Students examine a series of primary source documents that will help them understand why these laws were passed, and how they were applied in the mid- to late-1930s.

American foreign resonates with the debate over U.S. entry into the League of Nations-collective security versus national sovereignty, idealism versus pragmatism, the responsibilities of powerful nations, the use of force to accomplish idealistic goals, the idea of America. Understanding the debate over the League and the consequences of its failure provides insight into international affairs in the years since the Great War and beyond. In this lesson, students read the words and listen to the voices of some central participants in the debate over the League of Nations.

The outbreak of war in Europe in September 1939 posed a serious challenge to U.S. neutrality. On the one hand, Americans' sympathies lay overwhelmingly with Great Britain and its allies; on the other hand, public sentiment overwhelmingly favored staying out of the war. Through a study of contemporary documents, students learn about the difficult choices faced by the Roosevelt administration during the first fifteen months of World War II, culminating in the decision to provide direct military aid to Great Britain.

In this lesson of the curriculum unit, students reconsider the events leading to U.S. entry into World War I through the lens of archival documents.

By the beginning of 1944, victory in Europe was all but assured. The task of diplomacy largely involved efforts to define the structure of the postwar world. Why and how did the United States attempt to preserve the Grand Alliance as American diplomats addressed European issues?

In August 1914, President Woodrow Wilson asked Americans to remain impartial in thought and deed toward the war that had just broken out in Europe. For almost three years, the President presided over a difficult, deteriorating neutrality, until finally the provocations could no longer be ignored or negotiated. In this lesson, students analyze one of the most significant moments in twentieth century U.S. foreign relations: Wilson's decision to enter World War I in order to make the world "safe for democracy."

In January 1918, less than one year after the United States entered World War I, President Woodrow Wilson announced his Fourteen Points to try to ensure permanent peace and to make the world safe for democracy.

Faced with crippling economic sanctions imposed by the United States, the Japanese government decided in September 1941 to prepare for war to seize the raw materials that they were now unable to obtain from America. Students in this lesson will put themselves in the shoes of U.S. and Japanese diplomats in the final months of 1941.

President Roosevelt's proposal to provide direct military aid to Great Britain launched a nationwide debate over foreign policy that lasted through most of 1941. Should the United States observe its traditional policy of non-involvement in European affairs (to which World War I had been a notable exception), or should the United States take whatever steps were necessary (up to and, perhaps, including direct involvement in the war) to prevent a German victory?In this lesson students are introduced to the main arguments used by both sides in this great debate. Through the use of an interactive map and primary source documents, students trace the events of 1941, and think critically about what foreign policy would have best served national interests.

For American diplomacy, the war against Japan was not just about the destruction of Japanese supremacy in the Pacific, China, and Southeast Asia. The ultimate issue was just what would replace Japan's imperial design of a "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere." This lesson plan focuses on two major postwar problems"”the future of China and (using French Indochina as a test case) the future of Western imperialism in Southeast Asia.

In this lesson, students learn about the technological and scientific requirements for making the atomic bomb and consider the immediate military and political context of dropping the bomb and the national and global implications of the bomb.

Students research the players and events that have influenced U.S.-China relations since World War II, with specific emphasis on the two countries"™ relationships with Taiwan. They then write a briefing paper, advising the president on the best policy to pursue with China and Taiwan. The article for this activity can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/09/world/us-asks-taiwan-to-avoid-a-vote-provoking-china.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm.

In this lesson, students will collaboratively analyze and compare editorial cartoons focusing on the Cold War and nuclear weapons. Students will identify the cartoonists' intentions and evaluate the effectiveness of the message of each cartoon. Then, they will put forward a three to five paragraph essay explaining the assign cartoon packets theme.

In this lesson, students will consider how the war on terrorism makes it urgent for the American people to make some hard choices on what to do about the nation's dependence on foreign oil. A set of discussion questions is provided. In an associated activity, students will evaluate conservation measures and energy alternatives and then write a letter to one of their U.S. senators on this question: "Should we open the ANWR for oil production in order to reduce our dependence on foreign imports?"

In this lesson, students will complete a research assignment on a particular president. They will use the Library of Congress website to find the inaugural address of the president and then use the speech and additional research to identify accomplishments that the president made while in office.

In this lesson, students learn about the events of the Cuban Missile crisis in October 1962 and understand how the United States and the Soviet Union came to the brink of nuclear war.

In this exercise students will examine a letter to Truman by Secretary of War Stimpson, diary entries written by Truman, an interview, and a White House press release that cast light on Truman's decision. Students will use these primary sources to address the following questions: Why did President Truman decide to use atomic bombs on Japan? How did Truman reach this decision? (This activity is a professional development module that could be modified to serve as an activity for students.)

In this lesson, students review the history of Puerto Rico as a territorial possession of the United States and what the future might be for this Caribbean island. A set of discussion questions is provided. In an associated activity, students will study the political status options for Puerto Rico. The class will be divided into two parts - one-half will represent the interests of Puerto Rico and the other half will be members of Congress.

In this lesson, students review the history of providing and/or denying asylum to refugees seeking to enter the United States. A set of discussion questions is provided. In an associated activity, students adopt the role of the Board of Immigration Appeals and work collaboratively to review a case study to decide whether the involved individual qualifies for asylum.

In this lesson, students will collaboratively examine and analyze editorial cartoons focusing on Theodore Roosevelt and the subject of American Imperialism. Students will identify and explain the intended message of the cartoons and gauge the accuracy of the content.