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Downwinders and Atomic Testing

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Central Question:

Were the atomic tests in the Nevada desert during the 1950s and 1960s dangerous for United States citizens?

If yes, was the government aware of the threat the tests posed to the public?

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A mushroom cloud visible over the Las Vegas skyline
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This map shows areas where deposits of Iodine-131, a dangerous radioactive isotope, were found after atomic bomb testing.
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Nuclear Test Site in Nevada, November 1951
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This map shows areas where at least two mushroom clouds passed over after nuclear testing.
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Were the atomic tests in the Nevada desert during the 1950s and 1960s dangerous for United States citizens?

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If yes, was the government aware of the threat the tests posed to the public?

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Lesson Plan

Graphic Organizer

Use the resources below for further research about the atomic bomb tests and the downwinders