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Jan 9, 2024

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1.Describe how your assumptions, beliefs, and values influenced your choice of topic. I picked the Great Smog of London because it directly affected my husband’s family then, and still does to this day. I assumed it was just a big political story to scare people and make them want to create a better environment, but after speaking to Uncle Kenny, I see it truly did affect people deeply. It also effected those who were born after the Great Smog. My values are why I didn’t pick one of the other topics. 2. Discuss the significance of your historical research question in relation to your current event. My historical research question had to do with how the Great Smog of London had lasting effects on children and their breathing health. I picked this because Uncle Kenny spent time in an oxygen tent in hospital due to his lungs getting damaged during the days of Smog. He ended up with life long breathing problems which caused him to change his dreams for what he wanted to be when he grew up. In fact, he still suffers from asthma and is convinced it all started then. My current event was the Canadian Wildfires that spread smoke into the States and down the coast. All I could think of was children in those areas ending up in the hospital or with asthma from all of this, and how it would effect their adult lives. No child should have to deal with unnecessary medical concerns from their environment. 3. Explain how you used sources to finalize your research question. I tried finding a question that hadn’t been asked over and over. I started pretty broad with “how did the Great Smog affect children.” But I saw there were a lot of studies and papers on it already. So I wanted to narrow it down. I spoke to Uncle Kenny and asked him what he remembered most from that time, and he just went on and on about the oxygen tent, how he couldn’t have his toys or his teddy, and how his mother was the only one allowed in the room with his and he missed his dad. And since the oxygen tent had to do with him not being able to breathe properly then, leading to asthma throughout his life, and limiting what he did as a child sports wise and careers as an adult, I wanted to focus on that aspect. Part 2: Building Context to Address Questions 4. Describe the context of your historical event that influenced your current event. The Great Smog of London, which occurred in December 1952, was a severe air pollution event that blanketed the city with a thick layer of smog. This environmental disaster was primarily caused by a combination of coal burning for heating and unfavorable weather conditions, which trapped pollutants close to the ground. The

smog contained high levels of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, leading to thousands of deaths and a significant increase in respiratory illnesses. The connection between the Great Smog of London and Canadian wildfires might not be directly causal, but both events underscore the broader impact of air pollution on human health and the environment. The London smog was a stark example of how human activities can lead to air quality crises. Similarly, Canadian wildfires, fueled by factors like climate change and land management practices, release vast amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere, impacting air quality and contributing to health concerns both locally and beyond. These events serve as reminders of the interconnectedness of environmental factors and the need for global efforts to address air pollution and its effects. 5. Describe a historical figure or group’s participation in your historical event. The British government, under Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was a historical group that played a role in responding to the Great Smog of London in 1952. The government faced criticism for not taking immediate action to address the smog's health impacts and for downplaying the severity of the situation. However, the public outcry and pressure following the smog event eventually led to the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1956, which aimed to reduce air pollution and improve public health by regulating industrial emissions and encouraging the use of cleaner fuels. 6. Explain the historical figure or group’s motivation to participate in your historical event. Winston Churchill, as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Great Smog of London in 1952, was motivated to address the situation due to the escalating public health crisis caused by the severe air pollution. The smog's devastating effects on the city's population, including thousands of deaths and widespread illness, prompted Churchill's government to take action by enacting measures to improve air quality and public health. Part 3: Examining How Bias Impacts Narrative 7. Describe a narrative you identified while researching the history of your historical event. One common narrative found in researching the Great Smog of London in 1952 is the dire impact of the event on public health. The narrative highlights the sudden and severe health crisis that arose due to the dense smog, leading to a surge in respiratory illnesses and deaths. This narrative often emphasizes the urgency for government action and stricter regulations to prevent similar

incidents in the future, ultimately resulting in the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1956. 8. Articulate how biased perspectives presented in primary and secondary sources influence what is known or unknown about history. Biased perspectives presented in primary and secondary sources can significantly shape what is known or unknown about history. In primary sources, which are firsthand accounts or materials from the time of the event, biases of individuals or groups involved can influence the information recorded. For example, personal prejudices, political agendas, or cultural beliefs can lead to a skewed representation of events. Secondary sources, which are interpretations or analyses of primary sources, can also carry biases. Historians' perspectives, cultural context, and personal beliefs can impact how they interpret and present historical events. These biases might lead to the omission of certain details, the overemphasis of others, or the framing of events in a particular light. Both types of bias can result in gaps or inaccuracies in historical understanding. To gain a more comprehensive view of history, it's essential to critically evaluate sources, consider multiple viewpoints, and recognize potential biases that might impact the information being presented. 9. Identify the perspectives that you think are missing from your historical event’s narrative. The Great Smog of London of 1952, while extensively studied and documented, might still lack certain perspectives in historical records. Some perspectives that could be underrepresented include: Environmental Justice Perspective: The smog disproportionately affected lower-income neighborhoods and communities with limited access to healthcare. The voices of these marginalized groups and their experiences during the smog event might not be fully represented in historical narratives. Industrial and Economic Interests: Perspectives from industries that contributed to the air pollution, such as coal and manufacturing, might be downplayed in historical accounts. The

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