Directions: Use the themes, questions and video clips below to teach and learn with portions of C-SPAN's American Writers program featuring Whittaker Chambers, and Witness. Link to the complete video clip list to identify clip descriptions and create your own lessons. Each theme contains questions and video clips appropriate for varying grade levels. Lesson Credit:
Curriculum Advisory Team Member, Barry Davis.

1. What political events and conditions led to the creation of the House Un-American Activities Committee? What was the objective of this committee?
2. What attraction did Communism have for Americans in the 1920's and 30's?
3. How did the political atmosphere of the late 30's and the war era influence American political attitudes towards Stalinist Russia? What events would occur later in Russia that would change Chambers' attitude towards Russian/Stalinist Communism?
4. What were Truman's (and George Kennan's and Dean Acheson's) views about the trustworthiness of the Soviet Union? How did Hiss' view compare to those of others in the administration? Why was he pushed out of the State Department in 1946?
5. How did the case affect Richard Nixon's political position? Where did he land on the political ideological spectrum?

1. What dangers did Chambers face when he renounced the Communist party? What type of legacy did Chambers leave his children?
2. Why did Chambers view the fight against Communism as a "spiritual struggle"?
3. What is it in Chambers' work or life that would attract the American political right (for example Ronald Reagan) to admire and embrace him?
4. How did the media at the time portray the case? What factors may have impacted their depticiton?
5. Today, looking back, is Chambers a hero or a villain? a patriot or traitor? What did he accomplish? How should Alger Hiss be viewed? Compare Hiss to Chambers within the hero/villian paradigm. Does it matter that Hiss wasn't officially charged or convicted of espionage?

1. Did the Communist Party pose a threat to national security? Consider the point of view of Whittaker Chambers, Alger Hiss, the House Committee and the American public. Why did it pose a threat to some?
2. What impact did the Pumpkin Patch microfilm have on American security? What impact didn't it have? Why place the film in a pumpkin?
3. Why types of secrets were being passed? How were they processed by the Soviet Union? How was some information used to corroborate other information? Is there a difference between passing information to a "friendly nation" as compared to a hostile one? When is a spy a spy?
4. What lessons regarding national security does the Chambers/Hiss case offer? What changes were made to U.S. laws and policy as a result?
5. Compare some of the national security threats which the U.S. was concerned with in the 1950's to those we are concerned with today.