The United States—specifically John F. Kennedy—played a large role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A history resource poses questions that encourage critical thinking as well as in-depth analysis of images from the time period.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. And so begins your invigorating, innovative learning experience in the JFK Challenge app! Learners choose from two "missions" and...

Watching the film Thirteen Days is an engaging way of acquainting learners with the Cuban missile crisis, and this activity is the perfect accompaniment for viewership! It includes 15 questions for your young historians to consider and...

Provide learners with an excellent resource focused on the Cold War Era. Starting in 1945 and going all the way to 1991, the Cold War Era included major historical events, such as the Berlin Wall, Warsaw Pact, the Korean War, and the...

Does history really repeat itself? Encourage your middle and high schoolers to answer this age-old question by reading the attached articles on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the Iraq Crisis of 2002. How similar or different are...

This video brings viewers up to modern history (1975) after taking them through WWII, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War. Though the format of the timeline might appear straightforward, viewers will be engaged...

With a collage format that lends well to note-taking, this presentation allows your students to see the context and implications of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The narration is casual and conversational, as well as informative, and history...

Cold War tensions led to hostile actions. Scholars use primary sources to understand the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis during President Kennedy's administration. The instructional activity provides primary sources and a...

The lesson plan examines President Kennedy's response to the Bay of Pigs Crisis and  Cold War tensions. Academics learn how the information President Kennedy had affected his response to the question of whether to invade Cuba. Scholars...

Just how close was the world to nuclear war in October 1962? Using White House audio tapes recording John F. Kennedy and his advisors, aerial footage, and newsreels, learners decide for themselves. Historians also weigh in on the Cuban...

John F. Kennedy and the American Camelot dazzled the United States. His legacy is more complicated, however, and it includes the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. Pupils view history as it unfolded with news reels on the Bay of Pigs, Cuban...

A video spotlights former child refugees and their experience of leaving their home country, Cuba, to live in Florida for a safer life. While Fidel Castro reigned, many Cubans families and small children made the decision to leave,...

Class members consider what they would have done during the Berlin Blockade or how they would handle the Communist revolution in China using graphic organizers and activities to help build arguments. They also consider the philosophies...

Learn more about the policy of the United States to contain communism during the Cold War. The fifth installment of an eight-part series looks at primary and secondary materials about a challenging time in history. After analyzing the...

The ripple effect from one small event can impact many others. Young historians research the ripple effect World War II had on decolonization in the second installment of an eight-part series. Through primary and secondary documents as...

Who was Vasili Arkhipov and how did he save the world? What did he have to do with the Cuban Missile Crisis and Black Saturday? Get the stories behind the story of the 13-day face off between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev.

For 13 days, the United States stood on the edge of nuclear War. The Soviet Arms buildup in Cuba is the focus of an activity that asks groups to analyze how the governmental role each of John F. Kennedy's advisors played went on to...

Here you'll find a fine teacher reference for presenting the film Thirteen Days, a dramatic interpretation of the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Kennedy administration. It includes a brief description of the film, learning objectives, a...

While Thirteen Days is a fantastic film to use in the classroom in reference to the Cold War and the Cuban missile crisis, it is important to take care to effectively and properly incorporate its contents into your curriculum. This...

Ninth graders examine the causes and major events of the Cold War. They listen to a lecture and fill in the blanks on a handout, and in two groups develop a proposal to deal with the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Keep your scholars organized using this study plan and progress report tool, one of many great learning strategies featured in this online western civilizations resource! Although designed for use alongside the Western Civilizations...