Subject Support History Teaching the case study, Stalin’s show trials: exploring causation with students February, 2014 Efforts have been made to trace and acknowledge copyright holders. In cases where a copyright has been inadvertently overlooked, the copyright holders are requested to contact the Cultural and Environmental Education Administrator, Angie Grogan,
[email protected] © 2014 Cultural and Environmental Education, Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), Dublin West Education Centre, Tallaght, Dublin 24 01-4528018, 01-4528010,
[email protected], www.pdst.ie © PDST, 2014 1 Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Subject Support History Contact details Administrator Angie Grogan Telephone 01-4528018 Fax 01-4528010 E-mail
[email protected] Address Dublin West Education Centre, Tallaght, Dublin 24. Note: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the historical data contained herein. Any inadvertent errors are regretted. © PDST, 2014 2 CONTENTS Page Stalin’s show trials: exploring causation with students 4 The enquiry-focused approach 4 Linking your work on the case study to the National Literacy Strategy 5 A contextual overview of the case study 6 Glossary of important terms 7 Biographical notes 9 Timeline of important developments 15 Maps of Russia and the Soviet Union 16 Stalin’s show trials: possible lines of enquiry 17 A possible hook: an online film clip 17 Transcript of the film clip 18 Worksheet: analysis of the film clip 19 Enquiry, Step 1: What prompted the holding of the first show trial in Moscow in August 1936? 20 Enquiry, Step 2: Why was a second show trial held in Moscow in January 1937? 26 Enquiry, Step 3: What factors lay behind the holding of the ‘Great Purge Trial’ in March 1938? 31 A critical skills exercise 38 Historians’ views about Stalin’s show trials 42 Interrogating the historians 43 Your conclusions on the enquiry 44 © PDST, 2014 3 Stalin’s show trials: exploring causation with students In exploring the case study, “Stalin’s show trials”, students are following a narrative of events.