Applying the Lessons of the Soviet Union

Who was primarily responsible for the Cold War—the United States or the Soviet Union? Your young historians will answer a question by looking closely at Cold War documents, which are provided in this resource alongside guiding questions...

Who was primarily responsible for the Cold War? That is the essential question at the heart of a plan that asks young historians to examine a series of primary source documents, formulate a claim, and support their claim with evidence...

Why are film montages in movies so compelling? Learn about the origins and effectiveness of the Soviet montage, as well as discontinuity editing and other filmmaking techniques—and political statements—that arose from the 1917 Bolshevik...

What was the true meaning behind WWII propaganda posters? Historians analyze images from the U.S., Great Britain, Nazi Germany, and the Soviet Union, sharing findings in small groups. A poster analysis worksheet and all posters are...

High schoolers explore the events leading up to and during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  For this history lesson, students examine and analyze historical data about the Cuban Missile Crisis then defend their personal opinion regarding it.

Students examine how astronomical observations were used to help target sites in the Soviet Union during Cold War and why such targeting was needed. Students then make predictions and observations of same astronomical events for their...

For 13 days, the United States stood on the edge of nuclear War. The Soviet Arms buildup in Cuba is the focus of an activity that asks groups to analyze how the governmental role each of John F. Kennedy's advisors played went on to...

The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of three lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1950. This first lesson asks groups to read an introduction that describes the Verona Project and...

Make the Grand Alliance grander with a scaffolded lesson plan that includes four activities. Class members use primary sources to complete a map exercise, understand the goals and objectives of each individual nation, and participate in...

A New Order in Europe calls for a new lesson plan! This third plan in a series of four sequential lessons encourages high schoolers to read primary sources about the development of the New Order and follow up their knowledge with a...