US History II Touchstone 4
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School
East Carolina University *
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Course
3205
Subject
History
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
4
Uploaded by raynitadock
Name: Carla Hawks
Date: January 17, 2024
US History II Touchstone 4: Thinking Like a Historian Template
Complete the following template, including all parts. Fill out all cells using complete sentences. Part 1: Change Over Time
Write down your selected topic and time period.
I chose to explore the U.S. Society and Culture between the years of 1970-2016.
Identify and describe something within your topic that changed over the selected time period, using specific historical evidence. (5-6 sentences)
One of the things that changed between the years of 1970 and 2016 is the way in which sexuality is seen in the United States. Over the years, the traditional ways in which human sexuality is viewed have significantly changed. This includes the traditional views on the institution of marriage. “Because marriage is such a highly valued status in the U.S., the legalization of same-
sex marriage reflects an opportunity for a shift in public opinion regarding the perceived normality and acceptability of LGBTQ people…(Ogolsky et al., 2018).” Currently, same-sex marriages are legal in the United States. There is also a divide on how to address issues such as public restroom usage for transgender individuals. Identify and describe something within your topic that stayed the same
over the selected time period, using specific historical evidence. (5-6 sentences)
While there are so many differences, there are still some things that remained unchanged during this time period. The unalienable rights of all individuals as outlined in the U.S. Constitution have not changed. These include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In fact, these rights remaining the same are some of the reasons why the aforementioned changes have taken place. Legislators have noted that the changes that have taken place over the years are to provide equal rights for all. The emergence of the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2013 is evident of this.
Part 2: Context, Causality, and Contingency
Write down the title of the primary source you selected from the Touchstone 4 Primary Source List, and paste the
weblink here. NOTE: Submissions that discuss a primary source that is not on the provided
list will be returned ungraded.
The primary source that I selected from the Touchstone 4
Primary Source List is:
Richard M. Nixon's Resignation Letter, 1974:
https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/richard-
m-nixons-resignation-letter
Describe what is happening in the source. (5-6 sentences)
In this source, the President of the United States at the time was providing a letter of resignation from his presidency. The letter is brief and to the point. President Richard M. Nixon simply stated that he was resigning his position as the President of the United States. He did not provide a reason in the letter. The letter was typed on official White House letterhead. It was addressed to Henry A. Kissinger who was the Secretary of State at the time of the resignation. The letter was written on August 9, 1974 and acknowledged by Kissinger at 11:25 AM. Describe
two
other things
happening in the United States during the topic or event depicted by your source that are related to it. (5-6 sentences) In addition to the previously mentioned events, there have
been other things taking place in the United States during
the time of President Nixon’s resignation. At the time, Nixon was being investigated for covering up a scandal that involved burglars at the Watergate complex. As a result of Nixon’s resignation from the Office of the President of the United States, Vice President Gerald R. Ford became the 38
th
president of the United States. He was placed in office the same day as Nixon’s resignation. On a positive note, Hank Aaron was making history by tying Babe Ruth’s homerun record in April of 1974. This event would help to chip away at the racial divide in the country.
Describe two
things that happened in an earlier
time period that led to what is depicted in your source. Explain the cause/effect relationship. (5-6 sentences) President Nixon’s resignation came as a result of the investigation of the Watergate scandal and investigation. In January of that same year, Nixon invoked his executive
privilege during the investigation and refused to provide hundreds of tapes that were subpoenaed in the Watergate investigation. In March, indictments were made against several White House officials citing they were involved in the Watergate scandal. The House of Representatives opened a formal hearing to impeach Nixon as a result of his failure to cooperate with the investigation. These events led to his resignation in lieu of
being removed from office. Describe two
things that happened in a later time period as a result of what is depicted in your source.
Explain the cause/effect relationship. (5-6 sentences)
As a result of Nixon resigning his position, his successor, President Gerald R. Ford rendered a pardon for all crimes
that Nixon was accused of committing during his time in office as the President of the United States. Nixon’s alleged involvement in the Watergate scandal caused the American public to express distrust in government officials. The resignation was also felt throughout the world. War involvement and relations with other countries were also impacted. The Soviet Union expressed their concern about the way in which détente would be handled in the future. Part 3: Complexity and Reflection
Were you able to think of more than two things that led to or resulted from the
topic or event depicted in your source? How did you
choose which things to write about? (5-6 sentences)
I was able to think of more than two things that led to Nixon’s resignation as depicted in the primary source. I chose the two things that I felt were most impactful in his decision to resign. There were several other factors that contributed to Nixon resigning. However, the hearing to move towards impeachment that subsequently led to Nixon’s impeachment was a pivotal event. Also, the fact that Nixon invoked his executive privilege was a contrast to the resignation. This signifies that he may have felt that
he had to resign to preserve some of the dignity in his reputation.
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How can you apply these skills of historical thinking to your daily life? (5-6 sentences) Historical thinking involves looking at causes of situations.
It also involves looking at the effects that take place after something happens. Examining causes and effects of scenarios is helpful in every day life also. It will help me to
have a better understanding of why situations play out the
way they do and how to handle them going forward. It will also help me to be more of a critical thinker and to think logically rather than emotionally. Understanding causes and effects of a situation help to provide a more solid foundation for finding solutions. Checklist for Success:
❒ Did you complete all sections of the Thinking Like a Historian template?
❒ Did you choose a primary source from the provided list for Part 2?
❒ Did you review the grading rubric and compare it to your responses?
❒ Did you review the sample submission to see an example of a completed assignment? ❒ Did you proofread your work for proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization?
References
Ogolsky, B. G., Monk, J. K., Rice, T. M., & Oswald, R. F. (2018). As the states turned: Implications of the changing legal context of same-sex marriage on well-being. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(10), 3219–3238. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518816883