
2
3
4
5
poorly
not well
ok
good
very good
What things could your group have done differently leading up to or during the presentation?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
What things did your group do well leading up to or during the presentation?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Is there anything else you’d like to tell me about your group?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Group Member Possibilities
Name:________________________
In the space below, write down the names of three people in this class with whom
you would like to work. Remember that you will be working together closely to
complete this research assignment, so make sure it’s someone that you can see
yourself getting along with, and that you can depend upon. I will do my best to
pair you with a person from your list, but I make no promises.
Group Member Possibilities
Name:________________________
In the space below, write down the names of three people in this class with whom
you would like to work. Remember that you will be working together closely to
complete this research assignment, so make sure it’s someone that you can see
yourself getting along with, and that you can depend upon. I will do my best to
pair you with a person from your list, but I make no promises.
Group Member Possibilities
Name:________________________
In the space below, write down the names of three people in this class with whom
you would like to work. Remember that you will be working together closely to
complete this research assignment, so make sure it’s someone that you can see
yourself getting along with, and that you can depend upon. I will do my best to
pair you with a person from your list, but I make no promises.