1970s Discussion and Culture | Teaching United States History
A quick read for teachers that references significant themes of the 1970s through the lens of some of the popular media of the time.
19: 1970s Malaise
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978)
Yes, employers could lawfully fire a woman for becoming pregnant before 1978. Students should be exposed to every stage of the fight for women's rights - legislation like this belongs alongside Seneca Falls and the 20th Amendment
Kathrine Switzer on the Marathon Moment That ‘Changed Millions of Women’s Lives’ - Marathon - Boston.com
Women were not officially permitted to run the Boston Marathon until 1972. Kathrine Switzer was able to register for the race, get a number and start running without incident because she registered, got a number and just started running. This story and the iconic photograph of her getting attacked while running the race can impress upon students to lack of advances in the women's rights movement into the 1970s. Be sure to read her story to find out more details, like how much she got support from men running the race. http://kathrineswitzer.com/about-kathrine/1967-boston-marathon-the-real-story/
The Battle of the Sexes - King vs. Riggs
The story of the Billy Jean King's tennis victory over Bobby Riggs in 1973 helps students understand the nature of women's rights in sports in the early 70s, though it is just as much a milemarker in the history of sports and the media. This Gilderlehrman article references Rigg's earlier victory over Court, which places the match in proper context.
'A Necessary Spectacle': 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 - The New York Times
Oftentimes, a book review places a historical event in context for student better than anything a textbook could do. This brief review of a book focusing on the iconic "Battle of the Sexes" match between Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs is a sure-fire hit for a homework assignment or spark for class discussion. Teachers trying to teach connections of history are much better off using something students can relate with, like current women sports stars, than with something from the 19th century
The Seventies
Most textbooks couldn't do as a good a job placing the seventies in context as this article. Teachers would be well served reading this before planning.
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God I Heart “The Seventies” | Teaching United States History
Nixon imposes wage-price freeze television address
How would students react to seeing the president of the United States telling them that he has ordered a freeze on all of prices and wages in the country? Completely ignored by US History teachers across the country - this example of government's relationship with the economy deserves as much a place as the New Deal. Start your lesson with this 3 minute clip of Nixon's announcement of August, 1971
The US Petroleum Crisis of 1979
This Brookings Institute article should only be read closely by graduate students, but US History teachers should quickly scan through it to see the active role of the government in the regulation, pricing and sale of petroleum. This is not a polemic or position paper for or against government regulation, yet is stands as yet even more evidence that what teachers say about the free market of the United State is, in a word, wrong
What the 1977 NYC blackout looked like from the streets
The NYC Blackout of 1977 is ripe for an urban decay lesson that focuses on white flight, economic dislocation and the changing demographics of America in the 70s. Start with the "Ford Tells city to Drop Dead" headline and these pictures, then jump into the lesson
Infamous ‘Drop Dead’ Was Never Said by Ford - The New York Times
Perfect lesson to teach students subtle complexity - a concept virtually ignored in social studies curricula. In the first past through the story, students walk away with the idea that the 70s were a mess and a president told a city to "Drop Dead". In the second pass through the story, students will learn that Gerald Ford never really said those words - but consider whether that matters or not, because that is what he meant. But in the 3rd pass through the story - the complexity reveals itself and students learn that leaders in New York think his position in denying the city aid helped them in the long run
Nixon's Views on Presidential Power: Excerpts from a 1977 Interview
This transcript of the David Frost's interview with Nixon in 1977 includes the Nixon comment that "when a president does it, it is not illegal". Students can be present with this excerpt, or even a smaller segment of it, as the foundation for a conversation about political power. There are questions at the bottom of the script
Stock Market Chart 1966-1982 Chart
From Forbes magazine - this shows the NYSE from 1966 through 1982. The crash of 1973 - 74, sometimes called the Bear Market is clearly visible here. This happened at the same time oil prices were quadrupling.
The streets of 1970s New York City: A decade of urban decay
Photo essay of New york City in the 70s, a city clearly in decline. These can be used in a visual primary source analysis lesson
Soiling of Old Glory - Stanley Forman Photos Gallery
The 16th of the 17 pictures takes by Stanley Forman in Boston on the morning of April 5, 1976 would win the Pulitzer Prize. It can serve as a prompt or included in a DBQ addressing the nature of Civil Rights in the 1970s. Integration of northern schools is virtually ignored in high school history classes, this image confronts students with it in ways words cannot.
How An ESPNer Found Out The "Battle Of The Sexes" Was Probably Fixed
The "Battle of the Sexes" cultural artifact of the feminist movement in 1the 1970s can be helpful to share with students. Yet this news changes the story somewhat - or does it?
29 Photos Of 1970s And 1980s Brooklyn Before The Hipsters Invaded
Students may hear of how bad things are in the America of 2016. Having them flip through these images may give them something to compare it - continuity and change
When Elvis met Nixon - HSI Historical Scene Investigations
The iconic photograph is one of the most requested items at the national archives and is the subject of a comple documentary film. This is a relatively brief but important exercise in historical thinking. Students look through four pieces of evidence (primary documents) to determine the credibility of each piece of evidence and how the evidence fits together. Finally, they come up with a plausible explanation of why the photograph was taken and how you came to that particular conclusion.
This is a lesson that has students "doing history", they not only have to come to a conclusion based on primary source evidence, they have to explain how they came to their conclusions.
Time Bandits - Why our Political Past is rarely prolouge | Rick Perlstein
Rick Perlstein wrote three books tracing the history of conservatism in America from 1964-1988. This article is his response to the many messages drawing connections between his book and the presidential race of 2016. Not only can this be used to demonstrate fundamental realities of historical scholarship that few appreciate, but includes enough factual nuance to prove it.
The Chaotic Trump Campaign | Washington Spectator
Although this article is response to the suggested similarities between the 2016 presidential campaign and the 1970s, it includes a long list of details that demonstrate how bad the 70s actually were, and how bad we think today is - but we're wrong
Jefferson Cowie - Stayin' Alive
The introduction to this book, available at this site, will provide teachers with perspective to consider when planning an instructional unit. Teachers can also choose to edit this down and have students read it as well.
Photos show the toxic wasteland N.J. was in early days of EPA | NJ.com
New Jersey students may benefit the most from these pictures because they will recognize the landmarks - but they will also notice how different they looked before the EPA
HSI: Historical Scene Investigation - When Elvis Met Nixon
In this lesson, students look through series of documents related to the iconic photo of Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley. They have to determine the type of evidence included within this file, the credibility of each piece of evidence and how the evidence fits together. Finally, they have to come up with a plausible explanation of why the photograph was taken and why that explanation is the most plausible.
In Search of the Seventies
Diane Johnson - OAH Magazine of History, Vol. 3, No. 3/4
Richard Nixon, "What Has Happened to America?", 1967 - published in Readers Digest
Written by Pat Buchanan but published in Readers Digest under Richard Nixon's name, this article captures the spirit of the Nixon presidency as well as a deep wellspring of emotion felt by many Americans at the time.
Pepsi Commercials 1970's - YouTube
Over 14 minutes of videos, but only the first is needed to show students the way in which corporate America shaped culture and vice-versa. What was the "Pepsi Generation"? "Was Pepsi just soft-selling the counter-culture to mainstream America?
The True Story of Battle of the Sexes | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian
US History students exploring "What is change and how does it happen?" will find that change in the 1970s is both similar and different than the change in the 1840s. Is there is a line to be drawn from Senca Falls, NY in 1848 and the Houston Astrodome in 1973?
Trust the Federal Government measured by same survey from 1958 through present
""How much of the time do you think you can trust the government in Washington to do what is right-- just about always, most of the time or only some of the time?"