Big Era Nine: Landscape Unit 9.1

Why This Unit?

World War II stands as one of the worst human tragedies in history. Though estimates vary greatly, some say that as many as 62 million people died during the war, and it ended with the first and only use of atomic bombs. Though the war was full of horror, the world continued to advance, at least technologically, if not morally. In order to understand the current world in which we live, it is imperative that we understand the foundations of this world that were laid during and immediately after this war. It is conceivable that global leaders might have agreed to far less than they did and that another world-scale conflict might have ensued. This did not happen. It is imperative that students understand what did happen, so they may gain a deep knowledge of our contemporary world, including its key economic, social, and political developments.