So here's an idea I had yesterday whilst talking with a couple of my friends. History can be fun to learn about, but sometimes it's a little difficult to draw out all the important points from a textbook or encyclopaedia. So what if we trimmed the fat?
The basic idea is to take a moment from history, and then bastardise condense it down into a simpler, more entertaining form. History isn't your cup of tea? No problem. Movies, games and literature should all make for ripe pickings here. Write it up any way you see fit. Just remember your spoiler tags if you're going to let spoilers loose
I'll get the ball rolling:
President Wilson vs The World
The year is 1919, and the United States of America have come out of World War One the strongest nation in the world. President Woodrow Wilson sees this as a golden opportunity to secure peace throughout the world. The American public, senate, and Republican Party weren't as eager.
Wilson: Hey everyone! I'm back from Paris, and I've got this great idea for a League of Nations. Take a look!
Republicans: -reading- Hmm... Geneva... da... da... arbitration... ba...
Wilson: Pretty sweet huh?
Henry Cabot Lodge: Whoa man, back up. "Member nations to protect each other against aggression"? We'll be in wars forever.
37 Senators: Not cool man.
Wilson: Oh, well, you like it, right Senate?
Senate: Well maybe if you'd asked for our advice beforehand?
Wilson: Anybody?
American Public: No.
Wilson: Ugh, you all guys suck. You've got no vision. I'll be in France if you need me.
-A short while later, in France-
Georges Clemenceau: I want more of Germany.
Wilson: Look, we've been over this, we can't do that.
Clemenceau: And they should have to fight with rocks.
Billy Hughes: Dibs on New Guinea!
Saionji Kinmochi: Why can't we all be equal?
Wilson: Listen, guys, we have to make the League my way!
David Lloyd George: This is boring. I want to go home to my mistress.
Wilson: You're boring!
Clemenceau: Your 14 points are boring!
Wilson: Gaah this is useless. I'm going home.
-Back in Washington-
Wilson: Okay, nobody likes my plans for the League of Nations.
The Irreconcilables: Damn right we don't.
Wilson: Maybe the people will like it more. I need to meet them, eye to eye!
Wilson's Physician: I don't think that's a good idea, you're getting pretty old and sick, and you could have a-
Wilson: Lalala can't hear you!
And so President Wilson went on a month long tour across the country by train, giving speeches to the public trying to garner support for the League and Treaty of Versailles, until:
Wilson: Friends, Ro- Americans, Countrymen, lend me your ea- -hurk-
Audience: -gasp-
Captain Not-So-Obvious: He's fainted!
That's right, he broke down at a speech in Colorado. A week later he had a stroke, and spent the last 15 months of the Presidency as an invalid. The League of Nations was eventually formed, but the US never joined. The moral is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
I'm sure you could do a lot better than me. Have at it.
EDIT: If you need some further inspiration, flicking through some Kate Beaton comics [http://beatonna.livejournal.com/] might not be a badly spent five minutes.
The basic idea is to take a moment from history, and then bastardise condense it down into a simpler, more entertaining form. History isn't your cup of tea? No problem. Movies, games and literature should all make for ripe pickings here. Write it up any way you see fit. Just remember your spoiler tags if you're going to let spoilers loose
I'll get the ball rolling:
President Wilson vs The World
The year is 1919, and the United States of America have come out of World War One the strongest nation in the world. President Woodrow Wilson sees this as a golden opportunity to secure peace throughout the world. The American public, senate, and Republican Party weren't as eager.
Wilson: Hey everyone! I'm back from Paris, and I've got this great idea for a League of Nations. Take a look!
Republicans: -reading- Hmm... Geneva... da... da... arbitration... ba...
Wilson: Pretty sweet huh?
Henry Cabot Lodge: Whoa man, back up. "Member nations to protect each other against aggression"? We'll be in wars forever.
37 Senators: Not cool man.
Wilson: Oh, well, you like it, right Senate?
Senate: Well maybe if you'd asked for our advice beforehand?
Wilson: Anybody?
American Public: No.
Wilson: Ugh, you all guys suck. You've got no vision. I'll be in France if you need me.
-A short while later, in France-
Georges Clemenceau: I want more of Germany.
Wilson: Look, we've been over this, we can't do that.
Clemenceau: And they should have to fight with rocks.
Billy Hughes: Dibs on New Guinea!
Saionji Kinmochi: Why can't we all be equal?
Wilson: Listen, guys, we have to make the League my way!
David Lloyd George: This is boring. I want to go home to my mistress.
Wilson: You're boring!
Clemenceau: Your 14 points are boring!
Wilson: Gaah this is useless. I'm going home.
-Back in Washington-
Wilson: Okay, nobody likes my plans for the League of Nations.
The Irreconcilables: Damn right we don't.
Wilson: Maybe the people will like it more. I need to meet them, eye to eye!
Wilson's Physician: I don't think that's a good idea, you're getting pretty old and sick, and you could have a-
Wilson: Lalala can't hear you!
And so President Wilson went on a month long tour across the country by train, giving speeches to the public trying to garner support for the League and Treaty of Versailles, until:
Wilson: Friends, Ro- Americans, Countrymen, lend me your ea- -hurk-
Audience: -gasp-
Captain Not-So-Obvious: He's fainted!
That's right, he broke down at a speech in Colorado. A week later he had a stroke, and spent the last 15 months of the Presidency as an invalid. The League of Nations was eventually formed, but the US never joined. The moral is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
I'm sure you could do a lot better than me. Have at it.
EDIT: If you need some further inspiration, flicking through some Kate Beaton comics [http://beatonna.livejournal.com/] might not be a badly spent five minutes.