Digital Archives
Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/: The library of Congress is the national library of the Unite States. It holds millions of books, documents, newspapers, images, and other materials that are free to use by anyone. While most of their physical material is closely watched and cannot be checked out like a traditional library, they do have a large amount of material available online that is easily searchable accessible.The Library of Congress holds information on nearly every subject you could need so it is a great resource to use for any topic. The Library of Congress, as the name suggests, is also the official research library for the United States Congress and also serves as our nation’s copyright agency.
National Archives http://www.archives.gov/ : The National Archives and Records Administration is the depository of the United State’s most important documents. It was founded in 1934 but its holdings date back to the earliest days of our country, it is responsible for holding documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. As opposed to the Library of Congress the National Archives main purpose is strictly the preservation of historical materials and research plays a lesser role. Their job is to find and preserve important historical material to save it for future generations and to make it available to us, the public, and to scholars for research. To help us interact with their material they have created DocsTeach and Digital Vault which we will explore later.
Marxists Internet Archive https://www.marxists.org : This archive is not affiliated with any government or university but is compiled and run by an international group of volunteers who want the writings of Marxist writers and leaders to be available to the public. Caution should be used when reading information of such a site because like documents themselves, the collectors of documents can have a bias that they are motivated by. However, it is important to get perspectives from various viewpoints and that is what a more focused and ideologically driven archive can provide. The information is organized by author so if you have trouble navigating it or have questions about the material please ask me for assistance.
National Security Archives: George Washington University http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/ : These archives contain formerly classified government documents that have been obtained through the use of the Freedom of Information Act and the release of such documents by the government. You will be able to search this archive to gain insight into the inner workings of the United States government during the Cold War. The archive is independent but is based at the library of George Washington University and relies on them and outside donations and grants to operate.
The Avalon Project: Yale Law School: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/coldwar.asp: The Avalon Project is a product of the Yale Law School’s Lillian Goldman Law Library. Its purpose is to make available digital copies of documents it the fields of law, history, economics, politics, diplomacy, and government. It holds documents from a wide array of time periods from ancient and medieval texts to modern day documents. This archive will be useful in this and many future research endeavors in your future and the breadth of its content will give perspective of whatever subject you are studying.
National Archives http://www.archives.gov/ : The National Archives and Records Administration is the depository of the United State’s most important documents. It was founded in 1934 but its holdings date back to the earliest days of our country, it is responsible for holding documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. As opposed to the Library of Congress the National Archives main purpose is strictly the preservation of historical materials and research plays a lesser role. Their job is to find and preserve important historical material to save it for future generations and to make it available to us, the public, and to scholars for research. To help us interact with their material they have created DocsTeach and Digital Vault which we will explore later.
Marxists Internet Archive https://www.marxists.org : This archive is not affiliated with any government or university but is compiled and run by an international group of volunteers who want the writings of Marxist writers and leaders to be available to the public. Caution should be used when reading information of such a site because like documents themselves, the collectors of documents can have a bias that they are motivated by. However, it is important to get perspectives from various viewpoints and that is what a more focused and ideologically driven archive can provide. The information is organized by author so if you have trouble navigating it or have questions about the material please ask me for assistance.
National Security Archives: George Washington University http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/ : These archives contain formerly classified government documents that have been obtained through the use of the Freedom of Information Act and the release of such documents by the government. You will be able to search this archive to gain insight into the inner workings of the United States government during the Cold War. The archive is independent but is based at the library of George Washington University and relies on them and outside donations and grants to operate.
The Avalon Project: Yale Law School: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/coldwar.asp: The Avalon Project is a product of the Yale Law School’s Lillian Goldman Law Library. Its purpose is to make available digital copies of documents it the fields of law, history, economics, politics, diplomacy, and government. It holds documents from a wide array of time periods from ancient and medieval texts to modern day documents. This archive will be useful in this and many future research endeavors in your future and the breadth of its content will give perspective of whatever subject you are studying.
Document analysis tools
DocsTeach: http://docsteach.org/
Digital Vaults http://digitalvaults.org/
Lesson plans using primary sources
Lesson plan #1: Relating atomic fears to students
http://www.coldwar.me/lessonplanshighschool.html
History Lesson Plans for High School
Author: Inside the Cold War
Unit Title: Cold War
Lesson Title: Impact of the Early Cold War on High School Students
Subject: World History; US History
Level: 10 - 12th Grades
Length of Lesson: Two 45-minute periods or one 90-minute period
Introduction:
These Cold War history lesson plans for high school provide insights on the Cold War by placing today’s high school students in the place of high school students during the Cold War. This history lesson plans also generate discussion on similarities and differences between the Cold War and today regarding potential disasters at home and military service abroad.
Students will analyze the 1951 US government civil defense film “Duck and Cover” and practice some of the techniques shown in the film. They will then prepare a family readiness plan to enhance their family’s readiness for natural disasters or WMD, using guidelines from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
They will also review a film showing combat in the Korean War and discuss the role of drafted teenage soldiers in the conflict.
Objectives:
1. Students will understand the nuclear threat during the Cold War.
2. Students will understand how high school students were trained to respond to the nuclear threat in 1951.
3. Students will be able to compare the 1951 civil defense strategy with today’s strategy for WMD.
4. Students will create a family disaster plan to enhance readiness for a natural disaster or WMD attack.
5. Class will review and understand key elements of their school’s emergency plan.
3. Additional topic: Students will be able to discuss the role of draftees in the Korean War and compare that conflict with the role of teenagers in the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Resources and Activities:
Cold War Lesson Plans for High School
The 1951 film “Duck and Cover:”
http://www.coldwar.me/coldwarvideosforkids.html
Students will watch the film, produced by the US government for students during the Cold War, and try some of the self-protection moves shown in it, such as going under their desks when warned of an atomic attack.
Teachers can note the film was produced shortly after the Soviet Union, America’s main adversary in the Cold War, obtained the atomic bomb. Until then, the US was the only country with this powerful weapon. During the following Cold War years, both sides worried about a potential nuclear attack from the other.
DHS/FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) “Be a Hero” Curriculum for 9-12 Graders:
Students will learn about the most important potential disasters and emergencies. They will compare today’s threats and responses to those covered in the “Duck and Cover” movie. Students will create a family preparedness and communication plan.
http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/ac2a3fd06796f89fcd284ddb3fea4797/FEMA_HS_TG_082613_508.pdf
School Emergency Plan:
Teacher to use excerpts from his/her school, focusing on responses to natural disasters such as hurricanes or tornadoes.
Additional Topic: Korean War & High School Kids
Students will view the film “US Forces Liberate South Korean Capital” (1950) on the Korean War for Kids page:
[this page is also suitable for its own stand-alone 45-minute lesson]
http://www.coldwar.me/koreanwarforkids.html
More than 4,000 teenagers (19 years old and younger) from just the Army were killed in action during the Korean War, the first major “proxy war” between the US and Soviet Union of the Cold War. About 1.5 million Americans were drafted during the Korean War and another 1.3 million volunteered for the military during that period. During this period, a number of people under the age of 18 managed to join the military.
Soldiers in Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), America’s longest war, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, were almost always required to be 18 or older. Well over 1,000 18-21 year olds have died for their country out of nearly 7,000 total.
Discussion points:
http://www.coldwar.me/lessonplanshighschool.html
History Lesson Plans for High School
Author: Inside the Cold War
Unit Title: Cold War
Lesson Title: Impact of the Early Cold War on High School Students
Subject: World History; US History
Level: 10 - 12th Grades
Length of Lesson: Two 45-minute periods or one 90-minute period
Introduction:
These Cold War history lesson plans for high school provide insights on the Cold War by placing today’s high school students in the place of high school students during the Cold War. This history lesson plans also generate discussion on similarities and differences between the Cold War and today regarding potential disasters at home and military service abroad.
Students will analyze the 1951 US government civil defense film “Duck and Cover” and practice some of the techniques shown in the film. They will then prepare a family readiness plan to enhance their family’s readiness for natural disasters or WMD, using guidelines from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
They will also review a film showing combat in the Korean War and discuss the role of drafted teenage soldiers in the conflict.
Objectives:
1. Students will understand the nuclear threat during the Cold War.
2. Students will understand how high school students were trained to respond to the nuclear threat in 1951.
3. Students will be able to compare the 1951 civil defense strategy with today’s strategy for WMD.
4. Students will create a family disaster plan to enhance readiness for a natural disaster or WMD attack.
5. Class will review and understand key elements of their school’s emergency plan.
3. Additional topic: Students will be able to discuss the role of draftees in the Korean War and compare that conflict with the role of teenagers in the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Resources and Activities:
Cold War Lesson Plans for High School
The 1951 film “Duck and Cover:”
http://www.coldwar.me/coldwarvideosforkids.html
Students will watch the film, produced by the US government for students during the Cold War, and try some of the self-protection moves shown in it, such as going under their desks when warned of an atomic attack.
Teachers can note the film was produced shortly after the Soviet Union, America’s main adversary in the Cold War, obtained the atomic bomb. Until then, the US was the only country with this powerful weapon. During the following Cold War years, both sides worried about a potential nuclear attack from the other.
DHS/FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) “Be a Hero” Curriculum for 9-12 Graders:
Students will learn about the most important potential disasters and emergencies. They will compare today’s threats and responses to those covered in the “Duck and Cover” movie. Students will create a family preparedness and communication plan.
http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/ac2a3fd06796f89fcd284ddb3fea4797/FEMA_HS_TG_082613_508.pdf
School Emergency Plan:
Teacher to use excerpts from his/her school, focusing on responses to natural disasters such as hurricanes or tornadoes.
Additional Topic: Korean War & High School Kids
Students will view the film “US Forces Liberate South Korean Capital” (1950) on the Korean War for Kids page:
[this page is also suitable for its own stand-alone 45-minute lesson]
http://www.coldwar.me/koreanwarforkids.html
More than 4,000 teenagers (19 years old and younger) from just the Army were killed in action during the Korean War, the first major “proxy war” between the US and Soviet Union of the Cold War. About 1.5 million Americans were drafted during the Korean War and another 1.3 million volunteered for the military during that period. During this period, a number of people under the age of 18 managed to join the military.
Soldiers in Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), America’s longest war, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, were almost always required to be 18 or older. Well over 1,000 18-21 year olds have died for their country out of nearly 7,000 total.
Discussion points:
- Why do many teenagers and young people tend to be killed in war?
- Compare and contrast the issues of a war in which many soldiers were drafted – required to join the military – and those in which NO Americans were drafted (the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan). Is it more or less fair to wage a war with an all-volunteer force, such as today’s? Does a war with all volunteers change the level of commitment by the US population? What would life be like for high school students today if they faced being drafted and sent to war?
Lesson Plan #2 Cuban Missle Crisis