Barry Goldwater, Extremism, and the 1964 Election-U.S.

This document collection explores the 1964 presidential election and the charges of political extremism against one of its candidates, Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater. In analyzing the documents, students will critically engage with primary sources to determine whether the charges made against Goldwater were accurate or exaggerated, and identify how the charges were defended against or used by political opponents. Students are guided through their analysis of the primary sources with an author-provided learning objective, central question, and historical context.