Ahh, Spring Break, Easter, Passover, and other spring holidays. In the US, these festivals take on new meanings during the 1950s. New kitchen technology, highways, the fear of the Cold War, and civil rights issues, to name a few. This module has two cold war videos, a race podcast, videos on the 50s and 60s, and a podcast about highways. I have also included a set of docs from the President Eisenhower Library about civil rights in the 1950s. Please talk to me about these events through the lens of the Spring holidays. Write a story, a PowerPoint, a podcast, etc. What do I mean by the lens of festivals/holidays? In the US, thanksgiving, easter, memorial day, and July 4 each represent freedom, equality, choice, liberty, being thankful for what this nation offers, and more. This week you might celebrate Easter. Read, listen to, and watch at least one item of the cold war videos or podcasts. Watch one video or podcast about race and civil rights. Listen to the Highways podcast, and choose four of the docs to read from the President Eisenhower Library about civil rights in the 1950s (beginning with Brown vs. BOE through the attorney general statement). In total, you will be working off of 4 documents and 3 videos or podcasts.
Use these podcasts as well as an option.
The Cold War – The Nature of RiskLinks to an external site.
The Cold War – Nuclear FearLinks to an external site.
Think about it this way: what freedoms do highways give us? Is everyone able to celebrate spring festivals? Are all races, social classes, and religions free to enjoy or have access to the freedoms of the highways, civil rights, and new technologies? What effect did the cold war have on US citizens at times like spring/fall festivals? Did the cold war threaten those freedoms? What did the government think about liberties and civil rights in the fifties? Again, think big history. Link ideas you never thought had anything in common. If you choose a power point or any presentation application, ten slides is an excellent place to start. A podcast, at least 5 minutes. Essay, oh, at least three pages. I cannot stress analysis enough. Please do not just state facts. That is not analysis. This is an assignment worth many points; please submit work worthy of those points.
Have fun and good luck!
