MADISON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Grade 6 Social Studies
Authored by: Matthew Millichap and Stephen Finkelstein
Reviewed by: Mr. Lee S. Nittel
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Mr. Mark DeBiasse
Supervisor of Humanities
Approval Date: Fall, 2012
Members of the Board of Education:
Lisa Ellis, President
Patrick Rowe, Vice-President
Kevin Blair
Thomas Haralampoudis
Linda Gilbert
James Novotny
David Arthur
Shade Grahling
Superintendent: Dr. Michael Rossi
Madison Public Schools
359 Woodland Road, Madison, NJ 07940
www.madisonpublicschools.org
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I. OVERVIEW
This Madison School District social studies curriculum adheres to the belief that social studies education
should foster, for all students, the ability to understand their world and to have an appreciation for the
heritage of America with a high degree of literacy in civics, history, economics, and geography. Our
curriculum leads students from an understanding of oneself and one's immediate surroundings, to the greater
community of Madison and New Jersey, and eventually to an understanding of American traditions and
democratic values.
II. RATIONALE
The purpose of social studies education is to provide students with the opportunity to learn the knowledge,
the abilities and skills, and the beliefs and values needed for competent participation as citizens.
Kindergarten students will study the concept of family and learn about American holidays and symbols.
In first grade, students will study map skills, basic needs and wants, and community workers. An initial
understanding of history will be learned using the biographies of famous Americans.
In second grade, students will move into the larger community. They will study basic geography, civics,
government and economics. Students will also begin to understand their place in history through timelines.
In third grade, students explore the history, demographics, geography, resources, and early settlers to New
Jersey.
This leads to our fourth, fifth, and sixth grade study of the United States, with an emphasis on the states and
regions of our country, our government, and our early years as a country. It is our hope that students in this
sixth grade year of social studies will have a firm foundation upon which to recognize patterns such as cause
and effect and social changes throughout various time periods, to understand the rights and privileges of
citizenship, and to demonstrate acceptance and respect for all cultures.
III. STUDENT OUTCOMES (Link to Common Core State Standards and New Jersey Core
Curriculum Standards)
Common Core State Standards for Grade 6 (Social Studies)
Reading Standards
Key Ideas and Details

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary
sources.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source;
provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.3 Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social
studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).
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Craft and Structure
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.5 Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively,
causally).
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6 Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose
(e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or
maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.8 Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.9 Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the
same topic.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
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By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies
texts in the grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.10
Writing Standards
Text Types and Purposes

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1a Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish
the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and
evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the
relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1d Establish and maintain a formal style.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and
supports the argument presented.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical
events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas,
concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2b Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete
details, quotations, or other information and examples.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2c Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the
relationships among ideas and concepts.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2e Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports
the information or explanation presented.
Production and Distribution of Writing
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how
well purpose and audience have been addressed.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and
present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for
multiple avenues of exploration.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and
conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis reflection, and
research.
Range of Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes,
and audiences.
Speaking and Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1a Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas
under discussion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1b Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines, and
define individual roles as needed.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1c Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making
comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.
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
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1d Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate understanding of multiple
perspectives through reflection and paraphrasing.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.3 Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, distinguishing
claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent
descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume,
and clear pronunciation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.5 Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and
visual displays in presentations to clarify information.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of
formal English when indicated or appropriate.
New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards
STANDARD 6.1 (SOCIAL STUDIES SKILLS) ALL STUDENTS WILL UTILIZE HISTORICAL
THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND RESEARCH SKILLS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR
UNDERSTANDING OF CIVICS, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, AND ECONOMICS.
Standard 6.1.8 ((1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8-11)
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Analyze how events are related over time.
Use critical thinking skills to interpret events, recognize bias, point of view, and context.
Analyze data in order to see persons and events in context.
Examine current issues, events, or themes and relate them to past events.
Formulate questions based on information needs.
Use effective strategies for locating information.
Compare and contrast competing interpretations of current and historical events.
Interpret events considering continuity and change, the role of chance, oversight and error, and
changing interpretations by historians.
Distinguish fact from fiction by comparing sources about figures and events with fictionalized
characters and events.
Summarize information in written, graphic, and oral formats.
STANDARD 6.2 (CIVICS) ALL STUDENTS WILL KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE
THE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND THE RIGHTS,
RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ROLES OF A CITIZEN IN THE NATION AND THE WORLD.
Civics – Standard 6.2,A(1, 2, 3, 5, 6); B(1 & 3); C(1-4, 6);6.2.8; D(1, 3, 4); 6.2.8 E(4, 6, 7,)
A. Civic Life, Politics, and Government
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
Discuss the sources, purposes, and functions of law and the importance of the rule of law for the
preservation of individual rights and the common good.
Describe the underlying values and principles of democracy and distinguish these from
authoritarian forms of government.
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Discuss the major characteristics of democratic governments.
Discuss examples of domestic policies and agencies that impact American lives, including the
Environmental Protection Agency (e.g., clean air and water), the Department of Labor (e.g.,
minimum wage) and the Internal Revenue Service (e.g., Social Security, income tax).
Explain how non-governmental organizations influence legislation and policies at the federal,
state, and local levels.
B. American Values and Principles
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
Analyze how certain values including individual rights, the common good, self-government,
justice, equality and free inquiry are fundamental to American public life.
Describe the continuing struggle to bring all groups of Americans into the mainstream of society
with the liberties and equality to which all are entitled, as exemplified by individuals such as
Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, Nat Turner, Paul Robeson, and Cesar Chavez.
C. The Constitution and American Democracy
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Discuss the major principles of the Constitution, including shared powers, checks and balances,
separation of church and state, and federalism.
Compare and contrast the purposes, organization, functions, and interactions of the legislative,
executive, and judicial branches of national, state, and local governments and independent
regulatory agencies.
Discuss the role of political parties in the American democratic system including candidates,
campaigns, financing, primary elections, and voting systems.
Discuss major historical and contemporary conflicts over United States constitutional principles,
including judicial review in slavery in the Dred Scott Decision, separate but equal in Plessy v.
Ferguson, and the rights of minorities in the Indian Removal Act.
Research contemporary issues involving the constitutional rights of American citizens and other
individuals residing in the United States, including voting rights, habeas corpus, rights of the
accused, and the Patriot Act.
D. Citizenship
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Discuss the rights and responsibilities of American citizens, including obeying laws, paying taxes,
serving on juries, and voting in local, state, and national elections.
Describe major conflicts that have arisen from diversity (e.g., land and suffrage for Native
Americans, civil rights, women's rights) and discuss how the conflicts have been addressed.
Explain the benefits, costs, and conflicts of a diverse nation.
Discuss basic contemporary issues involving the personal, political, and economic rights of
American citizens (e.g., dress codes, sexual harassment, fair trial, free press, minimum wage).
E. International Education: Global Challenges, Cultures, and Connections
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Evaluate current United States foreign policy issues and strategies and their impact on the nation
and the rest of the world.
Describe how one's heritage includes personal history and experiences, culture, customs, and
family background.
Analyze how the life, culture, economics, politics, and the media of the United States impact the
rest of the world.
Analyze how prejudice and discrimination may lead to genocide as well as other acts of hatred
and violence for the purposes of subjugation and exploitation.
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STANDARD 6.3 (WORLD HISTORY) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF
WORLD HISTORY IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND LIFE AND EVENTS IN THE PAST AND HOW
THEY RELATE TO THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.
6.3.12 D(2)
D. The Age of Global Encounters (1400-1750)
 Analyze and compare the ways that slavery and other forms of coerced labor or social bondage
were practiced in East Africa, West Africa, Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
STANDARD 6.4 (UNITED STATES AND NEW JERSEY HISTORY) ALL STUDENTS WILL
DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF UNITED STATES AND NEW JERSEY HISTORY IN ORDER
TO UNDERSTAND LIFE AND EVENTS IN THE PAST AND HOW THEY RELATE TO THE
PRESENT AND FUTURE.
6.4.8 D(6); 6.4.8 E(4 & 6);
6.4.8 F(2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11); 6.4.8
G(1-4)
D. Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763)
 Identify factors that account for the establishment of African slavery in the Americas.
E. Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820)
 Explain New Jersey's critical role in the American Revolution, including major battles, the
involvement of women and African Americans, and the origins of the movement to abolish
slavery.
 Describe and map American territorial expansions and the settlement of the frontier during this
period.
F. Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
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Discuss American cultural, religious, and social reform movements in the antebellum period (e.g.,
abolitionists, the Second Great Awakening, the origins of the labor and women's movements).
Explain the concept of the Manifest Destiny and its relationship to the westward movement of
settlers and territorial expansion, including the purchase of Florida (1819), the annexation of
Texas (1845), the acquisition of the Oregon Territory (1846), and territorial acquisition resulting
from the Mexican War (1846-1848).
Explain the characteristics of political and social reform movements in the antebellum period in
New Jersey, including the 1844 State Constitution, the temperance movement, the abolition
movement, and the women's rights movement.
Discuss sectional compromises associated with westward expansion of slavery, such as the
Missouri Compromise (1820) and the continued resistance to slavery by African Americans (e.g.,
Amistad Revolt).
Describe and map the continuing territorial expansion and settlement of the frontier, including the
acquisition of new territories and conflicts with Native Americans, the Louisiana Purchase, the
Lewis and Clark expedition, and the California gold rush.
Understand the institution of slavery in the United States, resistance to it, and New Jersey’s role in
the Underground Railroad.
G. Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)
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Explain the major events, issues, and personalities of the American Civil War including:
o
o
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The causes of the Civil War (e.g., slavery, states’ rights)
The course and conduct of the war (e.g., Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg)
Sectionalism
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The Dred Scott and other Supreme Court decisions
The role of women
The role of African Americans
The Gettysburg Address
The Emancipation Proclamation
Analyze different points of view in regard to New Jersey’s role in the Civil War, including
abolitionist sentiment in New Jersey and New Jersey’s vote in the elections of 1860 and 1864.
Explain Reconstruction as a government action, how it worked, and its effects after the war.
Discuss the impact of retaliatory state laws and general Southern resistance to Reconstruction.
STANDARD 6.4 (United States and New Jersey History) All students will demonstrate knowledge of
United States and New Jersey history in order to understand life and events in the past and how they
relate to the present and future.
(Grade 12 Indicators – Grade 8 Indicators end at 1877)
6.4.12
6.4.12
6.4.12
6.4.12
6.4.12
6.4.12
F(4)
G(2 & 3)
H(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
I(2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11)
J(2, 5, 6, 7)
K(1 & 6)
F. Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
 Compare and contrast the characteristics of cultural, religious, and social reform movements in
the antebellum period, including the abolition movement, the public school movement, the
temperance movement, and the women's rights movement (e.g., Seneca Falls Declaration of
Sentiments).
G. Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)
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Assess the continuing social and political issues following the Civil War, including the various
Reconstruction plans, the amendments to the United States Constitution, and the women's
suffrage movement.
Describe New Jersey's role in the post-Civil War era, including New Jersey's votes on the 13th,
14th, and 15th amendments to the United States Constitution.
H. The Industrial Revolution (1870-1900)
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Analyze and evaluate key events, people, and groups associated with industrialization and its
impact on urbanization, immigration, farmers, the labor movement, social reform, and
government regulation including:
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o
o
o
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Inventions such as the telephone and electric light
The formation of Standard Oil Trust
The Interstate Commerce Act
The Sherman Anti-Trust Act
Analyze the development of industrialization in America and New Jersey during this period and
the resulting transformation of the country, including the construction of the transcontinental
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railroad, the introduction of mechanized farming, the rise of corporations and organized labor,
and the growth of cities.
Analyze social and political trends in post Reconstruction America, including immigration
restrictions, Jim Crow Laws and racial segregation, the rise of extra legal organizations such as
the Ku Klux Klan, and the Plessy v. Ferguson decision.
Describe the economic development by which the United States became a major industrial power
in the world and analyze the factors that contributed to industrialization.
Discuss the causes and consequences of the Spanish-American War (e.g., United States'
justifications, the role of the United States in Cuba, impact on international relations, the
acquisition of new territories).
I. The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
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Discuss the rise of the Progressive Movement, including the relationship between Progressivism
and the Populist Movement, Woodrow Wilson as Governor of New Jersey, anti-trust reform, the
woman suffrage movement (e.g., Alice Paul), and municipal reform (e.g., Frank Hague).
Analyze United States foreign policy through World War I, including relations with Japan and
China, the Spanish, Cuban, American War, and the building of the Panama Canal.
Describe the major events, personalities, and decisions of World War I, including the causes of
United States involvement, social conditions on the home front, significant battles, Wilson's peace
plan, and isolationism.
Analyze President Woodrow Wilson's "Fourteen Points" Address to Congress (1918) and explain
how it differed from proposals by French and British leaders for a treaty to conclude World War I.
Discuss the ratification of the Versailles Treaty and United States non-participation in the League
of Nations.
Compare and contrast the social, cultural, and technological changes in the inter-war period,
including the changing role of women, the rise of a consumer economy, the resurgence of
nativism and racial violence, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Great Migration of African
Americans to New Jersey from the south.
Discuss the creation of social, labor, political, and economic advocacy organizations and
institutions, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP), the AFL/CIO and other labor organizations, and the Women's Christian Temperance
Union (WCTU).
Discuss the role of Chief Sitting Bull, the outcome and impact of the Wounded Knee Tragedy of
1890, and the suppression of the American Indian revivalist movement known as Ghost Dance.
J. The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)
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Describe how the Great Depression and the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt transformed
America, including the growth of the federal government, the rise of the Welfare State, and
industrial unionism.
Compare and contrast key events and people involved with the causes, course, and consequences
of World War II, including:
1. Axis Powers
2. Allied Forces
3. Pearl Harbor
4. Battle of Midway
5. D-Day Invasion
6. Yalta Conference
7. Potsdam Conference
8. Douglas MacArthur
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9. Dwight Eisenhower
10. George Marshall
11. Winston Churchill
12. J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project
13. Franklin D. Roosevelt
14. Harry Truman
15. Joseph Stalin and the role of the USSR
Describe the political background leading to American involvement in World War II, the course
of the war in Europe and Asia, the mobilization of women and African Americans into the
military and related industries, the segregated military, the use of the Atom Bomb, and the
founding of the United Nations.
Describe New Jersey's role in World War II, including:
1. The recruitment of Japanese-Americans from wartime detention camps to work at
Seabrook Farm
2. The role of women in defense industries
3. Key military installations in New Jersey
4. The role of the Battleship New Jersey
5. The contributions of Albert Einstein
STANDARD 6.5 (ECONOMICS) ALL STUDENTS WILL ACQUIRE AN UNDERSTANDING OF
KEY ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES.
Economics – Standard 6.5
6.5.8 A(6 & 7)
6.5.8 B(1, 3, 4)
A. Economic Literacy
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Describe how private industry acquires material and energy resources, provides jobs, raises
financial capital, manages production processes, and markets goods and services that create
wealth in order to meet consumer and industrial requirements.
Discuss how innovation, entrepreneurship, competition, customer satisfaction, and continuous
improvement in productivity are responsible for the rise in the standard of living in the United
States and other countries with market economies.
B. Economics and Society
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Discuss how meeting the needs and wants of a growing world population impacts the environment
and economic growth.
Discuss how societies have been affected by industrialization and by different political and economic
philosophies.
Describe how inventions and innovations have improved standards of living over the course of
history.
STANDARD 6.6 (GEOGRAPHY) ALL STUDENTS WILL APPLY KNOWLEDGE OF SPATIAL
RELATIONSHIPS AND OTHER GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN BEHAVIOR
IN RELATION TO THE PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT.
6.6.8 A(1, 8, 11)
6.6.8 B(2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
6.6.8 D(1, 2 , 3, 6)
A. The World in Spatial Terms
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Distinguish among the distinct characteristics of maps, globes, graphs, charts, diagrams, and
other geographical representations, and the utility of each in solving problems.
Explain the distribution of major human and physical features at country and global scales
Describe the significance of the major cities of New Jersey, the United States, and the world.
B. Places and Regions
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Describe how regions change over time.
Compare the natural characteristics used to define a region.
Explain how regional systems are interconnected (e.g., watersheds, trade, transportation
systems).
Discuss how the geography of New Jersey impacts transportation, industry, and community
development.
Discuss the similarities and differences among rural, suburban, and urban communities.
D. Human Systems
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Discuss how technology affects the ways in which people perceive and use places and regions.
Analyze demographic characteristics to explain reasons for variations between populations.
Compare and contrast the primary geographic causes for world trade.
Compare the patterns and processes of past and present human migration.
Sectionalism - Civil War – Reconstruction
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the events and issues facing Americans as tensions rose
between the North and the South. Students will also be able to demonstrate an understanding of the reasons
for and effects of the Union’s victory in the Civil War.
Modern America Emerges
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the events that took place during the era of the industrial
revolution. The later part of the 19th century saw numerous changes in American society including new
technology, business methods, and social conditions for women, African Americans, immigrants, and Native
Americans.
America Becomes a World Power (Imperialism – WWI)
The student will demonstrate an understanding of US expansionism at the turn of the 20 th century and US
involvement in WWI. Students will demonstrate and understanding of the changing role of the United States
in world affairs from 1867 through the end of WWI.
Boom to Bust (1920s-1930s)
The student will demonstrate and understanding of the issues and events of the 1920's and how they
contributed to the major issues that faced Americans during the Great Depression.
World War II
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the major issues associated with World War II. Students
will examine the major causes of the war, key figures of the time period, and major battles fought. Students
will be able to describe the specific changes to the world as it emerged from the conflict.
IV. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS AND CONTENT
Unit 1 – Sectionalism – Civil War - Reconstruction
Essential Questions
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1.
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Sectionalism and Causes
How does Geography influence history?
How was the Constitution partly to blame for the Civil War?
How does an individual’s point of view affect the way he/she deals with conflict?
Why was compromise an unsuccessful strategy in preventing the Civil War?
2.
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Civil War
What causes War? Do these causes apply to the Civil War?
How did Geography and location influence the strategy and outcome of the war?
What were the goals of both sides at the beginning of the Civil War? How did the goals and means used
by either side change as the war progressed?
 What factors serve as advantages in war? Are all advantages the same? Is it better to have immediate or
long terms advantages?
3.
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Reconstruction
Did Reconstruction move us closer or further away from our nation’s ideals?
How do you rebuild a country?
What should be done to Southerners who rebelled?
What should Southern states be required to do in order to be re-admitted into the Union?
How will the Federal government protect the rights of newly freed African Americans?
Content
A. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how geography and the economy impacted and
accentuated differences between the North and the South.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
identify the inventions that helped the northern economy
history of slavery in the United States and how it impacted both the North and the South
explain the impact of the railroads
describe the economic impact of the cotton gin and its subsequent effect on the institution of
slavery
identify the industries that grew in the south
analyze the impact expansion have on the growth of slavery
B. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the crusade against slavery.
1. Describe how the anti-slavery movement grew (Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, Frederick
Douglass, John Brown)
2. explain the various methods the abolitionists used to help end slavery
3. describe how both the North and South reacted to the antislavery crusade
4. describe how Congress compromised on the slavery question (Compromise of 1820, Compromise of
1850, states’ rights, Dred Scott, examine the major Supreme Court rulings on slavery)
5. trace the rise of Lincoln and explain how the Republican Party was formed
6. examine key people and events that led to the South seceding from the Union
7. identify the immediate cause of the Civil War
C. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the major issues associated with the Civil War.
1. identify the strengths and weaknesses of each side ( industry / factories, railroads, population, foreign
aid/support, evaluating leadership styles)
2. identify and examine the goals / battle strategy of each side
3. identify and explain the impact of several key battles (Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, Vicksburg,
Sherman’s March to the Sea – Total War, Petersburg Campaign / Surrender, and the Battle of
Ironclads)
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4.
5.
6.
7.
analyze the Emancipation Proclamation and its impact
explain how freed slaves helped the Union effort
describe what life was like for the soldiers (nationalism, daily life, prison camps, medical practices)
identify major military leaders and weapons used such as ironclads, rifle/ musket, artillery, cavalry,
and the overall improvements of technology and strategy compared to prior wars (American
Revolution and Mexican War)
8. explain the circumstances around the Confederacy’s surrender and the assassination of Lincoln
D. Students will identify the major issues America faced as it attempted to heal the wounds of the Civil War
during the Reconstruction era.
1. identify the major problems facing freed slaves - describe the major government created
programs/plans created to help freed slaves
2. explain the process of how the country was reunited and the tensions that arose when we made the
transition out of slavery
3. explain the major changes to the south after the war
4. passage of Amendments 13-15
5. analyze how the Reconstruction era brought about segregation and discrimination reinforced by
legislation (black codes, Jim Crow Laws, intimidation/KKK, Plessy vs. Ferguson)
6. explain the major accomplishments of African Americans in the pursuit of equal rights
Unit 2 – Modern America Emerges
Essential Questions
1. Cultural Movements
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2.
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Did America’s growth after the Civil War move us closer to or further from the goals of the Constitution?
Is the perception of the American “Melting Pot” an accurate portrayal of America?
Were the immigration polices enacted from the late 1800s through the early 1920s just? Are those policies
relevant today?
How has the meaning of citizenship evolved?
How does conflict lead to change?
A Modern Economy
What modern day repercussions were caused by the Industrial Revolution?
What technological advancements of the time was the most significant?
How can ordinary citizens influence government policy?
What is the American Dream and to what extent is it achievable for all Americans?
Content
A. Native Americans - Students will demonstrate an understanding of how US expansion westward/manifest
destiny conflicted with the existing Native American nations.
1. identify the various strategies employed by US government in dealing with the native Americans
2. students will examine the impact policy of manifest destiny (Homestead Act / Pacific Railroad Act)
and trace the interactions/conflicts that followed
3. Examine the following (Indian Removal Strategy, Geronimo, Sitting Bull and General Custer, Chief
Joseph, major treaties and deceit)
B. Women’s Suffrage – Students will be able to trace the women’s rights movement from the early 1800s
through the passage of the 19th amendment.
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1. identify key leaders of the movement (Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, Alice Paul, Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, and Iron Jawed Angels)
2. identify the impact of the Seneca Falls Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments
3. passage of the 19th amendment
C. Immigration and its impact – Students will demonstrate an understanding of the peak years of
immigration, including factors that led to the shift and consequences in America.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
reasons for US immigration and the anti-immigrant policies that followed
identify the push/pull factors for immigration to America
students will explore the importance of Ellis Island and Angel Island
examine the ability to assimilate despite the resistance immigrants faced from nativists
examine the following: old vs. new immigrants (language, religion, socio-economic status, settling
patterns), major immigrant nationalities, ethnic neighborhoods/settlements/tenements, economic
opportunities, immigration quotas, prejudice faced
D. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the impact that industry and complex business
organizations had on the United States during the Industrial Revolution.
1. students will be able to recognize new types of business organizations and practices developed in the
latter half of the nineteenth century (e.g., trusts and monopolies) as well as explain the impact these
business practices had on America
2. identify key people related to the expansion of American Industry in the late 1800s (e.g., Rockefeller,
Carnegie, Henry Bessemer, J.P. Morgan)
3. Examine the impact that various inventions had on American society and the economy.
E. Students will demonstrate and understanding of the impact the Progressives had on business,
environmental, and social reforms. Students will examine the events and issues during the Progressive Era.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
recognize the accomplishments of Theodore Roosevelt's administration
identify or explain economic reforms during the era
explain social abuses and examine the writings of social reformers (e.g., child labor, meat packing)
recognize the political reforms of the Progressive Era (e.g., city and state government)
examine the following: muckrakers, contributions and reforms developed by Jane Addams, John
Muir, Upton Sinclair, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert LaFollette, “Mother” Jones, purpose of labor unions
Unit 3 – America Becomes a World Power (Imperialism – WWI)
Essential Questions
1.
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Imperialism
What is foreign policy and how has US foreign policy changed over the course of our country’s existence?
How did the closing of the Western Frontier lead to the need to open another?
Is imperialism inconsistent with American values or do we have a commitment to spread democracy and
freedom to all?
 There are many different motives for imperialism. Do you see any of these motives in the world today?
 What impact did the media of the early 20th century have on US involvement in world affairs? What
impact does the media have on US foreign policy today?
2. WWI
 How can nationalism be a cause for conflict?
 How did the development of new technology change the interdependence of countries and the way WWI
was fought?
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What was Wilson’s ultimate goal for the world after WWI? Why did he believe so deeply in his Fourteen
Points?
Why did U.S. involvement allow the Allies to be victorious?
Why do many historians believe that the “seeds of WWII were sewn in the peace of WWI?”
Content
A. Understand the issues leading to US Imperialism
1. describe how the US acquired Alaska and Hawaii and how each was viewed by Americans
2. describe U.S. participation in the Spanish American War and the lands acquired as a result of winning
the war
3. describe the impact yellow journalism had on the war
4. describe how the US acquired the Panama Canal Zone and why the US “needed” the canal according
to Teddy Roosevelt
5. analyze the impact the canal had from an economic and military standpoint
B. Understand the causes and developments of World War I.
1. analyze the causes of World War I – militarism, alliance systems, imperialism, and nationalism
2. determine the role of U-boats, airplanes, tanks, zeppelins, trench warfare and poison gas during the
war
C. Understand the issues related to American involvement in World War I.
1. examine isolationism and evaluate the pros and cons of the American position
2. analyze reasons for American involvement in World War I
3. determine the effect of propaganda on the entry of the United States into World War I (e.g.,
Zimmermann Telegram, Lusitania and other U-Boat attacks)
4. recognize the role of women in the war effort and the subsequent changes in American society
D. Understand the outcomes of World War I.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
identify new nations that were created as a result of World War I
recognize the major components of the Treaty of Versailles
analyze the major ideas encompassed by Wilson's Fourteen Points
examine the objections which led Congress to reject the Treaty of Versailles and League of Nations
analyze and predict the impact the Treaty of Versailles would have on Germany in the short and long
term
Unit 4 – Boom to Bust (1920s and 1930s)
Essential Questions
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How would you define mass culture? What impact does mass culture have upon society? What impact
does it have on you?
How did the passage of the 18th amendment affect the nation, politics, economy, and society?
Why do people fear change? What feelings does change create in people?
What are some examples of change in America in the 1920’s?
If you were living in the 1920’s, how would you describe the change in your standard of living? How
would life be different?
In the modern world today, how does mass media affect the buying patterns of Americans?
What do you understand to be the main causes of the Depression?
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What were the three main parts of the New Deal? How were they to help the situation?
Content
A. Students will demonstrate and understanding of how America reacted to the events of World War I.
1. interpret the issues that led to the Red Scare
2. recognize the issues associated with anarchy
3. analyze the reasons for the renewal of isolationism in American public opinion
B. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and effects of the economic boom of the 1920s.
1.
2.
3.
4.
examine the reasons for American prosperity during the 1920s
examine the significance of the transformation of America from a rural to an urban society
recognize the importance of big business and technological advancement
impact of the automobile and assembly line
C. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the key issues affecting American lifestyles of the 1920s.
1. understand the significance of the Nineteenth Amendment, flappers, black migration to the North,
the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, Harlem Renaissance, popular fads, Charles Lindbergh, and the
Lindbergh baby kidnapping
2. recognize the effects of Prohibition including rise of organized crime and FBI
D. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and impact that the Great Depression had on
America.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
evaluate the major factors in the stock market crash of 1929
explain how the Great Depression changed American life
examine the hardships farmers faced in the Great Plains
explain the impact Hollywood had on the American public
identify the New Deal and the major programs put forth to help stabilize the economy
Unit 5 - World War II
Essential Questions
 How did the rise of nationalism contribute to the outbreak of WWII?
 How did the lack of resources contribute to nations becoming involved in WWII?
 What common goals/motivations did Germany, Italy & Japan share? In other words, what made them
form an alliance?
 Compare & Contrast: the Pearl Harbor attack to the attack on September 11th (9/11). How are they
similar? How are they different?
 How did the development of new technology change the way WWII was fought?
 How could the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki be considered a turning point in world history?
 Do you think that Americans would have the same attitude today towards the decision to drop the bomb
as in 1945? Infer as to why or why not.
Content
A. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the factors which led to World War II.
1. identify the forms of government that evolved in post-WWI Europe
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2. identify the impact the Treaty of Versailles had on the German economy and how Adolf Hitler rose to
power
3. identify the German territorial conquests before the outbreak of World War II
4. analyze the causes for World War II
5. examine the early success of Hitler in Europe (Blitzkrieg)
6. identify the two theaters of the war and which countries were involved
B. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the major issues relating to American involvement in
World War II.
1. examine the American dilemma between intervention and isolationism
2. understand the course of war with particular emphasis on the role played by American forces in
Europe and the events which led to the defeat of Hitler
3. recognize the role of Americans at home during World War II and the social, economic, and political
growth that occurred at this time
4. analyze the reasons for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
5. analyze the American policy of internment of the Japanese-Americans
6. recognize the role of women in the war effort and the subsequent changes in American society
7. explain and analyze issues related to Harry S Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan
8. interpret the causes and effects of the Holocaust
9. examine how post war policy led to the Cold War
V. STRATEGIES
A. Reading of primary and secondary sources
B. Cooperative Learning Strategies: partner, small, and large group
C. Media Based Lessons – Virtual tours, streaming video, power point, Smartboard, and audio clips
D. Class debates / mock trials
E. Research Projects
F. Oral presentations / persuasive essays
G. Student created work such as power point presentations, posters, media clips, etc.
VI. EVALUATION
Evaluation of student progress will be monitored through the following types of assessment:
A. Regularly assigned homework which includes the following: reading assignments, comprehension
questions, completion of assignments from class, summaries, persuasive writing pieces, studying,
creative writing assignments, map work, timelines
B. Tests and Quizzes
C. Essay Exams
D. Notebook Checks (reinforcing the MJS Study Skills Curriculum)
E. Participation
F. Self-Assessment
G. Research Project
H. Oral Presentations
I. Student created products
VII. INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
Textbooks:
Bower, Bert, and Jim Lodbell. History Alive: The United States. Teachers Curriculum Institute,
2002.
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Supplemental Sources:
Peck, Ira, and Steven Deyle. American Adventures. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1991.
Teacher created readings and handouts
Data Bases
The following subscriptions that are the property of the MJS Media Center will be used per each unit
of study. The following sources will be used in part to enhance and supplement the course content:
ABC CLIO – American History
Facts on File – Online Database
World Book Online Encyclopedia
Videos and Video Streaming
A variety of video streaming clips from subscriptions that are the property of the MJS Media Center
will be used both in whole and in part to enhance the content.
A variety of videos are used that are the property of the MJS Social Studies Department and the MJS
Media Center per unit of study. These sources will be used in whole or in part to enhance student
learning.
Schlessinger Video Series –
Causes of the Civil War
Industrialization and Urbanization
The Great War
Great Depression and the New Deal
Civil War
Immigration and Cultural Change
Roaring Twenties
World War II
Hiroshima: Why The Bomb Was Dropped. Peter Jennings. DVD. ABC News, 1995.
VIII. SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
A. Sectionalism - Civil War – Reconstruction (45 days / 1st Marking Period)
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Slavery (history, expansion, territories, compromises)
Events that divided the nation (underground railroad, Dred Scott, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Raid on
Harper’s Ferry, Election of Lincoln, secession)
Major battles of Civil War
Comparison of Union and Confederacy
Aftermath of Civil War / Reconstruction
B. Modern America Emerges (35 days)
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Westward movement / Native Americans
Immigration
Inventions and industry
Women’s Movement
Progressive Movement
Research Project
C. America Becomes a World Power (30 days)
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Annexation of Alaska and Hawaii
Spanish American War
Panama Canal
Foreign Policy Spectrum Analysis
WWI (causes, US entry, aftermath)
D. Boom to Bust (25 days)
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Social movements
Technological advancements
Great Depression (causes, aftermath, and life during)
New Deal
E. World War II (35 days)
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Causes
US entry
Comparison of Allied and Axis Powers
Comparison of theaters of war / major battles
Decision to drop the atomic bomb
Holocaust
Post World War II world
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