US History Series 4: The Cold War to Present

Week 1: The Cold War and Korea
The first week of the class picks up where US History Series 3: US Involvement in the World Wars left off. World War II has ended, but tensions between former allies sparked into another war. This war differed from others in that direct conflict between the warring nations was limited. We will be studying the process that led to the Cold War and how it affected American citizens at home. The lesson will conclude with America’s “forgotten war” in Korea.

Week 2: The 1950s
Week 2 will be a look into the changing American culture of the 1950s. Several new technologies, such as the television, led to a rise in consumption that fueled changes to the ways of living of many Americans. Suburbs cropped up around cities to provide new types of housing to those who could afford it. At the same time that the suburbs were blossoming, dissatisfied Americans continued to struggle for their rights as citizens of the United States. Their movements began growing through the decade, right alongside the growing suburbs and consumerism.

Week 3: Social Revolution
The 1960s are famous for the immense number of social movements in the United States and the rest of the world. This week will focus on the many social movements that happened during the decade. Women, African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, and more formed social movements to establish their voice and their place in this country. Social changes in the country are the highlight of this lesson.

Week 4: The Vietnam War
While the country is going through internal changes, the struggle between communism and democracy continues in the rest of the world. The fourth week of the course examines the Vietnam War and the leaders who took the country through it. As the war persisted, the American people became increasingly dissatisfied, leading to the war being lost. Afterwards, Vietnam became the textbook example of how a group of guerillas could win against a superpower.

Week 5: The End of the Cold War and the Collapse of the Soviet War
After the end of the Vietnam War and into the 1980s, the Soviet Union started showing signs of cracking. Its fall had a drastic effect on global politics. This week will be a look into the perspective of the United States leading to the Soviet Union’s collapse. We will be reviewing the presidencies of Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan; and we will finish up with the collapse of the USSR.

Week 6: The Globalized World
The United States continued to change through the 1990s and 2000s with the fall of the Soviet Union and the advent of new technologies, particularly widespread access to personal computers and the internet. The modern presidencies of both Bushes, Clinton, and Obama, the events of September 11, the burgeoning War on Terror, and the continued globalization of the world take precedence in this week’s lesson.

Next Level Homeschool is a firm believer that not all learning should happen from behind a screen! That's why we give students the freedom to submit their assignments in the way THEY want to! We don't want regurgitation learning here. By allowing students to use their own talents, skills, and passions to complete assignments, they become even more engaged and retain the information. Why? Because now it's literally in their hands! We receive thousands of projects every year from our students: written reports, videos, models, posters, Scratch, Minecraft, Roblox, songs, poems, skits, drawings, sculptures, crafts—we've seen it ALL! And WE LOVE IT!!

Click here to view just a few projects we've received from students who have taken this class and see what YOUR kid could be learning with Next Level Homeschool!