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United States History Project
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Imagine learning about U.S. history while working alongside a museum curator or historical preservationist. Or picture yourself exploring the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement with a community organizer or historian. If you’re excited about connecting the past to real-world careers and making history come alive, our VLACS Projects are the perfect fit for you!
This engaging learning pathway allows students to explore various career fields while mastering key concepts and skills. For each competency, you can choose to complete a pre-designed project that simulates real-life career tasks or create your own unique learning experience. Regardless of your choice, you’ll engage in thorough research and apply what you learn to authentic career scenarios.
With the pre-designed projects, you’ll tackle real-world tasks that align with each competency. If you decide to design your own experience, you’ll collaborate with your instructor and a mentor to design and complete meaningful career tasks that demonstrate your understanding. We have partnered with hundreds of mentors you can work with if you choose to design your own experience. Check out our Career Mentor Catalog here.
Take a look at the competency statements and pre-designed options below. We’re excited to support you on this exciting and open-ended learning adventure!
Note: This is a project-based course. If you’re looking for a traditional format, please return to the learning catalog and select the course.
Projects
Radio Personality
Competency: Reconstruction and Westward Expansion
You are a syndicated podcast radio personality, who creates engaging and educational content that explores pivotal moments in American history. Your role involves making historical events relatable and meaningful for a diverse audience, which will require an understanding of Reconstruction and Westward Expansion.
You will create an in-depth podcast episode outline that will explain the factors that led to the Civil War and Westward Expansion and describe the impact of government actions on individuals during Reconstruction and Westward Expansion.
Photo Curator
Competency: The Second Industrial Revolution
You are a photo curator who specializes in documenting the transformative period of the Second Industrial Revolution. Your role involves curating visual materials that depict the causes, social impacts, and reform movements of this era, which will require an understanding of the Second Industrial Revolution.
You will create descriptive captions for a curated photo exhibition that will explain the causes of the Second Industrial Revolution, analyze the resulting social impact of economic expansion in the United States, and summarize the resulting labor and social reform movements.
Military Historian
Competency: The Impact of War on Domestic and Foreign Policy
You are a military historian dedicated to examining the effects of war on national and global dynamics. Your work focuses on analyzing the evolution of United States domestic and foreign policies during pivotal conflicts, which will require an understanding of The Impact of War on Domestic and Foreign Policy.
You will create a historical analysis presentation that will describe United States foreign policy before World War I, summarize the causes of World War I and the impacts of United States participation, and explain United States domestic policy during World War I.
Set Designer
Competency: The Impact of the Economy on Cultural Change
You are a set designer dedicated to creating visual environments that capture historical and cultural narratives. Your work brings stories to life by authentically portraying the interplay between economic conditions and cultural evolution, which will require an understanding of The Impact of the Economy on Cultural Change.
You will create a conceptual design portfolio that will explain the impact of economic factors on American culture and society between World War I and World War II and describe the reflection of American values in cultural trends.
Conflict and Stability Operations Specialist
Competency: The United States Intervention in Foreign Conflict
You are a Conflict and Stability Operations Specialist for the State Department, tasked with analyzing and addressing international crises to promote global stability. Your role involves assessing historical precedents to inform strategies for intervention and diplomacy, which will require an understanding of The United States Intervention in Foreign Conflict.
You will create a foreign policy briefing document and supporting analysis that explains the change in United States foreign policy in response to World War II, describes the United States’s response to the Holocaust, and analyzes the impact of United States foreign policy during World War II.
Political Scientist
Competency: Containing Communism and Preventing Nuclear Attack
You are a political scientist who is focused on studying the interplay between domestic and international policies to understand their impacts on global stability and societal change. Your role involves examining historical and political trends, which will require an understanding of Containing Communism and Preventing Nuclear Attack.
You will create a research presentation that explains foreign policy related to the Korean War, describes the consequences of the Cold War for American society, and analyzes American disillusionment during the Vietnam War.
Speech Writer
Competency: The Civil Rights Movement
You are a speech writer, tasked with crafting compelling messages that highlight pivotal moments and advocate for progress. Your role involves capturing the essence of historical and social change to inspire action and reflection, which will require an understanding of The Civil Rights Movement.
You will create a speech that will describe Civil Rights Movement leaders and methods, summarize events of the Civil Rights Era, and analyze the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on marginalized groups.
Script Writer
Competency: The Challenges of the Modern Era
You are a script writer, skilled in bringing contemporary stories to life through engaging narratives that address pressing societal concerns. Your work focuses on weaving compelling scripts that resonate with modern audiences, which will require an understanding of The Challenges of the Modern Era.
You will create a script that will analyze social and environmental issues of the Modern Era.
Historic Preservation Specialist
Competency: New Hampshire’s Role in International Diplomacy
You are a Historic Preservation Specialist, dedicated to preserving and interpreting the significance of New Hampshire’s historical contributions to global events. Your expertise ensures that pivotal moments in diplomacy are remembered and understood, which will require an understanding of New Hampshire’s Role in International Diplomacy.
You will create a historical preservation proposal that will explain New Hampshire’s role in events leading to the settlement of the Russo-Japanese War.
Competencies
Reconstruction and Westward Expansion
Students will demonstrate an understanding of Reconstruction and Westward Expansion by explaining factors that led to the Civil War and Westward Expansion, and describing the impact of government actions on individuals during Reconstruction and Westward Expansion
The Second Industrial Revolution
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the Second Industrial Revolution by explaining causes of the Second Industrial Revolution, analyzing the resulting social impact of economic expansion in the United States, and summarizing resulting labor and social reform movements.
The Impact of War on Domestic and Foreign Policy
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the impact of war on domestic and foreign policy by describing United States foreign policy before World War I, summarizing the causes of World War I and the impacts of United States participation, and explaining United States domestic policy during World War I.
Impact of the Economy on Cultural Change
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the impact of the economy on cultural change by explaining the impact of economic factors on American culture and society between World War I and World War II, and describing the reflection of American values in cultural trends.
United States Intervention in Foreign Conflict
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the United States’ intervention in foreign conflict by explaining the change in United States foreign policy in response to World War II, describing the United States’ response to the Holocaust, and analyzing the impact of United States foreign policy during World War II.
Containing Communism and Preventing Nuclear Attack
Students will demonstrate an understanding of containing communism and preventing nuclear attack by explaining foreign policy related to the Korean War, describing the consequences of the Cold War for American society, and analyzing American disillusionment during the Vietnam War.
The Civil Rights Movement
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the Civil Rights Movement by describing Civil Rights Movement leaders and methods, summarizing events of the Civil Rights Era, and analyzing the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on marginalized groups.
Challenges of the Modern Era
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the challenges of the Modern Era by analyzing social and environmental issues of the Modern Era.
New Hampshire’s Role in International Diplomacy
Students will demonstrate an understanding of New Hampshire's role in international diplomacy by explaining New Hampshire’s role in events leading to the settlement of the Russo-Japanese War.
