In 1854 President Franklin Pierce faced a critical choice, one that would determine the fate of his presidency and have a profound impact on the future of the United States. Should he support the Kansas-Nebraska proposal, which gave local settlers the right to determine whether or not slavery would be permitted? Should he maintain the Missouri Compromise, which banned slavery in these territories? Or, since any decision regarding slavery would have a significant impact the nation’s economic well-being, should practical considerations overrule moral rhetoric?

The purpose of this guide is to provide a framework for a deliberation about what to do about people who were still without housing and work in September 1952, seven years after the end of World War II. It is written from the perspective of people living at that time and contains the information that was available to them at that time.

This deliberation guide focuses on the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, encouraging students to examine the choices the Californio indigenous people faced in June 1849 as they determined how they would approach, or avoid, a future as American citizens. As students investigate the cultural, historical, economic, and political context of the time, they will wrestle with and weigh possible answers to the question: What do you do when the border crosses you?

This issue guide explores three options woman suffrage advocates faced in Spring 1917. With the imminent entry into the war, those in support of woman suffrage are considering what to do— continue to actively protest, focus work on the war effort, or protect those most vulnerable? Each option has strengths, weaknesses, and risks and none of the options is perfect for the movement or individual advocates. Which actions can you support? Which tradeoffs are you unwilling to accept? What do you recommend?

Option One: Continue to Actively Advocate for the Vote