Spies, Traitors, Saboteurs - Houston Museum of Natural Science



Spies, Traitors, SaboteursThe following extension activities are designed to supplement a visit to the exhibit. Acts of subversion and terrorism have occurred throughout America’s history for over 200 years. Students will explore how tactics of terror have changed over the years with the introduction of new technology, as well as how a government must evolve to confront these threats while maintaining the liberty of its citizens.Balancing ActThroughout the exhibit, students saw that there is a balance between protecting civil liberties and giving the government power to enforce national security.The measures below was passed in an effort to maintain this balance. Students should research two of the following and prepare a comparison, taking into account what caused the legislation to be passed and what its effect was. 1988 Civil Liberties Act1918 Sedition ActExecutive Order 9066Patriot Act (2001)Civil Rights Act of 1964Ciphers and SecretsDuring World War II, students saw the Perla Negra Doll, which was confiscated for being used by its maker, Velvalee Dickinson, to smuggle codes to the enemy. Velvalee used cryptography, that is, ordinary-seeming words that concealed a secret meaning in her letters.For example, “a doll dressed in a hula grass skirt” sent to Seattle for repairs could refer to a warship damaged at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, that was being sent north for crucial repairs.Students should work with a partner to create a secret code meaning using words that would not be out of place in the classroom. Later, teams can try to “decipher” one another’s messages and guess the secret.Interview with an ExtremistUsing the summarized biography they created using the framed pictures in the Extremism section, have students write a short interview with this person, asking about their beliefs and methods. Students should also consider what reasons they could give that would convince their interviewee that cooperation and nonviolent methods might be more effective at getting their point across.What Does It Mean?Symbols are very powerful weapons – they can start a movement, keep it together, or end it. Have students come up with a list of symbols that are important to them on a personal level, symbols that are important at the school, in the city, and in the nation.Discuss the effect of losing these symbols as a result of the actions of others. Remember the burning of the White House by the British and the 9/11 attacks. What was the immediate response of people? Has this changed over time? ................
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