Unit 2: New Nation

Unit 6: Emergence of Modern America

Unit 8: Post World War II U.S.

Patriotism and Protest

by Irv Katz, Joe Campanaro, Linda Kiefer

Grade Level: Middle and High School

Discipline: Civics, Government, U.S. History

Lesson Abstract:

This project explores patriotism and protest in time of war.

The Big Idea of these lessons is that all wars in American history have been met with support and dissent. America’s music is rich in patriotism and protest. A corollary to this is that perspective is relevant. Protesters usually think of themselves as patriotic.

Overview:

Throughout our history, America’s wars have been met with both the approval and the dissatisfaction of the populace. Using the American Revolution, World War I and the Viet Nam War, explore songs of the times that express support and protest. Students should, when they have completed these activities, have a sense that this is a recurring theme in our history. Patriotism and protest are terms that need to be defined. What makes a song patriotic? What makes a song one of protest? Using four songs from each of the three wars named above, discuss the stated reasons for support in each of these conflicts. Identify the things about the conflicts which have sparked protest. We have selected these three wars because they span virtually the entire history of the United States of America. Songs of patriotism and protest can be found for all of the wars which students will study and a similar exercise can be done at appropriate points in those studies.

Songs to be used:

American Revolution

World War I

Vietnam War

American Revolution Lesson

Begin the class with a picture of Paul Revere’s engraving of The Boston Massacre . Do not tell them the artist or the title. Ask the students to interpret what they see. They will probably see the picture as a representation of a deliberate and massive attack of a military force on a civilian population.

Ask them to look carefully at the picture and make hypotheses about the place and time. Elicit answers that direct the students to identify the event as The Boston Massacre.
Ask them to define the term massacre. Do the actual events of that day in Boston qualify as a massacre?
Since, by all objective standards, they do not, what was Paul Revere thinking when he produced this artwork? Lead the discussion to the terms propaganda and protest.
What were some conditions in the colonies that prompted men like Revere to protest? Why did others not protest? Were there advantages to being a part of the British Empire?
Ask the students to name other art forms that can be used to protest. When they point out that music is used today, introduce songs such as ‘The Liberty Song” and “Free America." . Ask them if these are songs of protest or are they songs of patriotism? Does the answer not depend on the perspective of the person making the judgment?
In “The Liberty Song”, the references to tyrannous acts refer to those of Great Britain, the mother country. Certainly Great Britain would view this song as another example of protest. The second and third verses pay homage to our forefathers and their motivations in coming to the New World. Note that no where in the song is there a hint of a demand for independence. Rather the song is singing the praises of freedom which has been spread by English colonization of America.
Return to the engraving and ask what Revere’s motivations may have been in producing this piece of art in just a matter of days after the event.
The chorus of the song mentions that the colonists stand ready to open their purses when they feel that they are being treated as free men, not slaves. Is this an attempt to defuse the criticisms of the colonists that they were simply opposed to paying taxes which were necessary to ensure their protection by Great Britain?
Are the sentiments expressed in “Free America” similar to those of “The Liberty Song”? Which was written first? Which is more militant? What do the melodies and tempos of the songs suggest to you? What is the message of the final verse of “Free America”? Is it a call for independence? A boastful warning to Europe?

Divide the class into groups and ask each group to:
1. identify who would have been singing each of these songs(reference the text)
2. underline words or phrases which they do not understand.
3. identify characteristics which the author attributes to Americans and their forefathers
4. identify emotions which the song is attempting to evoke
5. make an hypothesis about how the “other side” would view the song
After establishing that these songs which now are referred to as patriotic were once viewed by those in control as protest songs or songs of rebellion, discuss the fact that there was clearly an opposition to the likes of the previous songs.
Introduce the terms loyalist and Tory. Two songs popular with that segment of the colonists were “Burrowing Yankee” and “You Simple Bostonians."

Once again divide the class into groups and ask each group to:
1. identify who would have been singing each of these songs
2. underline words or phrases which they do not understand
3. identify characteristics which the author attributes to Americans
4. identify emotions which the author is attempting to evoke
5. make an hypothesis about how the “other side” would view the song
Note that the lyrics of these two songs are much more devoid of a sense of togetherness. The lyrics refer to Bostonians in very derogatory terms. The songs are filled with warnings to the colonists. The boastful talk of the power of the Lion in 1776 is well after the first battles of the revolution while “You Simple Bostonians” was written in 1770 and can be presented as a presaging of the events of The Boston Massacre.

An interesting way to close the lesson and reinforce the tenet that the lines dividing patriotism and protest are not always clear is to discuss the author of the words to The Liberty Song. John Dickinson would, many believe, be in the pantheon of Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Franklin had it not been for one thing. Despite this song and the many letters and proclamations which he authored in his life, he resisted the final step of independence. Explore how his life and rehabilitation after the revolution is indicative of the fact that the general population of the colonies had its trepidations about making a revolution. Was he a patriot? A protester? Both?

Extension activities:

Direct the students to watch the movie 1776. Have them list issues which made some colonists seek independence from Great Britain and other issues which made some colonists wish to remain a part of the empire.
Ask students to use their text to identify reasons that some colonists would want to remain loyal to Great Britain and some reasons why colonists would want independence from Great Britain
Analyze Benjamin Franklin’s cartoon drawn for the French and Indian War and recirculated at the time of the American Revolution.
Have students write a song of protest or patriotism about an issue which they have studied in their unit on the American Revolution. They may use one of the tunes which they have heard or music from a song with which they are familiar.
Assign students to analyze each of these Tory songs. Of what are the loyalists proud?
Write an essay on what it means to be patriotic.
Draw a picture that represents patriotism to you.
Draw a picture protesting an issue that is of concern to you.
Identify other forms of protest which took place between 1765 and 1775. Discuss what the goals of these protests were.

World War I Songs Lesson

We live in a free country, expected to pledge allegiance to the flag and do whatever’s lawful to protect those rights including serve in the armed forces for a war. World War I was a war that began in 1914, yet America as a country didn’t get involved until 1917.

Songs

Lesson Intention:

This is the second of three lessons looking at the subject of patriotism vs. protest. It can be incorporated as part of an American history class studying World War I or as part of a Civics class studying citizenship. This lesson is designed as a follow-up to an initial lesson or lessons explaining the basic concepts and vocabulary of World War I or the basic concepts and vocabulary of American citizenship in Civics and government. This lesson should start out with the distribution of two sets of lyrics to students grouped in pairs. The first groups should have the lyrics to the songs “Over There” and “I Didn’t Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier” while the second groups should have “Don’t Take My Darling Boy Away.” The teacher will present the lyrics to the students first without playing the songs, either by way of power point slides or overheads. The students will then be asked to highlight or circle what they consider “unusual” vocabulary words in each of the songs. The teacher will then distribute the graphic organizer on B19 of VAT. Students will then work in pairs and fill out the organizer. As they do so, they need to be answering the following questions:

Do either or both of the songs you have express patriotism? Refer to specific words and sentences as examples.
Which of the two songs expresses protest over World War I? Refer to specific words and sentences as examples.
What is(are) the message(s) of the patriotic song(s)?
What is(are) the message(s) of the protest song(s)?
Why was patriotism important at this time in American history?
Why was protesting this war important at this time?
What “message” do the songs communicate about America?
What message or messages do the songs communicate about citizenship rights and responsibilities in America?
Is fighting for one’s country part of being “patriotic?”
Is protesting one’s country’s participation in a war part of responsible citizenship, an expression of patriotism or disrespectful to a democratic country’s hopes and dreams for success?
How can patriotism and protest co-exist in a democratic government? Can you have patriotism without protest and vice versa?

Possible song extension activities:

Compare and contrast below with those mentioned

Based on the songs you’ve heard and analyzed, draw a picture of why you think patriotism is more important than protest at this time in American history, why you think protest is more important than patriotism or that the two must exist together in an effective democracy.
Working with a partner, write a debate with patriotism on one side and protest on other at the time of World War I.
Design your own flag with symbols that you feel are important when it comes to patriotism or protest during the time of World War I.
Create a series of posters proclaiming the importance of patriotism during this time in American history OR the importance of protest during this war. Be ready to explain your poster orally during class.
Using a clip from All Quiet on the Western Front or James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy, write a critique comparing and contrasting the messages of patriotism and protest in the song lyrics you’ve reviewed compared with that very same message in one of the films just mentioned.
Use a combination of songs and cartoons about World War I to further analyze the issues of patriotism and protest. Find cartoons that support American involvement in the war and cartoons that criticize the United States involvement in the war.
Using the above mentioned cartoons, design a recruitment brochure explaining why service in the military is a patriotic thing to do OR design a protest brochure explaining why war and violence isn’t the answer to this armed conflict.

Vietnam Song Analysis Lesson

Ohio State Standards-Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

Social Studies Skills and Methods
History-20th century conflicts

Anticipatory set:

Introduce the concepts of induction, deferment, draft board, conscription, doves and hawks, selective service. Students will be required to read information about selective service classifications either as a homework assignment or as an in-class reading assignment.

Introduction:

The Vietnam War aroused strong passions both for and against U.S. military involvement(as it still does today). The first song selected for this 50 minute lesson celebrates the courage of those who are willing to fight for their country; the second song, in addition to being a rousing anti-war protest, illustrates the growing importance of the African-American voice as Americans debated the ideas of patriotism and protest in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Activity #1:

“Ballad of the Green Beret”(1965) by Sgt. Barry Saddler and Robin Moore

Students will be required to write down three ideas about what defines a hero.
After completing this writing, students share their ideas in a class discussion. In that discussion, students need to differentiate between celebrities and heroes.
Distribute and discuss the lyrics of “Ballad of the Green Beret.” Students write down two lines from the song that reflect heroic qualities.
Analyze the song further. What’s the “mood” of the song? Describe the tone of in terms of approach. Is it a patriotic song? Is it a protest song? Is it both? Explain your answer. Does the song portray Green Berets in a positive or negative light? Use the lyrics of the song to explain your answer.

Activity #2:

Teacher provides notes on the rise of draft resistance. Some of the main points to be emphasized are listed below:

Student political groups hold a “We Won’t Go” conference in Chicago in 1966.
Protesters urged to picket induction centers and burn or turn in draft cards
Leaders risked prosecution by the Justice Department-punishment included 5 years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine. The goal was to clog the judicial system with so many cases that conscription would be slowed or completely stopped.
1967-Half of all college students called themselves “hawks.”
Linked to the “peace and love” counterculture, the movement starts to grow.
April 15, 1967-Between 250-thousand and half a million people march against the war in New York City.
Stop the Draft Week in October ’67-nearly 1000 draft cards collected to present to the Justice Department. 75-thousand gather on the steps of the Pentagon.

ONCE THE ABOVE NOTES ARE DISTRIBUTED, STUDENTS LISTEN TO THE SECOND SONG, “War” sung by Edwin Starr and complete the song analysis steps listed below.

After listening to “War," students compare and contrast the mood of the song with ”The Ballad of the Green Beret.” What three adjectives could be used to describe the mood and tone of “War?”
In both songs, women play a secondary role. Contrast the role of the young wife in “Ballad of the Green Beret” with the mother in “War”.
How are the soldiers in both songs portrayed differently? Use specific lyric references to explain your answer.
Select two lyrics from Starr’s song that demonstrate his most effective arguments against armed conflicts.
How would a Green Beret respond to the lyric “Life is too short and precious to spend fighting wars these days?”
What lyrics does Starr use to describe the result of the Vietnam War experience for young men?
How do the words “Good God Y’all” and Good God Now” enhance the message of the song?

Extension Ideas and Activities:

Feelings about the Vietnam War can be found beyond the lyrics of songs when it comes to the African-American soldier’s experience during this armed conflict. Compare and contrast the views of Harold Bryant, who enlisted in 1965 and said “America should have won the war but they wouldn’t free us to fight… they could have put us all shoulder to shoulder and had us march from Saigon all the way up to the DMZ. Just make a sweep….” WITH the views of boxing champion Muhammad Ali who stated: “I ain’t got no quarrel with the Viet Cong.” and refused induction into the army in 1967 on the grounds that it violated his first amendment rights to free exercise of his religion. Have students research what happened to Muhammad Ali and find two other similar examples. Also you could debate whether Muhammad Ali was a patriot based on his actions at this time.
Describe the issue of military recruitment on high school campuses. Use the article from the March 13th ,2006 edition of the “New York Times Upfront Magazine” and the article March 6th 2006 edition of Junior Scholastic Magazine for information.
Discuss whether those who refuse to fight in Iraq are deserters or resisters. See article from CBS News, July 23, 2006-“Officer Faces Court Martial for Refusing to Deploy to Iraq”

Compare John Kerry’s criticisms of the war with veterans who disagree with those views.

Watch selected performances from the “Woodstock” documentary, such as “Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner” or Country Joe’s “Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag”, for example. Have students work together to create their own song lyrics related to America’s current military involvement.

Show students examples of protest posters from the Vietnam era. Have students create their own posters related to current military involvement.

Discuss the tenets of “Just War theory “(a centuries-old framework for judging wars created by St. Augustine) as they relate to both the Vietnam and the Iraq experiences.

Compare and contrast the ideas about civil disobedience in Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”(1963) to Justice Charles E. Whittaker’s “Mass Disobedience Endangers Nation”(July 29, 1965).
Discuss situations when civil disobedience is warranted and if there are circumstances when it might not be justified. Review the first amendment and discuss civil disobedience either as refusal to participate in laws or systems that are unjust vs. the legitimacy of violating a reasonable law to correct a larger evil.
Choose from the following additional songs for further analysis of patriotism and protest during the Vietnam era:

“Blowin’ In The Wind”

“Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag”

“The Fightin’ Side of Me"

“Still in Saigon”

“Bring Them Home”

Discuss symbolic speech and relate to dance styles of the 1960’s (basic, more African beat, isolated, introspective) to the serious nature of the times.

Additional Vietnam War Resources