In Grade8, students study the history of the United States from the early colonialperiod through Reconstruction. Theknowledge and skills in...(this class)…comprise the first part of a two-yearstudy of U.S. history. The second part, comprising U.S. history fromReconstruction to the present, is provided in (grade 11). The content in Grade 8 builds upon that fromGrade 5 but provides more depth and breadth. Historical content focuses on the political, economic, religious, andsocial events and issues related to the colonial and revolutionary eras, thecreation and ratification of the U.S. Constitution, challenges of the earlyrepublic, the Age of Jackson, westward expansion, sectionalism, Civil War, andReconstruction. Students describe thephysical characteristics of the United States and their impact on populationdistribution and settlement patterns in the past and present. Students analyze the various economic factorsthat influenced the development of colonial America and the early years of therepublic and identify the origins of the free enterprise system. Students examine the American beliefs andprinciples, including limited government, checks and balances, federalism,separation of powers, and individual rights, reflected in the U.S. Constitutionand other historical documents. Studentsevaluate the impact of Supreme Court cases and major reform movements of the19th century and examine the rights and responsibilities of citizens of theUnited States as well as the importance of effective leadership in aconstitutional republic. Studentsevaluate the impact of scientific discoveries and technological innovations onthe development of the United States. Studentsuse critical-thinking skills, including the identification of bias in written,oral, and visual material |
