A short documentary that can be screened on youtube for free that follows a young Ondekoza percussionist. It discusses the Soga Kuron, a philosophy that combines music and running, and how taiko drumming went from being performed as a part of a festival to staged performance art.
A brief, youth-friendly article that covers the history of Gagaku, different styles of Gagaku, and the instruments that accompany Gagaku. This can be used as a beginning reference for further research or assigned as a reading to Elementary grade levels 1-5.
An online resource that highlights art and events in different eras in Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, SE Asia, and South Asia, with a timeline that links to different resources that cover historical events and museum collections that provide information about pieces from different eras. It can be used as a basic timeline to begin research into periods of history, used to provide background information for historical periods, such as the Kofun period in Japan, or to find artifacts that can be used in class discussions.
This informational website created by the Imperial War Museums provides a brief history of the decolonization process of countries in South and Southeast Asia. This information complements the other sources as it completes the history of colonization in Southeast Asia, in particular, how each country was able to gain its independence. The website is well-suited for teachers planning world history units at an upper level course.
This page collects propaganda posters produced during the Second Sino-Japanese War (following Japan’s invasion of China in 1937). The bulk of the posters are produced by the Chinese Nationalist Party and focus on the need to continue defending China despite heavy losses (the Nationalist party of GMD was doing most of the fighting while the communists were camped in rural China). Some posters produced by Japan (or the Japanese puppet state Manchukuo) used anti-communist sentiments or praised the Japanese army . This source provides several posters with historical context that can be compared and contrasted for discussion purposes.
This educational page by Students of History provides an overview of colonialism in South and Southeast Asia, which spanned from 16th to mid-20th centuries. This explains the effects of colonialism on various aspects of life including geography, people, and the different countries within South and Southeast Asia. Designed for middle and high school classrooms, the site offers a clear introduction to colonialism prior to and during WWII, helping teachers set the stage for the topic.
This resource is both a documentary that aired in 2005 and an article that discusses the final year of WWII and the lead-up to the Atomic Bombings. There are features provided that can be used to add to discussion or further research WWII or the Atomic Bombings, including articles, clips, and primary resources that were referenced in the documentary.
A documentary covering the story of America’s development of the nuclear bomb and the consequences that continue to loom over today. This is free to stream on PBS and can be assigned to students to screen in full or clips can be selected for class discussion.
A website that provides an overview of the history and science of the nuclear age, as well as a resource library filled with historical documents and a media gallery with photos and videos. This resource can be used as a reference to different atomic events (e.g. Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Cold War) and provide a background for class discussions.
The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota has a great list of digital resources for educators and learners. Included in this list are short introductions to the Khmer Rouge, its leader Pol Pot, and the legacy of the Cambodian Genocide. Each section includes relevant student and teacher resources, such as primary source photos and videos and links to further reading.
This digital world history project explores the fierce rivalry between the Dutch East India Company and the Zheng maritime network as they fought for control over key trades and sea routes in Northeast and Southeast Asia. The project includes digital exhibits, a timeline, biographies of key actors, an archive with primary sources, and an annotated bibliography for further exploration. It also features a classroom simulation exercise, “Pirates, States, and Diplomacy in a Multipolar Maritime Asia” for advanced high school and college students.
This website provides an in-depth look at the 1623 Amboyna Conspiracy Trial, which took place on the island Ambon (or Amboyna), part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. This was the site of a colonial struggle between Dutch and English merchants involved in the spice trade. The website includes videos of expert opinion, primary sources, and a teaching guide.
