Assignment task: Some wars in American history have been very controversial. One such war was the Vietnam War of the 1960s and 1970s. Emotions ran high on both sides. Many Americans, mostly younger people and college students, believed the United States had wrongly entered a war that was claiming too many lives. They took to the streets with signs, songs, and slogans to protest against the Vietnam War. But other Americans, mostly older people with conservative beliefs, supported the war in Vietnam. They organized rallies and marches to show their patriotism. At times, the conflict between supporters and opponents of the Vietnam War resembled a war itself. Sometimes people were killed or injured during riots on city streets and on college campuses. The "Hard Hat Riot" occurred in New York City in May 1970. One thousand students began a protest march through Lower Manhattan. Four hundred construction workers showed up. Most of them wore hard hats, and some carried clubs. The construction workers began shouting slogans then attacked the protesters.
Think about what you have learned in this lesson. Explain how the War of 1812 included examples of national unity as well as examples of division.