Lesson 1
The first lesson in this unit will explore the theme of US imperialism. This lesson looks at why the US has so many territories and military bases scattered across the globe, and what purpose they serve.
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Discussion Questions:
- In what way is US imperialism motivated by racial capitalism? How does White supremacy show up in US imperialism?
- What have been some of the consequences of US imperialism for the people who are colonized?
- How is imperialism different from settler colonialism? How is it similar?
- Is imperialism sustainable?
Lesson 2
The Iran-Contra affair was an incident that took place in the 1980s under the Reagan administration. In order to understand the situation we have to start with US involvement in both Iran and Nicaragua that started before the 1980s. This lesson goes reviews the situation in both countries and delves into the details of how the CIA ended up selling weapons to Iran to fund the Contras (an anti-Communist rebel group involved in drug trafficking).
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You can see a timeline of events as they unfolded here.
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Key Figures In CIA-Crack Cocaine Scandal Begin To Come Forward
Discussion Questions:
- Do you think that what Ronald Reagan did was illegal? Should he have gone to jail along with Oliver North?
- Imperialism is when one country extends its political and economic control over another country. Do you think the Iran-Contra Affair is an example of US imperialism?
- How did the precedence of Reagan making deals with foreign governments play out in the Trump Administration?
President Trump was accused of breaking the law by pressuring Ukraine’s leader to dig up damaging information on a political rival.
In July 2019, he urged his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate one of the frontrunners to take him on in the 2020 presidential election. This mattered, opposition Democrats said, because it is illegal to ask foreign entities for help in winning a US election. He says he has done nothing wrong.
After Mr. Trump was impeached in December, a trial took place that could have led to the president being removed. In the end, he was cleared.
“Trump impeachment: The short, medium and long story” BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49800181 - Do you think what the United States government did was moral? What about the CIA involvement in the drug trade?
- What would accountability look like for the people involved in the Iran-Contra scandal and the Crack epidemic?
