Friday, April 12th

Today we began our last unit of the school year: The Cold War.  I gave you a new vocab list of 20 terms and definitions to copy into your notebooks.  You had the entire class period to work on this list.  This list is attached.

Homework: Vocab if not finished in class

Monday, April 15th

Today we began discussion on Germany after World War II and the Berlin Airlift.  After the war, Germany was split into two sections: East Germany & West Germany.  East Germany was under the influence of the Soviet Union and was communist, while West Germany was under the influence of the Western Allies and was democratic.  The city of Berlin was also split in two as well.  In June 1948, the Soviets set up a blockade around West Berlin, sealing off all land, water, and rail routes.  Aid came to the western half of the city by air, as supplies such as food, clothes, and coal were dropped by plane.  Children were excited to receive chocolate and gum by plane and realized the importance of their freedom.  Electricity only came on for 4 hours a day!  After a year, the Soviets gave up and called off the blockade in May 1949.  After some very brief notes, we watched a video clip that provided more detail on the airlift.

Homework: None

Monday, April 15th 

Today we began a map assignment related to the division of Germany and the city of Berlin following World War II.  You were to label and color code the different occupied zones within each.  You had the entire class period to work on this and all maps will be due tomorrow at the beginning of class. 

Homework: Germany Maps Due Tomorrow!

Tuesday, April 16th

Today we started a new lesson about the struggle and containment of communism.  We briefly discussed the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.  Some of these included a power struggle and an arms race/military buildup.  We discussed the differences between countries and new types of weapons being built during this time - nuclear.  We also learned about the Truman Doctrine - the United States' plan to send military and economic support to countries threatened by communism.

Homework: None

Wednesday, April 17th 

Today we talked more in depth about the fight to contain communism.  As the Soviets practiced a policy of expansion, meaning they created/helped communist governments in countries in Eastern Europe, the West practiced a policy of containment, meaning they tried to stop the Soviet expansion by containing it in the Soviet Union.  The United States' policy of containment, specifically, used programs such as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan in order to help it. We also learned about 2 military alliances: NATO & the Warsaw Pact.  NATO was an alliance of democratic nations such as the U.S., Great Britain, and Canada, who vowed to help each other when attacked by communist nations.  The Warsaw Pact was another alliance of communist nations such as the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, who vowed to help each other when attacked by free nations. 

We also discussed the recently expansion of NATO, with the admissions of Finland & Sweden in the last year that was sparked by the ongoing war between Russia & Ukraine. 

Homework: None

Thursday, April 18th & Friday, April 19th

Today we began our last map of the school year!  On a map of Europe, you had to label the member countries of the Warsaw Pact and of NATO, which we learned about in class this week.  

Homework: Post-World War II Map Due Monday

Monday, April 22nd - Wednesday, April 24th

Today you started a worksheet about Worldwide Cold War.  The text focused on how the Cold War was affecting the rest of the world, as we have already looked at how the United States and Soviet Union were affected.  For instance, the worksheet and reading focused on the Cuban Missile Crisis and the issues surrounding it.  There was some information which continued to focus on the US and the Soviet Union, specifically the arms race between the two and the different nuclear weapons each was developing and producing. 

Homework: None

Monday, April 29th

Today we focused on the Korean War (1950-1953), a conflict that occurred during the Cold War.  In 1950, communist North Korea advanced into South Korea and captured most of the country.  The United Nations and United States came to its aid, forming a task force with 17 other countries.  The forces were led by U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, who was able to push the North Koreans back well into their own territory and almost to the Chinese border.  Unfortunately, Chinese forces were sent to assist North Korea by Mao Zedong and, with their help, the North Koreans recaptured their country.  The fighting continued to bounce back and forth between both sides of the Korean border until finally, in 1953, both sides signed an armistice.  The border ended up just where it was before the war, along the 38th parallel. 

Homework: None

Tuesday, April 30th

Today we spent the class learning more details about the Berlin Wall we first learned about last week.  We learned that the wall was constructed in 1961 by the East German government and stretched 96 miles around the western half of the city.  The wall was made of concrete, topped with barbed wire and patrolled by guards.  171 people were killed trying to escape, while 5,000 were successful.  After 4 slides of brief notes, we watched 2 video clips of Peter Jennings reporting on the fall of the wall from Berlin in November 1989.  He told us that during the weekend of freedom, an estimated 3 million people crossed the border, but only 9,000 asked to stay permanently.  Most East Germans and Berliners were poor, so they could not afford to stay in the west. 

Homework: None

Thursday, May 1st - Friday, May 10th

Work days for your Cold War projects.  All projects are due by Sunday night, May 12th. Presentations should be submitted via Teams and will count as a quiz grade.  

Homework: Projects due May 12th

Monday, May 13th

Today we started to discuss the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.  It is important to realize that events, such as this, were ocurring around the world aside from the fact that many of the major powers were tied up in the Cold War.  Because the Cold War was not an actual war and was more of a build up of nuclear weapons and expansion/containment of communism, especially in the United States and Eastern Europe, other things were able to happen at the same time. 

Homework: None

Tuesday, May 14th - Wednesday, May 15th

Today we watched a documentary about Rosa Parks, Mother of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.  The film was meant to give you some more details about the Montgomery Bus Boycott that we learned about last week that began in December 1955.  During the film, each of you were to complete the worksheet that is attached below. 

Video Recording 1

Video Recording 2

Homework: None