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The “Inevitable” Great War: Global Powers and the Limits of Peace
By Upper School History Teacher Hunter Martin
By Upper School History Teacher Hunter Martin:
In recent weeks, 10th grade History students cast themselves into the fray of Great Power rivalries in the run-up to World War I. Tasked with representing the principal belligerents in the conflict, they sought to grow their economies, extend their empires, build their militaries, forge alliances with other nations, and test the limits of peace in a world of finite resources and competing national interests.
In recent weeks, 10th grade History students cast themselves into the fray of Great Power rivalries in the run-up to World War I. Tasked with representing the principal belligerents in the conflict, they sought to grow their economies, extend their empires, build their militaries, forge alliances with other nations, and test the limits of peace in a world of finite resources and competing national interests.
Through this “game,” or simulation, students explored the complex nexus of factors that gave rise to and shaped the relationships among the world’s major powers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They practiced collaboration, strategic thinking, and the art of diplomacy, all set against the backdrop of the slide to war in 1914. Along the way, they learned about the combatant nations and their empires, along with the (mis)calculations that sparked the Great War and fueled its escalation into one of the largest conflicts in history.
The interactive nature of the game’s online format enabled students to track their progress in real-time, as well as to generate the data that will allow us to create and analyze statistical renderings of their -- and their cohort’s -- performance over the course of the game as a whole.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
