The U.S. vs. China

1. Set Focus 
Pose these essential questions: In what ways are China and the U.S. different from each other? In what ways are they similar?

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. Then ask them to answer the following questions, citing text evidence:

• According to the introduction, why don’t the U.S. and China trust each other? Why does the competition between China and the U.S. matter? (China and the U.S. do not trust each other because, during the Cold War era, the U.S. undermined China’s Communist government while China resisted Western democracies in various ways, including fighting the U.S. in the Korean War. Their competition matters because it could change national alliances and reshape the global economy, perhaps to the detriment of the U.S.)

• Select one of the sections describing a way China challenges the U.S. and summarize it. (Answers will vary, but students should concisely summarize a section.) 

• What conclusions can you draw about China and the U.S. by analyzing the information presented in the infographic “China & the U.S.”? (Students may conclude that because China has a marginally higher GDP than the U.S. but a much larger workforce, the U.S. economy might be more efficient or lucrative than China’s, or that the U.S. population is probably wealthier on average. Students may also conclude that because China has only a slightly larger military, either America has a very large military for its population size or China has an unexpectedly small one.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Assign, print, or project the activity In Their Own Words. Have students identify the speaker of each quotation and identify its main idea.

4. Writing Prompt
Which one of the ways that China challenges the U.S. matters the most? Why? Explain in a brief argument essay.

5. Classroom Debate
Should the U.S. military get involved if China attacks Taiwan?

6. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess comprehension and the Analyze the Cartoon skills sheet to practice visual analysis.