US Foreign Policy
Teaching Activity PDFs
A Revolution of Values
Teaching Activity PDF. By the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 3 pages.
Text of speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the Vietnam War, followed by three teaching ideas.
Civil Rights Movements, Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Whose “Terrorism”?
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 11 pages.
Using scenarios based on real situations, this lesson helps middle and high school students examine the definition of terrorism and the use of the term terrorism in the media and U.S. foreign policy.
What War Looks Like
Background Reading for Teachers and High School Students PDF. By Howard Zinn. 4 pages.
An essay by Howard Zinn on the impact of war.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
U.S. Mexico War: “We Take Nothing by Conquest, Thank God”
Teaching Activity PDF. Lesson by Bill Bigelow and student reading by Howard Zinn. 21 pages.
Interactive activity introduces students to the history and often untold story of the U.S. Mexico War.
Imperialism, Latino, Slavery, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
What the Tour Guide Didn’t Tell Me: Tourism, Colonialism, and Resistance in Hawai’i
Teaching Activity. By Wayne Wah Kwai Au. 5 pages.
Lesson on the history of Hawai’i and the impact of colonization and tourism.
Asian American, Imperialism, Pacific Islander, Racism & Racial Identity, US Foreign Policy
History Textbooks: “Theirs” and “Ours”: A Rebellion or a War of Independence?
Teaching Activity PDF. By John DeRose. 4 pages.
Analysis of textbook passages from different countries, videos and books are used to explore different perspectives about the same event in history, i.e. “Philippine-American War” vs. “War of Philippine Independence”.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Haiku and Hiroshima: Teaching About the Atomic Bomb
Teaching Activity PDF. By Wayne Au. 3 pages.
Lesson for high school students on the bombing of Hiroshima using the film Barefoot Gen and haiku.
Language Arts, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
The Other Internment: Teaching the Hidden Story of Japanese Latin Americans During WWII
Teaching Activity PDF. By Moé Yonamine. 18 pages.
Poetry, photography, and text are used in this role play to teach about the often untold history of Japanese Latin American internment during WWII.
Asian American, Civil Rights Movements, Criminal Justice, Democracy & Citizenship, Immigration, Laws & Citizen Rights, Racism & Racial Identity, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Rethinking the Teaching of the Vietnam War
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 8 pages.
A role play on the history of the Vietnam War that is left out of traditional textbooks.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
ANPO: Art X War: A film tackles the U.S. occupation of Japan.
Film review and teaching activity. By Moé Yonamine. From Rethinking Schools.
ANPO is a documentary about visual resistance to U.S. military bases in Japan by Japan’s foremost contemporary artists.
Art & Music, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
Bush II and the “War on Terror”
Teaching Activity PDF. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 18 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 24 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on George W. Bush, the “War on Terror,” Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Patriot Act.
Democracy & Citizenship, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
The Carter–Reagan–Bush Consensus
Teaching Activity PDF. By Ron Perry. 16 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 21 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on the recently rising disparities in power, wealth and quality of life in America.
Challenging Bill Clinton
Teaching Activity PDF. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 17 pages. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 23 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on the Clinton presidency, as well as domestic opposition to his policies.
Individuals in US History, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Dirty Oil and Shovel-Ready Jobs: A Role Play on Tar Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline
Teaching Activity. By Abby Mac Phail. 12 pages.
Role play on the Keystone XL Pipeline battle.
Environment & Food, Native American, Organizing, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
The Expansion of Empire
Teaching Activity PDF. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 15 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 12 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on internal dissent over American expansionist policies.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Losing Control in the 1970s
Teaching Activity PDF. By Jennifer Rosebrook. 16 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 20 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on the legacy of scandal since the end of the Vietnam War and the Watergate break-in.
Democracy & Citizenship, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
The Most Dangerous Man in America Teaching Guide
Teaching Activities. Zinn Education Project. 2010. 100 pages.
Eight lessons for use with the documentary film about Daniel Ellsberg, the Pentagon Papers, the Vietnam War, and whistleblowing.
Media, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Panama, the 1991 Gulf War, and the War at Home
Teaching Activity PDF. By Robert Standish. 15 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 22 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on Panama, the 1991 Gulf War, and the War on the Poor in the United States.
Vietnam and Beyond: The Historic Resistance
Teaching Activity PDF. By Mike Benbow and Robin Pickering. 17 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 18 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on opposition to the Vietnam War.
Imperialism, Social Class, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
World War II and McCarthyism
Teaching Activity PDF. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 19 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 16 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on domestic opposition to the “good war” and the impact of McCarthyism.
Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Teaching Guides
Caribbean Connections: Moving North
Teaching Guide. Edited by Catherine Sunshine and Keith Warner. 2005. 240 pages.
Literature and essays about Caribbean life in the United States.
Resistance in Paradise: Rethinking 100 Years of U.S. Involvement in the Caribbean and the Pacific
Teaching Guide. Edited by Debbie Wei and Rachel Kamel. 1998. 199 pages.
Readings and teaching ideas for high school students on the Spanish-American War.
Pacific Islander, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World
Teaching Guide. Edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson. 2002. 402 pages. Grades 4 – 12.
An extensive collection of readings and source material on critical global issues, plus teaching ideas, lesson plans, and rich collections of resources for classroom teachers.
Articles
Empire or Humanity?: What the classroom didn’t teach me about the American empire
Article for Teachers and High School Students – PDF. By Howard Zinn. 4 pages.
An essay which raises questions about the justifications for empire building and imperialism.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Globalization: A View from Below
Reading – PDF. By Jean-Bertrand Aristide. 5 pages.
An essay on the impact of globalization, with the story of Haiti as an example.
Books: Fiction
Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba
Book – Fiction. 2009. 208 pages. Daniel has escaped Nazi Germany and must make his way in Cuba once New York turns away his ship full of refugees.
Immigration, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Books: Non-Fiction
“The Good War”: An Oral History of World War II
Book – Non-fiction. By Studs Terkel. 2004. 608 pages.
Interviews with over 120 people about WWII.
Addicted to War: Why the U.S. Can’t Kick Militarism, An Illustrated Guide
Book – Non-Fiction. By Joel Andreas. 2004. 77 pages.
A comic book expose on militarism in graphic format, making it accessible for high school and above.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Caribbean Connections: Overview of Regional History
Book – Non-fiction. Edited by Catherine Sunshine and Deborah Menkart. 1991. 180 pages.
Essential background reading to understand the history of the Caribbean.
Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic
Book – Non-fiction and Fiction. Edited by Gallin, Glasser, Santana. 2005. 250 pages.
Reader-friendly overview of the history, politics and culture of the fourth largest Latino community in the United States.
Art & Music, Immigration, Latino, Sports, US Foreign Policy, Women's History, World History/Global Studies
The Historic Unfulfilled Promise
Book – Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 2012. 184 pages.
Compilation of articles Zinn penned for The Progressive magazine from 1980 to 2009.
Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
Book – Non-fiction. By James W. Loewen. 2007. 464 pages.
Provides a detailed survey of twelve leading high school history textbooks.
Civil Rights Movements, Democracy & Citizenship, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery, US Foreign Policy
Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent
Book – Non-fiction. By Eduardo Galeano. 1997. 360 pages.
Gripping history of the land and people of Latin America.
A People’s History of American Empire: A Graphic Adaptation
Book – Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn and Mike Konopacki. 2008. 288 pages.
Graphic format with photos and narrative introduce parts of U.S. history.
Imperialism, Labor, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
A People’s History of the United States: 1492 – Present
Book – Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 2005. 702 pages.
Howard Zinn’s groundbreaking work on U.S. history. This book details the lives and facts that are rarely included in textbooks — an indispensable teacher and student resource.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Democracy & Citizenship, Economics, Education, Immigration, Imperialism, Labor, Laws & Citizen Rights, Native American, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery, Social Class, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
Book – Non-fiction. By Naomi Klein. 2008. 720 pages.
Klein demonstrates how shock has been used by global elites to push through a radical agenda of privatization and “free trade.”
The Vietnam Wars: 1945-1990
Book – Non-fiction. By Marilyn B. Young. 1991. 448 pages.
The history of the Vietnam War.
US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Vietnam: An Antiwar Comic Book
Book – Non-fiction. by Julian Bond and illustrated by T. G. Lewis. 1967. 19 pages.
A detailed history and analysis of the Vietnam War in an easy to read format.
African American, Racism & Racial Identity, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Films
Barefoot Gen: The Bombing of Hiroshima As Seen Through the Eyes of a Young Boy
DVD. By Geneon; directed by Mori Masaki. 1992. 170 min.
Barefoot Gen is a story about the devastating effects of war on everyday life.
US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Even the Rain/También la lluvia
Film. Directed by Icíar Bollaín and written by Paul Laverty. 2010. 103 minutes.
As a crew shoots a film about Columbus’ genocide, local people in Cochabamba, Bolivia rise up against plans to privatize the water supply.
Economics, Imperialism, Latino, Organizing, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
The Good Fight: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade and the Spanish Civil War
DVD. By Mary Dore, Noel Buckner, Sam Sills. 1984. 98 minutes.
Documentary narrated by Studs Terkel on the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.
Organizing, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Howard Zinn on Non-Violent Civil Disobedience
Film clip. 10 minutes. Howard Zinn. 1985.
Dr. Zinn’s testimony for the defense at the criminal trial of the AVCO Plowshares 7 where he describes the central role of civil disobedience in the history of the United States.
The Insular Empire: America in the Mariana Islands
Film. Directed by Vanessa Warheit. 2009. 60 minutes.
Documentary about U.S. colonies in the western Pacific.
Democracy & Citizenship, Imperialism, Pacific Islander, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
Rachel Corrie: “Letter from Palestine”
Film clip. Rachel Corrie’s “Letter from Palestine” (2003) is read by her mom, Cindy Corrie and Alice Walker. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Songs and Poems
Spanish/Bilingual
Adicto a la Guerra: Por que el E.E.U.U. no Puede Librarse del Militarismo
Book – Non-fiction. By Joel Andreas. 2005. 80 pages.
Spanish-language edition of the expose on militarism in graphic novel format. Accessible for high school and above.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Democracy Now!
Website. Radio program hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
Daily news radio program with voices rarely heard in corporate media.
Websites
Democracy Now!
Website. Radio program hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
Daily news radio program with voices rarely heard in corporate media.
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