1. would you participate in a boycott against a company that does business with a repressive government? why or why not? 2. would you support economic sanctions against a country that violates human rights? why or why not? these questions ask you to take a position and defend it. this means that you will establish a thesis and form a supporting argument. before you answer these questions, take a few minutes to prepare your ideas. consider the importance of human rights compared to your values and your economic priorities. reflect on whether you would be willing to do without something or pay a higher price for products or services in order to protest the violation of human rights. after thinking about these questions and jotting down ideas, take a stand and form a thesis. for this activity, you must choose a side even though you might think both sides are worth defending. if possible, include both sides in your response to demonstrate to those who may disagree with your thesis that you've considered their perspective.

- "the civil rights movements"

- "following the american civil war and abolition of slavery, the united states entered a period known as reconstruction, during which black americans continued to suffer from disenfranchisement, racial segregation, and economic oppression. beginning in the early 1950's, black americans launched a series of major campaigns of civil resistance, emphasizing the need for nonviolent protests and civil disobedience."

"such as the montgomery bus boycott of 1955-56, a campaign launched by rosa parks against the policy of racial segregation of the public transit system in alabama. “sit-ins” became popular across the american south, particularly in greensboro, north carolina, increase national sentiment."

- "the counterculture movement"

- "counterculture began to develop in the united states following the rise of conformity in american culture during the 1950s. by 1963, youth, particularly those of the white middle class, began rejecting the cultural standards and normality of their parents, opting for progressive attitudes instead. the movement gained momentum as the civil rights movement became increasingly successful and as the u.s. military intervention of vietnam began to take a negative turn."

"hippie counterculture moved further into popular culture following the summer of love in 1967 when thousands of people came together in the haight-ashbury neighborhood of san francisco. along with greenwich village in new york city, haight-ashbury became a hub for the counterculture movement."