From 1865 to the present many of the choices Americans have made have impacted upon the sustainability of our future. As the chronological units are taught throughout the year, there is an opportunity to view sustainability within the curriculum. During each time period guiding questions are raised; students create a T-Chart showing attitudes and choices of the people during the time period studied; and, as a culminating activity, students have the opportunity to reflect on the role of sustainability in their journals. Readings and videos connecting the period to sustainability are used. This lesson models the period of Imperialism. Other periods that might be used along with their guiding questions are:

• Industrialization
  • What is evidence of unsustainability and sustainability in this time period?
  • Can you think of an invention whose popularity trumps its sustainability? Explain.
  • What motivated people to create or invent during Industrialization? What motivates people today? Is creation driven by necessity? Or, what are the drivers of creation and invention?
• Great Depression and Dust Bowl
• How did poor agricultural practices lead to the Dust Bowl?
• What is evidence of unsustainability and sustainability in this time period?
• What sustainable practices were implemented during the Great Depression? (Henry Wallace, Civilian Conservation Corps)
• Cold War Era/1950’s
  • How did the desire to compete with other nations for weapons and energy superiority effect our past and present?
  • What is evidence of unsustainability and sustainability in this time period?
  • How did the Highway Act and suburban sprawl contribute to an unsustainable current reality?
  • What drove the government’s decision to create the Highway Act? How could we build a highway system that contributes to sustainability? How can we build a sustainable suburb? (North Carolina)

  Number of class periods: 1 in addition to those normally used for each unit

New York State

• Intermediate Social Studies Standards 1, 3, 4, 5

Education for Sustainability Core Content

• Cultural Transformation

• How can we all live well within the means of nature?

• As global citizens, how will our attitudes and choices impact our sustainable future?

• Why did the United States look outside of North America to find natural resources rather than create sustainable solutions locally, regionally, or nationally?
• Why is Hawaii a perfect example of American imperialism?

• Sustainability Journals
• Chart paper
• Classroom textbook

1. At the beginning of the unit on imperialism pose the guiding question, why did the United States look outside of North America to find natural resources rather than create sustainable solutions? Have students brainstorm possible reasons and record them on a piece of chart paper. Hang it somewhere in the classroom.

2. Have students create a T - Chart showing attitudes and choices of the people during the period of imperialism.

3. Proceed to teach the imperialism unit. When attention is turned to Hawaii, include the following questions in the discussion:

• What was the relationship between the native Hawaiians and the land before the Americans arrived?
• What was the role of the fruit and sugarcane companies in relation to the native people and land use?
• What happened to the lifestyle and economy of the native Hawaiians?

4. Show the video clip, “Evaluating the Effects of Colonialism and Imperialism” and discuss why Hawaii is a perfect example of American imperialism.

5. In their sustainability journals students are to respond to the following prompt: How do fair-trade practices change the political, social, and economic impact of world trade compared to 1900’s imperialism?

• imperialism - the actions by which one nation is able to control other, usually smaller or weaker, nations

Revised 10/12/09