Course US History
Grading
Period
Austin ISD Yearly Itinerary
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings
Growth Through Industrialism and Reform:
Growth of physical landscape, economic
opportunities, social advancement, and personal
liberties for many Americans occurs, while
continued limitations and issues related to
inequality remain.
1st
Expansion and Reform: Economic growth
significantly affects foreign and domestic
decisions. Conflicts related to resources and
equity emerge between nations and within
nations. Expansion and reform affect cultures and
societies in positive and negative ways.
2nd
© 2010 Austin Independent School District
Essential Questions
2010-2011
Focus TEKS Student
Expectations
1. How did the American Civil War, Reconstruction,
settlement of the American West, the Populist
movement, and events from the Gilded Age affect the
American ideals of equality, rights, liberty, opportunity,
and democracy?
2. Do growth and change promote opportunities for all
members of a society?
3. How do conflict and the rebuilding process change a
country socially, politically, and economically?
4. What opportunities and conflicts emerged as
Americans moved westward?
5. How does industrialization promote social, political, and
economic changes?
6. How did reformers best honor America’s founding
ideals as the country began to change socially,
politically, and economically in the late 19th century
7. Why are the Declaration of Independence and the
Preamble to the Constitution important to individual
citizens?
US 1A, US 1B, US 2A, US 2B,
US 2C, US 7A, US 10A,
US 10B, US 11A, US 12A,
US 12C, US 18C, US 19B,
US 21A, US 21B, US 21C,
US 22A, US 22B, US 22C,
US 23A, US 24A, US 24B.
US 25D
1. How did the progressive movement, foreign expansion,
World War I, and events in the 1920s affect the
American ideals of equality, rights, liberty, opportunity,
and democracy?
2. What social, political, and environmental problems did
Americans face at the turn of the 20th century?
3. Should the United States take on the challenge of
spreading its founding ideals around the globe?
4. Was American foreign policy and foreign interventions
during the 1800s motivated more by realism or
idealism?
5. Was it in the national interest for the United States to
stay neutral or declare war in 1917?
6. How was World War I different from earlier wars in
history?
7. What effects did postwar tensions have on America’s
founding ideals?
8. Did all Americans encounter peace and prosperity
during the 1920s?
US 1A, US1B, US 1C, US 2A,
US 2C, US 3A, US 3B, US 3C,
US 3D, US 4A, US 4B, US 4C,
US 5A, US 5B, US 6H, US 7A,
US 9A, US 9B, US 11B, US 12B,
US 12D, US 12E, US 13A,
US 15B, US 15C, US 17B,
US 18B, US 20A, US 20B,
US 20C, US 20D, US 21A,
US 21D, US 22B, US 23A,
US 24A, US 24B. US 25D
Course US History Page 1 of 3
Grade 8 and World Geo TEKS
Tested at Exit Level: 8.1C,
8.16A, 8.16C, 8.16D, 8.17B,
8.18B, 8.20A, 8.20B, 8.22B,
WG 8B, WG 21C
World Geo and World History
TEKS Tested at Exit Level
TAKS: WG 1A, WG 8B,
WG 21C, WH 23A
updated 5/4/10
Course US History
Grading
Period
3rd
Austin ISD Yearly Itinerary
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings
Crisis and Conflict – The Great Depression
and World War II: Economic crises create
political and social upheaval, resulting in
increased international tension and conflict.
Interdependent markets complicate foreign and
domestic policy decisions.
Power and Ideology – The Cold War and the
1950s: International tensions arise based on
expanding spheres of influence in relation to
political and economic systems.
4th
Equality – Ages of Protest in the 1960s and the
Revolutionary Era: Issues of social injustice
create movements for codified equality. Methods
for acquiring and expanding civil rights vary from
armed rebellion to civil disobedience.
5th
© 2010 Austin Independent School District
Essential Questions
2010-2011
Focus TEKS Student
Expectations
1. How did the Great Depression and World War II affect
the American ideals of equality, rights, liberty,
opportunity, and democracy?
2. What caused the Great Depression?
3. How did the expansion of government during the New
Deal affect the nation?
4. Who benefitted from the New Deal?
5. Could World War II have been prevented?
6. What kinds of opportunities and hardships did World
War II created for Americans at home and abroad?
7. Did the United States learn from past mistakes at the
end of World War II?
US 1A, US 1B, US 1C, US 6A,
US 6B, US 6C, US 9B, US 10A,
US 13B, US 13C, US 13D,
US 13E, US 14A, US 15A,
US 15B, US 16B, US 19B,
US 20A, US 21A, US 21C,
US 21D, US 22B, US 23A,
US 24A, US 24B. US 25D
1. How did the Cold War and life during the 1950s affect
the American ideals of equality, rights, liberty,
opportunity, and democracy?
2. How could a free people best balance the ideal of
liberty with the need for national security?
3. How did the United States and the Soviet Union
become Cold War adversaries?
4. Were the methods used by the United States to contain
communism justified?
5. How did the anxieties raised by the Cold War affect
lives in the United States?
6. Why are the 1950s remembered as an age of
affluence?
7. How did some Americans rebel against conformity in
the 1950s?
US 1A, US 1B, US 1C, US 6D,
US 6E, US 6F, US 6H, US 10A,
US 14B, US 14C, US 17A,
US 20A, US 20B, US 20E, US
21A, US 21C, US 21D, US 22A,
US 22B, US 23B, US 24A,
US 24B. US 25D
1. How did the civil rights movement and events in the
early history of the United States affect the American
ideals of equality, rights, liberty, opportunity, and
democracy?
2. How successful were civil rights activists in achieving
racial equality?
3. How can the nation’s founding ideals be moved forward
in tumultuous times?
4. What is the proper role of government in shaping
American society?
5. Were American colonists justified in rebelling against
US 1A, US 1B, US 6E, US 6H,
US 7A, US 7B, US 7C, US 7D,
US 9B, US10A, US 11A,
US 15D, US 16A, US 17A,
US 17B, US 18A, US 18B,
US 18C, US 19C, US 20C,
US 21A, US 21C, US 21D,
US 24A, US 24B. US 25D
Course US History Page 2 of 3
Grade 8 and World Geo TEKS
Tested at Exit Level:
WG 1A, 8.16D
Grade 8 and World History
TEKS Tested at Exit Level:
8.22B, WH 23A
updated 5/4/10
Course US History
Grading
Period
Austin ISD Yearly Itinerary
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings
Ethics – The 1970s to the Present: Periods of
turmoil and political and social upheaval have
created strong ethical dilemmas for American
leaders and the populace.
6th
© 2010 Austin Independent School District
Essential Questions
2010-2011
Focus TEKS Student
Expectations
British rule?
6. Does the Constitution support the ideals in the
Declaration of Independence?
7. Did changes in the new American nation provide
opportunities for all Americans?
Grade 8 TEKS Tested at Exit
Level: 8.1C, 8.3A, 8.4B, 8.4C,
8.16A, 8.16C, 8.16C, 8.17B,
8.20A, 8.20B, 8.22B
1. How did foreign and domestic events that took place in
the United States since 1970 affect the American ideals
of equality, rights, liberty, opportunity, and democracy?
2. How should historians characterize the last three
decades of the 20th century and the first decade of the
21st century?
3. To what extent have foreign and domestic policy goals
been fulfilled by the United States since 1970?
US 1A, US 1B, US 6G, US 6H,
US 7A, US 7C, US 7D, US 9B,
US 10A, US 10B, US 11A,
US 14D, US 14E, US 15C,
US 15D, US 17A, US 17B,
US18A, US 18B, US 19A.
US 19C, US 20C, US 20D,
US 20E, US 21A, US 21B,
US 21C, US 21D, US 22A,
US 23A, US 23B, US 24A,
US 24B. US 25D
Course US History Page 3 of 3
updated 5/4/10