United States History

Learning Goal:

I can analyze the political and economic impact of President Nixon’s foreign policies including détente and the opening of China.

Estimated Time for The Week: 2 hours

Learn & Practice:

For the Google Slides to click-through the below directions, click here!

1. Review from week 1. Last week you learned about the Vietnam War. What are two things you remember?

Introduction to President Nixon

1. Read the background information on President Nixon.
2. Infer from the election map of 1968.
   • Read the key. What do the colors on the map represent?
   • Compare the popular vote. Did Nixon win by a landslide?
   • Using your answer from question #2, how does this compare the the electoral vote?
   • How many states did Nixon win?
3. Read Nixon’s Cold War Foreign Policy and explain how Nixon and Kissinger reshape America’s approach to foreign affairs?
4. Read this article about Richard Nixon from Khan Academy. What are 5 things you didn’t know?
5. Reflect: Was Vietnamization a good idea? Why or why not? How did Nixon's approach to communist countries abroad differ from other presidents' strategies?

President Nixon Opening China

1. Review this chart about the pros and cons for establishing a relationship with China. Based on this chart, why was Nixon’s policy toward China likely to be supported by American’businesses?
2. Image analysis: What can you infer from this picture?
   • List 3 things you see.
   • What do you notice first?
   • What people and objects are shown?
   • How are they arranged?
   • What is the physical setting?
3. Click here to watch an overview detente under Nixon from Discovery Education. While watching the video, answer the true/false statements

Nixon SALT

1. Read the background information and quote from Nixon’s speech to Congress.
2. Analyze charts: based on the information in the chart, what was the purpose of the SALT I Treaty?
3. Match the definitions to the terms. Check your answers here
4. Reflect - How should we remember the Nixon Administration? Write two to three sentences using evidence from this week’s lesson to support your position.

Extension- Print this detente crossword puzzle. *You do have to print the puzzle to fill in the answers or use Google Drawing.

Learning Goal:

I can understand the events surrounding Nixon’s Watergate scandal.

I can analyze how the media played a role in the Watergate scandal.

I can understand how the Watergate scandal impacted the role of the presidency in US history.

Estimated Time for The Week: 2.5 hours; 150 minutes

Learn & Practice:

For the Google Slides to click-through the below directions, click here!

The Pentagon Papers

1. Review: Name two things you learned from the Vietnam War lesson, and two things you remember from Nixon’s administration.
2. Watch these two video clips on the Pentagon Papers - One and Two
3. Read the statements and decide if each statement is true or false.
4. Reflect on the impact of the Pentagon Papers by answering the following questions:
   • Why​​ did ​​Daniel ​​Ellsberg ​​feel ​​it ​​was ​​necessary ​​to ​​attempt ​​to ​​release ​​the ​​Pentagon Papers​ ​to​ ​the​ ​public?
   • The​​ Pentagon ​​Papers​​ did​​ not​​ specifically​​ criticize​​ or​​ mention​​ President​​ Nixon. However,​ ​he​ ​felt​ ​it​ ​was​ ​important​ ​to​ ​try​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​publication.​ ​Why​ ​did​ ​he​ ​feel​ ​that way?
   • Vietnam​​ War​​ veteran ​​Karl​​ Marlantes ​​said,​​ “That​​ changed​​ our ​​whole ​​attitude toward​ ​government.​ ​Up​ ​until​ ​then,​ ​the​ ​president​ ​wouldn’t​ ​lie.​ ​After​ ​then,​ ​they always​ ​lie.”​ ​Do​ ​you​ ​think​ ​this​ ​is​ ​a​ ​fair​ ​assessment?​ ​Why​ ​or​ ​why​ ​not?
   • Based​​ on​​ what ​​you​​ saw ​​in​​ the ​​video ​​clip,​​do​​ you ​​think ​​Ellsberg’s​​ actions ​​warranted prosecution​ ​under​ ​the​ ​Espionage​ ​Act​ ​of​ ​1917?​ ​Why​ ​or​ ​why​ ​not?
   • Analyze ​​the ​​actions ​​of​​ Nixon​​ and​​ the ​​plumbers.​​ If​​ you​​ were ​​a ​​lawyer​​ representing Nixon​ ​and​ ​or​ ​the​ ​Plumbers,​ ​how​ ​would​ ​you​ ​argue​ ​that​ ​their​ ​actions​ ​were​ ​justified?

Watergate Scandal Overview

1. Watch the video from Discovery Education. What are your immediate impressions about the Watergate scandal and its impact on American history?
2. Read this overview of the Watergate scandal, taking notes over key events.
3. Read the transcript of the June 23, 1972 “Smoking Gun” tape and answer the following questions:
   • Haldeman tells Nixon, “the FBI is not under control.” Why does the FBI need to be controlled?
   • What is Nixon’s plan for dealing with the FBI’s investigation of the Watergate break-in?
   • What does this excerpt imply about the relationship between the FBI and the CIA?
   • What does this tape reveal about Nixon’s view of his power as the president?
   • Why is this tape called the “Smoking Gun” tape?

Watergate: Role of the Media

1. Watch this interview from CBS Sunday Morning with Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.
2. Use the interview and this excerpt to answer the following questions:
   • Why is coverage of the Watergate Scandal a significant part of journalism history?
   • Describe the role of the press in this story.
   • What was the fallout (consequences) of the reporting of the scandal?
   • Imagine you are a journalist and gather information that is true, but if you publish it, it will cause someone to lose their job. What factors would you consider in deciding whether or not to publish this information?
   • How much does the public have a right to know about what the president does? Should the press report on what the president eats for dinner? What about where the president goes on vacation? Explain your answers.

Watergate: Nixon Resigns

1. Read the Secret Watergate Tapes.
2. Watch this clip from Discovery Education and answer the following questions:
   • Why was the tape from June 23, 1972 known as “the Smoking Gun?”
   • Why would President Nixon resign if he knew he was going to be impeached anyway?
   • What is one other circumstance in which the 25th Amendment would need to be invoked?
3. Analyze the political cartoon and answer the questions on the slide.

Watergate Conclusion: President Ford Pardons Nixon

1. Read and listen to an excerpt of Ford’s pardon and answer the following questions:
   • Describe the intended audience of this speech and why that is significant to understanding the speech.
   • List three justifications Ford uses for pardoning Nixon.
   • Which do you believe was the most important justification?
   • Describe two facts from the speech that tell you about life in the United States in 1974.
   • Do you agree with President Ford’s decision to pardon Nixon?
2. Read the excerpt from History.com, then complete the following reflection and recap:
   • Briefly explain the events surrounding the Watergate scandal.
   • Based on what you now know about Nixon’s presidency and Watergate, should he be remembered as a generally good president who made mistakes, or as a crook who abused his executive powers?
   • What is the legacy of the Watergate scandal on American history? On the role of the executive branch in government? On the principle of checks and balances?

Learning Objective:

I can identify the events leading to the end of the Cold War.

Estimated Time: 20 minutes

Learn and Practice:

For the Google Slide directions, click here!

Part 1-End of Cold War- Are you a Cold War Agent?

1. Read the background information.
2. Review the Cold War vocabulary and Cold War Strategies.
3. What will you do?
4. Before learning about the Berlin Wall, read these statements. Predict whether they are True (T) or False (F). It’s okay to be wrong.
5. Watch - Click here or the Discovery Education video icon to learn more about the Berlin Wall. While watching, feel free to change any of your answers. Move the magnifying glass over the black column to reveal the correct answer.

Part 2- End of Cold War

1. What will you do?
2. Students will analyze the Reagan Tear Down This Wall Speech. Why do you think this speech is iconic in history?
3. Watch the video with Mikhail Gorbachev and write 2-3 bullet points
4. Rank the causes of the fall of the Soviet Union from most influential to least influential. In the box, briefly explain why you ranked them here.
5. Breakout! You are an American foreign policy advisor and your role is to recommend policies to prevent the global spread of communism all without triggering another war. To begin you need to brush up on your HISTORY in hopes that you can unlock the combos to ensure a free and democratic world.

Part 3- Living History

1. Right now you are experiencing one of the most significant events of your lifetime. How has COVID-19 impacted you, your family and friends, your nation, the world?
2. Think like a historian: Create a History Bento Box- COVID-19