Learn about the formation of the United Nations and the principles outlined in its charter. Last Updated: May 12, 2020
On June 26, 1945, 50 nations signed a charter to create the United Nations in order to promote international cooperation and human rights. See full-sized image for analysis. In the midst of World War II, even as they struggled to defeat Germany and Japan, leaders of the Allied nations were also beginning to envision a new international institution that would ensure global peace and cooperation once the war ended. In 1941, before the United States had even entered the war, President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill signed the Atlantic Charter, committing their countries to international collaboration and individual rights. At later meetings in Tehran, Yalta, and San Francisco, delegates from Allied nations developed a plan for a new organization that could replace the failed League of Nations. The Charter of the United Nations was signed on June 26, 1945, by leaders from 50 nations. President Harry Truman, who had taken office after Franklin Roosevelt’s death that April, spoke at the closing ceremony. He called the UN Charter “a constitution—a charter for peace” and “a solid structure on which we can build a better world.” 1 The preamble to the UN Charter states:
The UN Charter went into effect on October 24, 1945; immediately afterward, it was ratified by a majority of the countries that had attended the San Francisco meeting. There were 51 founding member countries. By 2016, the United Nations included 193 countries—nearly all of the independent states on earth. The map above highlights these countries. Connection Questions
paperclip Students are introduced to the enormity of the crimes committed during the Holocaust and look closely at stories of a few individuals who were targeted by Nazi brutality.
paperclip Students deepen their examination of human behaviour during the Holocaust by analysing and discussing the range of choices available to individuals, groups, and nations.
paperclip Students both respond to and design Holocaust memorials as they consider the impact that memorials and monuments have on the way we think about history.
paperclip Students grapple with the meaning of justice and the purpose of trials as they learn how the Allies responded to the atrocities of Nazi Germany.
paperclip Students explore the long history of discrimination against Jews and come to understand how anti-Judaism was transformed into antisemitism in the nineteenth century.
paperclip Lead your students through a detailed and challenging study of the Holocaust that asks what this history can teach us about the power and impact of choices.
paperclip Explore resources that meet the California History–Social Science Framework standards.
paperclip Explore resources that meet the Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework.
paperclip Students are introduced to the many factors that influenced Americans’ will and ability to respond to the Jewish refugee crisis, including isolationism, racism, xenophobia, and antisemitism.
paperclip Students explore the intertwined personal stories of Jewish refugees who attempted to flee to the United States and the American rescuers who intervened on their behalf.
paperclip Students will explore some of the causes and consequences of denying the Armenian Genocide and reflect on the role of public art to commemorate difficult histories.
paperclip Students examine the steps the Nazis took to replace democracy with dictatorship and draw conclusions about the values and institutions that make democracy possible.
Using the strategies from Facing History is almost like an awakening. — Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif |