World War Two and US society
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how the Second World War affected American society.
Key learning points
- Censorship and rationing were introduced in the USA during WWII.
- Seven million women entered the American workforce between 1940 and 1945.
- The types of work completed by women became more varied.
- African Americans gained new opportunities for employment during the war.
- African Americans continued to face discrimination both in the military and on the home front.
Keywords
Home front - the non-military people of a country at war and their activities in support of the war effort are described as the home front
Censorship - censorship is the act of preventing certain information from being seen or made available to the public
Rationing - rationing is a system of limiting the amount of something that each person is allowed to have
Riveter - a riveter is a person whose job involves joining pieces of metal together. This was a common job in shipbuilding and aircraft manufacturing
Segregated - groups of people are segregated if they are separated from one another. In the USA, people were often segregated based on their race
Common misconception
Improved working opportunities for women and African Americans represented an end to discrimination against them.
African Americans and women continued to face discrimination in the workplace. Women entered 'male' jobs but were paid less than men and many employers still hired disproportionately low numbers of African Americans.
Teacher tip
Share C.L.R James' view of WWII. Ask students: (1) what was CLR James' attitude towards the war and why did he feel like this? (2) does CLR James' opinion appear to have been commonly shared? How can you tell?
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The process of supplying yourself or others with new weapons to rebuild military strength is called .
Q2.Which acts were passed by Congress in August 1935 and May 1937?
Q3.What happened to the output of US industry during World War Two?
Q4.What happened to the rate of unemployment in the USA during WW2?
Q5.Which US president broadcasted a fireside chat in which he referred to the USA as the “great arsenal of democracy”?
Q6.When did the USA officially enter WW2?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the words with their definitions.
he efforts of the the non-military people of a country at war t
system limiting the amount of something that each person can have
the separation of groups of people from each other
Q2. is the act of preventing certain information from being seen or made available to the public
Q3.How many women joined the US armed forces during the war?
Q4.From which of the following jobs were women in the armed forces excluded from during WW2?
Q5.Which of the statements is most accurate in describing the situation for African Americans during WW2?
Q6.Which of the statements is best describes the Double V Campaign?
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: World War Two and US society, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: World War Two and US society, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the America 1920–1973, Opportunity and inequality unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.