Since the end of the Cold War, international relations has radically changed. The collapse of the Soviet Union took with it the East-West conflict that dominated world affairs for more than four decades. In its place, the North-South division has emerged as an important framework for reconceptualizing international relations. How the United States…

Presents a crossword puzzle and a word find puzzle. Offers clues dealing with member nations in the British Commonwealth. Includes an answer key for the crossword puzzle. Suggests sources of information on the Commonwealth. (DK)

The work of the United Nations is described in summary form. Material is divided into sections on the origin, programs, purpose, principles, and structure of the United Nations; the United Nations at work for International Peace; the United Nations at Work for Economic and Social Development; The United Nations at Work for Decolonization; the…

This unit investigates through three activities the importance of the Great Lakes in international trade. A student workbook and a teaching guide are provided. Included in the teacher's manual are an overview of the unit, a materials list, objectives, teaching suggestions, evaluation items, and answer keys to student activities. In the first…

Although the attacks of September 11, 2001, present new challenges and priorities for U.S. policy, it is uncertain what direction international relations will take. China's growth and power, Russia's political and economic problems, resentment and corruption in Russia, and global warming effect policymaking. While the war on terrorism may be a…

This 4-day curriculum unit explores U.S. foreign policy between 1787 and 1812. During this time the United States faced a series of foreign policy challenges that threatened its survival as an independent, constitutional republic. Between 1793 and 1815, a nearly continuous series of wars pitting the French against the British engulfed the European…

This curriculum unit helps students explore how U.S. trade relations fit into the country's overall role in the world. The unit is part of a series on current and historical international issues developed by the Choices for the 21st Century Education Project. Choices material places special emphasis on the importance of educating students in their…

Intended for both teachers and students, this publication, written in Spanish, briefly traces Mexico's history from its Conquest in 1519 to the overthrow of Porfirio Diaz in 1910. The following are briefly discussed: Mexico's Conquest in 1519; events immediately after the fall of Tenochtitlan; the War for Independence; Texas' separation from…

The teacher's guide and student text are designed to help students understand why nations compete, why they cooperate, and why they sometimes go to war. The guide will help teachers develop comprehensive lesson plans that help students: (1) understand the behavior of nations by defining national interest and examining the factors that affect the…

This unit of study allows students and teachers to step back from the confusing media reports of the day-to-day turmoil in the former Soviet Union (FSU) and to examine it from a more thoughtful vantage point. The unit focuses on the most important instrument of U.S. policy toward the FSU--economic assistance. At the core of the unit are four…

With the improvement of U.S.-Soviet relations in recent years, there is much reason to take a fresh look at U.S. foreign policy. This unit provides secondary students with an opportunity to examine U.S. policy toward the Caribbean and Central America. Composed of four chapters, the first chapter examines the economic and military concerns that…

These two self-contained units of study will help community college students learn about the history of Latin America. Each unit contains notes to the teachers and student readings. Students are expected to read and discuss the reading selections. In the first unit students are engaged in a comparative historical study of slavery in Brazil and in…

This article provides a five day unit for secondary students which demonstrates how limited information influences U.S. foreign policy decisions. Students assume roles as presidential advisors recommending actions among three imaginary foreign countries and the United States. (JDH)

Presents, as a supplement to social studies textbooks, a summary of recent Soviet Union developments. Begins with the rise of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and traces events through the dissolution of the USSR. Provides a Soviet history timeline, a vocabulary list, and a reproducible map of eastern Europe and central Asia. (SG)

This packet contains student materials and a teacher's guide. The materials engage students in the leading issues driving the current immigration debate. Students explore background materials and debate policy options as to what the U.S. immigration policy should be. The student booklet contains background essays on: (1) "The Role of Immigration…