Download McCarthyism Lesson Plan

Course: U.S. History
Grade Level: 10
Title: Understanding McCarthyism Through Primary Sources
Lesson Summary: A major push within secondary social studies classrooms is to incorporate the
use of primary sources in learning history. This lesson will teach students how
to analyze primary sources in order to better understand the origins of
McCarthyism and the fallout of McCarthyism.
Estimated Lesson Duration: 1 day
Preparation:
1. Divide students pairs.
2. Arrange for time in the Media Center computer lab.
3. Notify the students that they will need to meet you in the Media Center computer lab for
the day of the lesson.
Instructional Procedures:
1st Day of the Lesson (U.S. Archives)
1. Have the students sit with their partners.
2. Pass out copies of the instruction sheets for the students (one copy per pair).
3. Pass out the copies of the “Document Analysis Sheet” (2 total for the pair, one for each
document).
4. Inform the students that they will have the period to complete the assignment as laid out in
the Instruction Sheet. (35-40 minutes)
5. Discuss the findings of the background of Senator McCarthy as well as the documents. (5
minutes)
6. For homework, pass out copies of the “McCarthy-Welch Exchange from the Army-McCarthy
Hearings Note Sheet.” Students will need to bring a pair of headphones to the school
library, use the public library, or listen to the speech at home. The option is also
available to simply read the transcription at home.
7. Inform the students that they will need to review their information over night in order to
prepare for the quiz tomorrow.
Day after the lesson
1. Pass out copies of the post-test to the students (allocate about 5-7 minutes for this or less
depending on the students ability to answer the questions).
2. Collect the copies of the post-test.
Differentiated Instructional Support:
For the portion of the lesson pertaining to the U.S. Archives, students who are weaker with
interpreting material can be paired with those that are stronger. Additional time to complete the
assignment can also be extended as necessary. The students could also use the transcript of the
Army-McCarthy Hearings as a script in class to act out the hearings.
Extension:
Students can use the web link http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/herblock/fire.html to access
an online exhibition on Political Cartoons dealing with the Red Scare of the 1950’s by Herbert L.
Block better known as “Herblock.” Ideas for the site include:
 Critiques
 Design of their own cartoons expressing the “atmosphere” during the 1950’s
Materials/Resources Needed:
 For the teacher: CPU, digital projector, peripheral speakers for the audio portion of the
lesson, overhead screen, web connection, copies of the post-test, copies of the audio
transcript for students who prefer to read the speech (optional at the teachers discretion).
 For the students: Notebooks, textbooks, pen or pencil.
Key Vocabulary:
 Joseph McCarthy
 Communism/Communist
 House Committee on Un-American Activities
Technology Connections: This lesson will make use of the U.S. Archives website and American
Rhetoric website. The specific links are as follows:
 U.S. Archives (http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/mccarthy-telegram/)
 American Rhetoric (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/welch-mccarthy.html)
Worksheets:
 Post test (See attached)
 Primary Source Evaluation Sheet (See attached)
 U.S. Archives Instruction Sheet (See attached)
 McCarthy-Welch Exchange from the Army-McCarthy Hearings Note Sheet (See Attached)
Ohio Academic Content Standards:
Social Studies:
Grade: 10
Standard: History
Benchmark: F
Organizer: 20th Century Conflict
Indicator: 12b (Explain the domestic developments after 1945 with emphasis on…McCarthyism).
Library Guidelines:
Grade: 10
Standard: Technology Literacy
Benchmark: C
Organizer: Evaluating Sources
Indicator: 4 (Examine the information retrieved through Internet searching for authenticity of
information, bias, currency, relevance and appropriateness).
Evaluation:
The post-test will serve as the evaluation for the lesson. This should serve as a short-assessment
for the students. Short and extended response questions as needed.
Names: ___________________________________
___________________________________
U.S. History _____°
Date: ___________________________________
U.S. Archives Instructions Sheet (Complete with your partner)
1. Type the following address into the address bar in Internet Explorer: www.archives.gov
2. Locate the search box in the upper right hand corner. Type in the following: “McCarthy” and click
on Go.
3. In the results list, click on the link titled “Educators and Students - Telegram from Senator Joseph
McCarthy to President Harry S. Truman.”
4. Complete the following tasks:
a. Read the Background information on Senator McCarthy and answer the following:
1. Why did Senator McCarthy choose to claim that he had proof of 200 communists
working within the State Department?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. What was it about communism that would attract people to it during the Great
Depression in the United States? (Not in the reading)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. Explain the roll of HUAC and what was the significance of the Alger Hiss trial?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. What events added credibility to the statements that Senator McCarthy in
Wheeling, West Virginia?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. Explain whether you and your partner feel that the accusations of Senator
McCarthy were either healthy or unhealthy for the country.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
b. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen:
1. Click on the “Telegram from Senator Joseph McCarthy to President Harry S.
Truman”
• Complete the document analysis worksheet on the Telegram.
2. Click on the “Reply from President Harry S. Truman to Senator Joseph
McCarthy”
• Complete the document analysis worksheet on the Reply Telegram.
Names: ________________________________
________________________________
U.S. History _____°
Date: ___________________________________
Written Document Analysis Worksheet
1. TYPE OF DOCUMENT (Check one):
___ Newspaper
___ Map
___ Letter
___ Telegram
___ Patent
___ Press release
___ Memorandum
___ Report
___ Advertisement
___ Congressional record
___ Census report
___ Other
2. UNIQUE PHYSICAL QUALITIES OF THE DOCUMENT (Check one or more):
___ Interesting letterhead
___ Seals
___ “RECEIVED” stamp
___ Handwritten
___ Notations
___ Other
___ Typed
3. DATE(S) OF DOCUMENT: _________________________________________________________
4. AUTHOR (OR CREATOR) OF THE DOCUMENT: ___________________
5. POSITION (TITLE): __________ (Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Center, None)
6. FOR WHAT AUDIENCE WAS THE DOCUMENT WRITTEN? _______________________________
7. DOCUMENT INFORMATION (There are many possible ways to answer A-E.)
A. List three things the author said that you think are important:
1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
B. Why do you think this document was written?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
C. What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? Quote from the
document.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
D. List two things the document tells you about life in the United States at the time it was
written:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
E. Write a question to the author that is left unanswered by the document:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Name: ______________________________________
U.S. History _____°
Date: ______________________________________
McCarthy-Welch Exchange from the Army-McCarthy Hearings (Note Sheet)
Background: The recording that you will listen to and read was originally spoken in 1954 during the
Army-McCarthy hearings.
Type in the following link: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/welch-mccarthy.html
1. Early on Senator McCarthy tries to portray Mr. Fisher in a negative light. For what reason
does he do this?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2. How does Senator McCarthy accuse Mr. Welch of helping the Communist Party?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
3. Identify a point where you believe the conversation between Senator McCarthy and Mr.
Welch becomes “elevated.” Write the quote below and explain the context of it.
 Who said the quote: _____________
 This individual said:
“____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________”
4. What about Mr. Fisher’s background is so controversial? How does Mr. Welch defend his own
actions in regards to this?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
5
Name: ___________________________________
U.S. History _____°
Date: ___________________________________
Post Test
1. What impact did Joseph McCarthy have on American society?
a. He encouraged a widespread fear of communism.
b. He strengthened the United States Army.
c. He encouraged Americans to stand up for their civil rights.
d. He led the opposition to U.S. involvement in the Korean War.
2. Members of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) charged numerous
Hollywood figures with…
a. Promoting anti-Semitism.
c. Spying for the Soviet Union.
b. Avoiding the issue of racism.
d. Being sympathetic to communist ideas
3. Which of the following events added credibility to the statements that Senator McCarthy in
Wheeling, West Virginia?
a. Joe Redd being taken into custody by the FBI.
b. The United States State Department making agreements with the Soviet Union.
c. The Soviet Union launching an investigation into the number of defectors.
d. Klaus Fuchs admitting to having delivered atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.
4. Which best explains the experience of Mr. Welch at the Army-McCarthy hearings?
a. Mr. Welch questioned Senator McCarthy for his verbal abuse of U.S. citizens.
b. Mr. Welch had to defend his actions to Senator McCarthy.
c. Mr. Welch was called as a witness to testify on Senator McCarthy’s behalf.
d. Mr. Welch was accused of being a spy for the Soviet Union.
5. Examine the political cartoon to the
right by noted cartoonist Herblock.
Explain what you believe the message of
the cartoon to be.
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________