Historical+References+in+the+Simpsons

HOME Historical References in //The Simpsons//

- Theories of therapy - Family therapy Sociology - Family dynamics || Psychology: (15:30) The various forms of therapy the family was put through (drawing therapy(16:20), aggression therapy(17:20), shock therapy(18:15). This would be valuable in introducing a therapy theme to the students. They can observe the family therapy session, noting the positives and negatives of each type (13:16-21:10). Sociology: Students can monitor the family dynamics of the family and discuss the failings and positives. (throughout the show) . || - Military Training  - WWI Armistice  - Treaty of Versailles || Military Training: (15:25-17:38) Bart leads his classmates through a training program similar to that of draftees in the US military. This can be used to introduce the draft and training for any US war.  Treaty: (19:45-20:45) Bart and Nelson sign an armistice to go back to normal life after the fight is over. The language is similar to the armistice signed after WWI. Some of the addendums to it can be related to the Versailles Treaty. It could be used to compare and contrast the real thing to a knockoff. || - elections - campaigns - Spin - nuclear safety || Campaigns: (8:45-9:37) Burns decides to run for governor. His team is assembled to make him appear better and his opponent appear worse. Spin: (9:40-12:21) Burns’ spin team make the 3 eyed fish seem like a good thing. It convinces people to side with Burns. Campaigns: (entire episode) Students should observe what happens during a campaign. This can lead into a larger lesson into how campaigns work. Nuclear Safety: Another reference could be made to nuclear radiation and what is true or false about nuclear pollution. Could also start a discussion about the ethics of nuclear power. || - 1970’s culture - Women’s Lib/feminism || 1970’s Culture: The show references back to Homer and Marge’s high school years in 1974. Feminism: (4:35)Marge burns her bra in reference to the Women’s movement. The show is set to a variety of timed songs by artists, The Carpenters, Steve Miller Band, Average White Band, Barry White, Elton John, and Van McCoy. This episode could be used as a brief introduction into the 1970’s, the Women’s Movement, etc. Students can note the references then the class can talk about them after the episode is over. || - elections - campaigns - voting US History - Truman’s defeat of Dewey Psychology - disorders || Wild West/Cowboys: (3:50-4:30) The substitute Mr. Bergstrom sings a song about the wild west. This could be an introduction into the west. Elections: (15:45) When Martin wins the school election, he poses with a premature printed copy of the Fourth Gradian that states, “Simpson defeats Prince” this clearly parodies the “Dewey Defeats Truman” newspaper. Use this to introduce the students to the Truman victory. Psychology – Disorders: (14:05-14:15) Lisa’s teacher comes back and states her disease was just psychosomatic. || - 1980’s culture || 1980’s Culture (12:10-13:00)When Bart fools Springfield into thinking a boy is lost down a well, local/national celebrities create a song called “We’re Sending Our Love Down the Well”, this is in relation to the “We are the World” song created in real life. || - Cold War - Olympic Boycott - 1980’s culture || 1980’s Culture (entire episode) Ms. Pacman struck a blow for women’s rights. References the last episode of MASH, Boy George, and Webster, Olympic Boycott: (12:00-13:30)It references the Russian boycott of the Olympics. This could be used to have students try and identify as many references to the 80’s as possible. || - Prohibition || Prohibition (4:51) A prohibition-era sign at the Duff Brewery reads, “Prohibition got you down? Drink Doctor Duff’s ‘Health Tonic”. This reference shows what many actual breweries during prohibition did to keep making beer. This reference may be better served by only using it for a very brief while, or doing a screen capture. || - Unions - Strikes - Class struggle || Unions: (entire episode) The show centers on the union labor dispute with Mr. Burns. It also shows how strikes work and end. This could be used when learning about labor relations in the US. Use it to compare and contrast reality to television. Strikes (15:50-17:45) The workers strike and Burns hires strike breakers as they had in the 1930’s. || - Local holidays - Traditions || Springfieldians participate in Whacking Day, where they look for and beat snakes. This is an example of a unique local/regional practice. Use this to compare to local/regional practices in your own area when talking about local history. It is also revealed that the holiday used to have people attacking the Irish instead of Snakes. This could be used to show how traditions sometimes change without people knowing due to changing norms of society. || - Charles Lindbergh - Hitler - Nautilus’s North Pole visit || A short part of this clip shows the journey of Mr. Burns stuffed bear “Bobo”. It starts in 1927 with Charles Lindbergh’s flight, then goes to 1945 in Hitler’s Berlin bunker, lastly to 1957 Nautilus’s North Pole visit. Show this in the beginning of the year to show how history is related. While this example may be farfetched it at least introduces some of the topics discussed throughout the year. || - Catchphrases - Fame - Phenomenon || Bart’s famous line “I didn’t Do It” could be used in a sociology class to show how the country can get caught up in phenomenons like “Pants on the Ground” and while they are enormously famous for a time, they quickly fade away. || - NASA - Space exploration - Apollo 13 || Homer goes into space with NASA. This could be used in a couple ways. It could be used as a comparison to Apollo 13 where the astronauts experienced a great deal of trouble. It could also be used to show how much interest has been lost in NASA’s space program. || - Elections - Campaigns - Watergate - Kennedy/Nixon Debate - Political debates || Bob gets out of jail and runs for mayor. This episode is based loosely on the Watergate scandal and other real life political events. It could be used to introduce elections or to talk about how people try to rig them. It also featured a TV debate where Quimby appears sickly and loses popularity; this is similar to the Nixon/Kennedy debate where Nixon looked pale and sickly. || - Conspiracy Theories - Freemasons - Secret Societies || This episode features the Stonecutters which are an obvious reference to the Freemasons. It could be used to compare and contrast the actions of the real organization and the myths surrounding them. || - Trojan Horse || Homer, Bart, and other Sprinfieldians use the Trojan Horse decoy trick to get into Shelbyville and steal the lemon tree back. This could be used to talk about the Trojan War. || - Class struggle - Socioeconomic class structure || Marge gets invited to the country club and the family sees what life is like for the rich. They also try to fit in. This could be used to compare the different lifestyles, also to how different economic classes work with one another. || - Money - Banking - Tax Fraud || Bart gets a checkbook with the Hindenburg disaster on it called “Oh the Humanity”. It also talks about how Krusty commits tax fraud. This could help explain how tax fraud works so the students might understand it better when they see it in history. || - Historical myths - Historical revision || The true identity of Sprinfield’s founder is revealed to be false. When they exhume the body to see if it is true it references real events when President Taylor was exhumed. It could also be used to talk about what we really know about our founding fathers. || - World’s Fair - || Bart and his friends rent a car and travel to Knoxville Tennessee to see the Worlds Fair. They are disappointed when they find out it was open in 1982, but still see the Sunsphere. This could be used if talking about Worlds Fairs, or local history. || - Citizenship - illegal immigrants - scapegoating || Springfield attempts to pass Prop 24 which would deport all illegal immigrants immediately. It discusses ways in which people can become citizens. It also shows how politicians can blame illegal aliens for totally unrelated things. Related to California Proposition 187 anti-illegal movement. || - elections - Two Party System || The “Citizen Kang” story where Kodos and Kang impersonate Dole and Clinton; they make reference to the dominance of the 2 party system in the US, claiming that voting for the 3rd party is throwing the vote away. They also show what voters want to see and hear by claiming “bland pleasantries, jazz solos, and kissing babies”. Use this episode to have students learn about elections. It really focuses on the negatives of US politics or at least the perceived negatives. Students can use this to start a discussion. || - Psychological breakdown - Psychotherapy Sociology - Child Rearing || This would probably be best used in a psychology class. Ned’s childhood psychiatrist treats him to suppress his anger rather than use it constructively. Have students relate this strategy to real psychological treatments. The mob at the Kwik-E-Mart could also be used to reference the 1992 LA mobs || - Prohibition - Bootlegging Politics/Gov’t - Laws - Crime || Prohibition returns to Springfield and Rex Banner comes to enforce it. When the mob can no longer supply alcohol, Homer becomes a bootlegger. Use this episode to draw comparisons between actual prohibition in the 1920’s and prohibition in Sprinfield. || - Women’s Lib/Feminism - Women in the military || Lisa attends military school. This could be used to start a discussion about women in the armed forces and women in combat. || - Salem Witch Trials - Mob Rule || Salem Witch Trial story. Use this to start learning about the Salem Witch Trials. Students can then use it to reference back to. || - Scopes Trial - Evolution vs. Creationism || An angel skeleton appears in Springfield and the entire town believes it is real. Lisa acts as the lone skeptic and tries to convince the town that it is fake. || - Trojan Horse - Joan of Arc || Trojan Horse, Joan of Arc || - Henry VIII - Mozart US History - Lewis and Clark || Henry VIII, Lewis and Clark, Mozart || - Mayflower || Mayflower || - Evolution vs Creationism - Scopes Trial Politics/Govt - Courts || Springfield bans evolution from being taught in the schools and Lisa takes up arms. She decides to start an underground club to teach science rather than religion and gets caught. Lisa is then put on trial in a case similar to the Scopes Trial. ||
 * Season || Episode || Episode Name || Social Studies Topic(s) || Reference description ||
 * 1 || 7G04 || There’s No Disgrace like Home || Psychology
 * 1 || 7G05 || Bart the General || US History
 * 2 || 7F01 || Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish || Politics/Gov’t
 * 2 || 7F04 || Treehouse of Horror || English (non-history) || Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” is featured. This could be more of an English class reference. ||
 * 2 || 7F12 || The Way We Was || US History
 * 2 || 7F19 || Lisa’s Substitute || Politics/Gov’t
 * 3 || 8F11 || Radio Bart || US History
 * 4 || 9F08 || Lisa’s First Word || US History
 * 4 || 9F14 || Duffless || US History
 * 4 || 9F15 || Last Exit to Springfield || Economics
 * 4 || 9F18 || Whacking Day || Local History
 * 5 || 1F01 || Rosebud || US History
 * 5 || 1F11 || Bart Gets Famous || Sociology
 * 5 || 1F13 || Deep Space Homer || US History
 * 6 || 2F02 || Sideshow Bob Roberts || Politics/Gov’t
 * 6 || 2F09 || Homer the Great || US History
 * 6 || 2F22 || Lemon of Troy || World History
 * 6 || 3F11 || Scenes From the Class Struggle in Springfield || Sociology
 * 7 || 3F12 || Bart the Fink || Economics
 * 7 || 3F13 || Lisa the Iconoclast || US History
 * 7 || 3F17 || Bart on the Road || US History
 * 7 || 3F20 || Much Apu about Nothing || Politics/Gov’t
 * 8 || 4F02 || Treehouse of Horror VII || Politics/Gov’t
 * 8 || 4F07 || Hurricane Neddy || Psychology
 * 8 || 4F15 || Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment || US History
 * 8 || 4F21 || The Secret War of Lisa Simpson || US History
 * 9 || 5F02 || Treehouse of Horror VIII || US History
 * 9 || 5F05 || Lisa the Skeptic || US History
 * 13 || DABF08 || Tales from the Public Domain || World History
 * 15 ||  || Margical History Tour || World History
 * 17 ||  || The Wettest Stories Ever Told || US History
 * 17 || HABF14 || The Monkey Suit || US History

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