Kings U.S. History - U.S. Foreign Affairs

Kings U.S. History

Preparing for the Future by Studying the Past

20^th Century U.S. Foreign Affairs (1872-Present)

U.S. Foreign Affairs will start by analyzing the reasons countries gain control of territory through imperialism and the impact on people living in the area controlled. Next, students will study U.S. involvement in World War I and the connections with the onset of World War II. Students will then examine connections between World War II, the Cold War and contemporary conflicts. Intertwined in this study is an analysis of how various forms of government determine how power is acquired and used.

The content of U.S. History is based on the Ohio Content Standards. For the Foreign Affairs Unit, the following standards are used to guide students through this theme.

History Standards

Benchmark C. Analyze the reasons that countries gained control of territory through imperialism and the impact on people living in the territory that was controlled.

Imperialism

Grade 10

5. Trace the development of the United States as a world power with emphasis on

a. The Spanish-American War

b. United States imperialism in the Far East, South Pacific, Caribbean and Central America

Benchmark D. Connect developments related to World War I with the onset of World War II.

20th Century Conflict

Grade 10

6. Trace the development of the United States as a world power with emphasis on

a. The decision to enter into World War I

b. President Wilson’s Fourteen Points

c. The Treaty of Versailles

d. The decision of the United States not to participate in the League of Nations

7. Analyze the impact of United States participation in World War II, with emphasis on the change from isolationism to international involvement including the reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Benchmark E. Analyze connections between World War II, the Cold War and contemporary conflicts.

20^th Century Conflict

Grade 10

8. Explain how the Cold War and related conflicts influenced United States foreign policy after 1945 with emphasis on

a. The Marshall Plan

b. Communist containment, including the Truman Doctrine, Berlin Blockade and Cuban Missile Crisis

c. The Korean War and the Vietnam War

Government Standards

Benchmark B. Analyze the differences among various forms of government to determine how power is acquired and used.

Grade 9

1. Explain how various systems of governments acquire, use and justify their power.

2. Analyze the purposes, structures and functions of various systems of government including

a. Absolute monarchies

b. Constitutional monarchies

c. Parliamentary democracies

d. Presidential democracies

e. Dictatorships

f. Theocracies

Social Studies Skills and Methods Standards

Benchmark A. Evaluate the reliability and credibility of sources.

Thinking and Organizing

Grade 9

2. Evaluate the credibility of sources for

a. logical fallacies

b. Consistency of arguments

c. Unstated assumptions

d. Bias

Benchmark B. Use data and evidence to support or refute a thesis.

Communicating Information

Grade 10

3. Analyze one or more issues and present a persuasive argument to defend a position.