Curated OER
Social Studies: Lesson 2
Young scholars explore the beginning of Communism. In this World History lesson, students exhibit their knowledge of Communism and the Marshall Plan through completion of a map activity.
Curated OER
Fall of Soviet Union/Rise of Chinese Communism
Ninth graders examine the reasons for the fall of communism in the Soviet Union and the rise of communism in China. They listen to a lecture and complete slot notes, listen to and read the lyrics to the song "We Didn't Start the Fire"...
Curated OER
Russia's Conversion From Communism to Capitalism
Learners study Russia's conversion from a communist nation to a capitalist nation.
National First Ladies' Library
Safety or Civil Liberty? The Trial of Sacco and Vanzet
Students investigate the Sacco-Vanzetti trial and develop a basic understanding of the issues involved. Then they write an essay taking a stance on the Sacco-Vanzetti trial: was the trial fair? were the two men falsely accused? Finally,...
Curated OER
Restructuring the Post War World: 1945-Present
You have just entered the Cold War Zone, with 96 slides at your disposal. From changes in government in China, The Marshall Plan, and the Iron Curtain, to the Vietnam War and Ronald Regan, this presentation will help you cover it all. A...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The House Un-American Activities Committee
Was the House Un-American Activities Committee justified in investigating subversive influences in the entertainment industry? Part two of the three-part series of lessons that examine the anti-communism movement after World War II,...
Curated OER
The Cold War Era (1945 - 1991)
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...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Propaganda - 9/11 and the War on Terrorism
Propaganda is an important topic that most high school social studies teachers address. Here, students compare and contrast methods of public persuasion during WWII with those used in the contemporary War on Terror. Research, discussion,...
Curated OER
The Vietnam War: Causes and US Involvement
Students are introduced to the origins of the Vietnam War, including causes and US involvement. They are given a reading handout over the Vietnam war with questions to answer. Students are shown picture of important people, maps, and...
Curated OER
The Great Terror: Old and New Approaches
Here is a thorough Russian history worksheet. In it, learners read a two-page selection about the Great Terror and Stalin. They respond to four short answer questions based on the selection.
Curated OER
Revolution in China
There have been a lot of changes in China over the last century. This presentation begins with the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the revolution that led to the adoption of Communism. It highlights the Republican Revolution, Chinese...
Curated OER
World War II - War Comes to Hawaii
Ninth graders use geographic representations to organize, analyze, and present information on people, places, and environments. They use tools and methods of geographers to construct, interpret, and evaluate qualitative and quantitative...
Curated OER
The Cold War (1945-1991): An Ideological Struggle
Covering the main topics of the Cold War, including some excellent discussion points on the methodologies of the Soviet and Eastern Bloc nations versus the US and Western Democracies, this presentation is a good way to introduce the...
Curated OER
Introduction to China
Compare and contrast the distinctive characteristics of art forms from various cultural, historical, and social contexts, and describe how the same subject matter is represented differently in works of art across cultures and time...
Curated OER
Imperialism in China
China has been through many changes over the last two centuries. This slideshow takes a look at the effects imperialism and European contact had on Chinese government. Images, well-organized information, and a complete outline make this...
Facing History and Ourselves
The Nazi Party Platform
Not all party platforms stay democratic. A resource covers many political issues in Germany during the time of World War II, and teaches pupils about the Nazi party platform and what went wrong. Individuals participate in a warm-up...
Curated OER
World War I - America on the Homefront: The Poster War
American propaganda shaped the perspective of many citizens during WWI. Here is an amazing presentation full of dozens of war-time poster examples and facts about what those posters were promoting. This would be a great discussion...
Japan Society
Japan in the World Since 1945
What have US-Japanese relations been like since the conclusion of World War II? Why do some commentators identify Japan's postwar years as a subordinate independence? Invite your young historians to research Japan's status in the world...
Media Education Lab
Defining Propaganda
21st century learners live in a media world. Help them develop the skills they need to be able to analyze the barrage of propaganda they face daily, with a resource that introduces them to the type of persuasive appeals found in...
Curated OER
Cuban Revolution
How did Fidel Castro's revolution affect the people of Cuba? Through a series of vivid images and light text, learners will consider life for Cubans under both Batista and Castro. The images can be used as discussion starters or to...
Curated OER
The Treaty of Versailles: June 1919
There were four key players involved with the Treaty of Versailles. Present information and critical thinking questions regarding Woodrow Wilson, David Lloyd-George, Georges Clemenceau, and Vittorio Orlando. Included also are lists of...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Putin's Illiberal Democracy
Is Russia really a democracy? High school scholars explore Russian democracy under the leadership of President Putin. The resource provides opportunity for group discussion, writing, and research to understand Russia's political history,...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Soviet Espionage in America
The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of three lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1950. This first lesson asks groups to read an introduction that describes the Verona Project and...
Curated OER
Communist Revolution
Pupils examine the Russian Communist Revolution of 1917. They watch and discuss a video, take notes and answer video discussion questions, and read and evaluate newspaper articles about how Lenin and Stalin are viewed today in the...