This workshop is full
New this year!
We have all lived through significant historical shifts. Think 9/11, Oct 7th, Nov 22, 1963, or the fall of a wall in Berlin in 1989. Further back in history: 1066; 1453; the shooting of an archduke in Sarajevo; the Magna Carta of 1215; December 7, 1941; 1929; 1867; 1492; the 1455 discovery of the printing press; the killing of the Russian czar; and many more. “Black swan” events jolt us and shift how we see the world.
Understanding history is more like looking at a kaleidoscope than witnessing an orderly unfolding of events. Unexpected tilts dramatically disrupt our view of the world.
This Workshop examines selected turning points in history. Some pivotal moments are political, others, scientific or religious. The focus will be on what happened and how this impacted subsequent history.
A list of sample-turning-points and resource materials is provided in the Notes attached. Once registration is complete, participants are free to choose from this list or to suggest a topic along with background resources in consultation with the facilitators. Each member of the workshop will develop a 15-20-minute introduction to their chosen topic designed to generate discussion. Everyone will be encouraged to do some background preparation.
Facilitators
Barrie Wilson is a retired professor of intellectual history from York University. A member of the Academy for six years, he’s interested in interactive discussions on a variety of historical topics.
David Phillips is a retired lawyer and association executive in the financial services industry, specializing in financial regulation. David has been a member of the Academy for six years.
Below are suggested topics and references. Once registration is completed, participants are free to choose from this list or to suggest a topic in consultation with the facilitators. Topics in Group A are for the Fall term; Group B, for the Winter. This way we can help ensure some semblance of chronological order.
Group A Topics [Fall term]
- October 14, 1066 – Battle of Hastings/Norman Conquest of England
The Norman victory reshaped English society, law, and language, laying the foundation for modern England and strengthening ties to continental Europe.
Book: The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris
Documentary: 1066: A Year to Conquer England (BBC) - 1440 – Invention of the Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg’s invention revolutionized the spread of knowledge, democratizing access to information and fueling the Renaissance, Reformation, and Scientific Revolution.
Book: Gutenberg: How One Man Remade the World with Words by John Man
Documentary: The Machine That Made Us (BBC, hosted by Stephen Fry) - May 29, 1453 – Fall of Constantinople/Rise of Ottoman Empire
This marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and shifted trade routes, spurring the Age of Exploration and solidifying Ottoman dominance in Southeast Europe and the Middle East.
Book: 1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West by Roger Crowley
Documentary: Fall of Constantinople 1453 (History Channel) - October 31, 1517 – Martin Luther’s 95 Theses
Luther’s challenge to Catholic practices ignited the Protestant Reformation, leading to religious fragmentation and laying the groundwork for modern notions of individualism and religious freedom.
Book: Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland H. Bainton
Documentary: Luther and the Reformation (PBS) - July 1, 1867 – Dominion of Canada Formed
The creation of the Dominion of Canada through Confederation established the framework for Canadian independence, uniting provinces under a federal system and laying the groundwork for future expansion and nationhood.
Book: The Story of Confederation by Oscar D. Skelton
Documentary: Canada: A People’s History (CBC) - December 28, 1895 – Lumière brothers’ first screening of motion pictures
The birth of cinema paved the way for the development of a global entertainment industry with significant economic and cultural influence.
Book: The Lumière Galaxy: Seven Key Words for the Cinema to Come by Francesco Casetti
Documentary: The Story of Film: An Odyssey (Mark Cousins) - December 17, 1903 – Kitty Hawk: First Powered Flight
The Wright brothers’ first successful flight at Kitty Hawk marked the beginning of the aviation age, revolutionizing transportation and warfare.
Book: The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Documentary: The Wright Brothers (PBS) - June 28, 1914 – Archduke Ferdinand Assassinated
The assassination triggered World War I, a conflict that redefined geopolitics, introduced modern warfare, and led to the downfall of empires.
Book: The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 by Christopher Clark
Documentary: The First World War (BBC) - July 17, 1918 – Czar Nicholas II’s Family Murdered
The execution of the Romanovs symbolized the end of imperial Russia and solidified Bolshevik power, leading to decades of Soviet rule and communist influence worldwide.
Book: The Romanovs: 1613-1918 by Simon Sebag Montefiore
Documentary: The Last of the Czars (Netflix) - January 18, 1919 – Paris Peace Conference
The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I but planted the seeds for World War II through harsh reparations and territorial disputes, while also creating new nations.
Book: Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan
Documentary: The Treaty of Versailles (PBS) - November 14, 1921 – Discovery of Insulin
Canadians Frederick Banting, Charles Best, John J.R. Macleod, and James Bertram Collip discover insulin, revolutionizing the treatment of diabetes, saving millions of lives, and leading to major advances in medical science.
Book: The Discovery of Insulin by Michael Bliss
Documentary: The Miracle of Insulin (PBS) - October 24, 1929 – “Black Thursday” Stock Market Crash
The stock market collapse triggered the Great Depression, leading to widespread economic hardship and significant political and social changes worldwide.
Book: The Great Crash 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith
Documentary: The Crash of 1929 (PBS) - December 7, 1941 – Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Imperial Japanese Navy’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II, dramatically shifting the balance of the war and marking the decline of Japanese naval dominance.
Book: At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Gordon W. Prange
Documentary: Pearl Harbor: Into the Arizona (National Geographic) - February 4-11, 1945 – Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin reshaped post-war Europe, dividing it into spheres of influence, which led to the Cold War and the formation of the United Nations.
Book: The Yalta Conference by Diane B. Kunz
Documentary: The Yalta Conference (PBS)
Group B Topics [for Winter term]
- October 1, 1949 – Rise of Communist China
Mao Zedong’s declaration of the People’s Republic of China marked the beginning of communist rule, fundamentally transforming Chinese society and establishing China as a major global power.
Book: The Rise of Modern China by Immanuel C.Y. Hsu
Documentary: China: A Century of Revolution (PBS) - October 16-28, 1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, significantly influencing U.S. and Soviet relations and leading to the establishment of direct communication between the two superpowers.
Book: One Minute to Midnight by Michael Dobbs
Documentary: The Fog of War (Errol Morris) - July 20, 1969 – Moon Landing
The Apollo 11 mission demonstrated the triumph of human ingenuity and marked the height of the Space Race, symbolizing the potential for peaceful exploration and fostering technological innovations across industries.
Book: Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon by Robert Kurson
Documentary: Apollo 11 (directed by Todd Douglas Miller) - April 17, 1982 – Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, entrenched in the Canadian Constitution, guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms, shaping the country’s legal and political landscape.
Book: The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by Peter W. Hogg
Documentary: The Charter: The Human Rights Revolution (CBC) - August 15, 1947 – Partition of India into India, Pakistan
The partition of British India into two separate states, India and Pakistan, created widespread displacement and set the stage for decades of conflict in the region.
Book: The Great Partition by Yasmin Khan
Documentary: The Day India Burned (BBC) - May 14, 1948 – Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel
The founding of Israel marked a significant moment in the history of the Middle East, establishing a Jewish state amid ongoing tensions with neighboring Arab nations.
Book: Israel: A History by Martin Gilbert
Documentary: The Birth of Israel (PBS) - November 22, 1963 – President Kennedy Assassinated
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy shocked the nation and marked a turning point in U.S. history, leading to deep political and social changes.
Book: JFK: A Biography by Fredrik Logevall
Documentary: The Assassination of President Kennedy (PBS) - April 4, 1968 – Martin Luther King Assassinated
The assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. deepened racial tensions in America and marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for civil rights.
Book: Bearing the Cross by David J. Garrow
Documentary: King in the Wilderness (HBO) - September 5, 1972 – Munich Massacre
The terrorist attack during the Summer Olympics in Munich resulted in the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes, forever altering the landscape of international sport and terrorism.
Book: One Day in September by Simon Reeve
Documentary: Munich: The Olympics Massacre (PBS). Also film “September 5th.” - July 25, 1978 – IVF Birth of Louise Joy Brown
The first successful birth through in vitro fertilization (IVF) revolutionized reproductive medicine and altered the landscape of family planning and genetics.
Book: The IVF Journey by Valerie Whittlesey
Documentary: The First Test Tube Baby (BBC). Also film “Joy.” - November 9, 1989 – Fall of the Berlin Wall
The wall’s fall symbolized the end of the Cold War, paving the way for German reunification and a new era of European integration.
Book: The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989 by Frederick Taylor
Documentary: The Fall of the Berlin Wall (National Geographic) - December 26, 1991 – Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The collapse ended the Cold War, leading to the emergence of independent states and a shift to U.S. global dominance in a unipolar world.
Book: Revolution 1989: The Fall of the Soviet Empire by Victor Sebestyen
Documentary: The Fog of War (Errol Morris) - September 11, 2001 – Terrorist Attack on World Trade Center
The attacks reshaped global security policies, led to the War on Terror, and profoundly impacted international relations and civil liberties, deepening tensions between the Western and Islamic worlds.
Book: The 9/11 Commission Report
Documentary: 9/11 (directed by Jules and Gedeon Naudet) - January 9, 2007 – The iPhone
Unveiled by Steve Jobs during a keynote address this device revolutionized mobile communications by bringing the internet and phone into one single device.
Book: The One Device: the Secret History of the iPhone
by Brian Merchant; Also for its ongoing social impact, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt.
Documentary: - May 25, 2020 – George Floyd Murdered
The murder of George Floyd sparked worldwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality, leading to renewed discussions on systemic racism.
Book: His Name Is George Floyd by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa
Documentary: Amend: The Fight for America (Netflix) -