Lesson plan

Benjamin Gitlow

Benjamin Gitlow (December 22, 1891 – July 19, 1965) was a prominent American socialist politician of the early 20th century and a founding member of the Communist Party USA. At the end of the 1930s, Gitlow turned to conservatism and wrote two sensational exposés of American communism, books which were very influential during the McCarthy period. Gitlow remained a leading anti-communist up to the time of his death.

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Article summary

Benjamin Gitlow (December 22, 1891 – July 19, 1965) was a prominent American socialist politician of the early 20th century and a founding member of the Communist Party USA. At the end of the 1930s, Gitlow turned to conservatism and wrote two sensational exposés of American communism, books which were very influential during the McCarthy period. Gitlow remained a leading anti-communist up to the time of his death.

Key claims

  1. date of birth: 1891-12-22 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. date of death: 1965-07-19 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  3. date of foundation: 1929 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of birth is "1891-12-22". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the date of death is "1965-07-19". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. The record states that the date of foundation is "1929". What evidence would count against this claim?
  5. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  6. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1361813648

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.