Explore how the events and cultural and political changes that occurred in 1968 came to represent the upheaval and dramatic changes in American life during the 1960s. In this interactive lesson from WGBH, students develop a written argument in response to the question “Why did the year 1968 come to symbolize the 1960s as a decade of change in America? ” They gather evidence from videos featuring historian Ben Weber and from primary source documents and images. This resource is part of the Writing in U.S. History collection, the Calderwood Writing Course: U.S. History.

Consider how U.S. foreign policy changed in the aftermath of WWII, and analyze the philosophical, geopolitical, and economic factors that  influenced these changes. In this interactive lesson from WGBH, students develop a written argument in response to the question “How did U.S. foreign policy change in the aftermath of WWII, and what influenced these changes?” They gather evidence from videos featuring historian Ben Weber and from primary source speeches, documents, and images. This resource is part of the Writing in U.S. History collection, the Calderwood Writing Course: U.S. History.

Trace the causes and debates that led to the Spanish-American War, including “yellow journalism” press coverage, President McKinley’s declaration of war, and sentiments about imperialism. In this interactive lesson from WGBH, students develop a written argument in response to the question “Was the U.S. justified in going to war with Spain in 1898?” They gather evidence from videos featuring historian Ben Weber and from primary source documents, images, and cartoons. This resource is part of the Writing in U.S. History collection, the Calderwood Writing Course: U.S. History.

Assess how the Emancipation Proclamation expanded ideas of freedom and liberty, looking at the antislavery debate that led to the proclamation, the influences on Lincoln's decision, and the provisions of the document. In this interactive lesson from WGBH, students develop a written argument in response to the question “In what ways did the Emancipation Proclamation expand ideas of freedom and liberty in America?” They gather evidence from videos featuring historian Ben Weber and from primary source documents, images, and artifacts. This resource is part of the Writing in U.S. History collection, the Calderwood Writing Course: U.S. History.

Explore  the motivations for the Louisiana Purchase, as well as the terms of the purchase and its consequences. In this interactive lesson from WGBH, students develop a written argument in response to the question “Do you agree that the Louisiana Purchase was a ‘most splendid’ event?” They gather evidence from videos featuring historian Ben Weber and from primary source documents, images, and maps. This resource is part of the Writing in U.S. History collection, the Calderwood Writing Course: U.S. History.