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Episodes 11-12:
Before or after watching this episode, SUPERPOWER/MILLENNIUM
encourage students to define and
review the terms below. Students Introduction
may also want to make their own
lists of new vocabulary words and The final two episodes of this series look at defining moments in
identification terms as they watch. U.S history from 1945 on and trace them back to their antecedents
in earlier American history. Some of the nation’s most prominent
Authoritarian personalities and leaders share their ideas on the definitive moments
Counterculture in American history, and reflect on what is unique about the U.S.
Definitive
Exceptionalism The story of post-war America is retold though multiple voices –
Innovation events explored include the building of the interstate highways and
Prosperity suburbia, the tensions of the Cold War, the euphoria of the Civil
Silicon Rights movement, the role of hippies and counterculture, the dark
Suburbia hours of Vietnam and Watergate, the Reagan era, the rise of Silicon
Valley and the groundbreaking election of President Barack Obama.
2. W
hat do you think have been the five most important events in U.S. history
since WWII?
3. M
any historians debate whether or not the U.S. has seen continual progress
throughout its history, or if there have been moments of back-peddling or
regression. How do you define progress in history? Do you think the U.S. has
always progressed? Discuss.
4. If you could interview one American about our nation’s past, who would it be,
and why?
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augural Ad dress (excerp
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truments
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Further Explorations:
“Our challe e m m a y b e
we meet th epends – h
ard
with which
What else was going on during this time
r s u cc e s s d
n which ou rance period? Explore the sites below to learn more
values upo g e a n d fa ir play, tole about the era of U.S. history covered in this
ra
onesty, cou – these
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episode.
ya lt y a n d patriotism ve
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in g s a re tr ue. They ha View videos and read more about many
ld. These th throughout
our topics discussed in these episodes
things are o f p ro g re ss www.history.com
uiet force o return to
been the q a n d e d then is a
d e m new Go to the Library of Congress online and in
history. Wh
at is
q u ir e d o f us now is a person to learn about our nation’s history
s. What is re n, on the p
art of www.loc.gov
these truth a re co g n it io
onsibility – elves,
era of resp e h a ve d u ties to ours Visit the Smithsonian National Museum of
rican, that w that we do
not American History to explore the past online
every Ame rl d ; d u ti e s and in person
and the wo e gladly, firm
in
our nation ra th e r s e iz http://americanhistory.si.edu
accept but ing so satis
fying
grudgingly e re is n o th Visit the National September 11th Memorial
dge that th haracter, th
an
the knowle
and Museum online
g o f o u r c
, so definin
www.national911memorial.org
to the spirit difficult tas
k.”
u r a ll to a
giving o Places to Visit: