March 9, 2025
Dear Educator,
What is a trade war? Are we in one?
Help your students navigate changing headlines by teaching them about the fundamentals of trade.
In this newsletter, we will equip you and your students with the background knowledge on this topic through teaching and learning resources, including:
- What Is Trade?
- What Are Tariffs?
- Trade Policy Mini Simulation
- From Trade Wars to Trade Wins: How Trump Can Redefine U.S.-China Economic Relations
An Introduction to Trade
Trade has existed for centuries, but it was not always quite so global.
After World War I, norms for international trade were established, but they could not anticipate the global political, economic and climate challenges of modern day.
Use these resources to help your students understand the basics of trade and trade policy:
- What Is Trade?
- What Is Trade Policy?
- What Gets in the Way of Free Trade?
The Globe-Trotting Journey of a Sneaker (4 minute video)
Economic Sanctions. Mini Simulation
After teaching your students the fundamentals of trade, put these principles into practice by placing them in the shoes of a policy-maker with this simulation.
Trade as Foreign Policy
Trade is most often thought of as something countries use to generate economic growth, but governments can also leverage trade as a direct foreign policy tool to advance other national interests. One country’s trade policies can have a ripple effect globally, impacting global supply chains, foreign aid, businesses, and consumers.
If countries enact punitive trade policies against one another, and there are no international organizations with authority to regulate free trade, a trade war can ensue.
Use these resources to teach your students about trade as foreign policy:
- Trade as Foreign Policy
- How Trade Rules Are Written
- What Is the World Trade Organization?
- What a Trade Deficit Means
Trade Policy. Mini Simulation
Put the concept of trade into practice by inviting your students to debate a response to a hypothetical situation in which a growing rivalry between trade partners threatens regional stability.
Trade Wars
Is the United States in a trade war with China? Looking at the history between the two countries can help your students understand why trade relations between them are contentious.
Teach your students about major conversations around trade wars with these resources:
- The Contentious U.S.-China Trade Relationship
- From Trade Wars to Trade Wins: How Trump Can Redefine U.S.-China Economic Relations