unit 2 political cartoon assignment and submission

Analyzing the Stylistic Choices of Political Cartoonists

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Students learn terminology that describes comics and political (or editorial) cartoons and discuss how the cartoonists' choices influence the messages that they communicate. Students first identify and define the various parts of a cartoon, including layout and design, angles, and text terms. After discussing several cartoons as a full class, each student analyzes the techniques that the same cartoonist uses in five or more cartoons. Students compare the techniques in the group of cartoons and draw conclusions about why the cartoonist chose the specific techniques to communicate their messages. This lesson points to contemporary political cartoons but can also be completed with historical political cartoons.

From Theory to Practice

Students are surrounded by texts, print and nonprint, that take advantage of the increasing options for combining words, images, sounds, and other media to create a publication. As these options increase, the capabilities that students must develop to be knowledgeable members of their literacy communities also increase. As the 1975 NCTE Resolution on Promoting Media Literacy states, "new critical abilities ‘in reading, listening, viewing, and thinking'...enable students to deal constructively with complex new modes of delivering information, new multisensory tactics for persuasion, and new technology-based art forms." Political cartoons provide an opportunity to explore these critical abilities in the classroom. By asking students to explore the ways that cartoons combine words and images to communicate their messages, this lesson plan asks students to develop and hone the multimodal literacy skills that ultimately help them participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities. Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Political cartoons for demonstration
• Five or more political cartoons by a single cartoonist
• Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet
• Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment
• Political Cartoon Comparison Sheet
• Political Cartoon Analysis Rubric
• Political Cartoon Analysis Peer Review
• Comic Vocabulary Definitions and Examples: Text Containers
• Comic Vocabulary Definitions and Examples: Layout & Design
• Comic Vocabulary Definitions and Examples: Angles

Preparation

• You will need several cartoons for the full class to analyze.
• Students will need five to ten cartoons by a single editorial cartoonist. The cartoons do not need to be consecutive, simply by the same cartoonist.
• Students may all work on the same group of cartoons, or you may allow students to choose their own cartoons.
• You may want to choose the cartoons yourself to ensure that the pieces are all appropriate for the classroom.
• Your students can search for cartoons in newspapers archived in the library or search online at Daryl Cagle's Pro Cartoonists Index , Newseum , Herblock's History , and The Political Dr. Seuss .
• If students will search library archives for the cartoons, arrange for Session Two to take place in the library. If students will search for cartoons on the Internet, arrange for computer lab access and ensure that any site filters will not block the political cartoons students will need for their work.
• Decide the amount of detail to discuss in your exploration of comic book style. You may choose to include Text , Layout and Design , and Angles ; or you may limit your discussion with the class to one or two of the areas. The handouts duplicate the information available in the Comic Vocabulary Interactive . Use the option which is best for your class.
• If necessary, adapt the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment to fit your class and available resources.
• Make copies of the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment , Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet , Political Cartoon Comparison Sheet , Political Cartoon Analysis Peer Review , and Political Cartoon Analysis Rubric . If photocopying is possible, make a copy of the Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet for each cartoon that each student will analyze. Otherwise, students can reproduce the chart on notebook paper or in their journals. Make an overhead transparency of the chart and display it for students to copy.
• Test the Comic Vocabulary Interactive and Analyzing a Political Cartoon: "Settin' on a Rail" on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will:

• explore basic information about political cartoonists' techniques.
• analyze a cartoonists' techniques.
• write guidelines that explain how to analyze a cartoonists' work.
• participate in peer review of one another's guidelines.
• revise and polish drafts of their work.

Session One

• Display a political cartoon that you have chosen as a class example using an overhead projector or pass out copies of the cartoon. Alternatively, use the Analyzing a Political Cartoon: "Settin' on a Rail" to explore an historical political cartoon with the class.
• Ask students to respond to the cartoon, noting anything that stands out and any questions that they have.
• Explain that the class will be exploring political cartoons in more detail.
• Use the Comic Vocabulary Interactive to identify the parts of cartoons, or allow students to explore the interactive independently. If computers are not available, use the Comic Vocabulary Definitions sheets on Text , Layout and Design , and Angles .
• Begin with the Text Vocabulary , and have students apply the vocabulary from the interactive or definition sheets to the political cartoon that the class has been exploring. Ask students to expand the list as necessary to include any additional ways that the cartoonist has used text in the example cartoon.
• Move to the Layout and Design terms and the Angles terms, and encourage students to consider why the cartoonists have used the techniques that they have and how the different elements work together to communicate a message.
• To give students additional practice, arrange the class in small groups and give each group one or more additional political cartoons.
• To organize students’ analysis, pass out the Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet , and have groups take notes on the different characteristics of the cartoon(s) they are analyzing. Encourage groups to discuss why the cartoonists have used the techniques that they have in the cartoons that they are analyzing.
• Once groups have completed their analysis, gather the class and have each group present their observations to the class.
• If desired, have students read Cartoon Analysis Guide for additional background information.

Session Two

• Briefly review the comic terms from the previous class and, if students read the piece, discuss Cartoon Analysis Guide and how the information applies to the political cartoons analyzed in the previous session.
• Pass out and explain the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment that students will complete independently and the Political Cartoon Analysis Rubric , which outlines the expectations for the project.

If students will be working with cartoons from printed newspapers If students will be working with cartoons from online cartoon archives Explain what newspapers students can use and where the newspapers can be accessed. Explain what online sites and cartoonists students can use. Discuss how students can make copies of the cartoons that they will be studying (e.g., photocopies, scanning). Demonstrate how to save a copy of the image files or take a screen shot of the images. Emphasize the importance of backup copies, as well as copies to trim and use as illustrations for the guidelines. If students are working with scanned copies, talk about the save-as command (see right column). Emphasize the importance of backup file copies and paper copies of the images and how to use the Save-As command to ensure that students do not overwrite the original image files when creating illustrations.

• Discuss copyright and documentation issues, going over the importance of including complete citations for all cartoons that are used in the’ analysis guidelines that students write.
• Point to the details on documenting cartoons in your class textbook, or use the details and examples from Comic Art in Scholarly Writing: A Citation Guide .
• If there are any guidelines that students should use while searching for their cartoons (e.g., topics that are inappropriate for the classroom), discuss these issues and explain what students should do if they happen upon such materials accidentally.
• Pass out additional copies of the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment and copies of the Political Cartoon Comparison Sheet for students to use as they analyze the work of the cartoonists that they have chosen.
• Give students the remainder of the class session to find and begin analyzing cartoons.
• Draw the class together with approximately five minutes remaining, and invite students to share any observations they have made so far. If students are hesitant to share, ask some leading questions about the techniques that political cartoonists use. For instance, “which design and layout techniques seem most relevant to the cartoons that you have found?”---because most political cartoons today are only one panel, gutter and splash panels are irrelevant. However students can still look for use of borders and open panels in these works.

Session Three

• Review the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment and Rubric . Answer any questions that students have about the project.
• Allow students to work independently on their analysis during the session.
• Provide mini-lessons as needed on analytical (e.g., how to determine the difference between close-up and extreme close-up) and/or technical topics (e.g., how to insert an image file in a Microsoft Word file).
• Ask students to have a complete draft of their guidelines and copies of their political cartoons for peer review during the next class session. Students can continue work on their guidelines for homework if necessary.

Session Four

• Explain that since the class will be doing peer review of one another’s guidelines, students will exchange one cartoon and the guidelines. Each student will read the guidelines and consider how well those details help them analyze the cartoon. After this process, students will complete the questions on the Political Cartoon Analysis Peer Review . This process may be slightly different from the typical peer review that the class completes, so ensure that students understand the process before students exchange their work.
• Organize the exchange of cartoons and guidelines, and ask students to use the guidelines to analyze the cartoon. If desired, students can take notes on their analysis to return to the author of the guidelines as well.
• As students complete their reading and analysis, give them copies of the Political Cartoon Analysis Peer Review . Students can complete this process at their own pace, picking up the peer review form once their analysis is complete.
• Circulate through the classroom as students work, providing support and feedback.
• As students complete their peer review sheets, have them return the guidelines to the author. Students can work on their own revisions until the entire class has completed the peer review process.
• Once the class has completed peer review, draw attention to the relationship between the questions on the Peer Review form and the Rubric . Point to the underlined words on questions 2 through 5 and their connection to the headings on the Rubric .
• Answer any questions that students have about revising their guidelines, and allow students to work on their revisions during any remaining class time.
• Ask students to have polished copies of their guidelines and the cartoons ready to submit at the beginning of the next session.
• If desired, ask students to choose at least one cartoon to discuss and share with other in class.

Session Five (optional)

• Arrange students in small groups.
• Ask each student to share at least one cartoon and describe the techniques that the cartoonist uses.
• Circulate among students as they work, providing support and feedback.
• Ask each group to choose one cartoon to share with the whole class.
• Gather students together and ask each group to present their choice.
• Encourage students to compare the techniques that the different cartoonists use.
• If time allows, students can complete a final proofreading of their guidelines, or have students exchange papers and proofread each other’s work. Ask students to make any corrections.
• Collect the guidelines and related cartoons.
• Rather than focusing on political cartoons, complete a similar exploration and analysis of graphic novels or comic strips.
• For an in-depth study of a particular political cartoon and its historical and geographical context, complete the ReadWriteThink lesson plan Analyzing the Purpose and Meaning of Political Cartoons or the ArtsEdge lesson plan Drawing Political Cartoons .

Student Assessment / Reflections

Review the work that students complete during this lesson on an on-going basis for the thoroughness and completeness. While students are working on these projects, talk to the students and observe their work and the connections they make to the political cartoons. Grade polished drafts with the Political Cartoon Analysis Rubric .

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Election Day is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

This resolution discusses that understanding the new media and using them constructively and creatively actually requires developing a new form of literacy and new critical abilities "in reading, listening, viewing, and thinking."

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Political Cartoon Assignments (S.O.S.)

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  Parents, Teachers, and Staff: 

     Use this page to download and print off a copy of the Political Cartoon Assignment directions and rubric.

NEXT ASSIGNMENT:

  -  For this assignment, your cartoon must pertain to a current event in or be related in some direct way to  EAST ASIA: (China, Taiwan, Japan , N. Korea, or S. Korea )

    -  A due date for this and future assignments can always be found on my daily homework page under your class' section.

    - The po litical cartoon above is for example only.  DO NOT use this one for your assignment!  In other words, find your own.

Related Files

Political Cartoon Directions and Rubric

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• Resource Library
• English Language Arts
• Rhetorical Analysis
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Education Standards

Wyoming standards for english language arts.

Learning Domain: Reading for Informational Text

Standard: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).

Standard: Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.

Standard: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

Maryland College and Career Ready English Language Arts Standards

Standard: Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

Common Core State Standards English Language Arts

Cluster: Craft and Structure.

Checklist for Political Cartoons Assignment

Political cartoons, argument in political cartoons.

This lesson involves students exploring political cartoons and analyzing the argument being made.  Students will work in groups to build skills, then they will get an assignment to practice the skill on their own.

The teacher can choose to make this activity an in-person discussion or an online one.  In either case, it may be helpful to begin with small groups, then expand to the whole class discussion so that more students have an opportunity to answer.

Here are some answers to the discussion questions:

Also known as an “editorial cartoon” (b/c it is traditionally found next to the editorial)

Gives the artist’s opinion on a current issue

Uses hyperbole (exaggeration), satire to draw attention to an issue

Attempts to persuade people to agree with an opinion

Often has well-known people, trends, or issues

Artists use techniques to persuade the viewer to agree with their point of view

What do you know about political cartoons?  What are they? What is their purpose? Where are they found?  What are they about?  What techniques do the cartoonists use?

Brainstorm a list of answers to these questions as a class.

Have students work with a partner and note their answers to the questions in the lesson.  When groups are finished, you can save some time and repetition by having certain groups discuss the first cartoon, others discuss the second, and still others discuss the third.

Be sure to give groups feedback about how accurately they responded.  In addition, make sure students explain their responses thoroughly so that you can tell when they are ready to do the independent practice on the next page.

Studying political cartoons is a great way to begin to think about visual arguments.  These cartoons are making an argument.  Look at the three cartoons in the attachment and, with a partner, analyze that argument by answering these questions.

• What ‘action’ is happening?
• What people, objects, or things are in the cartoon?
• What symbols are being used?
• What is the tone? (positive, negative)
• Does it show a ‘kind of globalization’? (social, political, economic, cultural, technological)
• What is the overall message and do you agree with it? Explain.

When you and your partner are finished, you will be sharing your responses with the class.

This assignment works well as a formative assessment that will tell you if students are ready to write a rhetorical analysis of a visual argument or if they need additional practice before they can write a formal paper.   

Use the attached checklist to assess whether students are ready to move on to the next lesson.  Items should only be checked off if the student has responded accurately and completely.  Students can be asked to resubmit their work if it does not meet the teacher's requirements.

The list of discussion questions was taken from this website:   Source

Now that you have practiced and received feedback, your assignment is to find a political cartoon of your own to analyze.  Copy the picture into a document and answer each of the questions.  Cite your source using the method your teacher assigns.

Questions for Analysis:

Version History

WW2 Political Cartoon Analysis and Assignment

Description

Engage students with analyzing different Political Cartoons about WW2 events/ideas with this activity! Included in a power point with examples of WW2 cartoons and even includes the five main techniques artists use in creating cartoons, along with a graphic organizer, teacher instructions, and a project/assignment where students create their own WW2 political cartoon!

Example Cartoons include topics on Totalitarianism, Appeasement, Hitler-Stalin pact, Pearl Harbor, American Neutrality, D-Day, and more!

With this purchase you have all you need to teach a lesson, facilitate group discussion, assign a fun creative project, and more! It is easy to tweak depending on how you want to implement it in your own classroom!

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United States History II

Table of Contents

Course contents.

• About This Course
• Course Contents at a Glance
• Learning Outcomes

Faculty Resources

• Faculty Resources Overview
• Question Banks
• Faculty & Technical Support

Course Resources

• Course Resources Overview
• Offline Content Access
• PowerPoints
• Discussions and Assignments
• Historical Hacks and In-Class Activities
• Interactives
• Additional Resources

Resources: Discussions and Assignments

• Module 1 Discussion: Introductions
• Module 1 Assignment: Westward Expansion
• Module 1 Assignment: Primary Source Analysis and Western Expansion
• Module 2 Discussion: The Fourth Industrial Revolution
• Module 2 Assignment: Industrialization—A Blessing or a Curse?
• Module 3 Discussion: Gilded Age Political Cartoons
• Module 3 Assignment: Lynching as a Hate Crime
• Module 4 Discussion: Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick
• Module 4 Assignment: Frederick Turner’s Thesis and U.S. Imperialism
• Module 5 Discussion: Muckraking
• Module 5 Assignment: Social Media Activism
• Module 5 Assignment: Progressive Era Photo Gallery
• Module 6 Discussion: Poetry as a Primary Source
• Module 6 Assignment: Propaganda During The Great War
• Module 7 Discussion: Prohibition Thoughts, Questions, and Epiphanies
• Module 7 Assignment: Jazz Age Journal Entries
• Module 8 Discussion: Depression Era Cause and Effect
• Module 8 Assignment: Depression Era Political Cartoons
• Module 9 Discussion: FDR's Fireside Chats
• Module 9 Assignment: Alphabet Agencies
• Module 10 Discussion: Recognizing Wartime Propaganda
• Module 10 Assignment: WWII Propaganda Poster
• Module 11 Discussion: Conformity and the Cold War
• Module 11 Assignment: World War II and the Cold War
• Module 11 Assignment: Gender Roles in the 1950s
• Module 12 Discussion: Commonalities and Conflict Among Civil Rights Movements 
• Module 12 Assignment: The Impact of the Civil Rights Movement
• Module 13 Discussion: Should Nixon be Pardoned?
• Module 13 Assignment: 1970s Historical Markers
• Module 14 Discussion: Culture Wars
• Module 14 Assignment: Television and the American Campaign
• Module 15 Discussion: More Than One Side
• Module 15 Assignment: 21st Century Timeline

Resources: Capstone Project

• Assignment: Capstone Project Part 1—Research
• Assignment: Capstone Project Part 2—Draft
• Assignment: Capstone Project Part 3—Activism and Reform PechaKucha

Module 1: Westward Expansion (1840-1900)

• Why It Matters: Westward Expansion
• Introduction to the Westward Spirit
• American Views on Westward Migration
• Westward Migration and Government Assistance
• Introduction to Opportunities and Challenges of the West
• Homesteading: Dreams and Realities
• Making a Living in Gold
• The Cattle Industry and Range Wars
• Introduction to the Indian Wars
• Indian Relations in the West
• The Dakota War
• The Battle of Little Bighorn and the Massacre at Wounded Knee
• Introduction to the Cultural Impact of Westward Expansion
• Americanization and the Loss of American Indian Life and Culture
• The Impact of Expansion on Chinese Immigrants and Hispanic Citizens
• The Mythic American West
• Historical Hack: Analyzing Primary Sources
• Analyzing Documents Using the HAPPY Analysis
• Analyzing Images
• Putting It Together: Westward Expansion
• Discussion: Class Introductions
• Assignment: Westward Expansion

Resources: Reader—Westward Expansion

• Primary Source Images: Conquering the West
• Primary Source: Chief Joseph on Indian Affairs (1877, 1879)
• Primary Source: Chester A. Arthur on American Indian Policy (1881)
• Primary Source: William T. Hornady on the Extermination of the American Bison (1889)
• Primary Source: Frederick Jackson Turner, “Significance of the Frontier in American History” (1893)

Module 2: Industrialization and Urbanization (1870-1900)

• Why It Matters: Industrialization and Urbanization
• Introduction to Invention, Industry, and a New Industrial Order
• Inventors of the Age
• Industrial Growth and Big Business
• Giants of Wealth: Big Businesses of the Gilded Age
• Introduction to Urbanization and Immigration
• The Explosive Growth of American Cities
• The Immigration Boom
• Introduction to Life and Labor
• Life in Working Class America
• Labor Unions
• Machine Politics and Challenges of Urban Life
• Introduction to Cultural Change and Consumer Culture
• A New American Consumer Culture
• Leisure and Entertainment
• Middle and Upper Class Life in the Cities
• Historical Hack: Examining Historical Arguments
• Historical Arguments and Machine Politics
• Comparing Historical Arguments: Helpful or Corrupt?
• Putting It Together: Industrialization and Urbanization
• Discussion: The Fourth Industrial Revolution
• Assignment: Industrialization—A Blessing or a Curse?

Resources: Reader—Industrialization and Urbanization

• Primary Source Images: Capital and Labor
• Primary Source: Henry George, Progress and Poverty, Selections (1879)
• Primary Source: Andrew Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth (June 1889)
• Primary Source Images: Life in Industrial America
• Primary Source: Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives (1890)
• Primary Source: Andrew Carnegie on “The Triumph of America” (1885)
• Primary Source: The Gospel of Wealth, 1889
• Primary Source: Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams (1918)

Module 3: The Gilded Age (1870-1900)

• Why It Matters: Politics in the Gilded Age
• Introduction to the Corruption in the Gilded Age
• The Gilded Age
• The Election of 1876 Sets the Tone
• Political Patronage in the Gilded Age
• Presidential Politics, Tariffs, and Gold
• Introduction to Unrest in the Gilded Age
• The Populist Movement
• Social and Labor Unrest in the 1890s
• The Rise and Decline of the Populist Party
• Introduction to Migration and Change During the Gilded Age
• The New South
• Change Reflected in Thought and Writing
• Historical Hack: Understanding Racism as a System
• Understanding Systemic Racism
• Ida B. Wells and Systemic Racism
• Putting It Together: Politics in the Gilded Age
• Discussion: Gilded Age Political Cartoons
• Assignment: Lynching as a Hate Crime

Resources: Reader—The Gilded Age

• Primary Source: Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “Why I Wrote The Yellow Wallpaper” (1913)
• Primary Source: William Graham Sumner on Social Darwinism (ca.1880s)
• Primary Source: Grover Cleveland’s Veto of the Texas Seed Bill (February 16, 1887)
• Primary Source: The “Omaha Platform” of the People’s Party (1892)
• Primary Source: Henry Grady on the New South (1886)
• Primary Source: Ida B. Wells-Barnett, “Lynch Law in America” (1900)

Module 4: Age of Empire—American Foreign Policy (1890-1914)

• Why It Matters: Age of Empire—American Foreign Policy
• Introduction to American Foreign Policy After the Civil War
• American Interest in Foreign Affairs
• Creating an Empire
• Introduction to the Spanish-American War
• The Spanish-American War
• Establishing Peace and Building an Empire
• Introduction to American Imperialism in Asia and Panama
• Economic Imperialism in East Asia
• Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” Foreign Policy
• Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy”
• Historical Hack: Social Darwinism Past and Present
• Social Darwinism and Imperialistic Attitudes
• Imperialism and the Insular Cases Today
• Putting It Together: Age of Empire—American Foreign Policy
• Discussion: Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick
• Assignment: Frederick Turner’s Thesis and U.S. Imperialism

Resources: Reader—Age of Empire

• Primary Source Images: American Empire
• Primary Source: William McKinley on American Expansionism (1903)
• Primary Source: Rudyard Kipling, “The White Man’s Burden” (1899)
• Primary Source: James D. Phelan, “Why the Chinese Should Be Excluded” (1901)
• Primary Source: William James on “The Philippine Question” (1903)
• Primary Source: Mark Twain, “The War Prayer” (ca. 1904-5)

Module 5: The Progressive Era (1890-1920)

• Why It Matters: The Progressive Era
• Introduction to the Progressive Movement
• The Origins of the Progressive Spirit in America
• Progressivism at the Grassroots Level
• Social Justice and Social Reform
• Radical Progressive Movements
• Introduction to Movements for Women and African Americans
• The Women's Rights Movement and the 19th Amendment
• A Segregated America
• Leaders Emerge in the Early Civil Rights Movement
• Introduction to Progressive Era Presidents
• Roosevelt and the Square Deal
• Environmentalism
• The Taft Presidency and the Election of 1912
• Wilson's New Freedom
• Historical Hack: Bias & Sensationalism in Primary Media Sources
• Point of View and Bias in the Media
• Identifying Sensationalism in Reporting
• Putting It Together: The Progressive Movement
• Discussion: Muckraking
• Assignment: Progressive Era Photo Gallery
• Discussion: Social Media Activism Assignment

Resources: Reader—The Progressive Era

• Primary Source Images: The Progressive Era
• Primary Source: Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois on Black Progress (1895, 1903)
• Primary Source: Jane Addams, “The Subjective Necessity for Social Settlements” (1892)
• Primary Source: Eugene Debs, “How I Became a Socialist” (April, 1902)
• Primary Source: The Jungle (1906)
• Primary Source: Walter Rauschenbusch, Christianity and the Social Crisis (1907)
• Primary Source: Woodrow Wilson on the New Freedom (1912)
• Primary Source: Alice Stone Blackwell, Answering Objections to Women’s Suffrage (1917)

Module 6: America in World War I (1914-1919)

• Why It Matters: The Great War
• Introduction to American Isolationism and the European Origins of War
• Wilson's Foreign Policy
• The Great War Begins
• U.S. Declaration of War
• Introduction to Economic and Social Change During World War I
• The United States Prepares for War
• A New Home Front
• The Last Vestiges of Progressivism
• Introduction to the End of World War I
• From War to Peace
• The U.S. and the Creation of the Postwar World
• Demobilization and the Difficult Aftermath
• Historical Hack: Wilson's Plans for Peace
• Wilson's Postwar Plans
• Differing Opinions About the End of the War
• Putting It Together: The Great War
• Discussion: Poetry as a Primary Source
• Assignment: Propaganda During The Great War

Resources: Reader—America in World War I

• Primary Source Images: World War I and Its Aftermath
• Primary Source: Woodrow Wilson Requests War (April 2, 1917)
• Primary Source: Alan Seeger on World War I (1914; 1916)
• Primary Source: The Sedition Act of 1918 (1918)
• Primary Source: Emma Goldman on Patriotism (July 9, 1917)
• Primary Source: W.E.B DuBois, “Returning Soldiers” (May, 1919)

Module 7: The Jazz Age (1919-1929)

• Why It Matters: The Jazz Age
• Introduction to Changes in Popular Culture in the Jazz Age
• Prosperity and the Production of Popular Entertainment
• Automobiles and Airplanes: Americans on the Move
• Introduction to Societal and Political Tensions of the 1920s
• The Great Migration
• Nativism and the Second Ku Klux Klan
• Faith, Fundamentalism, and Science
• Introduction to a New Generation
• Changing Roles for Women and Black Americans
• Prohibition and the Lost Generation
• Introduction to the Presidents of the 1920s
• Warren G. Harding's Presidency
• Calvin Coolidge's Presidency
• Historical Hack: The Research Process
• Finding Sources
• Evaluating Sources
• Putting It Together: The Jazz Age
• Discussion: Prohibition Thoughts, Questions, and Epiphanies
• Discussion: Jazz Age Journal Entries Assignment

Resources: Reader—The Jazz Age

• Primary Source Images: The New Era
• Primary Source: Hobson Argues for Prohibition (1914)
• Primary Source: A Glimpse Behind the Mask of Prohibition (1915)
• Primary Source: Warren G. Harding and the “Return to Normalcy” (1920)
• Primary Source: Crystal Eastman, “Now We Can Begin” (1920)
• Primary Source: Marcus Garvey, Explanation of the Objects of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (1921)
• Primary Source: Hiram Evans on the “The Klan’s Fight for Americanism” (1926)
• Primary Source: Herbert Hoover, “Principles and Ideals of the United States Government” (1928)

Module 8: The Great Depression (1929-1932)

• Why It Matters: The Great Depression
• Introduction to the Stock Market Crash of 1929
• Hoover and the Stock Market Crash
• The Causes of the Great Depression
• Introduction to Hoover's Handling of the Great Depression
• President Hoover’s Response
• Public Reaction to Hoover
• Assessing the Hoover Years
• Introduction to Life in the Great Depression
• Everyday Life During the Great Depression
• The Dust Bowl and Farming During the Depression
• The Impact of the Great Depression on Black Americans
• Culture and the Arts During the Depression
• Historical Hack: Causes of the Great Depression
• Understanding the Causes of the Great Depression
• Making Cause and Effect Connections
• Putting It Together: The Great Depression
• Discussion: Depression Era Cause and Effect
• Assignment: Depression Era Political Cartoons

Resources: Reader—The Great Depression

• Primary Source Media: The Great Depression
• Primary Source: Greater Security for the Average Man (1934)
• Primary Source: Huey P. Long, “Every Man a King” and “Share our Wealth” (1934)
• Primary Source: Lester Hunter, “I’d Rather Not Be on Relief” (1938)

Module 9: The New Deal (1932-1941)

• Why It Matters: The New Deal
• Introduction to the Rise of Franklin Roosevelt
• The Election of 1932
• Roosevelt as Incumbent
• Introduction to the First New Deal
• The First New Deal
• Rescuing Farms and Factories
• The New Deal in the South
• Introduction to the Second New Deal
• The Legislation of the Second New Deal
• The Impact of the Second New Deal
• Historical Hack: Crafting Historical Arguments
• Historical Arguments and Thesis Statements
• Supporting Claims With Evidence
• Putting It Together: Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal
• Discussion: FDR’s Fireside Chats
• Assignment: Alphabet Agencies

Resources: Reader—The New Deal

• Primary Source: Herbert Hoover on the New Deal (1932)
• Primary Source: Franklin Roosevelt’s Re-Nomination Acceptance Speech (1936)
• Primary Source: Herbert Hoover on Liberty (1936)
• Primary Source: Second Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt (1937)

Module 10: World War II (1941-1945)

• Why It Matters: World War II
• Introduction to the Beginning of World War II
• The Origins of War in Europe
• The Origins of the Pacific War
• From Neutrality to Engagement
• Introduction to WWII on the Home Front
• Mobilizing and Preparing for War on the Home Front
• Women and WWII
• World War II and Race Relations in the U.S.
• Introduction to the End of World War II
• Wartime Diplomacy and D-Day
• The Holocaust and Victory in the European Theater
• Introduction to the Pacific Theater and the Atomic Bomb
• The Pacific Theater
• The Atomic Bomb
• Historical Hack: Interpreting and Comparing Primary Sources
• The Need for International Diplomacy
• Interpreting and Comparing Primary Documents
• Putting It Together: Fighting the Good Fight in World War II
• Discussion: Recognizing Wartime Propaganda
• Assignment: WWII Propaganda Poster

Resources: Reader—World War II

• Primary Source Images: World War II
• Primary Source: Nazi Party Platform (1920)
• Primary Source: Charles A. Lindbergh, “America First” (1941)
• Primary Source: The Atlantic Charter (1941)
• Primary Source: FDR, Executive Order No. 9066 (1942)
• Primary Source Videos: Propaganda Cartoons
• Primary Source: Harry Truman Announcing the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima (1945)
• Primary Source: Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1945)

Module 11: Post-War Prosperity and the Cold War (1945-1960)

• Why It Matters: Post-War Prosperity and the Cold War
• Introduction to the Beginning of the Cold War
• Truman and The Challenges of Peacetime
• The Cold War Background
• Cold War Beginnings
• Introduction to Communism and McCarthyism
• Communism and McCarthyism in the United States
• The Korean War
• Eisenhower's Policies
• Introduction to the Affluent Society of the 1950s
• Suburbanization
• Popular Culture and Mass Media
• Introduction to Civil Rights Milestones of the 1950s
• Early Victories for Civil Rights
• Desegregation and Integration
• Historical Hack: Analyzing McCarthyism
• McCarthy as a Demagogue
• Communism and McCarthy
• Putting It Together: The Cold War
• Discussion: Conformity
• Assignment: World War II and the Cold War
• Assignment: Gender Roles in the 1950s

Resources: Reader—Post-War Prosperity and the Cold War

• Primary Source Media: The Cold War
• Primary Source: The Truman Doctrine (1947)
• Primary Source: NSC-68 (1950)
• Primary Source: Joseph McCarthy on Communism (1950)
• Primary Source Media: The Affluent Society
• Primary Source: Woody Guthrie, “This Land” (1940-1945)
• Primary Source: Migrant Farmers and Immigrant Labor (1952)
• Primary Source: Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Atoms for Peace” (1953)
• Primary Source: Hernandez v. Texas (1954)
• Primary Source: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
• Primary Source: Richard Nixon on the American Standard of Living (1959)

Module 12: America in the 1960s (1960-1970)

• Why It Matters: America in the 1960s
• Introduction to The Kennedy Promise
• Kennedy and the Cold War
• Kennedy and Cuba
• Introduction to the Milestones of the Civil Rights Movement
• Kennedy, Johnson, and the Civil Rights Movement
• The Civil Rights Movement Gains Momentum
• Black Frustration, Black Power
• Introduction to Lyndon Johnson's Presidency
• Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society
• Lyndon Johnson and Vietnam
• Introduction to Social Changes in the Sixties
• The Mexican American Fight for Civil Rights
• Challenging the Status Quo
• Women's Movements
• Historical Hack: Understanding Historical Significance
• Historical Significance
• Historical Significance and the 1960s
• Putting It Together: America in the 1960's
• Discussion: Commonalities and Conflict Among Civil Rights Movements
• Assignment: The Impact of the Civil Rights Movement

Resources: Reader—America in the 1960s

• Primary Source Images: The 1960s
• Primary Source: John F. Kennedy on the Separation of Church and State (1960)
• Primary Source: Eisenhower's Farewell (1961)
• Primary Source: Barry Goldwater, Republican Nomination Acceptance Speech (1964)
• Primary Source: Lyndon Johnson on Voting Rights and the American Promise (1965)
• Primary Source: Lyndon Johnson, Howard University Commencement Address (1965)
• Primary Source: National Organization for Women, “Statement of Purpose” (1966)
• Primary Source: The Black Panther Party Platform (1966)
• Primary Source: George M. Garcia, Vietnam Veteran, Oral Interview (1969/2012)

Module 13: Political Storms at Home and Abroad (1968-1980)

• Why It Matters: Political Storms at Home and Abroad
• Introduction to Identity Politics in a Fractured Society
• Counterculture and the American Indian Movement
• Gay Rights and Women's Liberation
• Introduction to Nixon's Presidency
• The Election of 1968
• Nixon's Policies
• Introduction to the End of the Vietnam War
• Antiwar Sentiment in the Vietnam Era
• The War at Home: Counterprotests
• Pulling Out of Vietnam
• Introduction to Watergate and Its Fallout
• The Election of 1972
• The Impact of the Watergate Crisis
• Jimmy Carter in the Aftermath of the Storm
• Historical Hack: Interpreting History
• Interpreting Events from Multiple Sources: The Stonewall Riots
• Interpreting History: The Kent State Shooting
• Putting It Together: Political Storms at Home and Abroad
• Discussion: Should Nixon be Pardoned?
• Assignment: 1970s Historical Markers

Resources: Reader—Political Storms at Home and Abroad

• Primary Source Images: The Unraveling
• Primary Source: Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (1968)
• Primary Source: Statement by John Kerry of Vietnam Veterans Against the War (1971)
• Primary Source: Nixon Announcement of China Visit (1971)
• Primary Source: Barbara Jordan, 1976 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address (1976)
• Primary Source: Jimmy Carter, “Crisis of Confidence” (1979)

Module 14: From Cold War to Culture Wars (1980-2000)

• Why It Matters: From Cold War to Culture Wars
• Introduction to the Reagan Revolution
• Ronald Reagan's America
• Reaganomics
• Reagan's Second Term
• Introduction to the Cultural Wars of the 1980s
• Culture Wars and Life in Conservative America
• More Culture Wars and Pop Culture of the 1980s
• Conservatism Continues With George H.W. Bush
• Introduction to a New World Order: Foreign Policy under Reagan and Bush
• Reagan and Foreign Policy in the 1980s
• The Cold War Ends
• George H. W. Bush and Foreign Affairs
• Introduction to Clinton's Presidency and the 1990s
• Economic Changes and Welfare Reform
• Domestic Concerns of the 1990s
• Foreign Policy and the End of Clinton's Presidency
• Historical Hack: Examining Historical Context During the Culture Wars
• Examining Historical Context
• Context of the Culture Wars
• Putting It Together: From Cold War to Culture Wars
• Discussion: Culture Wars
• Discussion: Television and the American Campaign Assignment

Resources: Reader—From Cold War to Culture Wars

• Primary Source Media: The Triumph of the Right
• Primary Source: Ronald Reagan "A Time for Choosing" (1964)
• Primary Source: First Inaugural Address of Ronald Reagan (1981)
• Primary Source: Jerry Falwell on the “Homosexual Revolution” (1981)
• Primary Source: Statements of AIDS Patients (1983)
• Primary Source: Statements from The Parents Music Resource Center (1985)
• Primary Source: Pat Buchanan on the Culture War (1992)

Module 15: The Twenty-First Century (2000-2020)

• Why It Matters: The Challenges of the Twenty-First Century
• Introduction to the War on Terror
• The September 11th Attacks
• Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
• Domestic Security
• Introduction to the Changing Early 21st Century
• Public Education and Government Action
• The Great Recession
• Immigration in the 21st Century
• Social and Environmental Change
• Introduction to Hope and Change
• Obama's First Term
• Obama's Second Term
• The Recent Past
• Historical Hack: Civil Discourse
• Debating the Role of the U.S. in Foreign Affairs
• Rogerian Arguments
• Putting It Together: The Challenges of the Twenty-First Century
• Discussion: More Than One Side
• Assignment: 21st Century Timeline

Resources: Reader—The Twenty-First Century

• Primary Source Images: The Recent Past
• Primary Source: Bill Clinton on Free Trade and Financial Deregulation (1993-2000)
• Primary Source: The 9/11 Commission Report, “Reflecting On A Generational Challenge” (2004)
• Primary Source: George W. Bush on the Post-9/11 World (2002)
• Primary Source: Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
• Primary Source: Barack Obama, Howard University Commencement Address (2016)

Resources: Appendix

• The Constitution of the United States
• Presidents of the United States of America
• U.S. Political Map
• Further Reading

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