When David Koresh and his followers refused to let a group of federal agent search their compound for illegal weapons, a firefight that eventually ended in the deaths of dozens of people ensued. What could law enforcement have done to protect life that day? Captivating clips from the day of the firefight, a firsthand account of a federal agent, and an historian's perspective help individuals unpack the complicated questions about the infamous day.

Concepts

freedom of religion, federal oversight, law enforcement, texas history, texas, the bible, weapons, american history, historians

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use clips to discuss the characteristics of cults or the proper role of law enforcement

Classroom Considerations

• Clips include scenes of violence as law enforcement and members of the Branch Davidians fought
• Teachers must create a free C-SPAN Classroom account or the use of the following login credentials: Username: students, Password: C-SPANCLASSROOM
  

Pros

• The historian does a good job of building context around the Branch Davidian group
• Clips are engrossing, well-curated, and include original footage of David Koresh and the day of the fight

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.6-8.1 RH.6-8.4 RH.6-8.6 RH.6-8.9 RH.6-8.10 RH.9-10.1 RH.9-10.4 RH.9-10.6 RH.9-10.9 RH.9-10.10 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.4 RH.11-12.6 RH.11-12.9 RH.11-12.10