discussion Topics
Instructions:
• To successfully complete this week’s assignments, read the following chapters from the text, A History of the United States since 1865:
• Chapter Four – Grand Expectations, 1945-1974
• To successfully complete this week’s assignments, listen to a podcast available at the following website:
• 1945 to the Present | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
• Grand Expectations
The years from 1945 to 1974 were an era of Grand Expectations. At the end of World War II, spontaneous celebrations filled downtown streets across the nation. The war was over. Sons and daughters were coming home. Democracy triumphed over fascism. The Great Depression was a memory. Prosperity was ahead. It was time to purchase a home, start a family, and return to work. However, despite the optimism, new concerns were on the horizon. Select what you consider to be the most significant challenge of this era and discuss its historical significance. Make sure to incorporate what you learned from the Multi-Media podcast you selected this week. Include the name of the historian, his or her central argument, the title of the podcast, and how it relates to the topic of the week. Also, incorporate and cite in APA format one of the primary sources in your response that you found in the textbook.
• Individual Influence
Every era in American history has had notable men and women who shaped their times, for better or worse. Identify one person from this week’s reading who you believe had a significant impact on the years from 1945 to 1974. This could include a president who introduced important policies that changed the country, a social activist who inspired reform, or someone else who had an important positive or negative impact on this era. Briefly explain who this person was, their specific “individual influence” on the times, and then discuss why you made your selection.
