World History II- Meyers
Name______________________________
Unit 7: American Society During the Cold War
Enduring Understandings for American and World History
EU#1: The United States gradually became a global superpower during the 20th century.
EU#2: American society and culture has changed throughout the 20th century.
EU #3: Social, political, and economic systems and movements shaped 20th century World History.
EU #4: Conflict and cooperation between peoples and nations shaped 20th century World History.
Essential Questions for Unit 7
1. What were the major social changes in American society from the 1950’s to the 1980’s?
2. How has the economic growth of the United States after WWII influenced American society?
3. How have various political actions influenced American society?
4. What were the similarities and differences between the civil rights movement, women’s movement, antiwar movement, environmental movement, and other movements during this time?
5. How did these movements change America?
Essential Topics: Affluent Society, Feminine Mystique, Civil Rights, Black Power, Counterculture,
Generation Gap, Dynamic Conservatism, New Frontier, Great Society, Watergate, Reagonomics
Unit Project: 1960’s Oral History Project, Due Thursday, 4-19
Unit Exam: Wednesday, 4-25
1 Essay (over an EQ), 30 Objective
Syllabus
Date
Monday, 3-26
Tuesday, 3-27
Topic
Debrief Vietnam Day and Gandhi
Introduce Unit 7
Introduce Oral History Project
Homework
None!
BL 686-691
Purpose: What were the similarities and
differences between the domestic
programs and achievements of Truman
and Ike?
Wednesday, 3-28
Eisenhower and “Dynamic Conservatism”
Red Scare Revisited
Thursday, 3-29
Oral History Project, Step 1 Due
The Affluent Society:
Selling the American Dream
Friday, 3-30
The Affluent Society:
Cracks in the Picture Window
The Affluent Society: Conformity or
Rebellion?
Oral History Project, Step 2 Due
The Affluent Society: Sex and Gender
The Civil Rights Movement: Background
Oral History Project, Step 1
BL 692-697
Purpose: What were the most important
characteristics of “The Affluent
Society”?
BL 698-705
Purpose: What were the characteristics of
pop culture during the 1950’s? How is it
similar or different than today?
Oral History Project, Step 2 Due Tuesday
Monday, 4-2
Tuesday, 4-3
Wednesday, 4-4
Thursday. 4-5
Friday, 4-6
Arts Fair: No Class
The Civil Rights Movement:
The Movement Begins
Monday, 4-9
The Civil Rights Movement:
Challenging Segregation
Tuesday, 4-10
The Civil Rights Movement:
Fragmentation and Disillusionment
Wednesday, 4-11
The Civil Rights Movement:
Women
Thursday, 4-12
The Civil Rights Movement:
Brown Power, Red Power, Green power,
Gay Power
Suggested Date for Completion of Step 3
Vietnam and the Homefront
Friday, 4-13
Oral History Project, Step 2 Due Tuesday
Readings on Life in Reconstruction
South
BL 744-752
Purpose: How did the movement begin,
and what were its initial successes and
setbacks?
BL 753- 760
Purpose: How did the movement begin to
change, and again what were the
successes and setbacks?
BL 761-766
Purpose: What were the “new issues” of
the Civil Rights movement?
BL 806-811
Purpose: What were the major success
and setbacks to the feminist movement?
BL 812-818
What other groups are striving for
equality in this time? In what ways are
their experiences similar to or different
from women and African Americans?
Selected Readings: Vietnam and the
Homefront
BL 800-805
How is “counterculture” defined and
what role does the anti-war movement
have in it?
Monday, 4-16
Tuesday, 4-17
Wednesday, 4-18
Thursday, 4-19
Friday, 4-20
Monday, 4-23
Tuesday, 4-24
Wednesday, 4-25
Thursday, 4-26
Friday, 4-27
The Counterculture in the 1960’s
From the New Frontier to the Great Society
From Watergate to Stagflation
Oral History Project, Step 4 Due
Popular Culture in the 1970’s
The Reagan Revolution
Popular Culture in the 1980’s
Review Game
Unit 7 Exam
Go Over Unit 7 Exam
April Break: No School!
Oral History Project, Step 4
Oral History Project, Step 4
Oral History Project, Step 4
Reading: TBA
Study!
Study!
Study!
None!
None!
None!
1960’s Oral History Project: Social Changes in American Society
What is an oral history?
An oral history is a personal recollection of events and experiences told orally from one person to
another. It is a personal record of ideas, opinions, or events, often collected in interview format and archived for
future generations. It is more than one person telling a story to another. Oral historians analyze their findings
and try and place them within an historical framework. The purpose of an oral history is to understand the way
in which history is a collection of individual experiences and to identify with people who have lived through
important events in our history. An oral history can be a form of research in which a student is able to gain a
greater understanding and appreciation for history by connecting past events with current people and places.
How do I complete an oral history project?
First, you need to select a topic that you are interested in from the 1960’s. Then find two people to
interview about your project topic. These do not have to be famous people because the objective of an oral
history is to record the events of everyday people. Choose friends, relatives, neighbors or teachers who are
willing to share their stories with you. No matter what, each person you choose to interview should have unique
experiences or expertise that make him or her a particularly good subject to be interviewed regarding the topic.
You may want to consider choosing two people with different perspectives or points of view (male / female,
young / old, pro-war / anti-war, liberal / conservative, etc) but you do not have to do so. Contact the people you
want to interview and explain the project to them. Make sure that the person understands the purpose of your
questions and set up a time when the two of you can meet, talk on the telephone or communicate online.
Generally, one hour should be enough time to conduct an oral history interview, but you might want to allow
for more time. Make sure you are polite and always remember you are asking someone to volunteer his or her
time to help you with your schoolwork. Be positive about the assignment and let them know you are excited to
hear their story. Try and get enough background about them before the interview so that you can do research
that will help you develop good questions!
Second, research your topic and generate a comprehensive list of questions for each interview. These
questions will be submitted and graded prior to the interviews. You must research your topic ahead of time.
You should already understand the subject and events so that your interviews provides depth to your initial
background information. A comprehensive list will contain a minimum of 20 – 30 specific, well thought out
questions.
Third, conduct your interviews. Do not rely on your memory: take good notes as they answer the
questions, or better yet ask to audio or video record them. Then transcribe their answers to your questions (type
up the answers).
Fourth, write your reflection paper. You will not need any formal citations in your paper. Instead, you
will reflect on what you have learned by speaking to people who have experienced the history you are learning.
See the next page for details on these four steps.
Step One: Topic Selection, Persons to be Interviewed /w Dates
Due Thursday, 3-29:
10 Points

Pick your topic: topic selection should be based on high student interest and / or on ready access to
individuals with specific expertise or experience in an area of student interest.

Identify and contact at least two people to interview. These can be family members, neighbors, people in
the community, teachers, etc. This may be a little more difficult than you might think. These
individuals do not have to be experts on the topic. Set a date in which you will interview this person.
Step Two: Conduct Background Research, Develop and Submit Interview Questions
Due Tuesday, 4-3:
20 Points

Conduct background research about your topic so that you can generate questions specific to the person
you are interviewing.

Type and submit 20-30 questions per interview (some questions may and should be used during both
interviews).
Step Three: Conduct the Interviews and Transcribe the Interviews
Due Friday, 4-13

Ask the written questions and any follow-up questions that arise during the conversations.

Record answers to provide a written record of your oral history. Use direct quotes if possible, paraphrase
if need be (but be explicit when you type up the responses about whose words are whose!).
Step Four: Submit the Interview Transcriptions and Write Oral History Reflection
Due Thursday, 4-19: 50 Points

Write a reflection for your oral history interviews by answering questions provided by your teacher (see
attached)

Turn in reflection and both sets of answered interview questions
List of Suggested Topics for 1960’s
Civil Rights:
 Sit-ins
 SCLC
 SNCC
 Freedom Riders
 March on Washington D.C.
 Civil Rights Act 1964
 Voting Rights Act 1965
 Malcolm X
 Black Panthers
 Experiences with racism or segregation
Vietnam:
(note: your topic must be related to American society, NOT just war experiences!)
 Protests (SDS, College Campuses, Kent State, etc)
 Pro-War Veteran
 Anti-War veteran
Counter culture:
 Hippie culture
 Woodstock
 Communal Living
 Drug experimentation
 Music of the movement
Feminist movement
 Betty Friedan
 National Organization for Women
 Equal Rights Amendment
 Roe vs. Wade
 Title IX
 Experiences with discrimination
 Anti-feminist activity (pro- “traditional” roles)
Questions to Guide Post-Interview Reflection
Keep your reflection under THREE pages.
1. Summarize your findings from the interviews into a 2-3 paragraph introduction. Be sure to introduce
your topic IN BRIEF first.
2. What question(s) did the person(s) you interviewed seem most interested in talking about? Why do you
think they wanted to talk about that question(s)?
3. Did the people you interviewed have similar or different perspectives, viewpoints or interpretations of
history from what we learned in class or what you learned from your research? Why do you think this
was the case? What about this person(s) (demographics, age, race, gender, where they lived,
socioeconomic status, etc) might explain the similarities or differences? Be specific and detailed in your
response.
4. Compare and contrast your two interviews. What was similar and what was different?
5. What factors do you think contributed to the differences or similarities between the two people that you
interviewed?
6. What are three key facts or important concepts or new learnings or understandings that you would like
to share with the class about your topic of study?
7. Compare your own opinions and experiences with any of the information that you learned in your
interviews. Include references to one of the major themes in social history in this unit of study: race,
gender or youth culture / challenge to authority.
8. What was the most important thing that you learned from this oral history project?
Interview Contact Form
Name_________________________
Topic____________________________________
Are you pursuing a particular angle or theme related to your topic?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Interviewee #1:
Name__________________________Contact # / Email_________________________
Interview Date______________________________
What unique “experiences or expertise” does this individual have that makes him or her a particularly good
candidate to be interviewed over your topic? (explain your rationale for choosing this person)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Interviewee #2:
Name__________________________Contact # / Email_________________________
Interview Date______________________________
What unique “experiences or expertise” does this individual have that makes him or her a particularly good
candidate to be interviewed over your topic? (explain your rationale for choosing this person)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
World History II- Meyers
Name_________________________________
Update Form for Oral History Project
Name of Person Interviewed #1
Have you already done the interview?
Yes_____ No_____
If not, when is it scheduled for?
Date_____________
Name of Person Interviewed #2
Have you already done the interview?
Yes_____ No_____
If not, when is it scheduled for?
Date_____________
Do you have any concerns about finishing the project by next Monday?