This resource  looks at experiences of LGBTQ+ Americans, focusing on the 20th century and after: how their differences have been accepted or rejected by society, and the extent to which they have shared in the rights and opportunities afforded to straight Americans. The United States has always been a very diverse society, albeit dominated by straight white men of Western European descent.  In many ways, American history is largely about how the US as a country has dealt with this diversity and with human difference, and that continues to be the case today.   This resource thus seeks to inform contemporary debate, to help students and adults understand that variations in gender and sexuality are part of the human condition that should be more widely discussed and understood. And that these differences do not provide a basis for denying these Americans the American promise of full legal equality and opportunity without discrimination.  

This module will look at experiences of LGBTQ+ Americans: how their differences have been accepted or rejected by society, and the extent to which they have shared in the rights and opportunities afforded to straight Americans. The United States has always been a very diverse society, albeit dominated by straight white men of Western European descent.  In many ways, American history is largely about how we as a country have dealt with this diversity and with human difference, and that continues to be the case today.    This module thus seeks to inform contemporary debate, to help students understand that variations in gender and sexuality are part of the human condition that should be more widely discussed and understood. And that these differences do not provide a basis for denying these Americans the American promise of full legal equality and opportunity without discrimination.  

This unit will introduce middle and high school students to LGBTQ civil rights with an emphasis on the struggle for marriage equality. They will learn about ideas, events, and individuals that influenced George Takei and his decision to come out as an advocate for LGBTQ rights and contextualize the fight for LGBTQ rights as an extension of the Civil Rights Movement. The unit will culminate in an essay assignment in which students will analyze how the discussed events, people, and ideas influenced the struggle for marriage equality.

2021 Social Science Standards Integrated with Ethnic Studies:
Civics and Government: 6.4, 7.5, 8.2, 8.5, 8.6, 8.8, 8.9, HS.1, HS.2, HS.7, HS.9
Historical Knowledge: 6.21, 8.22, 8.25, 8.27, HS.52, HS.58, HS.60, HS.63, HS.64, HS.66
Historical Thinking: 8.32
Social Science Analysis: 6.24, 6.28, 7.27, 7.30, 8.33, 8.34, 8.36, HS.71, HS.72, HS.73, HS.74, HS.77, HS.78

This lesson focuses on the different means that the Constitution provides for people to bring about change. While each of the methods the lesson presents worked in the Civil Rights movement, all three are currently being challenged in the marriage equality movement. Keep up to date on the ongoing struggles by doing Google news searches of marriage equality. Keep a class log of updates from the states where marriage equality is being challenged.

Students will consider how Germans resisted what the Berlin Wall symbolized during the Cold War by examining the musical cultures that developed in East and West Germany. To do this, students will watch clips from CNN Soundtracks and analyze primary and secondary historical sources such as newspaper articles, cartoons, interviews, and photographs.

Updated Original Text to incorporate (highlight and, in some cases, add) target vocabulary for the UNA AEP Online course Reading 4.