What is the Cold War (1917-1991)? Discuss its cultural, economic, political, religious, and social dimensions.
[Note here are some themes to ponder as you begin to brainstorm. Consider the failures and successes of Wilsonianism (that is, making the world safe for democracy post-1921); the affects of the Great Depression on cultural, economic, political and/or social ways in the US; how did the threat of totalitarianism change the cultural, economic, political and/or social ways of the US; how did atomic weapons change US relations with the world; consider the various strategies used by civil rights activists; how did civil rights (non-violence) relate or not to black nationalism; how did the Korean and Vietnam wars affect the United States; how did the Cold War change US immigration policies; what was the new left and new right; consider what changed in the US during the 1960s and 1970s and/or what remained the same.]
Directions
Assignment: Students are expected to write one 4-5 page essays which result from students investigating, analyzing, and evaluating the historical periods and/or themes discussed in class.
Purpose: To develop the student’s power of judgment by studying the past not merely as a collection of facts but as a human narrative with meaning that calls for interpretation and value judgments.
Style: The essay will be 1300 to 1500 words long (roughly 4-5 pages if you have 1” margins, 12 font, Times New Roman, and double-spaced). Essays less than 1300 words receive an entire letter grade deduction (See Rubric for specific directions). All research papers are to be typed using Times New Roman, 12 pt font with standard one-inch margins. Papers should be double-spaced and make use of footnotes to cite texts. Parenthetical references are not to be used. Papers should include a works cited page with at least five primary sources used by students to prove the essay thesis.
PRIMARY SOURCES:
“The Race Problem” – speech by Frederick Douglass
”Address to the US Senate“ speech by Hon. Benjamin R.Tillman
“Aguinaldo’s Case Against the United States“ by a Filipino
“Will It Pay“ by William Jennings Bryan
“Peace without Victory” by Woodrow Wilson