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Changing Maps: How Peace Treaties Reshaped Europe and the Middle East
Grade 10Social StudiesHistory5 days
In this project, 10th-grade students investigate how the peace treaties following World War I dramatically reshaped the maps of Europe and the Middle East. Through comparative map analysis and historical simulations, learners explore the collapse of major empires and the human consequences of newly drawn borders, including mass migration and economic disruption. The experience culminates in a 'Ripple Effect' synthesis, where students connect political treaty decisions to their long-term impacts on the daily lives and identities of everyday citizens.Peace TreatiesWorld War IBorder ChangesHuman DisplacementMap AnalysisMandate SystemEconomic Impact
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Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How did the peace treaties after the war change the world map and impact the way people lived, worked, and moved across Europe and the Middle East?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How did the 'map of the world' change for a person living in Europe or the Middle East after the war?
- Why were so many families forced to move to new places or new countries when the war ended?
- How did the peace treaties change the way people earned money and traded with other countries?
- If you were a leader at the peace conference, how would you decide where to draw new borders?
- In what ways did the end of the war make life easier or harder for everyday citizens?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Identify and compare the geographic borders of Europe and the Middle East before and after World War I using map analysis.
- Explain the primary reasons for mass population movements and displacement resulting from the Treaty of Versailles and the collapse of empires.
- Describe the basic economic consequences of the peace treaties, including how trade and daily work were affected by new national boundaries.
- Analyze the human impact of border changes by evaluating how daily life became easier or harder for citizens in newly formed or dissolved nations.
- Demonstrate an understanding of 'cause and effect' by connecting specific treaty decisions to long-term political shifts in the Middle East and Europe.
Common Core State Standards (History/Social Studies)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.7
Primary
Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.Reason: Students will be comparing maps (technical/visual) with historical accounts of treaty outcomes to understand geographic shifts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2
Secondary
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.Reason: Students will summarize the effects of the war on economy and population movement from provided simplified historical texts.
World History Standards
WH.10.6.1
Primary
Analyze the effects of the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations' mandates on the redistribution of territory and the creation of new nations.Reason: This is the core historical content of the project, focusing specifically on the geographic and political results of the peace treaties.
Geography Standards
WG.4.3
Supporting
Analyze how political and economic changes influence the movement of people and the location of human activities.Reason: This supports the goal of understanding why families were forced to move and how their work/trade changed due to new borders.
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsThe Classroom Border Crisis
Students arrive to find the classroom divided by physical tape lines that cut through desks and walkways, ignoring established 'student territories.' A 'Border Agent' issues new identity cards, informing students that their previous desks now belong to a different territory with different rules and languages.đź“š
Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Activity 1
Map Morphers: The Disappearing Empires
In this introductory activity, students will act as 'Cartography Detectives' to identify the dramatic changes in the world map between 1914 and 1923. Using simplified, color-coded maps of Europe and the Middle East, students will pinpoint where empires fell and which new nations emerged. This visual foundation is crucial for understanding the scale of the peace treaties' impact.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Examine a map of Europe and the Middle East from 1914 (before the war) and a map from 1923 (after the treaties).
2. Use a highlighter to circle three major empires that disappeared from the map (e.g., Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, Russian).
3. Identify and label five new countries that appeared on the 1923 map (e.g., Poland, Czechoslovakia, Iraq).
4. Complete a 'Change Chart' listing one territory that changed hands and which treaty (Versailles or Sèvres/Lausanne) caused it.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Then and Now' Comparative Map Set with a list of five newly formed countries and the 'lost' empires they came from.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsThis activity aligns with WH.10.6.1 by having students analyze the redistribution of territory and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.7 by integrating visual map data with historical analysis.Activity 2
Suitcase Stories: The Great Migration
Students will investigate the 'Why' behind mass migrations. Following the redrawing of borders, millions of people found themselves living in 'the wrong country.' Students will read simplified 'Person Profiles' (short biographies of fictional but historically accurate individuals) to understand the reasons for displacement and the challenges of moving across new international lines.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Select one 'Person Profile' representing someone affected by the Treaty of Versailles or the Mandate system.
2. Identify if the person moved voluntarily or was forced to move due to new border laws.
3. List three items this person might carry with them and explain why those items are important for their new life.
4. Write a 3-sentence summary of how the new borders changed this person's sense of 'home.'
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Suitcase Narrative'—a graphic organizer shaped like a suitcase that contains the reasons for a person's move and three challenges they faced.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with WG.4.3 (Analyzing how political changes influence movement) and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2 (Determining central ideas from secondary sources).Activity 3
The Border Tollbooth: Money and Markets
This activity focuses on the 'wallet' impact of the war. Students will look at how new borders split farms from markets and factories from raw materials. Using a simplified 'Trading Game' format, students will see how tariffs and new currencies made it harder for people to earn money and trade goods in the post-war economy.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Read a short text about how the new borders cut off old trade routes (e.g., a factory now being in a different country than its coal mine).
2. Draw a simple diagram showing a trade path being blocked by a new 'Border Toll.'
3. List two ways this new border made goods more expensive for everyday citizens.
4. Brainstorm one way a business owner might try to solve this problem (e.g., finding a new supplier or moving the business).
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn 'Economic Impact Poster' showing one 'Before' and 'After' scenario of a trade route or business affected by a new border.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with WG.4.3 (Economic changes and location of human activities) and project learning goals regarding the economic consequences of peace treaties.Activity 4
Drawing the Lines: The Mandate Mystery
Focusing on the Middle East, students will examine the 'Mandate System.' They will look at how Britain and France divided territories like Syria, Iraq, and Palestine. Students will analyze a 'Mandate Map' and discuss whether the borders were drawn based on the people living there or the interests of the powerful nations.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Look at the map of the British and French Mandates in the Middle East.
2. Color the French-controlled areas blue and the British-controlled areas red.
3. Read a list of 'Local Voices' (short quotes) expressing how the people living there felt about these new rulers.
4. Assign a 'Grade' (A-F) to the treaty leaders for how well they listened to the local people, providing one reason for the grade.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Mandate Report Card' where students 'grade' the border decisions based on fairness and potential for future peace.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with WH.10.6.1 (League of Nations' mandates) and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.7 (Quantitative/Technical analysis).Activity 5
The Ripple Effect: A World Remade
In this final summative activity, students will reflect on the entire project to answer the driving question. They will create a visual timeline or 'Ripple Effect' chart that connects a Treaty Decision (Cause) to a Border Change (Effect) and finally to a Human Impact (Result). This helps students see history as a series of connected events rather than isolated facts.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Choose one specific country or region studied in the previous activities.
2. Identify the major treaty that changed this region's status.
3. Write or draw three specific 'ripples' of that change: one geographic change, one economic change, and one change in where people lived.
4. Write a final concluding sentence: 'The peace treaties made life harder/easier for people because...'
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityThe 'World Remade' Portfolio Cover—a comprehensive visual chart summarizing the transformation of Europe and the Middle East.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with all primary standards (WH.10.6.1, RH.9-10.7, RH.9-10.2, WG.4.3) by synthesizing geographic, economic, and human impacts.🏆
Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioWorld Remade: Post-WWI Impact Portfolio Rubric
Category 1
Geographic Transformation
Evaluates the student's ability to use visual map data to understand the redistribution of territory and political shifts.Criterion 1
Map Analysis & Geographic Literacy
Ability to identify geographic changes between 1914 and 1923, including the collapse of empires and the creation of new nations/mandates.
Exemplary
4 PointsAccurately identifies all major lost empires and new nations; provides precise visual evidence on maps; offers a sophisticated explanation of the mandate divisions with clear supporting details.
Proficient
3 PointsCorrectly identifies the three lost empires and five new countries; labels mandate areas accurately; shows a clear understanding of the geographic shift from 1914 to 1923.
Developing
2 PointsIdentifies most empires and new nations but may have 1-2 errors; map work is partially complete; shows a basic but inconsistent understanding of how borders moved.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to identify empires or new nations; map work is incomplete or inaccurate; requires significant support to recognize geographic changes.
Category 2
Human Impact and Displacement
Assesses the understanding of how political changes and new borders influenced the movement of people and their daily lives.Criterion 1
Empathy & Migration Analysis
Ability to explain the reasons for population movement and the personal challenges faced by individuals relocated due to treaty-defined border changes.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a deeply empathetic and detailed suitcase narrative; clearly distinguishes between forced and voluntary movement with complex historical reasoning.
Proficient
3 PointsClearly explains why the person moved and identifies three logical items for their suitcase; summary accurately reflects the change in the person's sense of 'home.'
Developing
2 PointsIdentifies a reason for movement but lacks detail; suitcase items are listed but their importance is not fully explained; summary of 'home' is brief or vague.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to identify a valid reason for movement; suitcase items are illogical or missing; provides minimal reflection on the human impact of relocation.
Category 3
Economic Consequences of Borders
Focuses on the student's ability to analyze the 'wallet' impact of the war and the resulting economic barriers.Criterion 1
Economic Reasoning
Ability to connect new national borders to changes in trade, markets, and the cost of living for everyday citizens.
Exemplary
4 PointsCreates a sophisticated diagram showing complex trade interruptions; identifies multiple ways the economy was impacted; proposes an innovative business solution.
Proficient
3 PointsCorrectly diagrams a blocked trade path; lists two clear ways borders made goods more expensive; suggests a realistic solution for a business owner.
Developing
2 PointsDiagram of trade path is partially correct but lacks clarity; identifies only one economic impact; business solution is present but not fully explained.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to show how borders impact trade; cannot list economic consequences; business solution is missing or unrealistic.
Category 4
Historical Synthesis (The Ripple Effect)
Evaluates the student's ability to answer the driving question by connecting treaty decisions to their long-term effects.Criterion 1
Causality & Synthesis
Ability to synthesize geographic, economic, and human impacts into a cohesive 'Cause and Effect' argument regarding the peace treaties.
Exemplary
4 PointsSynthesizes all aspects of the project into a comprehensive 'Ripple Effect' chart; provides a profound concluding argument about the long-term impact of the treaties.
Proficient
3 PointsSuccessfully connects a treaty decision to a border change and a human result; provides a clear and logical concluding sentence based on evidence.
Developing
2 PointsAttempts to connect cause and effect but one link in the 'Ripple Effect' is weak or missing; concluding sentence is present but lacks supporting evidence.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to connect treaty decisions to real-world outcomes; 'Ripple Effect' chart is incomplete; concluding sentence is missing or irrelevant.
Reflection Prompts
End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learningQuestion 1
How confident do you feel identifying how the world map changed between 1914 (before the war) and 1923 (after the treaties)?
Scale
Required
Question 2
In our 'Suitcase Stories' activity, we learned about families forced to move. Which part of their experience do you think was the hardest for them?
Multiple choice
Required
Options
Having to leave a family home suddenly
Moving to a place with different rules or language
Losing access to a farm or a job because of a new border
Not being asked where they wanted to live
Question 3
Think back to when our classroom was divided by tape lines. How much did that activity help you understand how people felt when new borders were drawn in Europe and the Middle East?
Scale
Required
Question 4
If you were a leader at a peace conference, what is the most important thing you would think about before drawing a new border: the land, the money, or the people living there? Why?
Text
Required
Question 5
In our 'Border Tollbooth' activity, we saw how new borders changed the economy. What was the biggest problem for businesses and workers?
Multiple choice
Required
Options
New taxes (tariffs) made goods more expensive
Trade routes were cut off by new borders
Different countries started using different money
All of the above made trading very difficult