It wasn’t until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor that the United States was prompted to enter World War II. But what actually happened on December 7, 1941?
Use this interactive in your classroom to start a conversation with your students about how the events at Pearl Harbor startled Americans and drove President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to ask Congress for a declaration of war with Japan.
This interactive can be used as a presentation, or your students can work through it on their own or in small groups. The Attack Map features a timeline that contains detailed stories and firsthand accounts at each marker. Follow the stories of American and Japanese service members as they explain what they were thinking and doing throughout the day on December 7, 1941.
What did your students already know about the attack on Pearl Harbor and U.S. involvement in World War II? Did they learn anything new by using the interactive? How does an Attack Map timeline and hearing firsthand accounts from those who were there improve your students’ understanding of this event in history?
Using an interactive like this one can add great context to a topic that may be glossed over quickly in a textbook. Taking some time to help your students uncover perspectives and facts is a great way to get them to think critically about events and issues in our past, present, and future.
Check out our Teachers’ Toolkit below for more resources about Pearl Harbor and World War II.
TEACHERS’ TOOLKIT
More related resources from National Geographic Education
Interactive: Remembering Pearl Harbor
This Day in Geographic History: December 7, 1941
Article: Date Which Will Live in Infamy
Study Guide: How (Almost) Everyone Failed to Prepare for Pearl Harbor
Photo: Dorie Miller
Reference: Pearl Harbor Ships and Planes
Study Guide: Rare Images Reveal Seaplane Sunk at Pearl Harbor
Audio: Roosevelt’s ‘Date of Infamy’ Speech
Study Guide: Congressman Recalls ‘Date of Infamy’
Timeline: World War II in the Pacific
Where is this attack map? I used it for years and it was wonderful. Why would you take it down? Please return it for our use.
We have unpublished this resource because it ran on Flash Player software, which Adobe has retired. You can access our other interactives in our Resource Library: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/resource-library/.
I used this map for many years for my classes, I’d also appreciate it if it was brought back, it was great!!!
When will this interactive map be available to use for our history classes again?
This interactive map was awesome for students!! Bring it back please!!!