TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 History Express Yourself 4 CHAPTER 2 Geography Blogs around the World 10 CHAPTER 3 Civics Keeping It Legal 16 CHAPTER 4 Economics When Blogs Become Business 22 THINK ABOUT IT 30 FOR MORE INFORMATION 31 GLOSSARY 32 INDEX 32
CHAPTER 1 History Express Yourself From cave paintings to quill pens typewriters to tablets people have found ways to express their thoughts and opinions Yesterday’s pieces of paper have become today’s computer screens smartphones and tablets What do you do when you have a thought question idea or observation that keeps circling around in your head Do you grab a notebook or a keyboard Writing helps you organize your thoughts understand your feelings and explore your opinions Although the world has changed dramatically in so many ways the need for expression has not 44 21st century skills library
The earliest use of the word diary was in Ben Jonson’s play from 1605 Looking Back One of the oldest diaries dates back to ancient Roman times Marcus Aurelius wrote Meditations during his reign as Roman emperor from 161 to 180 ce Many historians speculate that Aurelius never intended for his writings to be published Fast-forward a few centuries to World War II 1939 1945 Anne Frank was a young teenager during Nazi Germany She kept a private diary of the events that were unfolding Like Aurelius she never imagined her thoughts would be published either 55 BLOGGING
