8th Grade U.S. History
Mr. P. Martinez Room: 323
8th Grade U.S. History Reading/Homework Assignments
Dates and Topics
Reading to be Discussed
Unit 1: Connecting With Past Leanings: Foundations of American History
CCSS
IB
Week 1 - 4
Chapter 1: American Roots (Beginnings to 1732)
1. Roots of Democratic Government…6
2. An Age of Exploration …………………12
Quiz 1
3.
4.
Commerce and Colonies ……………20
The 13 Colonies.………………………..25
Journal Entry
Homework Assignment
How did the
American colonists
establish their own
way of life with
strong roots in the
past?
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
Test 1
Chapter 2: From Colonies to Nation (1680 –
1783)
1. A Tradition of Liberty………………38
2. Impact of Enlightenment………….44
Quiz 2
3.
4.
5.
How did the
growth of
democratic ideals
in the colonies lead
to the American
Revolution?
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
What are the roles
and
responsibilities of
governments and
citizens?
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
Declaring Independence ………….49
The Declaration of Independence.54
A New Nation ……………………………59
Test 2
Unit 2: The Constitution of the United States
CCSS
IB
Week 5 – 8
Chapter 3: Creating the Constitution
(1776 – 1790)
1. Governing a New Nation
2. The Constitutional Convention
Quiz 3
3.
Debating the Constitution
Test 3
The Constitution of the United States
First Class Project:
The 27 Amendments
Citizenship Handbook
1. Ideas Behind the Constitution
2. Structure of the Constitution
3. Principles of the Constitution
4. How the Federal Government Works:
The Legislative Branch
5. How the Federal Government Works:
The Executive Branch
6. How the Federal Government Works:
The Judicial Branch
7. Amending the Constitution
8. The First Amendment
9. State and Local Governments
10. Rights and Responsibilities of
Citizenship
Test 4: Problem-Solution Essay
Why do we need a
constitution?
How did the
Constitution create
a strong
government with
roots in history
that allowed for
change and met
the needs of the
people?
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
8th Grade U.S. History
Mr. P. Martinez Room: 323
Unit 3: The New Republic
CCSS
IB
Week 9 - 14
Chapter 4: First Steps (1789 – 1800)
1. Launching a New Nation
2. The Birth of Political Parties
Quiz 4
3.
4.
How did America
respond to internal
and external
challenges?
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
Troubles at Home and Abroad
The Presidency of John Adams
Test 5
Chapter 5: The Era of Thomas Jefferson
(1800 – 1815)
1. Jefferson Takes Office
2. The Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and
Clark
How did Jefferson
and Madison deal
with unresolved
problems?
Quiz 5
3.
4.
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
Time of Conflict
The War of 1812
Test 6
Chapter 6: A Changing Nation (1815 – 1840)
1. Building a National Identity
2. Dealing With Other Nations
3. The Age of Jackson
How did the nation
reflect a growing
sense of national
pride and identity?
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
Quiz 6
4.
5.
Indian Removal
Finance and States’ Rights
Test 7
Unit 4: The Nation Expands and Changes
CCSS
IB
Week 15 – 19
Chapter 7: North and South Take Different Paths
(1800 – 1845)
1. The Industrial Revolution
2. The North Transformed
Why did
Americans take
different paths in
the early 1800s?
Quiz 7
3.
4.
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
The Plantation South
Americans Moved Westward
Test 8
Chapter 8: An Age of Reform (1820 – 1860)
1. Improving Society
2. The Fight Against Slavery
Quiz 8
3.
4.
A Call for Women’s Rights
American Literature and Arts
Test 9
How did reformers
and writers inspire
change and spark
controversy?
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???
8th Grade U.S. History
Mr. P. Martinez Room: 323
2nd Class Project
The Industrial
Revolution
Chapter 9: Westward Expansion (1820 – 1860)
1. The West
2. Trail of the West
Quiz 9
3.
4.
Conflict with Mexico
A Rush to the West
Test 10
Week 20: Finals Week
How did westward
expansion change
the geography of
the nation and
demonstrate the
determination of
its people?
Story Board
Current Event
Key Terms/Names
Cornell Notes
Handouts???