American History II Spring 2013 Holocaust Unit Exam

This is an OPEN NOTE exam. You may use your class notes and a self-printed copy of the

online PowerPoint. You are permitted to think about the topic and outline your answer prior to

class. You may use your INDIVIDUALLY CREATED OUTLINE when writing the essay in

class if you desire. If you use an outline, YOUR OUTLINE MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH

YOUR EXAM.

This is an INDIVIDUAL exercise, and NO COLLABORATION with other students is

permitted. All students will submit the signed certification on the back of this paper with their

exam confirming that NO COLLABORATION has occurred in the creation of any outline or the

planning of this essay. No exam will be graded without a signed certification.

Your essay must be HANDWRITTEN IN CLASS on TUESDAY April 9, 2013.

INTRODUCTION:

In the early 21st Century, the United Nations created a division assigned to the prevention

of future genocide. According to that group, there are certain circumstances which allow

us to identify when genocide is likely to occur or is already occurring.

According to the UN, the following are some of the factors that evidence an increased

risk of genocide:

1. Tense inter-group relations, including a record of discrimination and/or other

human rights violations committed against a group;

2. Weak institutional capacity to prevent genocide, such as the lack of an

independent judiciary [court system], ineffective national human rights

institutions, the absence of international actors capable of protecting vulnerable

groups, and a lack of impartial security forces [police or military] and media;

3. The presence of illegal arms and armed elements [militias or military groups];

4. Underlying political, economic, military or other motivation to target a group;

5. Circumstances that facilitate perpetration of genocide, such as a sudden or gradual

strengthening of the military[];

6. Acts that could be elements of genocide, such as such as killings, abduction and

disappearances … “ethnic cleansing” or pogroms or the deliberate deprivation of

food;

7. Evidence of the “intent to destroy [an ethnic group] in whole or in part”;

8. Triggering factors, such as elections.

The creation of this list was largely informed by the events that occurred in and around

Nazi Germany from 1933-45, which we have discussed extensively during our last unit.

American History II Spring 2013 Holocaust Unit Exam

ESSAY TOPIC:

Discuss how FOUR of the eight factors identified by the UN were present in Nazi

Germany during the time leading up to the Holocaust and/or during the actual carrying

out of the genocide against the European Jews. You should identify the factor you will

discuss, identify a minimum of one specific example of a characteristic of Nazi Germany

or action taken by the Nazis that applies to that factor, and explain how this identified

action or characteristic fits the factor you have chosen.

Because this is an open-note examination, your discussion should contain reference to

specific information from class or other sources and NOT mere generalizations of what

occurred. You also should use DIFFERENT events or actions to discuss each chosen

factor from the UN list (i.e. not use the same event as evidence of more than one factor).

If you feel you need additional information to write a quality essay, pages 686 and 707-

710 in your text may be helpful.

This essay must be written in proper, grammatically correct sentences and paragraphs

(including an introduction and a conclusion) and follow our standard format for exam

essays.

CERTIFICATION:

I _____________________________ certify that I have not collaborated with any parent,

student, tutor, or any other person in the completion of this assessment, including but not

limited to the creation of any essay outline, the identification of issues to discuss in my

essay, or any other collaborative activity which would prevent my exam from being

anything other than wholly representative of my own individual work.

I understand that any violation of this policy forbidding collaboration will result in a

grade of an zero on my exam and any further discipline (up to and including an “F” for

the semester in American History II) that is deemed appropriate by the Hillel Academy

administration pursuant of the Hillel Academy policy regarding academic integrity that is

contained in the Hillel Academy handbook.

I also understand that this certification is required in order for my exam to be accepted

and graded. Failure to submit this signed certification will mean I receive a zero for this

exam.

____________________________________

Student Signature