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Unit of Study 6: Emergence of Modern AmericaMuch that defines the modern United States emerged during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This unit explores imperialism, the 1920s, and the Great Depression through the conceptual lenses of change, imperialism, and standard of living. Imperialism and WWI: America became an empire by the end of the 1800s. As a growing empire, the U.S. faced many conflicts, eventually leading to our involvement in World War I. The effects of imperialism were both negative and positive, including bringing economic wealth to the United States. America remains an empire today.The Roaring 1920s: Following WWI, the 1920s brought in a period of American economic growth. The urbanization of America led to this time when young, urban modernist values challenged the older, rural traditionalist values. Many became prosperous in America while many did not. Within the prosperity of the time were indicators of an unstable economy, such as overusing credit and borrowing.The Great Depression: The 1930s was defined by the Great Depression, beginning with the stock market crash of 1929. The extent of poverty during this economic downturn was enormous, affecting everyone in some way. President Franklin Roosevelt would expand the size and scope of the federal government in attempts to combat the depression. Citizens coming together to produce the machines of war for World War II would end the Great Depression. Unit Understandings: Individuals and groups can bring about social change through collective efforts.Imperialism can result in major political and social changes.A nation’s economy affects standard of living.Unit Essential Questions: Answer the following: How can individuals and groups bring about social change?Why did America become an Empire?What major political and social changes resulted from imperialism?How does a nation’s economy affect standard of living?How were human and civil rights issues throughout NC and the USA impacted by change during this era?What were the causes and effects of the Great Depression?How did the New Deal change America?How did American imperialism cause conflicts?Explain how quality of life is impacted by personal financial choices.WTKs: Need definitions for each of the following: ChangeImperialismStandard of LivingEmpireAnnex/AnnexationProhibitProsper/ProsperityCreditUnemploymentFinanceStabilityDepression ScarcityDiplomacyAlliesAxisNeutralityInflationTechnologyUnit of Study 7: World War ll and the Origins of the Cold WarThis unit focused on WWII and its immediate effects on foreign policy through the lenses of war, competition, and power. The unit surveys World War II and the emergence of the Cold War before the Korean War. World War II: The United States increasingly gets involved with WWII, eventually joining the Allied Powers after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The home front was defined by citizens coming together to win a race to produce more of the things needed for war faster than the enemy. Many women’s roles changed during the war out of a need for labor while many men were off fighting. Propaganda was used to keep everyone focused on the needs of the war. Winning the race to produce more, faster helped bring about victories in Europe and the Pacific, culminating in the controversial decision to drop an atomic bomb on Japan.Origins of the Cold War: Plans to shape a peaceful postwar world began even before the end of WWII, though the emerging Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union proved too powerful to avoid. Allied leaders met at Yalta, then at Potsdam after the war, and agreed on how to bring Germany and occupied Eastern Europe back to peaceful independence. This eventually failed as Germany stayed divided and free elections did not occur in Eastern Europe. The United Nations was designed to bring peaceful resolutions to international conflict, though its power was limited since both the US and the USSR had veto power on the Security Council. The United States used financial aid to contain communism in Europe while the Soviet Union used force to maintain communism in Eastern Europe. NATO and the Warsaw Pact further divided a Europe separated by what Winston Churchill called an “iron curtain.”Unit Understandings:Leadership and citizen action can greatly affect the outcome of warWar most often results in societal changeCompetition for power can occur after a warUnit Essential Questions: Need to answer the following:How do leadership and citizen action affect the outcome of war?How does war affect society?How can war cause competition for power?How did conflict, cooperation and competition influence periods of economic growth and decline?Why was the decision to drop the atomic bomb so controversial?How are communism and democracy different?WTKs: Need definitions for each of the following: DraftMobilizationRationingContributionInternmentNuclearContain/ContainmentTheoryPactMinorityGenocideSatelliteUnit of Study 8: Postwar USA (1945-1991): The Civil Rights Era and End of the Cold War The points of focus for this unit are the Cold War, Civil Rights, counterculture, government conspiracies, and the fall of communism in Europe.Democracy v. CommunismThe conflict between communism and democracy in the post-World War II era led to the Cold War. Two highlights of this era include wars in Korea and Vietnam where the US goal was to contain the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. The United States also had to contend with a communist Cuba and its connection to the Soviet Union. The communist threat also impacted US society with an atmosphere of fear and distrust (Red Scare). This surfaced in the government in the form of McCarthyism.The Cold War also led to both an Arms Race and a race to go to space. The Soviet Union was first to send a satellite into space with Sputnik while the US was first to the moon with Apollo 11. Both nations worked on more powerful weapons such as the hydrogen bomb. People’s values and beliefs were tested as the Civil Rights Movement challenged states’ rights and Southern segregation. Jim Crow laws were challenged in the courts and by citizen action. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Rosa Parks, and others were involved in civil disobedience to force a change. Marches, voter registration, bus rides through the South, and sit-ins are examples of the citizen action taken by civil rights workers.In addition, the counterculture challenged the authority of the government in regards to anti-war protests and equality of the sexes. The younger generation, bearing the brunt of the Vietnam War and its subsequent draft, began to speak out against US involvement in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Many anti-war protests were held on college campuses all over the country. In addition, young people shunned values and beliefs of their parents’ generation in expressions such as Summer of Love (Haight Asbury), communal living, Woodstock, etc.The United States government encountered a number of conspiracies such as Watergate and Iran-Contra. In Watergate, President Nixon covered up a burglary of the Democratic Election Headquarters that eventually ended with his resignation. Iran-Contra was the sale of arms to Iran to finance the pro-US Contras in their fight against Nicaragua pro-Soviet government. Eventually, the world changed from the Cold War mentality when the Berlin Wall and Soviet Union collapsed. Dissatisfaction with communism began in the 1980s. It became reality with the fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbol of the Cold War, in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.Unit Understandings:Differences in values often lead to conflictCompetition and challenges to authority foster changeUnit Essential Questions: Need to answer the following:How do differences in values and beliefs lead to conflict?How do competition and challenges to authority foster change?How did the breakup of the Soviet Union affect the United States?How did changes brought about by technology and other innovations affect individuals and groups in North Carolina and the United States?What impact did human and civil rights issues have on citizens throughout North Carolina and the United States? WTKs: Need definitions for each:PrejudiceIntegrate/IntegrationControversyContainmentDisobedienceGlobalAuthorityMediaConspiracyLeadershipSegregationDraftConflictImpactFoster Unit of Study 9 : Contemporary WorldThis unit will focus on major issues in the contemporary world. You will not have enough time to cover all off the topics in depth. You may choose an overview of all of the topics, or focus on a few selected topics to study at a deeper level. The use of stations would be highly recommended when doing this unit.The attacks of 9/11 will live in the hearts of the American people for many years to come. It was a shock, true disbelief that terrorists could, or would, attack the United States. This ultimately resulted in the US’s “war on terror,” first with Iraq, and then eventually with the true killer, Osama Bin Laden. The “war on terror” not only affected changes within the military, but with the American citizens. Since 9/11, laws have been developed in areas such as airplane security and internet behavior.Globalization includes domestic and international policies, issues and economies where these ideas are integrated. Due to development of new technology, nations are able to spread ideas, compete for power, increase trade, outsourcing, and financial needs. Globalization has created a single village which affects everyone in the world. The behavior of people around the world is slowing killing the earth, its wildlife and resources. To protect such, the government and citizens have to contribute money and/or effort to improve our quality of life. It cannot just be the legal actions of government; people have to be willing to save the planet.Technology is a wonderful thing…or is it always? Technology plays an ever-increasing role in society. Aside from changing the way we communicate, with social media, 24-hour news, and Skype, it has had a huge impact on our lives. From medicine and food production, to transportation and travel, technology affects our lives today. Are all of the “side effects” of technology positives for us?Finance has long been an issue in American history, with too much borrowing leading to an economic decline, at many different occasions. Most recently, the housing market has experienced this same scenario—too many people borrowed too much to buy a house, which led to foreclosures that helped create a downturn in the overall U.S. economy.Immigration has been a debatable issue in US policies, economic concern, and cultural identity changes for years. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and grants naturalization and protected laws to those who legally receive proper papers or identification. However, due to lack of jobs, low wages, border-patrol or lack thereof, increased crime rate, and inconsistencies within leadership to deal with immigration, many debates about open borders and who is and isn’t legal in the country, have arisen. Unit Understandings:Increased globalization brings change.Personal Financial Decisions can have far- reaching consequences.Unit Essential Questions: Need to answer the following:How have migration and immigration contributed to the development of North Carolina and the United States from colonization to contemporary times?How do personal financial decisions impact others?How does increased globalization cause change?What are the economic consequences of globalization?What is global warming?How have environmental disasters impacted Americans?WTKs: Need definitions for eachOutsourceConsequencesRecessionDeportationFluctuateAlienModifyUnifyGlobalizationTerroristEnvironmentImpactDisaster ................
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