Cold War | Differing Perspectives of the U.S. & S.U. | Document Based Activity

In this Cold War Era Document Based Activity, you have everything you need to have your students investigate the differing perspectives of the United States and Soviet Union at the end of WWII using primary sources & political cartoons.

 Primary Source excerpts include:

• Excerpt from President Truman’s speech to Congress, March 12, 1947
• Excerpt from Secretary of State Marshall’s speech June 5, 1947
• “The Iron Curtain Speech”
• “The Long Telegram”
• Speech by Khrushchev
• NATO Treaty
• And more!

 Each source addresses one of the following questions:

1. Was Europe divided by the Iron Curtain?
2. How did the United States and Soviet Union view the post-war world?
3. Should economic aid be sent to Europe?
4. Were the U.S. and S.U. taking sides against one another?

 At the end of this activity your students will be able to answer the overall question: “How did the perspectives of the U.S. and S.U. differ at the end of WWII that affected world peace for decades to come?”

 Your students will work in pairs or independently to:

1) Read and analyze 13 primary source excerpts & political cartoons and answer
the comprehension questions about these sources (handout with questions provided) that will guide their understanding. (Answer Key included)

2) Use their understanding of the sources to create a poem from 2 perspectives- handout (with student directions) which will allow you to assess their understanding of the differing perspectives of the U.S. and S.U. at the end of WWII. CREATIVE ACTIVITY!

 ***Includes a Traditional and Google version for your use!

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Contributor: Learning is a Passion