Essential Questions:
- How did the anxieties raised by the Cold War influence American society?
- Were Americans justified in their fear of communism?
TEKS for Unit 9:
2A- identify the major characteristics that define an historical era;
2B- identify the major eras in U.S. history from 1877 to the present and describe their defining characteristics; 2C- apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events, and time periods; and 2D- explain the significance of the following years as turning points: 1939-1945 (World War II), 1957 (Sputnik launch ignites U.S.-Soviet space race); 8A- describe U.S. responses to Soviet aggression after World War II, including the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; 8B- describe how Cold War tensions were intensified by the arms race, the space race, McCarthyism, and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), the findings of which were confirmed by the Venona Papers; 8C- explain reasons and outcomes for U.S. involvement in the Korean War and its relationship to the containment policy; 8D- explain reasons and outcomes for U.S. involvement in foreign countries and their relationship to the Domino Theory, including the Vietnam War; 13A- analyze the causes and effects of changing demographic patterns resulting from migration within the United States. 14A- identify the effects of population growth and distribution on the physical environment; 17A- identify the causes of prosperity in the 1950s, including the Baby Boom and the impact of the GI Bill (Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944), and the effects of prosperity in the 1950s such as increased consumption and the growth of agriculture and business; 17C- describe the economic impact of defense spending on the business cycle and education priorities from 1945 to the 1990s; 19E- evaluate the pros and cons of U.S. participation in international organizations and treaties. 25A- describe how the characteristics and issues in U.S. history have been reflected in various genres of art, music, film, and literature; |
25B- describe both the positive and negative impacts of significant examples of cultural movements in art, music, and literature such as the Beat Generation and Rock and Roll on American society;
25C- identify the impact of popular American culture on the rest of the world over time; and 25D- analyze the global diffusion of American culture through the entertainment industry via various media. 26A- explain actions taken by people to expand economic opportunities and political rights, including those for racial, ethnic, and religious minorities as well as women, in American society; 26B- discuss the Americanization movement to assimilate immigrants and American Indians into American culture; 26C- explain how the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, gender, and religious groups shape American culture; 27A- explain the effects of scientific discoveries and technological innovations such as electric power, telephone and satellite communications, petroleum-based products, steel production, and computers on the economic development of the United States; 27B- explain how specific needs result in scientific discoveries and technological innovations in agriculture, the military, and medicine, including vaccines; and 27C- understand the impact of technological and management innovations and their applications in the workplace and the resulting productivity enhancements for business and labor such as assembly line manufacturing, time-study analysis, robotics, computer management, and just-in-time inventory management. 28A- analyze how scientific discoveries, technological innovations, and the application of these by the free enterprise system, including those in transportation and communication, improve the standard of living in the United States; 28B- explain how space technology and exploration improve the quality of life |