During the unit, students will need to read a total of FIVE Common Lit articles.
Students need to complete all of the Discussion Questions once they finish the article and should type up their answers in a Google/Word Doc.
Students need to be sure that they indicate which article they read by typing the name of the article above their set of answers.
Once all 5 Common Lit articles have been typed up in the same Google/Word Doc, students need to send them to Dr. Hartnell's school e-mail (hartnelb@wcsoh.org).
Students earn 50 points for successfully (and correctly) completing these Common Lit articles.
Students need to complete all of the Discussion Questions once they finish the article and should type up their answers in a Google/Word Doc.
Students need to be sure that they indicate which article they read by typing the name of the article above their set of answers.
Once all 5 Common Lit articles have been typed up in the same Google/Word Doc, students need to send them to Dr. Hartnell's school e-mail (hartnelb@wcsoh.org).
Students earn 50 points for successfully (and correctly) completing these Common Lit articles.
The Cold War
The Cold War was a time of political and military tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union following World War II. In this informational text, Jessica McBirney details the various events of the Cold War and the effects they had both domestically and internationally.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Cold War was a time of political and military tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union following World War II. In this informational text, Jessica McBirney details the various events of the Cold War and the effects they had both domestically and internationally.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Truman Doctrine Speech
The Truman Doctrine, established in 1947, declared that the United States would provide economic, military, and political aid to ensure continued freedom and independence for democratic nations. In the following speech, President Truman requests the resources and funds from Congress to counter communist threats to Greece and Turkey.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Truman Doctrine, established in 1947, declared that the United States would provide economic, military, and political aid to ensure continued freedom and independence for democratic nations. In the following speech, President Truman requests the resources and funds from Congress to counter communist threats to Greece and Turkey.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The United Nations
The Charter of the United Nations was an international treaty signed on June 26, 1945 by 50 countries around the world. That same year, World War II officially ended on September 2, 1945, a war which held witness to countless crimes against humanity. The United Nations was formed partly to prevent another world war.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Charter of the United Nations was an international treaty signed on June 26, 1945 by 50 countries around the world. That same year, World War II officially ended on September 2, 1945, a war which held witness to countless crimes against humanity. The United Nations was formed partly to prevent another world war.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Duck & Cover: School Drills During the Cold War
During the Cold War (a period of political tension that followed World War II), Americans feared that their enemy, the Soviet Union, might attack with a dangerous nuclear bomb. To prepare, the U.S. Government took certain measures to prepare for that possibility. One of these steps involved having schoolchildren perform emergency “Duck and Cover” drills in which they proved they know how to react in the event of a nuclear attack.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
During the Cold War (a period of political tension that followed World War II), Americans feared that their enemy, the Soviet Union, might attack with a dangerous nuclear bomb. To prepare, the U.S. Government took certain measures to prepare for that possibility. One of these steps involved having schoolchildren perform emergency “Duck and Cover” drills in which they proved they know how to react in the event of a nuclear attack.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Joseph McCarthy's "Enemies From Within" Speech
Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy delivered the following speech in Wheeling, West Virginia on February 20th, 1950. The senator claimed to possess a list of known communists within the state department. This was considered to be an attack on President Truman’s foreign policies during the Cold War. While McCarthy continued to revise the number of names on the list, and in fact never made the list public, his claims nevertheless launched him into a position of fame and power as the driving force behind the Red Scare: the historic “witch hunt” of the 1950s.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy delivered the following speech in Wheeling, West Virginia on February 20th, 1950. The senator claimed to possess a list of known communists within the state department. This was considered to be an attack on President Truman’s foreign policies during the Cold War. While McCarthy continued to revise the number of names on the list, and in fact never made the list public, his claims nevertheless launched him into a position of fame and power as the driving force behind the Red Scare: the historic “witch hunt” of the 1950s.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
McCarthyism
During the Cold War, the U.S. became increasingly paranoid about the possibility of communist spies infiltrating the country. The U.S. attempted to contain communism and stop it from spreading to new countries, which caused tension with other communist countries, such as the Soviet Union. This paranoia and growing fear of secret communists led to wild accusations and unfair trials led by Senator Joseph McCarthy that ruined many people’s lives.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
During the Cold War, the U.S. became increasingly paranoid about the possibility of communist spies infiltrating the country. The U.S. attempted to contain communism and stop it from spreading to new countries, which caused tension with other communist countries, such as the Soviet Union. This paranoia and growing fear of secret communists led to wild accusations and unfair trials led by Senator Joseph McCarthy that ruined many people’s lives.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
JFK's Inaugural Address
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) served as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. When he took the Oath of Office on Jan. 20, 1961, he delivered one of the shortest inaugural addresses in history—and the first to be delivered to home viewers via color television. Kennedy assumed the presidency at the height of the Cold War, a topic he alludes to heavily in his speech, and one that would end up defining his short presidency.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) served as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. When he took the Oath of Office on Jan. 20, 1961, he delivered one of the shortest inaugural addresses in history—and the first to be delivered to home viewers via color television. Kennedy assumed the presidency at the height of the Cold War, a topic he alludes to heavily in his speech, and one that would end up defining his short presidency.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
JFK's "Race to Space" Speech
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) served as 35th President of the United States. He was President during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Civil Rights Movement, and the beginning of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. He delivered this speech about space to a large audience at Rice University in Houston, Texas on September 12, 1962. A year earlier, a Russian had become the first human to orbit the Earth. By 1969, Americans succeeded in being the first to walk on the moon.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) served as 35th President of the United States. He was President during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Civil Rights Movement, and the beginning of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. He delivered this speech about space to a large audience at Rice University in Houston, Texas on September 12, 1962. A year earlier, a Russian had become the first human to orbit the Earth. By 1969, Americans succeeded in being the first to walk on the moon.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Women Behind the U.S. Space Race
Beginning in 1955 and heating up during the 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union competed in the Space Race, a race to determine who would achieve superiority in spaceflight. The following text describes some of the people who made significant contributions to this race and who were, until recently, hidden from popular history.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Beginning in 1955 and heating up during the 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union competed in the Space Race, a race to determine who would achieve superiority in spaceflight. The following text describes some of the people who made significant contributions to this race and who were, until recently, hidden from popular history.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Jackie Kennedy Onassis: An Icon For the Ages
Jackie Kennedy Onassis (1929-1994) was the former First Lady of the United States. She was married to John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, who was assassinated in 1963. This informational text discusses Jackie's life and time as First Lady.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Jackie Kennedy Onassis (1929-1994) was the former First Lady of the United States. She was married to John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, who was assassinated in 1963. This informational text discusses Jackie's life and time as First Lady.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Total Control in North Korea
North Korea is a country on the Korean Peninsula of East Asia that is run by an authoritarian government, meaning it has strong central power that limits political freedoms. Today’s North and South Korea were once treated as one political unit, annexed by the Empire of Japan from 1910 until the end of World War II. Following World War II, the U.S.S.R. occupied North Korea and the U.S. occupied South Korea with the goal of reuniting them, a goal that failed in 1948 when the regions became two separate states. These two states went to war from 1950 to 1953 before reaching a ceasefire. The Kim Dynasty has led North Korea from 1948 until today, with three successive supreme leaders: Kim Il-sung (1948-1994), Kim Jong-il (1994-2011), and Kim Jong-un (2011-present).
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
North Korea is a country on the Korean Peninsula of East Asia that is run by an authoritarian government, meaning it has strong central power that limits political freedoms. Today’s North and South Korea were once treated as one political unit, annexed by the Empire of Japan from 1910 until the end of World War II. Following World War II, the U.S.S.R. occupied North Korea and the U.S. occupied South Korea with the goal of reuniting them, a goal that failed in 1948 when the regions became two separate states. These two states went to war from 1950 to 1953 before reaching a ceasefire. The Kim Dynasty has led North Korea from 1948 until today, with three successive supreme leaders: Kim Il-sung (1948-1994), Kim Jong-il (1994-2011), and Kim Jong-un (2011-present).
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Berlin Wall
This article explains how, for three decades, the Berlin Wall stood as a symbol of the Cold War, separating families and forcing a comparison between socialist and capitalist ideals. When the wall came down in 1989, the process of German reunification was more complicated than simply re-drawing boundaries.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
This article explains how, for three decades, the Berlin Wall stood as a symbol of the Cold War, separating families and forcing a comparison between socialist and capitalist ideals. When the wall came down in 1989, the process of German reunification was more complicated than simply re-drawing boundaries.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
German Man Receives Contest Prize 45 Years Later
In 2014, a German man named Gunter Zettl was told that he had won a radio contest 45 years earlier, at a time when his country was in political turmoil.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
In 2014, a German man named Gunter Zettl was told that he had won a radio contest 45 years earlier, at a time when his country was in political turmoil.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Cold War Rivals: Cuba and the U.S.
As of the early 2000s, steps have been taken to normalize the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba, and thus thaw the lingering 50-plus years of Cold War tensions. The following article covers Cuba’s participation in the Cold War, focusing on the rise of its former leader Fidel Castro.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
As of the early 2000s, steps have been taken to normalize the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba, and thus thaw the lingering 50-plus years of Cold War tensions. The following article covers Cuba’s participation in the Cold War, focusing on the rise of its former leader Fidel Castro.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement, a social movement in the U.S. that worked to end racial segregation and discrimination against African-Americans. King's contributions to this movement continue to be felt today and inspire others to combat inequality through nonviolence.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement, a social movement in the U.S. that worked to end racial segregation and discrimination against African-Americans. King's contributions to this movement continue to be felt today and inspire others to combat inequality through nonviolence.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Malcolm X
Malcolm X was an African-American Muslim minister and Civil Rights activist. His contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and the enthusiasm with which he pursued rights for African-Americans continues to be admired today. In this informational text, Barrett Smith discusses Malcolm X's life and his various contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Malcolm X was an African-American Muslim minister and Civil Rights activist. His contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and the enthusiasm with which he pursued rights for African-Americans continues to be admired today. In this informational text, Barrett Smith discusses Malcolm X's life and his various contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Daisy Girl Ad
In the 1964 Presidential Election, Republican candidate Barry Goldwater ran against the incumbent, President Lyndon B. Johnson. This election occurred at the height of the Cold War, a war between the U.S. and Soviet Russia which began just after World War II. It was called the Cold War because it did not involve direct combat between U.S. and Soviet forces; instead, each side armed itself heavily in preparation for nuclear warfare.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
In the 1964 Presidential Election, Republican candidate Barry Goldwater ran against the incumbent, President Lyndon B. Johnson. This election occurred at the height of the Cold War, a war between the U.S. and Soviet Russia which began just after World War II. It was called the Cold War because it did not involve direct combat between U.S. and Soviet forces; instead, each side armed itself heavily in preparation for nuclear warfare.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
LBJ & The Great Society
Lyndon Baines Johnson, commonly called LBJ, was the 36th U.S. President. Johnson is remembered in part for his program titled "Great Society", which included a variety of legislation to improve life in America for people in need. Former Newsweek correspondent Mike Kubic further discusses Johnson's "Great Society" and the effects his legislation had on America.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Lyndon Baines Johnson, commonly called LBJ, was the 36th U.S. President. Johnson is remembered in part for his program titled "Great Society", which included a variety of legislation to improve life in America for people in need. Former Newsweek correspondent Mike Kubic further discusses Johnson's "Great Society" and the effects his legislation had on America.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
RFK's Speech Following the Death of MLK
Senator Robert F. Kennedy served as U.S. Attorney General from 1961-1964 before becoming a U.S. Senator for New York in 1964. He delivered this speech after the Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. While campaigning for U.S. President two months later, Robert Kennedy was assassinated as well.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Senator Robert F. Kennedy served as U.S. Attorney General from 1961-1964 before becoming a U.S. Senator for New York in 1964. He delivered this speech after the Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. While campaigning for U.S. President two months later, Robert Kennedy was assassinated as well.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was fought between North Vietnam (supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other communist allies), and the government of South Vietnam (supported by the U.S>, the Philippines, and other anti-communist allies). This informational text provides details about the war.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Vietnam War was fought between North Vietnam (supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other communist allies), and the government of South Vietnam (supported by the U.S>, the Philippines, and other anti-communist allies). This informational text provides details about the war.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Resistance to the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War took place in the East Asian countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The U.S. Government saw its involvement as a way to prevent communism from spreading in the region. The war was very unpopular with Americans citizens, as many believed it was unfair, unnecessary, and unjustifiable. This informational text provides details about the resistance to the war.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Vietnam War took place in the East Asian countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The U.S. Government saw its involvement as a way to prevent communism from spreading in the region. The war was very unpopular with Americans citizens, as many believed it was unfair, unnecessary, and unjustifiable. This informational text provides details about the resistance to the war.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
Memories of Refugee Camp After Vietnam War
The Vietnam War, which occurred between 1955 and 1975, was fought between the North Vietnamese army and the South Vietnamese army. It is considered a Cold War-era proxy war because the North Vietnamese army was supported by the Soviet Union, while the South Vietnamese army had the support of the United States and other anti-communist allies. The war ended with the fall of Saigon in November 1975, which marked the beginning of a period of reunification of Vietnam under communist rule. Due to the horrific violence, approximately 2 million Vietnamese people fled their country between 1975 and 1995 and were resettled in such countries as the United States, Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
The Vietnam War, which occurred between 1955 and 1975, was fought between the North Vietnamese army and the South Vietnamese army. It is considered a Cold War-era proxy war because the North Vietnamese army was supported by the Soviet Union, while the South Vietnamese army had the support of the United States and other anti-communist allies. The war ended with the fall of Saigon in November 1975, which marked the beginning of a period of reunification of Vietnam under communist rule. Due to the horrific violence, approximately 2 million Vietnamese people fled their country between 1975 and 1995 and were resettled in such countries as the United States, Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.
