Reference no: EM133513534

This lesson provides us with the opportunity to reflect on our recurring themes of American identity, freedom, and equality. Looking back, we can see that the definition of Americanism changed during the Great Depression and World War II. We also can understand how more Americans were poised to demand a greater degree of freedom and equality. The United States had unmatched military and economic power, and the nation seemed to be perfectly positioned to continue its mission of spreading democracy and capitalism to new frontiers throughout the world.

With all this national power, the American people might have expected to enjoy an era of confidence and security. Instead, doubt and fear soon clouded the horizons of foreign and domestic affairs. The source of this apprehension was the spread of international communism. The globe quickly became divided between the so-called "free world" and the "communist bloc." A different kind of war began, a "cold war." How and why had this happened? What did it mean? How was the Cold War fought both at home and abroad? What were the consequences?

1. How and why were Americans poised to demand more freedom and equality in the following World War II?

2. How and why did the United States develop the containment policy in the years after World War II?

3. Why did the CIA assist the overthrow of governments in Iran and Guatemala in the 1950s? What were the results of these actions?

4. What explains the rise and fall of Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s? What is the legacy of McCarthyism?