Volume 2:

Conflict and compromise is a normal part of daily life for all of us. One way to begin discussion of this theme is to have your students describe the conflicts and compromises in their lives. Perhaps they are torn between a need to study for the "big" exam and a desire to go to the "big" game. They compromise by studying after school and then going home right after the game to study some more. Or perhaps the conflict is over when they should be home at night, what classes to take, what sports in which to participate, or what college to attend. All of these conflicts will require compromise—making a choice between two or more desires or activities.

The conflicts and compromises described in this second edition of the Illinois History Teacher are an important part of Illinois' history, but they may seem distantly remote to young people today. When properly studied and linked to similar contemporary issues, however, these conflicts and compromises will reveal much about both the past and the present. The seemingly endless debate among politicians over the positives and negatives of legislative reform is a perfect illustration of contemporary conflict and compromise. "Gridlock" is the popular term used to describe the inability to arrive at a compromise acceptable to all parties. But if your students reflect on how difficult it is to work out their own conflicts and compromises, either for themselves or with just a few other people, then they will better appreciate how much more difficult it is to find a middle road among hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people.

In this issue of Illinois History Teacher you will find lessons dealing with multi-culturalism, minority rights, individual versus society rights, and expedient compromise leading to future conflict. All of these are highly controversial contemporary issues, and yet the events examined here occurred nearly a century or more ago. If you want to demonstrate the usefulness of studying the past to better understand the present, if you want relevance, if you want to make history come alive, if you want to relate local history to the bigger picture, then here are the lessons to do all of that and more.

As guest editor it has been my pleasure to work with some wonderful school teachers and college professors from across the state and with Keith Sculle and the staff at the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The Illinois History Teacher is an excellent example of how schools, colleges, and government can work together to improve education in Illinois. I hope you find a place for it in your curriculum. Please let Keith and me know the results.

Roger B. Beck
Guest Editor,
ILLINOIS HISTORY TEACHER