Secondary teachers interviewed and surveyed for the AHA's American Lesson Plan (2024) consistently identified the last few decades of US history as one of the most difficult periods to address in introductory courses. Across the country, many state academic standards peter out after the Vietnam War, and faculty who teach chronological surveys in higher education run out of time before they get to the recent past.

What do students lose when they lack context to connect the content they discuss in history courses to contemporary issues and concerns? What themes, topics, and sources can help structure lessons or a unit on post-1970s US history? How do we prioritize content that students need amidst the push and pull between different expectations placed on introductory courses at all levels?

The AHA’s State of the Field for Busy Teachers series provides a forum for history teachers at all levels to interact with leading historians and discuss content, sources, and trends in scholarly interpretation on a theme related to topics commonly addressed in the history classroom. Walter Greason will outline current debates, new lines of inquiry, and useful sources. For the rest of the session, teacher Mindy Lawrence will moderate a discussion, with robust audience participation, about how to incorporate insights from new research into the classroom. We anticipate a lively exchange in which all participants can walk away with new insights and resources.