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Cold War and Decolonization c. 1900 to the Present

Driving Question: How did the intertwined trends of the Cold War and decolonization impact societies around the world from c. 1900 to the present?

The competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War intensified throughout the late 1940s, and continued until the end of the 1980s. Over this period, the two sides engaged in an aggressive arms race that threatened the world with the specter of nuclear war. While the United States and the Soviet Union ultimately did not fight each other directly, they each supported and emboldened smaller countries into engage in regional conflicts.

Learning Objectives

  1. Explain the historical context for the entanglement of the Cold War and decolonization after 1900.
  2. Use the AP themes to evaluate how the Cold War and decolonization impacted societies around the world.

Vocab Terms:

  • capitalism
  • Cold War
  • communism
  • decolonization
  • ideological
  • sovereignty
  • superpower
STEP 1

Opener: Cold War and Decolonization

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 3 of the Lesson 8.0 Teaching Guide Locked .

Looking for more maps? Check out OER Project’s collection of Maps.

STEP 2

Unit 8 Overview

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 3 of the Lesson 8.0 Teaching Guide Locked .

Two conflicts dominated the latter half of the twentieth century: decolonization and the Cold War. Two superpowers emerged from the destruction of World War II: the United States and Soviet Union. Learn how competition between these two superpowers led to the ideological conflict known as the Cold War.

Unit 8 Overview: Cold War and Decolonization External link

After 1945, a new conflict emerged between former World War II allies. At the same time, many colonized peoples fought a renewed struggle for independence. What connections linked the Cold War and decolonization?

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 3

Unit 8 Introduction: Cold War and Decolonization

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 4 of the Lesson 8.0 Teaching Guide Locked .

This article provides an overview of the complicated global tensions that emerged after World War II, setting the stage to help you learn more about the entangled conflicts of the Cold War and decolonization later in this unit

STEP 4

Closer: Cold War and Decolonization

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 5 of the Lesson 8.0 Teaching Guide Locked .

Check out the OER Project Informal Writing Routines Guide to generate other ideas about how to help students show their thinking through writing.