A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History : Kennedy and the Cold War Marquette University: The Kennedy Assassination Project Attempting to contextualize President John Kennedy within the realm of the Cold War, this resource presents Kennedy as an aggressive "Cold Warrior." It contains helpful background material, but most importantly, provides students with a chance to examine the "Cold Warrior" argument with the use of their textbooks and other resources, and discuss the issue of "historiographical slant" which is just as present on the World Wide Web as in textbooks and historical monographs. During a lesson on JFK's foreign policy and/or the Vietnam War, the teacher could provide the following excerpt from this reading (a quote from JFK's biographer Thomas Reeves): "Given his belief in the global struggle between east and west, his acceptance of the domino theory, his conviction that Vietnam was the testing ground for combating 'wars of national liberation,' his often zealous commitment to counterinsurgency, and his determination to never appear soft on communism, Jack might well have been compelled, as conditions worsened, to commit more American troops to Vietnam. It is clear that his harsh public rhetoric made disengagement more difficult. And his clumsy and unprincipled acquiescence in the coup tied the United States closely to the eight military governments that briefly succeeded Diem. (A Question of Character, p. 411)" The teacher could then ask students to describe the following terms from the quote in their own words (either on paper or with a partner): a) Domino theory; b) Wars of national liberation; c) Soft on communism. Finally, the teacher can ask students to interpret the general mood of the president and the country while JFK was in office and leading up to the Vietnam War. This is a relatively long text with a number of references to Cold War historical events, with which the students may or may not be familiar. In order to help students organize the international and domestic events mentioned in the text, the teacher can ask students to create an annotated timeline entitled "Kennedy and the Cold War." It might be easiest if the students could create the timeline in the form of a PowerPoint presentation or in a Word Document, so that they could import images from the Internet.

Map of Yorktown
britishbattles.com

French Troops at Yorktown
britishbattles.com

Description: The Battle of Yorktown illustrates some decisive advantages the Continental Army had that aided in their victory over the British. The leaders of the Continental Army were imaginative and resourceful. This is illustrated at the Battle of Yorktown when the Continental Army stormed British General Cornwallis’ troops at Yorktown, Virginia.
Also, the French involvement had a major impact on the American victory. The French aid was maximized at the Battle of Yorktown. Throughout the later stages of the war, France supplied money, muskets, bayonets and cannons to the Continental Army. In addition to these supplies, French troops fought alongside with the Continentals. The French Navy also challenged the British Navy forcing the later to divert troops, ships, and resources away from the front in America and out to sea. Prior to the Battle of Yorktown, the French Navy had driven the British Navy out of the Chesapeake Bay, therefore allowing French ships to bring an additional 3,000 French troops to the Continental lines. With the aid of the French, the Continental Army attacked Yorktown with 16,000 troops in addition to control of the waterways.
These links take you to a map of the Colonial, French, and British positions at Yorktown and also to a painting of French troops marching in Yorktown.

Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestions

Discuss the necessity of an European ally to the Continental Army.
Show the map of Yorktown and display the extent of the French involvement.
Analyze the painting of the French troops in Yorktown. Ask students to provide a historical context to the action in the painting.

Suggestions for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson

Using the map of the Battle of Yorktown, erase French Naval involvement and increase British support. Discuss “what ifs” and strategic possibilities that might have turned the battle to favor the British.
John Trumbull is a major painter of American history. Assign a small group or individual a specific Trumbull painting (or other artist) and ask them to create a historical account of the event the painting commemorates. As a whole class, create a digital or paper map that illustrates major people, places, and events of the American Revolution.