Cold War Timeline Project

Let’s put it this way…the Cold War was a complicated time for Americans. It created tension between citizens of this nation just as much as it framed the battle between Americans and Russians over ideas and military superiority. Because this period is so complicated, I’m sure you’ll agree that it is smart for us to put some of the major events and figures of the Cold War into a useful timeline. So, here goes.

Objective: We will construct a timeline of major events and figures of the Cold War that is both informative and interactive for its users. Our timeline will be found on OurStory.com. A link to our class timeline can be found on my website.

Requirements: With a partner, you will be assigned a specific event or person to research for this timeline. Then, do the following.

1)CONTACT ME - Send an e-mail to Mr. Moeller at I will respond quickly with an invitation to join the OurStory.com timeline that I’ve already started. Notice the procedures for adding your own new story to the timeline.

2)CREATE - Create a story that follows the model that I’ve shown (“Cold War – Beginning with a “Bang”). It should include:

  1. IMAGES - At least two appropriate pictures of your event/person. If photos are used from outside sources, they must be cited in MLA format.
  2. DESCRIPTION - A brief, yet complete, description of your event/person.It should include an MLA formated citation to two credible sources. Use of wikipedia as a source is discouraged! Our textbook is ideal for this! Plagiarized text will be docked severely!! Your description should answer the following basic research questions about your topic.
  3. Who/What? – is this person/event?
  4. When? – was this person/event important?
  5. Where? – was this person/event historically significant?
  6. Why? – is it important for us to study this person/event?
  7. TWO FACTUAL QUESTIONS - Two separate factual-based questions that relate to your event/person and the description you’ve created. Use credible sources!
  8. ONE H.O.T.S. QUESTION - A third question that requires HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills). It can be a question that requires: evaluation or synthesis. ( Namely, the question will require an in-depth response from the user.
  9. NAMES - Type your names at bottom…”Brought to you by…..”

3)SUBMIT - Submit your story to our timeline at OurStory.com. Make sure you are logged in under your name and adding to my “Cold War – An American Story” when you do so.

4)PRESENTATIONS - Be prepared to present your story in class on Wed, Feb 17 (A-Day) or Thur, Feb 18 (B-Day).

5)RESPONSES - Once all of our stories have been added, each student will be expected to read the appropriate material on 10 of the sites and respond to each of the presented questions. This will be turned in later for credit on this date..-Fri, Feb 19 (A-Day) or Mon, Fri 22 (B-Day)

Grading Expectations: Each partner starts with 50 points possible. Between the two partners, this is a total of 100pts for A+ work. It will be decided by the partners, at the end of the project, whether the work was shared equally. In that case, the points will be divided equally – 50pts each. If one of the partners does more than the other, that individual can earn more points. For example, 65pts for one and 35pts for the other.

Grading Criteria

Expert - >90% - Work is exemplary, meets all requirements with great attention to detail.

Skilled - >80% - Work is good, meets basic requirements, and shows attention to detail.

Average >70% - Work is average, meets most requirements, show less detail.

Deficient>60% - Work is below average, shows little serious effort.

COLD WAR TOPICS for RESEARCH

  1. Nuremberg Trials
  2. Containment Policy
  3. Truman Doctrine
  4. Marshall Plan
  5. Creation of the State of Israel
  6. Berlin Crisis, Blockade, and Airlift
  7. NATO
  8. GI Bill
  9. Baby Boom
  10. Executive Order 9981 (Integration of Military)
  11. Truman’s Fair Deal
  12. Universal Declaration of Human Rights from United Nations
  13. World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
  14. Chairman Mao Zedong and Growth of Communism in China
  15. Hollywood Ten
  16. Joseph McCarthy and “McCarthyism” and House Un-American Activities Committee
  17. General MacArthur’s Strategy and Firing
  18. Korean War and “DMZ” at 38th Parallel
  19. CIA
  20. President Eisenhower’s speech on Military Industrial Complex
  21. Brinkmanship
  22. Nikita Kruschev
  23. Warsaw Pact
  24. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
  25. Sputnik, NASA and the “Space Race”
  26. Lucille Ball’s “I Love Lucy”
  27. Chuck Berry
  28. A. Phillip Randolph
  29. Jonas Salk
  30. Interstate Highway System
  31. Atomic Bomb Drills in Schools / Federal Civil Defense Administration
  32. Sunbelt