SS.912.A.6.13

Test your knowledge of 1970s America in this 14-question quiz provided by Khan Academy.

Type: Assessment

Try this 14-question multiple choice quiz to see how much you know about America in the 1960s. Foreign and domestic policy are both included in these questions.

Type: Assessment

This Vietnam War lesson starts with a background reading and questions on tensions with the French and the Domino Theory. Students will make predictions about arguments for and against entering the war and the impact of public opinion. Next, they will map a divided Vietnam and surrounding areas to evaluate Domino Theory. Students will be given primary sources to categorize if the source supports or challenges the war and ultimately write a thesis statement if they think the war was justified. This is lesson 3 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and history.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Korean War lesson, students will activate background knowledge by analyzing a quote on containment. They will investigate the Korean War through primary sources while creating a map of the war. The map focuses on the 38th Parallel, major battles, the new Demarcation Line, and Demilitarized Zone. Students will compare their maps from the beginning of the lesson to their final map in order to reflect on the Korean War. 

This lesson can be done independently, in small groups, or in stations. 

 This is lesson 2 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating Civics and History

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read and complete a chart about significant foreign policy events during the Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations.

Type: Lesson Plan

A general overview of the cause, events, and outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The lesson includes close look at foreign policy decisions made by President Kennedy helped to avoid nuclear war during the event.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will review key terms and people during the Cold War era. 

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will explain the impact of political parties, interest groups, media and individuals on shaping public policy by researching a topic and creating a shareable with the class.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students use excerpts from various State of the Union addresses to determine how U.S. foreign policy aims to support human rights abroad. After working collaboratively to pull out the main idea from each excerpt, students respond to synthesis questions regarding the extension of founding ideas and the application of those ideas in foreign policy.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze primary and secondary source documents in an effort to answer the central historical question: How and why did the U.S. fight the Cold War in Guatemala? The teacher begins by explaining how covert actions were part of the Cold War. Students read 2 brief accounts of the CIA takeover from recent textbooks. Students answer questions in pairs. Class discussion: Why does each textbook include details the other leaves out? Students then read a declassified CIA document-an assassination list with names deleted-and discuss: how does this document challenge the textbook accounts? A final class discussion attempts to place this incident in the larger context of what students have learned about the Cold War.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze primary source documents in an effort to answer the central historical question: Was the U.S. planning to go war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? The teacher begins by showing a map of Vietnam (PowerPoint) and giving students extensive background information-and a timeline-about U.S. involvement in the conflict. Students then review 4 documents: 1) the text of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, 2) a memo from McGeorge Bundy to LBJ, 3) a telegram from State Secretary Rusk to the Vietnamese embassy, and 4) the transcript of a phone conversation between Bundy and LBJ. Students answer extensive guiding questions for all documents and write a paragraph-length response to the central question, corroborating all that they have learned. A final class discussion evaluates the evidence.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze primary source documents in an effort to answer the central historical question: How did Americans respond to President Truman's decision to fire General MacArthur? The teacher begins by explaining how MacArthur wanted to invade China to resolve the Korean War stalemate in 1951 and why Truman fired him for insubordination. Students are asked to make a prediction: what do you think the reaction was to the firing of this popular general? Students then analyze 3 documents: 1) a memo to Truman tabulating the letters he received after the firing (pro vs. con), 2) a letter by AMVETS supporting the firing, and 3) a very critical letter from a woman in Texas. For the last 2, students answer questions on a graphic organizer in groups. A whole group discussion follows and a quick debriefing on the impacts of the war's conclusion are presented.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze secondary source documents in an effort to answer the central historical question: Who started the Korean War? The teacher begins by first explaining that textbooks can be biased sources and then uses a brief PowerPoint to show the geography of Korea and why/when war began there. Students then form pairs and read 2 accounts of the war: one from a South Korean textbook and another from a North Korean book. For both, students not only summarize and answer questions, but they must identify which source is which (North or South Korea?) and use textual details to prove it. In a class discussion, students share their answers. If time remains, the class may corroborate these sources with their own class textbook.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze primary source documents in an effort to answer the central historical question: Why did the Russians pull their missiles out of Cuba? The teacher begins by recapping the Cold War and the presence of missiles in Cuba and streams a video clip from Discovery Education about the Crisis and the negotiations that ended it. *Please see note in reviewer public remark below about this video. Students then analyze, in pairs, 3 documents: 1) a letter from Chairman Khrushchev to President Kennedy, 2) a letter from Kennedy to Khrushchev, and 3) a cable from Soviet ambassador Dobrynin to his foreign ministry. For each, they answer guiding questions. A final class discussion addresses the documents: What kind of a deal was struck? Why was it secret? Does the class textbook mention it?

Type: Lesson Plan

Blast into space with this interactive, three-part tutorial series about the Space Race.  In Part Three, you'll learn about Apollo missions 11 through 17. Six of these crewed missions enabled twelve astronauts to walk on the Moon's surface.

• CLICK HERE to launch Part One about America's first two Space Race programs: Project Mercury and Project Gemini.
• CLICK HERE to launch Part Two about Project Apollo, mission 1 and missions 7 through 10.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Blast into space with this interactive, three-part tutorial series about the Space Race.  In Part Two, you'll explore mission 1 and missions 7 through 10 of Project Apollo, America's final Space Race program. The sacrifices and achievements of these lesser-known missions paved the way for later Apollo missions to the Moon's surface.

• CLICK HERE to launch Part One about America's first two Space Race programs: Project Mercury and Project Gemini.
• CLICK HERE to launch Part Three about Project Apollo, missions 11 through 17, including the six crewed missions that enabled twelve astronauts to walk on the surface of the Moon.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Blast into space with this interactive, three-part tutorial series about the Space Race. In Part One, you'll learn how the Space Race developed out of the Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. You'll also learn about America's first two Space Race programs: Project Mercury and Project Gemini.

• CLICK HERE to launch Part Two about Project Apollo, mission 1 and missions 7 through 10.
• CLICK HERE to launch Part Three about Project Apollo, missions 11 through 17, including the six crewed missions that enabled twelve astronauts to walk on the surface of the Moon.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Explore the beginnings of the Cold War from 1945 to 1953. In this interactive tutorial, you'll learn why this rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union was a unique conflict in our nation's history and how the U.S. assumed the role of world leader after World War II.  Finally, you'll learn how the Korean War was a proxy war in the larger context of the Cold War.  

This is part 2 in a two-part series. CLICK HERE to open Part 1. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In Parts 1 and 2 of this interactive tutorial series, explore the beginnings of the Cold War from 1945 to 1953.  You'll learn why this rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union was a unique conflict in our nation's history, and how the U.S. assumed the role of world leader after World War II.  Finally, you'll learn how the Korean War was a proxy war in the larger context of the Cold War.  

CLICK HERE to open Part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, learn about some of the causes of the Korean War and the major factors that led to America’s involvement in the war.  You will also learn about America’s role in the course of this conflict, and the consequences that resulted because of the war.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, learn about the major factors that led to America's involvement in the war in Vietnam.  You'll also learn about America's role during the war, how the war affected the American public, and the resulting consequences of the war.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

This website, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, provides a wealth of resources that educators can use to teach their students about this important era in American history. Resources include an interactive historical timeline from 1945 to 1975, fact sheets detailing each branch of the U.S. military's involvement in the war, maps, and links to numerous primary source documents. The site also provides printable PDF posters that highlight different roles in the war, including the role of women and African Americans, as well posters that outline America's increasing involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1965, and posters that display service patches for each branch of the military.

Type: Resource Collection

This full-length video is a complete biography of Harry Truman, 33rd President of the United States. Topics touched on include the atomic bombing of Japan, the Cold War, and the Korean War. Teachers should find the video an excellent resource to review or learn more about this time period.

The webpage also includes numerous shorter videos, articles, and primary sources about Truman and this time period in history, as well as a teacher's guide for using the film in class.

Type: Resource Collection

This full-length video is a complete biography of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States. Topics touched on include the Great Society, the Civil Rights movement, and the Vietnam War. Teachers should find the video an excellent resource to review or learn more about this time period.

The webpage also includes numerous shorter videos, articles, and primary sources about LBJ, as well as a teacher's guide for using the film in class.

Type: Resource Collection

In this activity intended for the debate classroom, students will access the Library of Congress and National Archives’ online resource portals to research and gather the unique perspectives of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford on America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

Students will then present orally the comparative and contrasting political and philosophical viewpoints.

Type: Teaching Idea

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the Social Studies content area. It is most appropriate for 11th-12th grade students enrolled in a U.S. History class. In this article, the author, a professor of aeronautics, reflects on the Soviet launch of the Sputnik satellite and how it inspired both Cold War paranoia and a national commitment to scientific education. Sputnik, he concludes, was a true historical turning point.

Type: Text Resource

Learn about key events in American history from World War II to the Vietnam War in this tutorial video provided by Khan Academy. In this brief historical overview, topics include the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Korean War, and the Space Race.

Type: Tutorial

Learn about the Bay of Pigs Invasion, which was a failed military invasion of Cuba conducted a few short months after John F. Kennedy became president, in this short tutorial video provided by Khan Academy.

Type: Tutorial

In this tutorial video from Khan Academy, you'll learn about the causes, course, and consequences of the Vietnam War.

Type: Tutorial

View a brief, funny video about the 37th President, Richard M. Nixon, who re-established relations with China and wound down America's involvement in Vietnam... before resigning his office in disgrace following the Watergate scandal.

Type: Tutorial

View a brief, funny video about the 36th President, Lyndon B. Johnson. Learn about the ways he helped advance the Civil Rights Movement, his dream of a Great Society, and his approach towards the war in Vietnam.

Type: Tutorial

View a brief video about our 35th President, John F. Kennedy. His assassination while in office helped turn Kennedy into a legend, best remembered for telling Americans to "ask what you can do for your country."

Type: Tutorial

View a brief, funny video about the 34th President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, a president who brought about the interstate highway system and forever changed the way in which Americans travel!

Type: Tutorial

In this webisode brought to you by PBS, you will explore key events that took place in American history from 1963-1968, including the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. In this resource you can examine primary source documents and photographs, listen to segments of key speeches, examine a timeline and glossary, take a quiz, and explore additional resources connected to this era. Enjoy this journey into American history!

Type: Tutorial

In this tutorial, you will explore key events that took place in American history from 1955-1963, including the rise of the Civil Rights Movement and early events in the Cold War. Through this interactive tutorial, you can examine primary source documents and photographs, listen to key speeches, and interact with a wealth of information during this webisode brought to you by PBS. The webisode even includes a timeline, glossary, quiz, and additional resources that you can examine to further explore this era. Enjoy this journey into American history!

Type: Tutorial

In this tutorial video, you'll take a whirlwind journey through key events of the Cold War in Asia. The United States' struggle against communist expansion led to full-blown, boots-on-the ground wars in both Korea and Vietnam. Enjoy this "crash course" in U.S. History!

Type: Tutorial

In this tutorial video from Khan Academy, you'll view a brief video about the Cuban Missile Crisis. This Cold War-era crisis pitted the United States against the Soviet Union and threatened to ignite a nuclear World War III.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation