The Cuban Missile Crisis: Graphic Organizer

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day political and military standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union in October 1962. The crisis was sparked when the United States discovered that the Soviet Union had secretly installed nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the US coastline. The US saw this as a direct threat to their national security. On October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy announced the discovery of the missiles and imposed a naval quarantine on Cuba, blocking Soviet ships from delivering more missiles. The Soviet Union responded by stating that the quarantine was an act of aggression and refused to remove the missiles. For the next 13 days, the world was on the brink of nuclear war. The US military was put on high alert, and Kennedy established the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) to advise him on the crisis. Kennedy and his advisors considered several options, including a military strike on Cuba, a full-scale invasion, and a naval blockade. They also communicated with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev through diplomatic channels to try to find a peaceful solution. On October 28, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a US promise not to invade Cuba and to remove US missiles from Turkey. The crisis was over, and nuclear war had been avoided. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a defining moment in the Cold War, demonstrating the danger of nuclear weapons and the need for international diplomacy and cooperation. It also led to improved communication and a "hotline" between the US and the Soviet Union to prevent future crises.

Teacher-prepared notes show students what is important and how ideas relate, and offer a model for how students should take notes themselves (Marzano et al., 2001). These notes give students an overview of Cuban Missile Crisis, the main players in the crisis, and the 13-days where the world stood at the brink of nuclear war. These notes also come complete with a fill-in-the-blank student version.

Clipart Credit: Dandy Doodles

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