WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE HOW THE MATERIALS ARE USED
Step into the courtroom of the past, where modern history’s most complex and controversial figures are called to account. Justice, Courage, and Human Rights is a compelling collection of seven trials based on real historical events, designed to bring the study of world history to life through active, student-centered learning.
The seven monumental trials include Leopold II of Belgium for crimes against humanity in his Congo Colony, Soghomon Tehlirian's vengance against the architect of the Armenian Genocide, Japanese General Yamashita's war cimes in the Philippines during World War II, Nelson Mandel's fight for freedom in apartheid South Africa, American Lietenant William Calley's court-martial for the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War, the murder of Norther Ireland prison official Albert Miles by the Irish Republican Army, and the Rwandan media for the crime of inciting the Hutu genocide of the Tutsi population.
BUY THE FULL BOOK OR INDIVIDUAL TRIALS
The Trials
Colonization of Africa
George Washington Williams, a Black American historian and author, spent six months in Belgian King Leopold II’s Congo Free State (CFS) in 1890. Leopold’s personal African colony was nearly a million square miles and made him the largest private landholder in history.
Armenian Genocide
On March 15, 1921, in Berlin, Germany, Soghomon Tehlirian, a young Armenian, shot and killed former Ottoman Minister of the Interior Mehmed Talaat. The young assassin had sought revenge for the murder of his family. Talaat had been a key figure in the ruling party of the Ottomans during World War I—and had a prominent hand in orchestrating the genocide of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians.
WWII in the Philippines
American forces, alongside Filipino guerrilla fighters, initiated an assault to liberate Manila from Japanese occupation in February 1945. The ensuing three weeks of fierce combat led to significant destruction in Manila, resulting in approximately 100,000 Filipino civilian casualties.
Apartheid in South Africa
Representing Afrikaner nationalists and promoting White supremacy, the National Party gained control of the South African government In 1948. Their central policy, known as apartheid, aimed to segregate South Africans by race, ensuring that Whites maintained total control over the country and that their interests were prioritized over those of Black South Africans.
Vietnam War / My Lai Massacre
In the midst of the war in Vietnam, the small village of My Lai became the site of tragic events on March 16, 1968, when Captain Ernest Medina gathered one hundred men from Charlie Company for a search-and-destroy mission directed at the 48th Battalion of the Viet Cong.
The Troubles in Northern Ireland
The Troubles in Northern Ireland, a violent conflict between Protestants and Catholics that lasted from the late 1960s to 1998, stemmed from deep-seated political, cultural, and religious divisions. The Protestant majority was supported by the United Kingdom, which sent troops to secure Protestant rule. The Catholic minority faced historical discrimination in housing, employment, and voting rights, fueling resentment.
The Rwandan Genocide
In 1990, the Hutu extremist magazine Kangura published the Hutu Ten Commandments. The directives included the following: “Every Hutu should know that every Tutsi is dishonest in business. His only aim is the supremacy of his ethnic group,” “The Hutu should stop having mercy on the Tutsi,” and “The Hutu must be firm and vigilant against their common Tutsi enemy.” Four years later, militant Hutu systematically slaughtered 800,000 defenseless men, women, and children.
Testimonials
About the Author
Andrew Pinney is a former classroom history teacher with nearly thirty years of experience in education. Over the course of his career, he has served as a teacher, instructional coach, and curriculum and instruction consultant.
Andrew has taught a wide range of courses, including Advanced Placement U.S. History, Modern World History, Civics, Sociology, American History, and History of Sports in America—a course for which he wrote the curriculum.
In his work as a coach and consultant, Andrew has partnered with hundreds of school districts and worked with thousands of educators. He has provided professional development on topics such as content-area reading and writing, student engagement, research-based instructional strategies, and broader areas of curriculum and instruction. He has taught lessons in hundreds of classrooms, spanning diverse educational settings: urban, rural, and suburban public schools—as well as charter schools and career technical centers.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Kent State University, a Master of Education from Ashland University, and a College Credit Plus Credential in History from Cleveland State University.
Events
Coming Soon...