Winston S. Churchill
Extended Document Based Question
Advanced Placement European History
Grades 10-12
Scott Miller
7/30/06
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
1
Washington State History Standards
1. The student examines and understands major ideas, eras,
themes, developments, turning points, chronology, and causeeffect relationships in United States, world, and Washington
State history.
To meet this standard, the student will:
1.1 Understand and analyze historical time and chronology
1.2 Understand events, trends, individuals, and movements shaping
United States, world, and Washington State history
1.3 Examine the influence of culture on United States, world, and
Washington State history
2. The student understands the origin and impact of ideas and
technological developments on history.
To meet this standard, the student will:
2.1 Compare and contrast ideas in different places, time periods,
and cultures, and examine the interrelationships between ideas,
change, and conflict
2.2 Understand how ideas and technological developments influence
people, culture, and environment
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
2
Winston Churchill Extended DBQ
Directions: This question is designed to test your ability to work
with historic documents. The following question is based on the
accompanying documents (1-14). These documents have been
edited for clarity. As you analyze the documents, take into account
both the sources of the document and the author’s point of view.
This is an extended take-home assignment. You are required to
locate at least three more documents with proper attribution to
support your thesis.
Historic Context
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, (30 November 1874
- 24 January 1965) was an English politician and author, best known
as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World
War in which he led the nation, standing alone against Hitler, to a
great victory. Well known as orator, strategist, soldier, author and
politician, Churchill is generally regarded as one of the most
important leaders in modern British and world history. [Wikipedia
entry on Churchill]
Question: Discuss the elements of Churchill’s personality and
temperament that allowed Churchill to move good citizens to noble
actions and lead Great Britain to victory over Nazi Germany during
WWII.
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
3
Document 1
“Let us brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the
British Empire and Commonwealth lasts for a thousand years, men
will say, ‘This was their finest hour.”
~Winston S. Churchill 18 June 1940
Address to Parliament the day following the surrender of France to
Nazi Germany
Document 2
“Now this is not the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
~Winston S. Churchill 8 November 1942
Following the first major victory against Nazi Germany in North Africa
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
4
Document 3
Sticker and signature Winston S. Churchill attached to
encourage celerity on the part of correspondents
http://www.winstonchurchill.org/images/action2.gif
Document 4
“He was an eccentric, which exactly suited the mood
of the British people. They welcomed his romantic
utterances…[his speeches] were rhetorical and
cheeky at the same time.”
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
5
~A.J.P. Taylor, Historian, in his book English History (1965),
pp. 488-489.
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
6
Document 5
“I displayed the smiling confidence and confident air
which are thought suitable when things are very bad.”
~Winston S. Churchill, from his book, The Second World
War, Vol. ii, chapter 7.
Document 6
“Nor less we praise in sterner days
The leader of our nation
And Churchill’s name shall win acclaim
From each new generation
While in this fight to guard the Right
Our country you defend, sir.
Here grim and gay we mean to stay,
And stick it to the end, sir.”
~Stet Fortuna Domus
New verse written Winston S. Churchill visit
18 December 1943 to Harrow School (W.S.C. also
attended this school)
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
7
Document 7
David Low, All Behind You, Winston (14th May, 1940). The
cartoon shows in the front row Winston Churchill, Clement
Attlee, Ernest Bevin and Herbert Morrison.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Jlow.htm
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
8
Document 8
“When Winston was born lots of fairies swooped down on his cradle
with gifts - imagination, eloquence, industry, ability, and then came
one fairy who said, ‘No one person has a right to so many gifts,’
picked him up and gave him a shake and twist that denied him
wisdom and judgment.”
~Stanley Baldwin 1936
Document 9
“Churchill, what has he achieved in all of his lifetime? Had this war
not come, who would speak of Winston Churchill?”
~Adolf Hitler, Radio broadcast 1942
Document 10
“Not only did we learn English parsing thoroughly, we also practiced
English analysis…Subject, verb, object: Relative clauses, conditional
clauses, conjunctive and disjunctive clauses!…I learned it thoroughly.
Thus I got into my bones the essential structure of the ordinary
British sentence - which is a noble thing.”
~Winston S. Churchill, My Early Life
Document 11
“I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this
government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
9
~Speech made to House of Commons on May 13, 1940, three days
after becoming Prime Minister. Churchill first used it earlier in the
day when he spoke to his Cabinet which represented all parties.
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
10
Document 12
“Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour, and be in readiness for
the conflict; for it is better for us to perish in battle than to look upon
the outrage of our nation and our alter.”
~quoted by Churchill in his first broadcast as Prime Minister to the
British people on the BBC - May 19, 1940, London.
Document 13
“We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing
grounds. We shall fight in the fields, and in the streets, we shall fight
in the hills. We shall never surrender!”
~Speech by Churchill about Dunkirk given in House of Commons
June 4, 1940.
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
11
Document 14
~Winston Churchill surveys bomb damage in Bristol
Alternate image (London):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/history/photo/worldwar2audioclipsli
brary_clip19.shtml
NEH Summer 2006 Institute “Churchill and America”
The Churchill Centre www.winstonchurchill.org
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs www.ashbrook.org and
www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org
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