Roaring Twenties Civil Liberties Controversial Debate

Goals & Objectives

Students will understand opposing perspectives regarding civil liberties of the 1920s.
Students will analyze and use the primary sources to support various perspectives
regarding civil liberties in a debate format.
Students will participate in a debate supporting or refuting civil liberties using primary
sources.
California State Content Standards
11.5.1. Discuss the policies of Presidents Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert
Hoover.
11.5.2. Analyze the international and domestic events, interests, and philosophies that
prompted attacks on civil liberties, including the Palmer Raids, Marcus Garveys back-toAfrica movement, the Ku Klux Klan, and immigration quotas and the responses of
organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, and the Anti-Defamation League to those attacks.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary
and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an
understanding of the text as a whole.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12. 2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among
the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12. 3. Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and
determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12. 6. Evaluate authors differing points of view on the same
historical event or issue by assessing the authors claims, reasoning, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12. 9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
Driving Historical Question
What perspectives and logic/reasoning behind the Red Scare can be analyzed through the two
primary documents?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) Time: 10 min
Because this lesson will serve as a supporting supplement to the lecture lesson plan on
prejudice, the students will review the information in their guided notes. After a quick
review of their notes, students will write three questions on the bottom of their notes. A

student will be randomly called on to ask their questions and another student will be called
on to answer the questions. This will be done a few times for about five minutes.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) Time: Above
Vocabulary will be reviewed in the lesson introduction. The students review their guided
notes that will review important vocab. Also, some of the students will ask questions that
will require others to define. The students will also have already completed a vocabulary
list at the beginning of the unit.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time: 30 min
First, I will briefly discuss some of the important aspects of the Red Scare to activate
students prior knowledge. Talking points seen in Resources
The class will be divided into groups of four. The students will receive the two primary
sources. They will divide their group into pairs to complete the guided debate worksheet.
Once they have completed the worksheet for their assigned primary source, they will
participate in a debate with the other partnership at the table. After the debates, students
will reflect and finish the worksheet by recording the opposing perspective on the issue
and complete the reflection questions.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time: Above
Students will listen, understand, and participate in the mini lecture to introduce the Red
Scare. They will participate in the lecture by question and answering method throughout
the mini lecture.
Students will be divided into groups of four. In their groups, they will pair off and analyze
the given primary sources through completion of the guided debate worksheet. Students
will read the primary sources, complete the chart, and prepare for a mini debate with the
group at their table. Students will then attempt to come to a consensus in their group.
Each portion of the activity is supported through the primary source.
Lesson Closure Time: 10 min
Each group of four will share with the class whether they came to a consensus on the issue,
what the consensus was and why (factual support) this was the consensus. (This is the
reflection portion of the worksheet). Completion of the reflection will serve as an exit slip
for the day.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formation: Informal assessment includes progress monitoring and checking for
understanding. Throughout the group work, the teacher will move from group to group to
ensure students are on task, in the correct direction, and ask questions to gauge deeper
thinking/questioning.

Summative: formal assessment includes the collection of the guided debate. Students will
be given a grade out of twenty based on the completion, accuracy, and depth of analysis.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
EL and SSN receive accommodation in guided notes/debate worksheet, specialized
grouping, The guided notes and worksheet will serve to assist students in focusing on the
content and the vital information. SSN and EL students also receive more attention from
the teacher in their groups. They are able to gain this time because the lesson is mainly
student directed and allows for free time for the teacher to assist students who need the
help. Striving readers will be questioned more and be expected to provide a deeper level of
thought, understanding, analysis, and debate. This will challenge the students and keep
them thinking and questioning.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
Computer, Projector, guided notes from lecture lesson, primary sources handout, guided
debate handouts, exit slips.
Mini Introduction/review lecture talking points:

Communism is a theory. It says that one day all the people/workers will own all the ways of making
moneyall the land, all the machines, all the stores (so there will be no private business, and there will
be no way for one person to become very rich).
In this theory, socialism is when youre on the way to communism. (Today, many people believe in
socialist ideas without necessarily believing in communism). Some signs of socialism would be
government owning of major private businesses (like banks); government owning of major public
services (like hospitals and healthcare); and laws that make rich people contribute more taxes so that
there isnt a huge difference between rich and poor.
In the United States, theres been a long history of fear of communism and suppression of socialist ideas
because the ideas of communism and socialism threaten the individuals right to private wealth.
In the early 1900s, many people in the United States believed in socialism. Why?
Industrialization created a huge gap between rich and poor and when people looked around,
they thought that wasnt fair.
Many people joined labor unions. Not all labor unions were socialist. Some, like the American
Federation of Labor (A.F.L.), thought they would be more successful by only organizing skilled
workers. But some labor unions, like the International Workers of the World-I.W.W., were
socialistwanted all workers to unite (black, white, men, women, skilled, unskilled).
In 1917, the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia established a communist country. Many people in
the United States were inspired by their success. Others were very scared by the potential
spread of communism.
At this time, some people were also anarchistspeople who didnt believe in any government.
Some anarchists thought the government should be overthrown with violence. Although
anarchists, socialists, and communists shared some of the same ideas (for example, they all
opposed government protection of private wealth), they represented different theories.

Today, were going to learn about what happened to people who believed in socialist ideas right after WWI. This
lead to a period of time called the Red Scare we will analyze different perspectives and debate the opposing
issues.

The students will receive two primary source documents:

A. Mitchell Palmer, "The Case Against the Reds,' 1920.
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/hist409/palmer.html
Emma Goldman, Deportation Statement, New York, October 27, 1919.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Goldman/Exhibition/plea.html
Guided Debate:
In your group of four, split into pairs and divide the documents. Each pair will complete
the chart regarding their determined primary source. Then, Prepare to debate your source
with the other pair in your group.
A. Mitchell Palmer, "The Case
Against the Reds,' 1920.
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/hi
st409/palmer.html
Context: Who
wrote this
document?
Provide some
background
information
regarding this
person.
Who is the
intended
audience of
this document?
Why is this
written?
What is this
person
supporting or
arguing for in
this document?
Explain.
Back up your
previous
answer with a
quote or
paraphrase
from the
document.

Emma Goldman, Deportation

Statement, New York, October 27,
1919.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Goldma
n/Exhibition/plea.html

Describe an
opposing
perspective to
the ideals
previously
stated.
Determine a
counter
argument and
support with a
quote/paraphr
ase.
Use the information in the given chart to debate with the other pair in your group.
Try to come to a consensus among the opposing viewpoints within the documents.
Reflection: Did your group come to a consensus? Why or why not? Support your
answer with evidence from the sources.