Essays

The Seventies

The essays in this section have been written by leading scholars of American history. They provide additional depth on events and ideas referred to in the introductory essay and, in some cases, different interpretations by historians looking at the same events. These essays are particularly useful in introducing your students to one of the most exciting aspects of studying history—understanding the past from a variety of perspectives.

Photograph of Betty Ford, 1974. (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Divi

Betty Ford: A New Kind of First Lady

Author: Gil Troy Curriculum Subjects: Grade Levels:

Henry Kissinger and American Foreign Policy

Author: Jeremi Suri Curriculum Subjects: World History Grade Levels: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
“Woman and Man Playing Tennis,” by Edward Penfield, 1902. (LC-USZC4-2922)

The Battle of the Sexes

Author: Gail Collins Curriculum Subjects: Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+

The Consequences of Defeat in Vietnam

Author: Mark Atwood Lawrence Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics, World History Grade Levels:
Western High School Girls’ Basketball, Washington, DC, 1899. (Courtesy Library o

The Impact of Title IX

Author: Barbara Winslow Curriculum Subjects: Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
The Nixons at the Great Wall of China, February 1972. (NARA ARC id 194421)

The United States and China during the Cold War

Author: Warren I. Cohen Curriculum Subjects: World History Grade Levels:
Richard Nixon on the day of his resignation, August 9, 1974. (NARA ARC Id 194597

To Understand a Scandal: Watergate beyond Nixon

Author: David Sarias Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels:

Women and the Music Industry in the 1970s

Author: Elizabeth L. Wollman Curriculum Subjects: Art Grade Levels:

Essays from Other Sub-Eras

Different Perspectives on the Civil Rights Movement

Author: Anthony J. Badger Curriculum Subjects: Economics, Government and Civics Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Commissioner of Labor Statistics explains loss of wages since 1929. (LOC, P&P)

Economic Policy through the Lens of History

Author: Roger E. A. Farmer Curriculum Subjects: Economics Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
The Shah of Iran welcomed by the Carters, 1977. (Jimmy Carter Library)

Iran and the United States in the Cold War

Author: Malcolm Byrne Curriculum Subjects: Religion and Philosophy, World History Grade Levels: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Assembly room for chassis and motors, Detroit, MI, 1929 (LOC, P&P)

Motor City: The Story of Detroit

Author: Thomas J. Sugrue Curriculum Subjects: Economics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Sandra Day O'Connor, ca. 1982. (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Div.)

Sandra Day O’Connor: A Life of Action

Author: Meryl Justin Chertoff Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Letterhead from Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, 1910, detail. (GLC)

The Myth of the Frontier: Progress or Lost Freedom

Author: John Mack Faragher Curriculum Subjects: Art, Economics, Geography, Literature Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Corwin, Robert, photographer. Phil Ochs, Newport Folk Festival, 1966. Photograph

The Sixties and Protest Music

Author: Kerry Candaele Curriculum Subjects: Art, Government and Civics Grade Levels: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+

The Vietnam War and the My Lai Massacre

Author: George Herring Curriculum Subjects: Grade Levels:
Athletic Sports, 1887. (Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Div.)

Why Sports History Is American History

Author: Mark Naison Curriculum Subjects: Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
The County Election, based on a painting by George C. Bingham, 1854. (Gilder Leh

Winning the Vote: A History of Voting Rights

Author: Steven Mintz Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Conference of Republican National Committee Women, 1927. (LOC, P&P)

Women in American Politics in the Twentieth Century

Author: Sara Evans Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+