Designed to accompany an audiovisual filmstrip series devoted to presenting a visual history of life in America, this guide helps secondary school teachers supplement social studies materials dealing with wars over the past 200 years. Using authentic visuals including paintings, drawings, engravings, posters, photographs, songsheets, and cartoons, the materials offer students a survey of ways in which war has been presented through the various media. Beginning with complex reasons for going to war, both as a nation and as an individual, the guide depicts the role that propaganda and the glorification of war have played in these decisions. Intended to develop the ideas presented in the filmstrip, the guide presents an introduction to material covered in the filmstrip, suggestions for classroom use (e.g., preparation for visual appreciation, history review, vocabulary check, and a review of major American wars), the script, reproductions of filmstrip frames, follow-up points for discussion, follow-up projects, notes on the visuals, a list of 13 recommended references, and a glossary of unfamiliar terms. (LH)