What Makes Great?

1. What Makes Great? Using Criteria to Evaluate

2. Objective • Today we are going to look at historical leaders. • We will begin by learning about five historical leaders. • We will move on by determining which of the leaders I present are “good” leaders. • We will then establish our criteria for what makes a good leader. • Finally, we will break out into groups to view leadership scenarios. • Your writing assignment (outside of class) will be to use the criteria we have developed to determine whether Caesar would have been a “good” leader to the people of Rome.

3. Contestant #1: Che Guevara As a young medical student, Guevara traveled through South America. Seeing the poverty of the landscape, he concluded that the concepts of Capitalism and class structure were corrupted. He became a revolutionary, making his first mark in Nicaragua. He overthrew a dictator and changed the Nicaraguan government. Che moved on, and later helped Fidel and Raul Castro revolutionize Cuba. They created a socialist government after ousting a U.S. backed dictator. Che rose as the second-in command of Cuba. He led the armed forces, executed traitors, but also helped to restore national banks, national farming, and national literacy. He was a celebrated leader of the Cuban people. Che left Cuba to continue his goal to spread global socialism. After a failure on the Congo, Che was caught by the CIA and executed.

4. Contestant #2 Margaret Thatcher Thatcher was born to a modest home in Grantham, England in 1925. She was a gifted science student, tutored by a Nobel-Laureate in Chemistry, and raised as a conservative politician (her father was a councillor in Grantham). After a rough political start (two losses, she moved and began representing the Labor class. By the early 1950’s she had married, had twin sons, and studied law. In 1959 she was elected to Parliament, and quickly climbed the ladder (her posts included junior officer, and Education Minister). She became a tough conservative voice and in 1975 She became the first woman ever to lead a Western political party and to serve as Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons. When she took the reigns, the country was on a stiff economic downturn, and Thatcher used hardline conservative tactics against labor unions and industry to stem the bleeding. She was wildly unpopular until the Falklands War. Thatcher tried using a diplomatic approach, but when all else failed, sent troops in to quell the problem. Her success won the favor of her constituents, and she was re-elected as Prime Minister.’ In her second term, Thatcher fought more economic battles with unions, but saw her policies make a positive influence on the British economy. She suffered ridicule, but was re-elected to a third term in 1987. In her third term she was credited for being hard against the Soviet Union, and being a part of their downfall, but her refusal to join a European movement to join currency. This would be her last political battle. She was defeated in a un for her fourth term.

5. Contestant #3 Mohandas Gandhi Gandhi grew up in India in a prominent community while India was still under British rule. Gandhi went to London to study British law and was drawn to non-violence and civil disobedience. Gandhi spent time practicing civil disobedience law to further the cause of human rights in South Africa before returning to his native India to do the same. Gandhi spent time further humanitarian causes in India, fighting for Indian rights, women’s rights, religious amenity, and to stop the Indian caste system before targeting Indian independence from Britain as his primary cause. Gandhi inspired the hope of the Indian people through demonstrations, fasts, and protests all the while teaching non-violence. After the British left India, Gandhi continued to rally his people in India to unite, despite religious differences, but was assassinated shortly before the Pakistan ceded from India.

6. Contestant #4Benito Mussolini Mussolini was an Italian nationalist, a creator of Fascism, and a ruler who believed in returning Italy to the glory of Rome. After fighting in World War I, Mussolini took his country by storm, rallying the Italians around the ideals of social nationalism. He was elected Prime Minster of Italy, but continued to gain power both through legal and extraordinary means. Once in power, Mussolini implemented public works programs which included economic reform, job creation, public transportation, solving growing problems between Italy and the Papacy, and returning Italian land and wealth. Mussolini allied with the German army just prior to the fall of France in the hopes to win favor with Germany. He was deposed when the Allied Forces invaded Italy. After being imprisoned, Mussolini escaped twice with the help of Germans and nationalist supporters. After being caught a third time Mussolini was executed and hung upside down in a public square.

7. Contestant #5 Alexander the Great Alexander was born in Macedon, an heir to the kingdom of Greece. His father was assassinated when Alexander was 16, leaving behind battle plans that included invading Persia (the largest empire in the world). Alexander took a veteran Greek army and defeated the Persian army. By the age of 30, Alexander had conquered the largest portion of the world ever controlled by one man. His plans for conquest never faded, and he was never defeated in battle, even though, late in life, Alexander was forced to turn back from a campaign in India at the behest of his own troops. Alexander died with many campaigns planned out, but his legacy lived on through the bridging on conquered cultures. He created 20 some cities, all named Alexandria, and ushered in the Hellenic Age. To this day, many cultures practice or study the Greeks due to Alexander’s influence, and his military strategies are still taught.

8. Divide the Leaders into Two Columns: “Good” Leaders and “Not-so-Good” Leaders

9. Developing Criteria • Look at the list of “good” leaders. We agreed that these leaders were superior to the “not-so-good” leaders, but why? • Using the models we have already grouped, let’s come up with a definition for what a good leader is. • Throughout this process we should list important aspects of good leadership. • We should also feel free to re-assess the models we have grouped.

10. Group Work • When we break out into groups I will give you four scenarios, each with a central figure. Each person in the group should take the lead on one by reading it aloud and leading the discussion; one group member will record the conversation (using the camera on the iPad!) and present to the class. Read each scenario and determine if that leader is good or bad based on the criteria we have discussed in class.

11. Writing Assignment • Using evidence from the play (I told you the notes would come in handy), create an argument taking a position on the following question: Would Julius Caesar be more likely to be placed on the “good” leader list, or the “not-so-good” leader list? • Make sure to use the criteria we created in class while making your argument, and using lines from the play to support your reasoning. Use the question stems to make sure your argument is appropriate: • How do I know I have an effective claim? • Does my reasoning follow the criteria we developed in class? • How do lines from Caesar (and others in the play) best indicate that Caesar would or would not have been a good leader? • How might someone who disagrees with my position counter my argument?