The Spanish Civil War is a crucial event in the twentieth-century world and U.S. history, and key for understanding the origins of World War II and the Holocaust. It offers a unique opportunity to introduce major historical, political, and cultural issues. It also allows students to understand how political ideas and ideals shape people’s lives, moving them to make difficult and sometimes dangerous choices. Teaching the Spanish Civil War—in which 2,800 U.S. volunteers risked their lives to fight fascism—allows teachers to work with a wealth of compelling primary documents that get students thinking about essential questions.