Using Content Resources to Analyze a Historical Decision

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Issues-centered approaches to social studies have long emphasized decision making as a critical skill. However, making and analyzing decisions are also important to learning history in the social studies. Events that are history today were oft en first policy decisions in the past. Furthermore, we make decisions about history every time we weigh arguments and debate alternate explanations. I reinforce this intellectual link between issues-centered social studies and history education in my undergraduate methods course by asking my prospective social studies teachers to “revisit” a controversial historical decision: the decision by the United States to use atomic bombs against Japan in 1945. The purpose is to move beyond simply thinking about what historical decision they feel should have been made-instead, they need to analyze the alternate options behind a historical decision and consider why a particular option was decided on over others.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSocial Studies and Diversity Education
Subtitle of host publicationWhat We Do and Why We Do It
PublisherTaylor and Francis
Pages105-108
Number of pages4
ISBN (Electronic)9781135231163
ISBN (Print)9780415996716
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2010

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Social Sciences

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