During the Vietnam War, many people were for the U.S. involvement with the war. In the fight against communism for American democracy, people were ready to go, signed up to go, or even forced to go. Many young people during the 60s and 70s were fiercely against the Vietnam War. Johnny Cash wrote a song about pushing against and questioning the status quo in an attempt to make the future better. A few years before "What is Truth" was written, students gathered to protest against the war and draft. So, is the truth in what our elders tell us to know or what we seek to discover?

The purpose of this instruction was to have students analyze a song during the Vietnam War as a secondary source. Students must analyze the song in the context that it was created for and address who the song represents.

Question 1: I would assume that the students had a chance to analyze the lyrics or read along with the song. My intent was to have the students be able to understand the premise of the song and what Johnny Cash sings about. Each verse is a different narrative from the time.

Question 2: The purpose of this question was to allow students to conceptualize how musicians can have influence and use their platform to speak out or for different causes that they believe in. Music can also be used as a snapshot in history where it can describe what people believed in during that time.

Question 3: When students analyze the song, they will find that Johnny Cash speaks of two narratives. Those against the youth and the youth who are changing the times through protest against the war/ draft and racial and cultural biases. Giving students a chance to discuss the differing perspectives regarding the Vietnam war.