Overview: How did the Civil Rights Movement influence and interact with the broader sociopolitical context of the Cold War era, and what were the implications of this interplay on the pursuit of civil rights and the nation's global standing?"

In this unit, students will explore the intersection of the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War era in the United States. They will examine the economic boom and prosperity of the 1950s, while also recognizing the lack of rights among genders and races during this period. Students will identify the role of television, mass media, and the reemergence of the American dream in shaping the societal landscape of the 1950s. Additionally, they will analyze the implications of the Red Scare and McCarthyism during the Cold War. The unit will also focus on the Civil Rights movement, investigating Supreme Court Cases and interpreting writings from prominent leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and other Civil Rights activists, including women, Latinos, American Indians, and Asian Americans.  Students will understand the 1950s prosperity and challenges by analyzing the economic boom of the 1950s and its impact on American society and investigating the disparities and lack of rights experienced by various genders and races during this period.  Students will examine the implications of the Red Scare and McCarthyism on American politics and society during the Cold War era in order to understand the impact of the anti-communist sentiments on civil liberties and political dissent.  Students will analyze continuity and change in US History as they investigate events such as the Tulsa Massacre and the impact of the Civil Rights Movement, including the Double V Campaign, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Stonewall Riots.  Additionally, students will analyze how opposing perspectives, compromise, and cooperation have shaped national unity and diversity, particularly focusing on the rights and contributions of diverse groups and individuals and explore the role of organizations and the government in advancing these rights, such as the NAACP, American Indian Movement, and United Farm Workers.  By the end of the unit, students should have a comprehensive understanding of the struggles for civil rights during the Cold War era, the implications of the Red Scare and McCarthyism, and the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on American society. They will gain insights into the complexities of historical events and the role of diverse groups in shaping the nation's journey toward unity and equality. The unit will equip students with critical thinking skills and historical awareness to appreciate the significance of civil rights struggles and the ongoing pursuit of a more inclusive and just society.

The highlighted evidence outcomes are the priority for all students, serving as the essential concepts and skills. It is recommended that the remaining evidence outcomes listed be addressed as time allows, representing the full breadth of the curriculum.

Students Can (Evidence Outcomes):

• Formulate compelling and supporting questions after evaluating primary sources for point of view and historical context. (1.1.a)

• Gather and analyze historical information to address questions from a range of primary and secondary sources containing a variety of perspectives. For example: Perspectives of historically underrepresented groups. (1.1.b)

• Gather and analyze historical information from a range of qualitative and quantitative sources. For example: Demographic, economic, social, and political data. (1.1.c)

• Construct and defend a historical argument that evaluates interpretations by analyzing, critiquing, and synthesizing evidence from a wide range of relevant historical sources. (1.1.d)

• Analyze continuity and change over the course of United States history. Including but not limited to: The expansion and limitations of rights, the balance between liberty and security, shifts in internationalist and isolationist policies, debates over the role of government, and the impacts of expansionist policies. (1.2.a)

• Investigate causes and effects of significant events throughout United States history. For example: World and national conflicts (e.g., Spanish American War, the continued conflict over Indigenous lands, and the Tulsa Massacre), urbanization and suburbanization (e.g., Great Migration and Levittown), economic cycles (e.g., The Great Depression and the 2008 Great Recession), and both popular and counterculture movements. (1.2.b)

• Analyze the complexity of events throughout United States history. For example: The Civil Rights Movement (e.g., Double V Campaign, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Stonewall Riots); migration, immigration, and displacement (e.g., immigration and citizenship legislation, Japanese American incarceration, and debates over tribal sovereignty); landmark court cases (e.g., Keyes v. School District #1 Denver, Brown v. Board of Education, and Obergefell v. Hodges), and the war on terror (e.g., 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Middle Eastern discrimination, and the evolution of U.S. counterterrorism efforts). (1.2.c)

• Examine and evaluate issues of unity and diversity from Reconstruction to present. For example: The systemic impact of racism and nativism (e.g., Jim Crow, affirmative action, and mass incarceration), the definition and role of patriotism, expansion and limitations of rights, and the role of religion. (1.2.d)

• Evaluate the historical development and impact of political thought, theory, and actions. For example: Shifts in the platforms of political parties, expansion and limitations of suffrage, and the impact of various reform and socio-cultural movements. (1.2.f)

• Analyze how opposing perspectives, compromise, and cooperation have shaped national unity and diversity. For example: The rights and contributions of diverse groups and individuals, including African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQ individuals, women, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and ethnic and religious minorities, and the role of organizations and government in advancing these rights (e.g., NAACP, American Indian Movement, and United Farm Workers). (1.2.g)

• Analyze and evaluate ideas critical to the understanding of American history. Including but not limited to: populism, progressivism, isolationism, imperialism, capitalism, racism, extremism, nationalism, patriotism, anti-communism, environmentalism, liberalism, fundamentalism, and conservatism. (1.2.h)

• Examine and evaluate how the United States was involved in and responded to international events over the course of history. Including but not limited to: the World Wars, the Holocaust, the Nuremberg trials, Cold War policies, Berlin Airlift, Korean War, Vietnam War, and the genocides in Bosnia and Darfur (addressed in 9th grade). (1.2.j)