Robert H. Jackson believed his greatest accomplishment was his service as U.S. Chief Prosecutor in Nuremberg, Germany following World War II. It was there that Jackson served as Chief of Counsel for the United States in charge of prosecuting the highest-ranking Nazi leaders. His brilliance bringing Nazi war criminals to justice set the standards for modern international law, to which the world continues to look today.
This learning module is designed to help you see our world today through the eyes of Justice Robert H. Jackson. You will analyze Jackson's opening statement and then write your own opening statement for a current human rights crisis. This module will take approximately two class periods to complete.
To do this, you will need to have a basic understanding of the Holocaust and Nuremberg.
Robert H. Jackson's Opening Statement during the Nuremberg Trial is considered to be groundbreaking in several ways. View the following video which includes excerpts of his statement and answer the questions on the attached sheet. When listening, follow along with the transcript below. Understanding the Holocaust is essential for completing this activity: please click here for the basics of the Holocaust.
This learning module is designed to help you see our world today through the eyes of Justice Robert H. Jackson. Jackson said the most important work of his life was at Nuremberg, where his diligence and vision set legal precedents that continue to affect the international community in a positive way to this day. After analyzing excerpts from Jackson's opening statement, you task is to research a human rights crisis and write an opening statement for the country you choose.
DIRECTIONS: Choose one of the following countries and research the human rights situation using the graphic organizer linked below. Click on the photographs below for relevant links and video clips.
A. Syria
B. Myanmar
C. Congo
DRIECTIONS: Based on your knowledge or Nuremberg and the research you have done, write an opening statement for either Syria, Congo, or Myanmar. When doing this, please include the following:
1. Background information on the country
2. A description of the human rights abuse and why it should be considered a crime
3. Identify the perpetrators of the abuse
4. Identify the victims
5. Evidence you found that this is occurring
6. Remember, you are trying to convince the audience of the guilt of the perpetrators based on the information you
gather.
