HIS 100 Module One Activity Template: Project Topic Exploration
You must pick a topic from the Research Topics Lists in the Library Research Guide. While it is a good idea to choose your topic early, you may change it until the next module. Replace the bracketed text below with your responses. Support your responses with specific details and examples.
Identify the topic you chose to explore:
Great London Smog
Explain what you already know about the chosen topic based on your personal history or experiences.
Before choosing my topic, I didn't know anything about the Great London Smog. After a brief overview of this topic, I understand that the "Great Smog" affected London in December of 1952. With coal consumption increasing due to a cold front, a fog started spreading causing thousands of people to suffer. The pollutants interacted negatively with the natural weather patterns resulting in a high concentration of acidic particles flowing in the air. Describe the beliefs, assumptions, and values you have related to the topic you chose.
An assumption I can make related to this topic is that no one recognized the risks of having an increase in coal consumption with the type of weather conditions prevailing. More than 12,000 people died and over 150,000 were hospitalized and I believe if there were people who concentrated on the climate pollution earlier, many would've been saved. Explain why this topic is relevant to current events or to modern society.
This topic is relevant to modern society because we still face climate issues. Climate change is a rising issue all around the world, and with a growing number of people becoming more aware to
the changes around them, we have a better chance of healing the world. The Great London Smog is just one example of what will happen if people don't fully understand the future consequences of their actions. 1
