Great Debates in American History

Grade Levels

11th Grade, 12th Grade

Course, Subject

Related Academic Standards

Analyze the sources, purposes, functions of law, and how the rule of law protects individual rights and promotes the common good.

5.1.12.C 5.1.12.C

Evaluate the application of the principles and ideals in contemporary civic life.

Liberty / Freedom
Democracy
Justice
Equality

5.1.12.D 5.1.12.D

Evaluate state and federal powers based on significant documents and other critical sources.

Declaration of Independence
United States Constitution
Bill of Rights
Pennsylvania Constitution

5.1.12.F 5.1.12.F

Evaluate the role of nationalism in uniting and dividing citizens.

5.1.C.A 5.1.C.A

Analyze the sources, purposes, functions of law, and how the rule of law protects individual rights and promotes the common good.

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Note

Please note that the numbers after the questions listed below corresponds to the approximate year the debate took place. The units and debates are arranged in chronological order starting with the earliest in 1692 to the most recent in 1983.

Description

The Great Debates feature consists of 12 debates, one for every unit of the text. Each of these debates contains an introduction that states the topic of the debate, examines the background of this issue, provides information about both the readings and the debaters, and discusses the debate topic from a contemporary perspective. Units feature the conflicting viewpoints of two or more historical figures or organizations and a worksheet that helps students analyze the debate through a series of comprehension and critical thinking questions.

Developed and written by Peter Pappas as a supplement to: A History of the United States, Daniel Boorstin, (Needham: Prentice-Hall, 1989)

Essential Questions

Unit 1: How Should Society Balance the Need for Tolerance with the Need to Protect Itself? (1692)

Unit 2: How Powerful Should the National Government Be? (1787)

Unit 3: Who Should Be Allowed to Vote? (1821)

Unit 4: Should Women Have Equal Treatment Under the Law? (1848)

Unit 5: How Should Americans Treat the Land? (1855)

Unit 6: Has Industrialization Produced More Benefits or More Problems for the Nation? (1889)

Unit 7: Should the United States Pursue a Foreign Policy of Isolationism or Interventionism? (1898)

Unit 8: What Should the Nation's Immigration Policy Be? (1916)

Unit 9: To What Extent Is the Federal Government Responsible for the Welfare and Security of the Individual? (1932)

Unit 10: Is Civil Disobedience Ever Justified as a Method of Political Change? (1963)

Unit 11: What Are the Limits of a Free Press? (1971)

Unit 12: How Much Should the Nation Invest in Defense? (1983)

Great Debates in American History

Click on the PDF documents below:

Overview and Answer Key

Credits

Provided courtesy of Peter Pappas www.peterpappas.com
For more instructional resources, visit his project showcase at: www.edteck.com
For Document-Based Question ideas, visit his website “Teaching with Documents” www.edteck.com/dbq

Great Debates in American History