The events of September 11 forced Americans to consider important questions in a context sharpened by the deaths of thousands of Americans: Why were we attacked? How should we respond? Below you will find two lessons that address international terrorism and the potential American responses to it. In the first lesson found below, students will use case studies to investigate the difference between revolutionaries and terrorists. In the second, they will role-play four policy options and then write an essay expressing their views.
Defining
Terrorism
Lesson
Overview
This lesson poses the question, "What is a terrorist?" Students
will have an opportunity to explore the debate over legitimate and illegitimate
uses of force and the distinction between terrorists and freedom fighters.
Students will explore a framework for analyzing political violence and
terrorism, apply this framework to historical and contemporary case studies,
and develop a working definition of terrorism.
Reading: Revolutionaries or Terrorists?
Handouts: Case Studies - Revolutionaries or Terrorists?
In the
Classroom
1. Setting the Stage- Referring to the reading "Revolutionaries or
Terrorists?", call on students to identify the points of disagreement
that emerged in the United Nations' debates on terrorism. What arguments
were made against condemning terrorism? List the items on the chalkboard.
Ask students to speculate about what the Cuban representative to the U.N.
might have been referring to.
2. Exploring legal and ethical judgments - Ask students to identify the standards the international community has established for when force may be used. Ask students to review the standards the international community has used for how force may be used. Have them list several examples of political violence, citing examples from either wars or terrorist acts. Explore these examples in terms of the decisions to use violence and how violence was employed. Are there examples of unjustifiable decisions to use force? Are there examples when the decision to use force was justifiable, but the kind of force used was not?
3. Case Studies - Distribute "Case Studies - Revolutionaries or Terrorists?" to students. Form groups of three to five students each. In groups ask the students to consider the case studies presented. Emphasize that the intent is for students to explore the debate over legitimate and illegitimate uses of force and the distinction between terrorists and freedom fighters. Assign a student from each group to record the group's conclusions.
4. Sharing Conclusions - After the groups have completed the worksheet ("Case Studies - Revolutionaries or Terrorists?"), invite group spokespersons to share their conclusions. Which cases did they label as terrorism? Were there cases that were particularly difficult to decide? Why? Challenge students to come up with a working definition of terrorism based on specific criteria.
Extra
Challenge
Can the actions of states be considered terrorism? Ask students to
write a short essay that explores this question and gives specific examples
that support their answers. Students
may share their responses to this question with other students in the
"Sept. 11, Five Years Later" discussion at http://www.newzcrew.org
between August 28 and September 25, 2006. You may encourage your students
to participate in this forum, powered by content from the Online NewsHour.
Related standards:
Grades 9-12
National Standards for the Social Studies
Strand IX: Provide for the study of global connections and interdependence.
- Analyze the relationships and tensions between national sovereignty and global interests (e)
Strand X: Provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.
- Practice forms of civic discussion and participation consistent with the ideals of citizens in a democratic republic. (d)
- Construct a policy statement and an action plan to achieve one or more goals relate to an issue of public concern. (i)
National Standards for Civics and Government
Topic 2: What are the foundations of the American political system?
- Fundamental values and principles: Evaluate, take, and defend positions on what the fundamental values and principles of American political life are and their importance to the maintenance of constitutional democracy.
- Conflicts among values and principles in American political and social life: Evaluate, take, and defend positions on issues in which fundamental values and principles may be in conflict.
- Disparities between ideals and reality in American political and social life: Evaluate, take, and defend positions about issues concerning the disparities between American ideals and realities.
Topic 4: What is the relationship of the United States to other nations and to world affairs?
- The ends and means of United States foreign policy: Evaluate, take, and defend positions on foreign policy issues in light of American national interests, values, and principles.
Topic 5: What are the roles of the citizen in American democracy?
- Civic responsibilities: Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on issues regarding the personal responsibilities of citizens in American constitutional democracy.
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This lesson is excerpted from Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy (© August 2002, Choices for the 21st Century Education Program, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University. All rights reserved.)