8th Grade United States History (USH)

2017-2018 Course Overview

Course Description
8th Grade United States History covers the essentials of American History from the earliest days of colonization
through the Civil War. In so doing, the course incorporates critical reading and writing opportunities to foster
effective communication skills. The course thus provides the academic foundation for critical engagement with the
history of the United States. 8th Grade USH builds the context of American society, both historical and modern,
that will enable students to engage as citizens and residents of the United States.

The purpose of the United States history course is to inform students of the significant events and individuals who have
shaped the United States into what it is today. Our study will cover the years 1400-1877, which begins with the exploration
of North America and concludes with the Reconstruction Era. This course will prepare students for both state assessments
and for the high school and college level American history courses.

The course will explore the themes of Revolution and Leadership to examine the following questions?
Why do people form new societies?
To what the United States lived up to the democratic ideals upon which it was founded?
How do leaders affect the identity of a society?
How can Americans learn from the nations past to pursue prosperity today?
In each unit, students will continually practice four historical thinking skills: historical causation, patterns of continuity and
change over time, periodization, and comparison. Mastering these skills will allow students to think critically and
intellectually about history.

Academic priorities and goals focus around increasing reading comprehension skills and writing abilities. Students will be
expected to write two Document Based Question essays per quarter, as well as multi-part short answer questions. The DBQ
essay and short answer rubrics are aligned to AP standards, and will prepare students to write comprehensive essays by the
time they are in high school.

Course Assessments and Assessment Tools

Students will conclude the years curriculum by taking the 8th Grade Social Studies STAAR assessment. We will monitor
student progress throughout the year by reflecting on data collected from two benchmark assessments given in November
and March. Additionally, separate from the state assessment, we will regularly assess students comprehension through the
use of Common Unit Assessments (CUAs). CUAs will consist of the following components:
Multiple Choice Questions: These questions will be derived mainly from previously released STAAR assessments as
means of assessing students readiness for state exams.
Short Answer Questions: Each assessment will contain at least one short answer question that requires students
to analyze texts, images, graphs, or maps and write a short paragraph in response.
Document Based Question (DBQ) essay: Using a rubric aligned to the AP history scoring guide, students will be
expected to write a 5 paragraph DBQ essay, craft an original thesis statement, and accurately analyze multiple
historic documents.

8 USH Course Overview 2017-2018 1

Course Routines & Common Systems
Students will maintain a binder to organize all materials in this class. All classroom activities, including the do-first, the daily
objective, Cornell Notes or guided notes, and processing activities will be organized within this binder. Students will
organize all homework, graded papers, study tools, and goal tracking data within sections of this binder as well.
Students will track their growth throughout the year by using a standard-aligned tracker at the end of each unit. The
tracker will match questions to standards, enabling students to own their mastery of topics and information.

Students will also maintain a running list of vocabulary for each unit. This list may be kept in the form of a weekly term
sheet, or as a set of flashcards. As part of their Monday Do First, or as weekend homework, students will record the new
vocabulary terms to master for the week, and spiraling activities during the week will reinforce the terms. Finally, students
will be assessed (formally or informally) at the end of the week on the terms they have learned.

Historical Thinking Skills

Throughout this LSS course, we will focus performance tasks on mastery of the following skills:
Historical Causation: Identify, analyze, and evaluate multiple cause and effect relationships in a historical context,
distinguishing between the long-term and approximate.
Patterns of Continuity and Change over Time: Recognize, analyze, and evaluate the dynamics of historical
continuity and change over periods of time of varying lengths, as well as relating these patterns to larger historical
processes or themes.
Periodization: Describe, analyze, evaluate, and construct models of historical periodization that historians use to
categorize events into discrete blocks and to identify turning points, recognizing that the choice of specific dates
favors one narrative, region or group over another narrative, region or group; therefore, changing the
periodization can change a historical narrative.
Comparison: Describe, compare, and evaluate multiple historical developments within one society, one or more
developments across or between different societies, and in various chronological and geographical contexts. It
also involves the ability to identify, compare, and evaluate multiple perspectives on a given historical experience.

Unit Overviews
Quarter 1

Unit 1: Exploration and Colonization 18 Days (Approximate)

Unit Overview

In this unit, students will study European exploration and colonization of North America. They will be able to identify and
distinguish between the 13 colonies and 3 colonial regions, they will analyze reasons why Europeans and Africans immigrated
to the 13 colonies, and they will understand the importance of cash crops in the colonial economy. Students will also be able
to describe the beginnings and nature of the slave trade in the Americas.

Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

Why do people migrate? Europeans migrated to North America in order to pursue a better life for
What determines the features themselves and for their families. Their specific motivations include
of a new society? religious freedom, economic opportunity, freedom from oppression, and
How should a society make the desire for social mobility.
rules? A societys motivations for migration shape the characteristics of the
eventual society.
Religious beliefs and structures contributed to early political practices in

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 colonial America.
The environmental features of different parts of the colonized land
created three regions distinguished by their economies and societal
features.
Documents such as the Mayflower Compact and the English Bill of Rights,
along with the formation of local assemblies, the House of Burgesses, and
the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut facilitated the growth of
representative government and established political traditions that endure
today.
The development of a cash-crop plantation system, fueled by enslaved
labor, created an economic system in the Southern United States that
would continue to define the region through the Civil War.
The plantation system became part of a transatlantic triangular trade, in
which raw materials, manufactured goods, and enslaved people were
exchanged internationally.

Standards & Concepts**

The student is expected to

History -
1A: Identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, includingcolonization.
1C: Explain the significance of the following dates: 1607, founding of Jamestown; 1620, arrival of the Pilgrims and signing of
the Mayflower Compact.
2A: Identify reasons for European exploration and colonization of North America
2B: Compare political, economic, religious, and social reasons for the establishment of the 13 English colonies.
3A: Explain the reasons for the growth of representative government and institutions during the colonial period;
3B: Analyze the importance of the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, and the Virginia House of
Burgesses to the growth of representative government;
3C: Describe how religion and virtue contributed to the growth of representative government in the American colonies.

Geography & Culture -

10A: Locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the 17th century.
10B: Compare places and regions of the United States in terms of physical and human characteristics
10C: Analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on historical and contemporary events in the US.
11A: Analyze how physical characteristics of the environment influenced population distribution, settlement patterns, and
economic activities in the United States during the 17thcentury
11C: Describe how different immigrant groups interacted with the environment in the United States during the 17th century.
23A: Identify racial, ethnic, and religious groups that settled in the United States and explain their reasons for immigration
23C: Identify ways conflicts between people from various racial, ethnic, and religious groups were resolved
23D: Analyze the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups to our national identity;
25A: Trace the development of religious freedom in the United States
25B: Describe religious motivation for immigration and influence on social movements, including the impact of theFirst
Great Awakening

Government & Citizenship -

15A: Identify the influence of ideas from historic documents, including the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, the
Mayflower Compact
20A: Explain the role of significant individuals such as Thomas Hooker, Charles de Montesquieu, John Locke, William
Blackstone, and William Penn in the development of self-government in colonial America

Economics, Science, Technology, and Society

12A: Identify economic differences among different regions of the United States;
12B: Explain reasons for the development of the plantation system, the transatlantic slave trade, and the spread of slavery

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 12D: Analyze the causes and effects of economic differences among different regions of the United States at selected times
in U.S. history

Skills Introduced

All historical thinking skills will be introduced during the first quarter.

The student is expected to

1B Apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events, and time periods;
and
8.29B Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting,
finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions
8.29C: Organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts,
timelines, and maps
8.29D: Identify points of view from the historical context surrounding an event and the frame of reference which
influenced the participants
8.29J: Pose and answer questions about geographic distributions and patterns shown on maps, graphs, charts, models,
and databases
8.29F Identify bias in written, oral, and visual material
8.29G Evaluate the validity of a source based on language, corroboration with other sources, and information about author
8.29I Create thematic maps, graphs, charts, models, and databases representing various aspects of the United States
8.30B Use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, and proper citation of sources
8.30A: use social studies terminology correctly
8.30C: transfer information from one medium to another, including written to visual and statistical to written or visual,
using computer software as appropriate
8.30D: create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information
8.31A use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and
disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution
8.31B Use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options,
predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision

Unit 2: American Revolution 19 Days (Approximate)

Unit Overview

In this unit, students will explore the reasons for separation from Great Britain, the political ideas central to the
Revolution, and the major events of the Revolutionary War. Students will be able to identify the British governance
practices to which American colonists objected and explain how each motivated Revolution. By analyzing the
Declaration of Independence, students will develop an understanding of the ideals central to American democracy.
Students will conclude the unit by exploring the major battles of the Revolutionary War, including the Battles of
Lexington & Concord, the Battle of Saratoga, the Winter at Valley Forge, and the Battle of Yorktown.

Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

What circumstances, if any, justify
violence?
What rights should be considered
unalienable?
What does all men are created
equal mean? Is it true?
What does it take to win when your
Leaders justified the Revolutionary War based on the idea that British rule
denied American colonists basic rights and freedoms.
British limits on territorial expansion, taxation, and unfair governance
practices most immediately motivated the Revolutionary War.
Because colonists could not participate in government, they engaged in civil
disobedience, and then violence, to pursue their political preferences.
Americans won independence through innovative battle tactics, effective

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 side is at a disadvantage? leadership, and international alliance.
The new society denied women and non-Europeans the freedoms that leaders
used to justify the Revolution.

Standards & Concepts

The student is expected to

History -
1A Identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, drafting of the Declaration of Independence
1C Explain the significance of the following dates1776, adoption of the Declaration of Independence
4A Analyze causes of the American Revolution, including the Proclamation of 1763, the Intolerable Acts, the Stamp Act,
mercantilism, lack of representation in Parliament, and British economic policies following the French and Indian War
4B Explain the roles played by significant individuals during the American Revolution, including Abigail Adams, John
Adams, Wentworth Cheswell, Samuel Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, James Armistead, Benjamin Franklin, Bernardo de
Glvez, Crispus Attucks, King George III, Haym Salomon, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, the Marquis de Lafayette,
Thomas Paine, and George Washington;
4C Explain the issues surrounding important events of the American Revolution, including declaring independence;
writing the Articles of Confederation; fighting the battles of Lexington, Concord, Saratoga, and Yorktown; enduring the
winter at Valley Forge; and signing the Treaty of Paris of 1783;

Geography & Culture -

10A Locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the, 18th century
10C Analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major historical and contemporary events in the
United States.

Government & Citizenship -

15C Identify colonial grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence
19A Define and give examples of unalienable rights
20C Analyze reasons for and the impact of examples of civil disobedience in U.S. history such as the Boston Tea Party
22A Analyze the leadership qualities of elected and appointed leaders of the United States such as George Washington
22B Describe the contributions of significant military leaders of the United States such as John Paul Jones

Skills Introduced

All historical thinking skills will be introduced during the first quarter through instruction, and supported throughout the year.

Quarter 2

Unit 3: Creating the Constitution 18 Days (Approximate)

Unit Overview

In this unit, students will analyze the progression of events that led to the creation of the U.S. Constitution, moving from the
Articles of Confederation through the Constitutional Convention. They will study primary sources and documents from
Federalists and Anti-Federalists to understand how compromise between these two groups proved critical in the formation of
the Constitution. Students will also be able to explain how the Constitution provides a framework for our system of
government, how it exhibits the political principles central to American political identity, and how it can be amended and
reinterpreted.

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 Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

Who should have the most power in
America?
How does the Constitution seek to
solve previous problems of
governance in America?
What limits, if any, should there be on
individual liberty?
What can we do when we dont agree
with our government?
The U.S. Constitution provides the framework for our nations system of
government.
Compromises between arguing groups, and in particular Federalists and
Anti-Federalists, created key features of the Constitution.
The primary debates of the Constitutional Convention revolved around how
much power to delegate to states and to the federal government.
The Constitution created a government that addressed the problems that
colonists faced with the British government.
The Constitution establishes a government that revolves around 7 core
principles: Republicanism, Separation of Powers, Limited Government,
Checks and Balances, Federalism, Individual Rights, and Popular Sovereignty.
The Constitution inherits many of its core principles from early colonial
political practices.
The Bill of Rights intends to protect our civil liberties from abuse by the
government.
The Constitution is considered a living document and can be changed
through the amendment process.

Standards & Concepts

The student is expected to

History -
1A Identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, includingcreation and ratification of the Constitution
1C Explain the significance of the following dates 1787, writing of the U.S. Constitution
4D Analyze the issues of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, including the Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths
Compromise.
4E Analyze the arguments for and against ratification.
6A Explain how the Northwest Ordinance established principles and procedures for orderly expansion of the United States

Geography & Culture -

10A Locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the 18th century
25A Trace the development of religious freedom in the United States
25C Analyze the impact of the First Amendment guarantees of religious freedom on the American way of life.

Government & Citizenship -

15A Identify the influence of ideas from historic documents, including the Federalist Papers, and selected Anti-Federalist
writings, on the U.S. system of government
15B Summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation;
15C Identify colonial grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence and explain how those grievances were
addressed in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
15D Analyze how the U.S. Constitution reflects the principles of limited government, republicanism, checks and balances,
federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual rights.
16A Summarize the purposes for and process of amending the U.S. Constitution;
17A Analyze the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, including those of Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry,
James Madison, and George Mason
19A Define and give examples of unalienable rights
19B Summarize rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights
19D Identify examples of responsible citizenship, including obeying laws, staying informed, voting, and serving on juries
19E Summarize the criteria and explain the process for becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States
20B Evaluate the contributions of the Founding Fathers as models of civic virtue
21A Identify different points of view of political parties and interest groups on historical and contemporary issues

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 21B Describe the importance of free speech and press in a constitutional republic
21C Summarize a historical event in which compromise resulted in a peaceful resolution

Skills Introduced

No new skills are introduced in this Unit.

Unit 4: Early America and Age of Jackson 17 Days (Approximate)

Unit Overview

In this unit, students will explore how the new republic struggled to define its domestic and international identity in its early
years. By examining 6 presidencies, students will be able to explain the major domestic and foreign issues with which early
leaders contended. In so doing, students will explore how leadership affects society, how the young nation struggled to
government authority, and how America began to define its international role.

Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

What international role should
America play?
How does leadership shape society?
How should the United States balance
state and federal power?
The early American republic struggled to define its international role (War of
1812, Louisiana Purchase, isolationism/Monroe Doctrine).
Many of the early republics problems stemmed from the struggle to balance
state and federal government. This struggle is exemplified in the split of the
first two political parties, the Nullification Crisis, and the Whiskey Rebellion,
among other major issues.
The War of 1812 set the stage for the Industrial Revolution because it reduced
American reliance on British manufactured goods.
The personal and leadership characteristics of Americas early presidents
shaped the early identity of the nation.
The Jacksonian Era made America more democratic by extending suffrage to
more white men. American society continued to limit rights of minorities and
women.

Standards & Concepts

The student is expected to

History -
1A Identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, includingearly republic, the Age of Jackson
1C Explain the significance of the following dates: 1803, Louisiana Purchase
5A Describe major domestic problems faced by the leaders of the new republic such as maintaining national security,
building a military, creating a stable economic system, setting up the court system, and defining the authority of the
central government;
5B Summarize arguments regarding protective tariffs, taxation, and the banking system;
5C Explain the origin and development of American political parties
5D Explain the causes, important events, and effects of the War of 1812
5E Identify the foreign policies of presidents Washington through Monroe and explain the impact of Washingtons
Farewell Address and the Monroe Doctrine
5F Explain the impact of the election of Andrew Jackson, including expanded suffrage.

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 5G Analyze the reasons for the removal and resettlement of Cherokee Indians during the Jacksonian era, including the
Indian Removal Act, Worcester v. Georgia, and the Trail of Tears.
6E Identify areas that were acquired to form the United States, including the Louisiana Purchase.
7A Understand how political, economic, and social factors led to the growth of sectionalism and the Civil War.

Geography & Culture -

10A Locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries
10C Analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major historical and contemporary events in the
United States.

Government & Citizenship -

17B Explain constitutional issues arising over the issue of states rights, includingThe Nullification Crisis
18A Identify the origin of judicial review and analyze examples of congressional and presidential responses
18B Summarize the issues, decisions, and significance of landmark Supreme Court cases, including Marbury v. Madison,
McCulloch v. Maryland, and Gibbons v. Ogden

Economics, Science, Technology, & Society -

22B Describe the contributions of significant political leaders of the United States such as James Monroe
13A Analyze the War of 1812 as a cause of economic changes in the nation

Skills Introduced

No new skills are introduced in this Quarter.

Quarter 3

Unit 5: Industrial Revolution and Manifest Destiny 18 Days (Approximate)

Unit Overview

In this unit, students will analyze the changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution and Manifest Destiny. In studying
Manifest Destiny, students will examine the root causes of the belief, and consider how it translated into government policy and
action. They will evaluate the effects of these actions on groups including Native Americans, enslaved African-Americans, and
foreign countries. In considering the effects of the Industrial Revolution, students will begin by examining the economic changes
brought by industrial inventions. They will focus on the shift in production from home to factory, and how specific inventions
enabled this shift. Students will also explore the societal effects of industrialization, including urbanization, and reform.

Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

Do the ends of Manifest Destiny
justify its means?
How does technology change society,
both intentionally and
unintentionally?
Did the Industrial Revolution improve
America?
The prospect of western land as a means to social mobility, a desire to protect
borders, the belief in the superiority of American culture, and the abundance of
resources out west led to the idea of Manifest Destiny.
Manifest Destiny led Americans to view the expansion of the United States from
Atlantic to Pacific as the will of God, and as a national obligation. This
encouraged Americans to displace Natives, seize foreign territory, and fight wars
in order to achieve the goal.
As the United States expanded Westward, and organized new territory into
states, the issue of slavery further divided the country as the nation debated on
whether or not to allow the practice to expand into newly organized territories.
Key developments such as interchangeable parts, mass production, and the
factory system led to industrialization - a shift in production from home to
factory. This meant that people no longer labored to produce their own goods.

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 Rather, people began to labor for money, which they used to purchase goods.
The Cotton Gin made cotton more efficient to process. This made cotton more
profitable, and thus expanded its cultivation throughout the Deep South. The
expansion of cotton expanded the practice of slavery.
Industrialization led to urbanization as people moved from farms to cities in
order to pursue factory wages.
The Industrial Revolution brought about many unintended changes, such as
overcrowding of cities, pollution, and immigration from Asia and Europe.
The Industrial Revolution created economic roles for women outside the home.
Women, empowered by their newfound independence during the Industrial
Revolution, participated in and led reform movements to combat some of the
negative effects of the Industrial Revolution. These movements included the
Temperance Movement, the Public Education Movement, the Womens Suffrage
Movement, and an expanding Abolition Movement.

Standards & Concepts

The student is expected to

History -
1A Identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, westward expansion, reform movements,
1C Explain the significance of the following dates: 1803, Louisiana Purchase
6A Explain how the Northwest Ordinance established principles and procedures for orderly expansion of the United States
6B Explain the political, economic, and social roots of Manifest Destiny
6C Analyze the relationship between the concept of Manifest Destiny and the westward growth of the nation;
6D Explain the causes and effects of the U.S.-Mexican War and their impact on the United States;
6E: Identify areas that were acquired to form the United States, including the Louisiana Purchase.

Geography & Culture-

10A Locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries
10C Analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major historical and contemporary events in the United
States.
11A Analyze how physical characteristics of the environment influenced population distribution, settlement patterns, and
economic activities in the United States during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries
11B Describe the positive and negative consequences of human modification of the physical environment of the US
11C Describe how different immigrant groups interacted with the environment in the United States during the 17th, 18th, and
19th centuries
23A Identify selected racial, ethnic, and religious groups that settled in the United States and explain their reasons for
immigration
23B Explain the relationship between urbanization and conflicts resulting from differences in religion, social class, and political
beliefs
23E Identify the political, social, and economic contributions of women to American society
24A Describe the historical development of the abolitionist movement
24B Evaluate the impact of reform movements, including educational reform, temperance, the womens rights movement,
prison reform, abolition, the labor reform movement, and care of the disabled.
25B Describe religious influence on social movements, including the Second Great Awakening
26A Describe developments in art, music, and literature that are unique to American culture such as the Hudson River School
artists, John James Audubon, Battle Hymn of the Republic, transcendentalism, and other cultural activities in the history of
the United States
26B Identify examples of American art, music, and literature that reflect society in different eras
26C Analyze the relationship between fine arts and continuity and change in the American way of life.

Economics, Science, Technology, Society -

12C Explain the reasons for the increase in factories and urbanization
12D Explain the causes and effects of economic differences among regions of the United States at selected times in U.S. history
13B Identify the economic factors that brought about rapid industrialization and urbanization

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 14A Explain why a free enterprise system of economics developed in the new nation, including minimal government intrusion,
taxation, and property rights
14B Describe the characteristics and the benefits of the U.S. free enterprise system during the 18th and 19th centuries
27B Analyze the impact of transportation and communication systems on the growth, development, and urbanization of the
United States;
27A Explain the effects of technological and scientific innovations such as the steamboat, the cotton gin, and interchangeable
parts
27C Analyze how technological innovations changed the way goods were manufactured and marketed, nationally and
internationally
27D Explain how technological innovations brought about economic growth such as how the factory system contributed to
rapid industrialization and the Transcontinental Railroad led to the opening of the west
28A Compare the effects of scientific discoveries and technological innovations that have influenced daily life in different
periods in U.S. history;
28B Identify examples of how industrialization changed life in the United States

Government & Citizenship -

20C Analyze reasons for and the impact of selected examples of civil disobedience in U.S. history such Henry David Thoreaus
refusal to pay a tax.
22B Describe the contributions of significant social, leaders of the United States such as Frederick Douglass, Susan B.
Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Skills Introduced

No new skills are introduced in this Quarter.

Unit 6: Sectionalism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction 24 Days (Approximate)

Unit Overview

In this unit, students will study the events of the Civil War and analyze the long-term effects of the conflict. Students will begin by
examining the most immediate causes of the conflict, namely, the failed attempts to compromise on the expansion of slavery.
They will continue by exploring the major developments of the conflict, including the battles of Fort Sumter, Antietam,
Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Appomattox Courthouse. The Unit will conclude by examining the process of Reconstruction, and the
ways in which racist groups worked to limit the rights of black Americans after emancipation.

Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

Could the Civil War have been
avoided?
Was the Union justified in its tactics?
Did Reconstruction succeed?
The Southern United States reliance on the plantation system and enslaved
labor created economic, social, and political differences between North and
South.
Conflict over the expansion of slavery created a political divide between North
and South. Attempts to reconcile this divide, including the Missouri
Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, unraveled
with the Dred-Scott vs. Sanford decision.
Abraham Lincolns election motivated Southern states to secede fro the Union
because they believed that he and his administration would work to make
slavery illegal throughout the nation.
The Civil War began as the Confederate States of America fought to secede
from the Union and preserve the practice of slavery, and the Union fought to
prevent their secession.

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 The Emancipation Proclamation declared that enslaved people in the
Confederacy were free. The document intended to encourage enslaved people
to run away from the Southern United States and to join the Union army.
The Union achieved victory through the successful implementation of the
Anaconda Plan. The Plan proceeded through a blockade of major southern
ports, Union takeover of the Mississippi River, and the destruction of Southern
infrastructure.
Reconstruction intended to bring the Confederate States back into the Union,
and to a certain extent, to equalize the legal status of black Americans after the
War.
In the Southern United States, racist organization like the KKK and
discriminatory laws like the black codes limited the effects of the
Reconstruction Amendments, and created a new system of oppression for black
Americans.
Reconstructed proceeded through two competing plans, Presidential
Reconstruction and Radical Reconstruction. Presidential Reconstruction,
championed by President Johnson, favored looser requirements for
Confederate states reentry into the Union, and did not seek to equalize rights
for black Americans. Radical Reconstruction favored the separation of the South
into military districts, and ostensibly sought equal rights for black Americans.

Standards & Concepts

The student is expected to

History -
1A Identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, includingsectionalism, Civil War, and Reconstruction, and
describe their causes and effects;
1C Explain the significance of the following dates18611865, Civil War.
7A Analyze the impact of tariff policies on sections of the United States before the Civil War
7B Compare the effects of political, economic, and social factors on slaves and free blacks
7C Analyze the impact of slavery on different sections of the United States
7D Identify the provisions and compare the effects of congressional conflicts and compromises prior to the Civil War, including
the roles of John Quincy Adams, John C. Calhoun, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster.
8A Explain the roles played by significant individuals during the Civil War, including Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E.
Lee, and Abraham Lincoln, and heroes such as Congressional Medal of Honor recipients William Carney and Philip Bazaar
8B Explain the causes of the Civil War, including sectionalism, states' rights, and slavery, and significant events of the Civil War,
including the firing on Fort Sumter; the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg; the announcement of the Emancipation
Proclamation; Lees surrender at Appomattox Court House; and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln;
8C Analyze Lincolns ideas about liberty, equality, union, and government as contained in his first and second inaugural
addresses and the Gettysburg Address and contrast them with the ideas contained in Jefferson Daviss inaugural address.
9A Evaluate legislative reform programs of the Radical Reconstruction Congress and reconstructed state governments
9B Evaluate the impact of the election of Hiram Rhodes Revels
9C Explain the economic, political, and social problems during Reconstruction and evaluate their impact on different groups
9D Identify the effects of legislative acts such as the Homestead Act, the Dawes Act, and the Morrill Act

Geography & Culture -

10A Locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries
10B Compare places and regions of the United States in terms of physical and human characteristics
10C Analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major historical and contemporary events in the US

Citizenship & Government

16B Describe the impact of 19th-century amendments, including the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, on life in the US
17B Explain constitutional issues arising over the issue of states rights, including theCivil War

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 18C Evaluate the impact of selected landmark Supreme Court decisions, including Dred Scott v. Sanford, on life in the US
22A Analyze the leadership qualities of elected and appointed leaders of the United States such as Abraham Lincoln
22B Describe the contributions of significant political, social, and military leaders of the United States such as Frederick
Douglass Stonewall Jackson

Economics, Science, Technology, and Society -

12A Identify economic differences among different regions of the United States;
12B Explain reasons for the development of the plantation system, the transatlantic slave trade, and the spread of slavery
12D Analyze the causes and effects of economic differences among different regions of the United States at selected times in
U.S. history

Skills Introduced

No new skills are introduced in this Quarter.

Quarter 4

Unit 7: STAAR Prep and Civics 22 Days (Approximate)

Unit Overview

In this unit, students will review the key concepts of the year in order to prepare for the state assessment and then IA2. In
addition, students will spend some time learning about civics the study of citizenship. Students will learn about the different
ways of becoming a citizen, and the ways that we show citizenship in America.

Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

What role does civics play in our society
today?
How can I be a good citizen?
We are all a part of numerous communities we can all choose different
ways to serve.
The nature of citizenship continues to change over time we can be a part
of how our country understands grows in its understanding of immigrants
and how they can be integrated into the changing face of America.

Standards & Concepts

No new standards introduced

Skills Introduced

No new skills introduced

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