KEYWORDS
transportation
isolationism

COURSES FOR WHICH THE MODULE IS MOST APPLICABLE
Mathematics
Geography
Economics
American History
American Government
World History
Speech/Debate

Lecture Launcher
Tocqueville felt that our geographic location would keep us out of a lot of trouble. George Washington stressed that we should stay away from aligning ourselves with other nations. The foreign policy of isolationism will be examined. Should America, the country that invented a modern form of a representative democracy, be its main enforcer around the world. Do we owe the people of the world, who want to fight for their personal liberties, this "favor." Link this to the 1990's. American troops are all around the world. Is this necessary?

Class Activity
In the area of geography, Tocqueville was amazed. The land seemed so large to him, and in an era of steam boats and horse drawn carriages travel during the 1830's was not taken for granted. Break the class into a number of groups and give them Tocqueville's route map complete with his itinerary. For a math or geography lesson, the students could calculate daily travels as far as the number of miles, taking into consideration the modes of transportation and weather. They could also map out how one might travel the same route today. New super highways, jets, faster rail transportation etc.. would make this quite a challenge. They would have to research new speeds and roads. What would be the time difference between taking a 737 from Buffalo to Saginaw (including trips to and from the airports, a flight delay of two hours, and a snow storm in Michigan) and taking a high speed train? With imagination, the instructors could develop many simulations/problems for their students to solve.

Tocqueville stated: "I think that nations, like men, in their youth almost always give indications of the main features of their destiny... Seeing how energetically the Anglo-Americans trade, their natural advantages, and their successes, I cannot help believing that one day they will become the leading naval power on the globe. They are born to rule the sea, as the Romans were to conquer the world" (Democracy in America Vol. 1, Part 2 , Chap. 10 ). We are still a maritime nation, thus the students could examine trade deficits with selected countries, and the role that the U.S. Navy plays in the maintenance of world's waterways, if not our interest in the Middle Eastern oil supplies.