The Library of Congress

Doing the Decades:
Group Investigations in Twentieth Century U. S. History

Core Historical Themes and Topics

Each group will address all six themes and all twelve topics within the decade chosen/assigned. The group will decide how to address all the themes by dividing up the themes and topics fairly, for example:

Theme #2: What have been the processes and consequences of migration for the peopling of the United States?
Sample Relevant topics: Race/ethnicity; Gender roles; Family; Socio-economic class.

Core Historical Themes

These themes will help to structure our investigations of U. S. history during 1890-1941. Please keep this sheet in your notebook because we will make reference to it often during our work together.

1. How have diverse groups in the U. S. population participated in the institutions of democratic life?

2. What have been the processes and consequences of migration for the peopling of the United States?

3. How has the United States changed from an agrarian, rural society to an industrial, urban society?

4. How have guarantees of fundamental human rights been expanded to include diverse groups within the United States?

5. What have been the processes and consequences of the growth of capitalism as the dominant economic model in the United States?

6. How has the United States emerged as a world power influencing global events, conflicts and trends?

Select the topics that relate to your chosen or assigned theme. Not every topic relates to every theme.