A Global Controversy: The U.S. Invasion of Iraq

Part I explores the history and culture of Iraq. The reading spans Ottoman rule, the British mandate period, and subsequent independence. It examines Saddam Hussein’s relationship with the United States and how the United States, the United Nations, and other countries responded to Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. There are two lessons aligned with Part I: 1) The Geography of Iraq, and 2) Life in Iraq–1932.

Part II examines U.S. sanctions after the Persian Gulf War, UN weapons inspections, the new U.S. security strategy after September 11, and the lead up to war. There is one lesson aligned with Part II: The Media and the Iraq War.

Part III explores the invasion and occupation of Iraq; the effects of the war on Iraqi society, the United States, and the international community; and the Iraqi refugee crisis. There are no lessons aligned with Part III of the reading.

Students practice map–reading skills and consider how geography has affected Iraqi history. Students explore the history of Ottoman and British influence in the region, as well as Iraq's ethnic and religious distribution, oil infrastructure, and major geographical features.

Students analyze photographs of Iraq from 1932 to explore Iraqi life and society during this time period. Students consider the benefits and limitations of using photographs as a source for learning about Iraqi history.

Students examine the media's coverage of Colin Powell's speech before the United Nations. Students analyze the role of the media in a democracy and consider strategies for reading news critically.

The Options Role Play is the key lesson in the unit, and it asks students to examine four distinct options for U.S. policy toward Iraq. Students simulate the debate among U.S. citizens in 2003 over the proposed invasion of Iraq.

Synthesis Lesson: Using Choices videos, students explore the effects of the Iraq War and consider how the lessons of Iraq should influence current and future U.S. foreign policy.

Synthesis Lesson: Students analyze a variety of primary sources that offer first-hand accounts and reflections about the Iraq War. Students evaluate the war from the perspectives of people who experienced it and think critically about the value of personal narratives in understanding history.