Standard 1 – How political, religious and social institutions emerged in the English colonies
Indicator 1 – compare how early colonies were established and governed
Indicator 2 – explain the social, economic and political tensions between colonies and
their governments
Indicator 3 – describe religious groups in colonial America and the role of religion in
their communities
Indicator 4 – explain how and why family and community life differed in various regions
of colonial North America
Initial Understanding
Compare and contrast how the early colonies were established and governed
Identify the various religious groups and the role of religion in each colony
Describe the family and community life in colonial North America
Developing an Interpretation
Explain the social, economic and political differences between the colonies
Understand how religion influenced the development of the colonies
Making Connections
Analyze the tensions between colonies and their governments
Explain why family and community life differed in the various colonies
Critical Stance
Evaluate the impact of religion on colonial society
Assess the similarities and differences among the colonies
Recommended Essential Questions:
Standard 1 – The causes of the American Revolution, the ideas and interests involved in
forging the revolutionary movement, and the reasons for the American victory
Indicator 1 – reconstruct the chronology of the critical events leading to the outbreak of
armed conflict between the American colonies and England
Indicator 2 – explain the major ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence and
their influence on the Revolution
Initial Understanding
Identify the critical events that led to the conflict between America and Britain
List the major ideas contained in the Declaration of Independence
Developing an Interpretation
Summarize the causes of the American Revolution
Discuss the importance of the ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence
Explain why the Americans were victorious in the war
Making Connections
Analyze why the major events led to conflict
Explain how the ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence are linked to the
causes of the American Revolution
Critical Stance
Evaluate whether the ideals of the Revolution applied to all people in American society
Assess whether the American Revolution was inevitable
Recommended Essential Questions:
Standard 1 – The extension, restriction and reorganization of political democracy after 1800
Indicator 1 – relate the increasing popular participation in state and national politics to
the evolving democratic ideal that adult white males were entitled to
political participation
Indicator 2 – explain the contradictions between the movement for universal white male
suffrage and disenfranchisement of African-Americans as well as women
Initial Understanding
Identify the elements of Jacksonian Democracy
Describe the rise of new party politics
Identify the movements and leaders that helped to cause reform
Describe the earliest forces that helped cause reform
Identify and describe the growing divisions within the reform movement
Developing an Interpretation
Demonstrate the impact of the court system as it strengthened the national government
Interpret the impact of territorial expansion on democracy
Interpret the 1824 and 1828 elections as indicators of increased political participation
Analyze the growing difference between north and south on the extension of democratic
values
Making Connections
Analyze the forces that limited and denied reform to women and blacks
Summarize the arguments in defense of chattel slavery
Analyze the growth of a second political party and interest group politics
Show how the reform movements extended democratic principles
Explain the radical divisions that occurred in both the women’s and abolition movements
Critical Stance
Assess Jackson’s impact on the extension of democracy and the importance of the “common man”
Relate the impact of sectional differences to the limitations on democracy
Appraise the role of the Second Great Awakening in the reform period
Assess the impact of slavery as roadblock to the extension of democracy and national unity
Recommended Essential Questions:
Standard 1 – The causes course and outcome of the Civil War
Indicator 1 – explain the causes of the Civil War and evaluate the importance of slavery
as a principal cause of the conflict
Indicator 2 – identify the turning points of the war and evaluate how social, political,
military and diplomatic leadership affected the outcome of the conflict
Indicator 3 – contrast the Reconstruction policies advocated by Lincoln, Andrew
Johnson and Radical Republicans, while assessing these policies as
responses to changing events
Initial Understanding
Identify the major political parties and their platforms
Describe the growth of the United States and the compromises that allowed for the
expansion of slavery
Identify the aims of the North and South at the beginning of the conflict
Describe the nature of the war and the impact of technology on conduct of the war
Identify the political and military leaders of both the Union and Confederacy
List the provisions of the 14th and 15th Amendments
List the differences between Presidential and Congressional Reconstruction
Developing an Interpretation
Explain how cultural and economic differences between North and South deepened sectionalism
Explain the election of 1860 and the circumstances that led to Lincoln’s victory
Analyze the change in the status of blacks and their impact on the conduct of the war
Explain the impact of the 14th and 15th Amendment on black southerners and poor whites
Explain the need for Reconstruction as viewed by freed blacks
Making Connections
Show how the lack of antebellum political leadership led to increased acts of radicalism
and violence
Show how the military victories of 1863 changed and determined the outcome of the
conflict
Show how the Gettysburg Address redefined the concept of freedom and conduct of war
Demonstrate the impact of racism on Reconstruction and southern reaction and actions
Demonstrate how the Compromise of 1877 ended Reconstruction
Critical Stance
Evaluate why political leaders were unable to deal with the issue of slavery
Discuss the South’s historical rejection of federalism
Evaluate the impact of Reconstruction on the status of blacks
Recommended Essential Questions:
Standard 1 – How the economic and social structure of America changed during the rise of
industrial America, including industrialization, labor, farming and
immigration
Indicator 1 - explain how technological breakthroughs, various types of business
organizations, and the rise of prominent industrial and financial leaders
transformed the economy, work processes and domestic life, making
consumer goods more available, increased the standard of living for most
Americans, and redistributed wealth
Indicator 2 - assess the challenges, opportunities, settlement patterns and
contributions of different immigrant groups
Indicator 3 - analyze how working conditions changed and how the workers
responded the new industrial conditions
Initial Understanding
Describe the impact of immigrants and immigration on urban America
Describe the types of business organization that increased production and decreased cost
Identify business leaders that altered industrial America
Identify the great labor strikes and conflict between workers and owners
Developing an Interpretation
Understand the reasons for the rise of labor and its conflict with business
Analyze the impact of industrialization on urban America
Analyze government policy and its impact on farmers and agriculture
Making Connections
Relate the rapid expansion of the United States to government policy and action
Illustrate the impact of steel on the transportation revolution and America’s rise to
economic strength
Examine how the industrial and technological forces impacted America and the reform
movement that followed
Relate how economic and technological growth helped to unify the United States
Critical Stance
Argue whether prominent industrialists were Robber Barons or Captains of Industry
Assess the impact of industrialization on urban America and the individual worker
Assess the impact of the lack of government regulation on the new business models and
the accumulation of wealth and power
Recommended Essential Questions:
Standard 1- The causes of the Great Depression, the government response, and how it affected American society.
Indicator 1- evaluate the causes of the Great Depression
Indicator 2- explore the reasons for the deepening crisis of the Great Depression and evaluate the Hoover administration’s responses
Indicator 3- explain the effects of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl on America
Initial Understanding
Identify the causes of the Great Depression
Describe the effects of the Great Depression on America
Describe the Alphabet Soup of programs in the New Deal
Developing an Interpretation
Understand the reasons for deepening of the crisis
Analyze the Hoover administration’s policies dealing with the economic crisis
Explain FDR’s leadership through the Great Depression
Explain how the New Deal initiated a welfare state
Making Connections
Illustrate the interdependence of the global and U.S. economy
Show how the Great Depression resulted in migration
Compare and contrast the impact of the Depression on rural and urban America
Compare and contrast Hoover and FDR’s response to the crisis
Critical Stance
Argue if the Great Depression could have been avoided
Appraise Hoover’s role in the Great Depression
Evaluate the success and failures of relief, recovery and reform programs of the New
Deals
Recommended Essential Questions:
Standard 2- The causes and course of World War II, the character of the war at home and
abroad, and its reshaping of the U.S. role in world affairs
Indicator 1- analyze the factors contributing and the American response to the rise of fascism, national socialism, militarism and communism in the interwar period
Indicator 2- explain the major turning points of the war and contrast military campaigns in the European and Pacific theaters
Indicator 3- analyze Hitler’s “final solution” and the allies responses to the Holocaust and war crimes
Indicator 4- evaluate the decision to employ nuclear weapons against Japan and assess later controversies over the decision
Indicator 5- analyze the effects of WWII on American society
Indicator 6- evaluate how Americans viewed their achievements and global responsibilities at war’s end
Initial Understanding
Identify the causes of World War II
Compare the different governments during the interwar period
Identify the major leaders during the Second World War
Identify the major turning points of the War
Developing an Interpretation
Analyze American foreign policy in the interwar period
Compare and contrast the military campaigns in Europe and in the Pacific
Summarize Hitler’s “final solution”
Analyze the Allies response to the Holocaust and other war crimes
Making Connections
Demonstrate the effects of WWII on American society
Explain how the U.S. became a global leader after WWII
Critical Stance
Evaluate the decision to use atomic weapons to end the war
Assess the motivation and impact of the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences
Recommended Essential Questions
Standard 1 – How the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics.
Indicator 1 – explain the origins of the Cold War, containment and the advent of nuclear
politics
Indicator 2 – explain the rationale, implementation and effectiveness of the U.S.
containment policy in Korea and Vietnam
Indicator 3 – evaluate how Vietnamese and Americans experienced the war and how the
war continues to affect postwar politics and culture
Initial Understanding
Trace the evolution of American policy towards Soviet ambitions
Identify the origins of the Cold War
Identify the policy of containment as it applies to Korea and Vietnam
Describe the experiences of both the Vietnamese and the Americans during the War
Developing an Interpretation
Summarize the causes of the Cold War and the advent of nuclear policies
Analyze the implementation and effectiveness of the containment policy in
Korea and Vietnam
Examine how the American reacted to the Cold War
Understand the similarities and differences of the Vietnamese and American’s
view of the Vietnam War
Making Connections
Show how the U.S. policy of containment and massive retaliation shaped nuclear politics
of the time
Demonstrate how the Vietnam War continues to affect postwar politics and culture
Critical Stance
Evaluate how Vietnamese and Americans experienced the war
Assess the effectiveness of the U.S. foreign policy of containment and massive retaliation
Evaluate the impact of the Vietnam War on America
Recommended Essential Questions:
Standard 2 – The struggle for racial and gender equality and for the extension of
Civil liberties
Indicator 1 – examine and explain the course of the Civil Rights movement in
Post-WWII era
Indicator 2 – identify the major social, economic, and political issues affecting women
and minorities and explain the conflicts these issues engendered
Initial Understanding
List the leaders major events of the post-WWII Civil Rights movement
Describe the “Great Society”
Identify the social, economic, and political issues affecting minorities and women
during the administrations of Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson
Developing an Interpretation
Trace the development of the Civil Rights movement
Understand the reasons behind the Civil Rights movement of the post-WWII era
Explain the origins and development of the post-WWII women’s movement
Explain the conflicts and tensions that resulted from the Civil Rights and women’s rights
movements
Making Connections
Examine the consequences of the struggle for racial and gender equality
Evaluate whether the strategies used to accomplish racial and gender equality in this era
would be effective today
Critical Stance
Evaluate the successes and failures of the Civil Rights movement of the post-WWII era
Assess the effectiveness of the “Great Society” programs
Evaluate the consequences of the women’s rights movement
Recommended Essential Questions:
Standard 1 – American foreign policy from the collapse of Vietnam to the collapse
of the Soviet Union
Indicator 1 – analyze American actions in the world, such as detente, conflicts and the
collapse of the USSR, since the Vietnam conflict
Initial Understanding
Define detente as it applies to the USSR and China
Describe the U.S. role in political struggles in the Middle East, Africa and Asia
Developing an Interpretation
Explain the reasons for the collapse of the Communists government in Eastern Europe
and the USSR
Analyze the reformulation of foreign policy in the post-Cold War era
Making Connections
Demonstrate the growing influence of America during this time
Examine American attempts at adjusting to a post-bipolar world by looking at the epochal
events of the era
Examine the impact of the Vietnam Ware on American foreign policy
Assess the role of the United States in the collapse of the U.S.S.R.
Critical Stance
Assess U.S. policies toward arms limitations
Evaluate U.S. efforts to assert American military power and rebuild American prestige
Recommended Essential Questions: