AP US History AMSCO Guided Notes
8.15: Continuity and Change in Period 8
AMSCO Guided Notes
AP US History Guided Notes
AMSCO 8.15 - Continuity and Change in Period 8
Learning Objectives
- Explain the extent to which the events of the period from 1945 to 1980 reshaped national identity.
I. Continuity and Change in Period 8
1. How did the Cold War challenge Americans' self-image as leaders of the free world?
2. What major areas of American identity underwent significant change between 1945 and 1980?
3. How did the post-World War II generation differ from previous generations in their values and lifestyle choices?
A. Military Commitment and the Draft
1. Why did the Selective Service draft become unpopular with younger Americans by the 1970s?
2. What was the Nixon Doctrine and how did it reflect changing American willingness to commit ground forces abroad?
B. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
1. How did the Red Scare test Americans' commitment to the Bill of Rights and freedom of speech?
2. What did civil rights movements reveal about Americans' differing interpretations of the Constitution and freedom?
3. What progress was made in the legal standing of women and minorities during this period, and what obstacles remained?
C. Economic Change and American Identity
1. How did America's position as the world's economic powerhouse change during the period from 1945 to 1980?
2. What economic pressures did American wage earners and the middle class face by the 1970s?
3. How did the rise of populist politicians like George Wallace reflect economic and social anxieties of the working and middle classes?
D. Cultural and Generational Change
1. How did the post-World War II generation redefine concepts of status, work, and personal freedom?
2. What role did changes in music, dress, and lifestyle play in reshaping American identity during this period?
II. Think as a Historian: Argumentation—Support and Reasoning
1. Why is it important to evaluate the relative strength and relevance of different pieces of evidence when constructing historical arguments?
2. How do the reasoning processes of causation, comparison, and continuity and change apply to historical argumentation?
A. Providing Unity: Extending the Thesis
1. How should a conclusion extend and refine a thesis statement rather than simply restating it?
2. What is the difference between a weak conclusion that merely restates the thesis and a strong conclusion that extends it?
B. Demonstrating Complexity
1. What does it mean to demonstrate complexity by corroborating, qualifying, or modifying an argument with diverse evidence?
2. How can analyzing multiple variables and considering source credibility help develop a nuanced historical argument?