Why are We Discussing the Berlin Wall Today?

Today students are learning which states made up the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War. Each class pointed out how difficult (impossible) it would have been for Lincoln and the Union Government to conduct business in Washington DC if Maryland hadn't sided with the Union. I then decided to briefly interject modern history and liken this situation to what actually happened in West and East Berlin during the Cold War.  The students had a good review of a 7th Grade Global Studies topic but could also appreciate American History in a different way through this comparison.

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