Social studies teachers are charged with imparting an understanding of what democracy entails. Unfortunately, a major component of any authentic democracy, the acceptance of dissent in the face of majority views, is often omitted from classroom discussions due to practical considerations such as maintaining classroom order. Many scholars insist,…

Few scholars have achieved the level of recognition and respect among the wider public as Howard Zinn. This should not come as a surprise, given the "unconventional" ways that Zinn embodied and enacted his scholarship. He often took his teaching and writing into those seemingly restricted spaces of popular protest, converting words into…

This paper presents a discussion of Howard Zinn's intellectual and political ideas. Through the analysis of selections from his immense body of work, several interrelated themes emerge. Drawing more attention to these notions of dissent and democracy is crucial to revitalizing education at all levels and vital to advancing the public discourse…

An explanation of the move from using a single continuum to a circle and finally to a quadrangle as a tool for explaining political positions which clarifies their complexity rather than oversimplifying and distorting them. (ND)

Once they have nuclear power, most countries will divert nuclear materials from commercial to military programs. In excerpts from the book "Facing the Danger" (by Totten, S. and M. W., Crossing Press, 1984), five anti-nuclear activists explain how and why they have been addressing the nuclear connection. (RM)

The author believes that, in our bicentennial celebrations, we are tending to create a Madison Avenue image of the Revolution. The bicentennial could be celebrated in a more meaningful way by reexamining the values for which the founding fathers fought and by dealing with our present problems in light of that tradition. (Author/RM)

Maintains that citizens in a democracy have a patriotic responsibility to speak out against policies with which they sincerely disagree. Lists examples of notable American dissenters, provides guidelines for responsible dissent, and presents the comments of three prominent citizens regarding the influence of common people on government policies.…

The author makes a case using the question of military service and its personal and social implications as the focus of concentration in secondary social studies courses, and offers some theory and techniques for introducing it into the classroom. (Author/JB)

Every year, historians in the United States attend the American Historical Association (AHA), a conference that has met annually since 1884. The AHA draws scholars from all specializations, and it is the primary organization through which the profession is represented. In 1969, the conference met at the Sheraton Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. At…

This ERIC digest discusses the use of dissenting U.S. Supreme Court decisions in teaching about U.S. constitutional history. for most of its history, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued a single opinion indicating its decision in a case. The Court disposes of each case it reviews by majority rule (either affirming or reversing) and provides a…

An increasing number of Americans are waking up to the horror of apartheid, South Africa's system of racial domination. How Americans can promote political freedom and economic justice in South America and yet minimize the bloodshed is discussed. (RM)

The need for nuclear education is examined, issues that should be dealt with in the classroom are discussed, and curriculum materials are described. The controversy that has arisen concerning the curriculum material "Choices: A Unit on Conflict and Nuclear War" is discussed. Implications for teacher education are examined. (RM)

Presents a five-lesson, high school instructional unit on the ideas and activities of Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr. Includes student objectives, step-by-step instructional procedures, and discussion questions. Provides quotations by Thoreau and King. (CFR)

This curriculum guide for secondary grades encourages new young voters to understand and participate in the political system. A major objective is to help students consider the political system as an agent of change, and, moreover, to help them understand how individuals control, influence, and change government. Students learn that there are many…

The second unit of the 11th grade section of the FICSS series (Focus on Inner City Social Studies -- see SO 008 271) examines social change in the United States through ideas and non-violent protest. The unit looks at the peaceful protests portrayed in politics, art, music, and writing demonstrating that peaceful protest is an accepted part of…