Defining Documents in American History: The 1970s (1970-1979)

Thursday, February 8, 2018 9:25:20 PM
"As explained in the editor’s introduction, the 1970s are often thought of as a transitional period between the 1960s and the 1980s. However, Defining Documents in American History: The 1970s is a collection of primary source documents and analyses that show this transitional outlook on the decade may be selling the time period short.
Through analysis of 49 primary documents and events of the 1970s, this book encourages high-school and college-level students to analyze the decade through the lens of its most important events. The 49 primary documents and events are categorized into six broad categories. These include The Vietnam War, Nixon and Watergate, The Cold War and The Middle East, Domestic Affairs, Environmental Developments, and Science and Technology.
Each document or event is introduced by a summary overview and followed by a description of the defining moment, a brief biography of the document’s author, the primary source document itself, a document analysis, and essential themes of the document. The defining moment entry is especially impactful because it provides readers with the context of the document. The analysis to follow then takes the context and the document together to provide information on significance.
The goal of helping high school and college students analyze primary documents and events is certainly achieved. The features of each entry, combined with the documents and topics chosen, facilitates the learning of not only the historical content of the decade, but also of how to analyze primary sources. High school teachers and college professors will be pleased when their students use Defining Documents in American History: The 1970s in their research of the decade."—ARBA