Social Studies - United States History II
Lesson Plans

U.S. II Strand 7: THE COLD WAR ERA AND A CHANGING AMERICA

(Ca. 1950-2000)

Cold War ideologies have shaped American life and influenced foreign policy since the middle of the 20th century. Cold War rivalries escalated into hot wars in Korea and Vietnam. Alliances led to proxy wars in a number of contested areas. An arms race escalated fears. Eventually, American and Soviet leaders eased Cold War tensions, and the Soviet Union dissolved, ushering in a period of uncertainty in global affairs. American interests in the Middle East have complicated international policies. Differing political philosophies spurred debates over the size and role of government. Throughout the era, American society, education, culture, and politics were shaped by Cold War tensions, technological developments, and changing demographics.

Possible Guiding Questions to Consider:

• How did the Cold War shape domestic policies, foreign policies, and popular culture?
• What lessons can be learned from the Vietnam and Korean Wars?
• How was McCarthyism a reflection of Cold War tensions?
• How did wartime technologies lead to peacetime innovations, such as nuclear weapons/ power, space exploration, computers, and communication?
• What were the main goals of President Johnson's Great Society?
• What philosophy regarding the role of government influenced President Reagan's New Federalism?
• How did America's relationship with Israel affect its relationship with other Middle Eastern nations?
• How has American culture been influenced by technological developments?
• How did the Watergate crisis demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of modern U.S. politics?

U.S. II Standard 7.2:

Students will use government documents and other primary sources to investigate the motives behind a Cold War policy, event, or foreign operation, such as Truman Doctrine, containment, the domino theory, the Korean conflict, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and Olympic boycotts.

• On the Brink: From the Bay of Pigs to the Cuban Missile Crisis, 2006
  This lesson guides students through the Cuban Revolutioin, the Bay of Pits Invasion, and the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. Includes readings and assessments.
• The Cuban Missile Crisis
  A lesson giving context about the tense 1962 standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union that nearly resulted in nuclear war.

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