How should the United States respond to the threat of terrorism?
Ninth edition. July 2021.
Although September 11, 2001, marked a pivotal moment for many people in the United States and in other countries, terrorism did not begin or end that day. In fact, the threat of terrorism in the United States has changed since 2001. According to an October 2020 report by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the threat from al Qaeda and other foreign terrorist groups continues, but no longer represents the greatest threat to people in the United States. The increasing number of attacks by white extremists in recent years against Jewish, Black, Muslim, Latino people, and other groups led the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to classify these extremists as the most dangerous threat to the United States. Concerns about terrorism persist and raise important questions about how to respond. What is the best way to respond to terrorism? How great is the threat? What must be done overseas? What should be done in the United States? Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy helps students consider these important issues and prepares them to advocate for different options for U.S. policy in a simulation set in the U.S. Senate. The unit is divided into three parts. Each part includes:
- Student readings
- Accompanying study guides, graphic organizers, and key terms
- Lessons aligned with the readings that develop analytical skills and can be completed in one or more periods
- Videos that feature leading experts
This unit also includes an Options Role Play as the key lesson and additional synthesis lessons that allow students to synthesize new knowledge for assessment. You do not need to use the entire unit; feel free to pick and choose what suits your classroom needs.
Preview this unit. Preview includes the Table of Contents for the Student Text and the Teacher Resource Book as well as a student reading excerpt and one lesson plan.