United States in the 20th Century: Using the Sources

Subject: History
Level: Secondary
Age Group: 14 - 16
Order Number: 7134

This highly informative pack targets the skills students need to analyse historical sources. It is aimed primarily at students aged 14-16 years, but would be valuable to any secondary courses in the history of the United States.

The pack covers the main themes of American history from 1919 to 1939, divided into the following chapters:

1. Why did the United States follow an isolationist policy after the 1st World War?
2. Why were the 1920s a time of growth and tension in the United States?
3. Prohibition: a good idea that went wrong?
4. What does the Scopes Trial show about 'conservative' trends in the United States in the 1920s?
5. Why did the Wall Street Crash occur?
6. Why was the Depression a tragedy for Americans?
7. What changes did the New Deal Alphabet Agencies bring?

Written by an experienced teacher and examiner at both GCSE and A Level, this pack contains an interesting range of source material, with advice to students, and assignments for them to tackle. Working through the pack should ensure that students gain a firm grounding in analysing historical sources.