Queen Elizabeth II’s Death Sparks Debate About Her Legacy
On Thursday, September 8 Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96. Her seventy years on the throne marks the longest reign in British history. While Queen Elizabeth II served as the constitutional monarch of the United Kingdom, she was nevertheless, steadfast in her commitment to remain neutral on political issues. This desire to remain above the political fray added to her appeal among the public and parliament and thus allowed her to transcend politics. In addition, to serving as head of state to the UK, the Queen also served in this capacity in 14 other countries.
Who died?
INSTRUCTORS: click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.
Videos:
News Articles:
Obituary: Queen Elizabeth II
BBC NEWS
September 9, 2022
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61605149
Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch who brought stability to a changing nation
NPR
September 8, 2022
https://www.npr.org/2022/09/08/507798969/queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-balmoral
TV, travel, walkabouts: How the Queen stayed relevant and transformed the monarchy
CNN
September 12, 2022
https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/12/europe/monarchy-modernizing-queen-relevant-intl-cmd-gbr/index.html
Queen Elizabeth’s death sparks nostalgia for ‘golden era’ in Hong Kong
FINANCIAL TIMES
September 12, 2022
https://www.ft.com/content/e79a87c5-3764-4fe4-9618-1914954a38ed
News Articles (Analyses):
The royals have a duty to the Commonwealth: pay your debts, and apologize
THE GUARDIAN
September 13, 2022
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/13/royals-commonwealth-debts-colonies-monarchy
The questions over the queen’s role in Britain’s violent empire, explained by a historian
VOX
September 13, 2022
https://www.vox.com/world/2022/9/13/23349267/queen-elizabeth-british-empire-colonialism-violence
Thousands defend professor who wished Queen Elizabeth II an ‘excruciating’ death
NEW YORK POST
September 12, 2022
https://nypost.com/2022/09/12/thousands-defend-professor-who-wished-queen-an-excruciating-death/
Setting record straight on Queen Elizabeth II
THE HARVARD GAZETTE
September 12, 2022
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2022/09/setting-record-straight-on-queen-elizabeth-ii/
Assessment:
Writing:? What is the significance of Queen Elizabeth II’s death?
Debate: Should the UK provide reparations to former colonies?
Poll: If you lived in a Commonwealth country outside of the UK, would you want the monarch to be your head of state?
Short Answer: What are the ramifications if countries leave the Commonwealth?
QUIZ:
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning British monarch. (T/F)
Queen Elizabeth II was known to be political and voice her views publicly. (T/F)
When Queen Elizabeth II was born the UK was the world’s sole superpower. (T/F)
Queen Elizabeth II served as head of state to how many countries?
- 5
- 10
- 15
- 20
The British Empire once included?
a. a third of the earth’s landmass
b. a quarter of the earth’s landmass
c. a sixth of the planet’s population
d. a seventh of the planet’s population
All the following were cited as concerns regarding King Charles III EXCEPT.
a. Will he be apolitical.
b. Will he connect with the British people.
c. Will he abdicate the throne.
d. Will he acknowledge the UK’s role in slavery and colonization.
