CURRICULUM GUIDE
WORLD/AMERICAN STUDIES World American Studies II is the second course
offered in the Social Studies curriculum. This
II
course is meant to reinforce students’ critical
thinking skills and expose them to Western
civilizations and United States history. This course
delves deeper into the interpretations and analysis
of primary and secondary sources using documentbased questions. Students will strengthen their
ability to synthesize information from several
sources.
Gordon Tech High School
Chicago, Illinois
Prepared by:
P. Birch, C. Haas, C. Denny
Department Chair:
Phillip Birch
November, 2011
Table of Contents
Department Structure………………………………………………………………………. [p.2]
Instructional Materials……………………………………………………………………… [p.3]
Agreed Upon Elements……………………………………………………………………… [p.4]
Units of Instruction ……………………………………………………………………….. [p.5-19]
Student Learning Outcomes, State Goals, NCSS
Standards…………………………………………………………………..……………….. [p. 20-17]
Summative Assessment Description……………………………………………………. [p.18]
SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAM SEQUENCES
Pathways illustrate typical movement within a sequence of courses; however,
adjustments in sequence can be made to accommodate individual needs.
Grade Weight Level is indicated in parentheses.
Freshman Year
Sophomore Year
World & American
Studies R I (311)
World & American
Studies R II (322)
World & American
Studies I H (315)
World & American
Studies II H (325)
World & American
Studies I H (315)
World & American
Studies II H (325)
Junior Year
Senior Year
World & American
Studies R III (333)
World & American
Studies III H (335)
Advance Placement
US History (358)
Advance Placement
European History
(368)
Junior and Senior Year Electives
Chicago History
(340)
Sociology (372)
Instructional Materials
Child Development
(375)
Teacher’s Edition and Teaching Resources:
Beck, Roger B., Black, Linda; et al. World History: Patterns of Interaction.
Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2005. ISBN 0-618-37774-3
Danzer, Gerald A., de Alva, Jorge J., et al. The Americans. Evanston, IL: McDougal
Littell, 2007. ISBN 978-0-618-68986-6
EasyPlanner 2 CD_ROM Set. World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL:
McDougal Littell, 2005. ISBN 10:0-618-42869-0
EasyPlanner 2 CD_ROM Set. The Americans. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2007.
Supplementary Materials:
Library of Congress. www.loc.gov
Document-based worksheets
Various primary sources
Videos from GT Film Library
Maps
www.youtube.com
www.netflix.com
Student Edition (Includes Web Access/Online Activities CD-ROM):
Beck, Roger B., Black, Linda; et al. World History: Patterns of Interaction.
Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2005. ISBN 0-618-44500-5
Danzer, Gerald A., de Alva, Jorge J., et al. The Americans. Evanston, IL: McDougal
Littell, 2007. ISBN 978-0-618-68985-9
Agreed-Upon Elements
Technology expectations - Students will be expected to display mastery of various
technological materials such as a wikispace, edmodo, and youtube. Students will
also be expected to use technology to conduct research, write reports and present
projects. Students will be expected to utilize programs such as MS Word, MS
Excel, and MS PowerPoint in order to complete class assignments and projects.
Students will also be expected to use the internet responsibly and effectively for
conducting research as well as class assignments.
Types of assessments - Students will be assessed throughout the course using a
variety of both formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments
include classwork, homework, quizzes, and various projects. Summative
assessments include unit tests, projects, and research papers.
Types of homework assignments - Students will have reading homework daily.
Homework assignments will consist of a variety of assignments including
textbook reading, note-taking, creating PowerPoint presentations, and various
worksheets designed to review Ire-teach concepts covered in class.
Research, writing, or reading expectations- Students will be expected to utilize a
variety of digital and traditional media to research topics for class assignments
and projects. They will be expected to convert this information into a cohesive and
informative research paper. Students will also be expected to display grade-level
reading abilities and dissect a textbook to actively read with a set purpose in mind.
Various reading strategies will be implemented throughout the year as
appropriate. Students will undergo independent research and analysis based on
historical era.
Types of instructional strategies - Instructional strategies include traditional lecture
with teacher-led and student-led discussion. There are also many opportunities for
students to work cooperatively to complete in-class assignments, traditional
interactive assignments, and inquiry-based discussions. There are also
opportunities for student-led instruction while the teacher acts as a
facilitator/assistant.
Group work expectations- Students will work together both in assigned groups and
groups of their choice. While in groups, students are expected to encourage
participation from all group members and respect the efforts and opinions of all
involved. All students are expected to contribute equally to their collective efforts of
their group. An emphasis will be placed on positive social interaction.
World-American Studies II Progression of Instructional Units, Student Learning Objectives, Activities
Unit Title, Essential
Questions, Description and
Approximate Length
Unit 1:
Age of Exploration and
Isolation: Europe, China, and
Japan
Essential Questions:
1. Why explore an unknown
area?
2. What technological
changes occurred which
influenced exploration?
3. Why would countries cut
off contact with others?
4. Why is cultural contact
important to technology
and the spread of new
ideas?
5. How does exploration
impact humans and their
environment?
6. Why would people agree
to live among strangers?
7. How did geography and
religion affect China and
Japan?
8. What contributions in art
and science did the
Chinese make?
9. How does geography
influence isolationism?
Contact with different cultures and
civilizations have had enormous
influence on human-environmental
interaction,
economics,
religion,
culture, technology, politics, and art.
The study of exploration and the
coming together of different societies
are integral in examining change and
continuity over time.
4 weeks
Learning Objectives
(Skills & Understandings)
1. Recognize, on a map, the
geography of Europe,
Asia, and the Near
Middle East and their
significance in terms of
physical and man-made
features, climates, and
political boundaries.
2. Summarize key
contributions from China
and Japan.
3. List technological
achievements during the
Age of Exploration.
4. Analyze the rivalry of
exploration between
Spain and Portugal.
5. Explain the religious,
social structures, and
technology of China and
Japan.
6. Explain why the
Japanese & Chinese
isolated themselves from
Europe.
7. Describe how cultural
diffusion resulted in the
spread of technology,
ideas, and culture.
8. Analyze the voyages of
Spanish & European
explorers, tracing their
routes on a world map.
9. Explain the Atlantic
Slave Trade and how it
relates to global trade.
10. Summarize scientific,
religious, economic, &
political reasons for
exploration.
Textbook
Reference
Suggested Activities, Investigations, Readings and
Videos

Create maps which illustrate the routes of major
explorers.

Write a haiku based on nature.

Put an explorer on trial for genocide.

Create a timeline sequencing the events of
exploration and its effects.

Research and produce a PowerPoint presentation on
the contributions of China and Japan to modern
society.

Compare and contrast the religions of China and
Japan to Monotheistic religions.

Create a flowchart indicating the resources used in
the Columbian Exchange.

Create a foldable brochure promoting the scientific
contributions of the Chinese.

Frequent reading/comprehension quizzes and notetaking.

Objective exam.
Chapters:
19-20
Unit Title, Essential
Questions, Description and
Approximate Length
Unit 2:
Absolute Monarchy and
Revolution
Essential Questions:
1. What are the benefits and
drawbacks of living under
absolute rule?
2. What conditions are
needed to weaken the power
of an absolute monarch?
3. What should governments
consider when crafting
policies towards different
ethnic and social groups?
4. How did Louis XIV’s
abuse of power lead to
revolution?
5. What conditions are
needed to spark revolution?
6. What were the major
conflicts of the Thirty Years’
War?
7. How did the Peace of
Westphalia form the
foundations for modern
Europe?
8. Why might Peter the
Great have traveled through
Europe in disguise?
9. Why was Russia isolated
from the rest of Europe?
10. How did Parliament limit
the English Monarchy?
11. Why might people have
difficulty accepting a new idea
or way of thinking?
12. What were the
circumstances that led to the
Scientific Revolution?
13. In what ways did various
scientists contradict religious
Learning Objectives
(Skills & Understandings)
1. Recognize, on a map,
the geography of Europe
in terms of physical
features, climates, &
political boundaries.
2. Explain the
geographical
significance of early
civilizations in terms of
exploration.
3. Explain the origins of
absolute monarchy.
4. Explain the social
practices and norms, in
absolute empires.
5. List the ideas of French
thinkers.
6. Lead a discussion on
Louis XIV’s court and
his abuse of power.
7. Make logical inferences
using graphs, maps,
primary sources, and
charts.
8. Describe the Thirty
Years’ War.
9. Describe Peter the
Great’s reforms and
their impact on Russia.
10. Describe the importance
of the Glorious
Revolution in terms of
the politics, religious,
social aspect.
11. List the circumstances
that led to the Scientific
Revolution.
12. Analyze events that led
the Enlightenment
thinkers to question old
ideas and revolutionize
art, religion,
Textbook
Reference
Chapters:
Suggested Activities, Investigations, Readings and
Videos

Find key locations on various maps (physical,
topographic, climate, and resource) and create a
“guided tour” of major cities and sites of India and
China

Read and analyze primary sources such as
Machiavelli’s The Prince

In small groups, recreate the Estate system by
designating each member from a different Estate,
and have them create a code of conduct while
cooperating in “role play”

Create a PowerPoint presentation illustrating the
technological contributions of Enlightened thinkers

Create a compare/contrast graphic organizer or
Venn diagram illustrating the similarities and
differences of the powers of Parliament to the
powers of the US Congress

Role play key historic figures using charades

Role play a social gathering of Enlightened thinkers
in a Parisian salon

Create a six-panel cartoon illustrating the pomp and
glory of palaces and the absolute monarchs who
occupied them

Recreate the Congress of Vienna, assigning roles to
various students

Frequent reading and comprehension quizzes and
outlining notes

Objective exam
21-23
views?
14. Can science and religion
harmonize with each other?
15. What was women’s role
during the Enlightenment?
16. What are some major
ideas from the
Enlightenment?
17. How did enlightened
thinkers influence politics?
18. How did the French
Revolution begin?
19. What caused the people to
revolt?
20. What was the rise and fall
of the Great Fear?
21. What political reforms
resulted from the French
Revolution?
22. How did Napoleon come
to power?
23. How did Napoleon’s
empire collapse?
24. What were the results of
the Congress of Vienna?
Several countries in Europe came
under the control of absolute
monarchs, which eventually was
tamped due to the Enlightenment
ideas. Revolution swept through
Europe, challenging monarchs
and bringing strong calls for
political, social, and economic
reforms. Scientific findings had a
profound effect on the power of
the Church, authority, and
economics-the effects of which
are still felt today.
6 Weeks
government, and
society.
13. Compare and contrast
the ideas of various
Enlightened thinkers.
14. Analyze the French
revolution, rise and fall
of Napoleon, and
Congress of Vienna
using visuals.
15. List and explain the
three Estates of the Old
Regime.
16. Describe the women’s
role in the French
Revolution.
17. Explain how war and
the king’s execution
affected the Revolution.
18. Describe how the
National Assembly
changed France’s
government.
19. Describe the events and
aftermath of the Reign
of Terror.
20. Lead a discussion on
Napoleon’s reign from
beginning to end.
21. Explain how Napoleon’s
legacy aroused
nationalist feelings
across Europe.
Unit Title, Essential
Questions, Description and
Approximate Length
Unit 3:
The Rise of Nationalism and
The Industrial Revolution
Essential Questions:
1. What role did technology
play in the development of
urban life?
2. What impact did
technology have on
humans and the
environment?
3. Why did the French
accept Louis-Napoleon as
emperor?
4. How did Nationalism drive
the events that occurred
during the 1800s and
1900s?
5. How did the actions of
radicals contradict their
philosophies?
6. How was Italy unified?
7. What role did art play in
the development of
nationalism?
8. How is population
increase related to
improved food supplies
and living conditions?
9. How does one invention
lead to others?
10. Why would entrepreneurs
want to invest in railway
improvements?
11. How did industrialization
change cities and the lives
of workers?
12. How did industrialization
promote reform?
13. How does laissez-faire
economics reflect
Learning Objectives
(Skills & Understandings)
1. Identify three schools of
political thought.
2. Trace the development of
nationalism.
3. Analyze reform in France
and Russia.
4. Describe the unification
of Germany and Italy
using timelines.
5. Define romanticism and
give examples of
romantic literature and
art.
6. Explain the beginnings
of Industrial Revolution
in Britain.
7. Identify transportation
improvements using
visuals.
8. Describe key
improvements that
furthered the Industrial
Revolution.
9. Trace the impact of
railroads on British
industry.
10. Identify the positive and
negative effects of the
Industrial Revolution.
11. Describe the growing
tensions between the
middle and working
classes.
12. List the reform
movements of the 1800s.
Textbook
Reference
Chapters:
Suggested Activities, Investigations, Readings and
Videos

Find key locations on various maps (physical,
topographic, climate, and resource)

Create a timeline illustrating major political, social,
and economic events in early 19th century Britain.

Create a map illustrating the spread of industry
throughout Britain.

Create a PowerPoint presentation with illustrations
based on the case study of Manchester before,
during, and after the Industrial Revolution.

Write an essay explaining the human impact on the
environment.

Create a graphic organizer illustrating
improvements in industrial technology.

Create a work of art using romanticism.

Hold a class debate on Socialism versus Capitalism.

Watch streaming live video on child labor.

Read and analyze diary entries of British factory
workers and create posters using primary source
photos to illustrate working and living conditions in
Britain in the early 19th century.

Create a chart tracking union rules illustrating
change and continuity over time.

Frequent reading and comprehension quizzes

Objective exam
24-25
Enlightenment ideas of
challenging power and
authority?
The
liberal
and
nationalist
uprising that challenged the old
conservative order of Europe
fueled the establishment of
nation-states in Europe which
continues
to
this
day.
Nationalism has become the
basis of world order today,
contributing
to
countless
contributions in the arts, political
alliances and has often caused
conflicts and wars. The British
introduction of mass production
has contributed to the idea of
nationalist pride in one’s country,
and has paved the way for
industrialization worldwide.
4 Weeks
Unit Title, Essential
Questions, Description and
Approximate Length
Unit 4:
The War for Independence and
Shaping a New Nation
Essential Questions:
1. How did the passage of
the British numerous tax
acts prompt anger and
eventual revolt from the
colonists?
2. What prompted the
Boston Massacre and the
Boston Tea Party?
3. How did King George
respond to the colonists’
demands?
4. Why were the First
Continental and Second
Continental Congresses
called into action?
5. What relationship did the
colonists have with
England?
6. How did the spread of
literature promote rebel
actions?
7. What ideas influenced the
Declaration of
Independence?
8. What groups made up the
Loyalists and Patriots?
9. How do leaders keep
followers loyal to a cause?
10. How did the Patriots
finally win independence
from Britain?
11. What hardships
accompanied the nation’s
first leaders?
12. What role did women play
during and after the
Revolution?
Learning Objectives
(Skills & Understandings)
1. Analyze the causes of the
American Revolution and
the contributions of
significant individuals
during the war.
2. Summarize colonial
resistance to British
taxation.
3. Summarize the major
battles of the American
Revolution.
4. Examine efforts made to
avoid bloodshed as the
colonies teetered on the
brink of war.
5. Explain the different
ideologies of the Patriots
and Loyalists.
6. Illustrate through the use
of maps, the major battles
of the war and their
outcomes.
7. Analyze various points of
view using primary
sources, such as political
cartoons.
8. Explain the four sections
of and reasons for the
Declaration of
Independence.
9. List the reasons for the
improvement in Patriot
fighting and morale.
10. Describe the terms of the
Treaty of Paris.
11. List the difficult choices
Congress faced after the
war.
12. Analyze the reasons for
rejecting the Articles of
Confederation and
creating a new
Textbook
Reference
Chapters:
Suggested Activities, Investigations, Readings and
Videos

Find key locations on various maps (physical,
topographic, climate, and resource) & create a map
of the 13 colonies-including their population and
resources for each colony.

Create a timeline of the various acts and taxes
passed by the British, including the colonists’
reactions.

Create an 8 panel cartoon of colonists’ view of King
George’s rule and an 8-panel cartoon illustrating the
attitudes of the British about the colonists.

Role-play the Founding Fathers discussing the
Articles of Confederation and their weaknesses.

Create a recruiting poster for minutemen.

Write an inspirational speech to rally troops during
the winter in Valley Forge.

Compare and contrast the military strengths and
weaknesses of the US and Britain.

Create a sequence of events chart to follow the war
using the headings of: Date; Battle; American
leader; Opponent; Outcome.

Create a work of propaganda such as a political
pamphlet supporting the cause of Loyalists and
Patriots.

Streaming video clips of PBS series “Americans”.

Paraphrase the Declaration using modern language.

Frequent reading and comprehension quizzes

Objective exam

Constitution test (including Illinois and the flag)
4-5
The
Constitution
13. How much power should
a government have?
14. How did the land
ordinances encourage
religion and public
education?
15. How did rebellion prompt
America’s early leaders to
compromises and the
drafting of the
Constitution?
16. How did the ideologies of
Federalists and Antifederalist clash?
17. Why did suspicion prompt
the Anti-federalists to
demand a Bill of Rights?
18. How is the Constitution
of the United States
structured, and what is
the purpose of each
section?
Decades of self-sufficiency,
technological innovation, and
population growth, the colonists
appeal to the king of England for
independence. The ensuing
events led to the War of
Independence between the
colonists and Britain, the
eventual victory of the colonists
and the creation of a new
government with balanced sets of
powers. Upon creation of the
document, opposing ideologies
appear and often led to rebellions
and acts of violence, pitting
colonists against each other. The
influence of the Enlightenment
was critical in the drafting of new
laws and a final ratification of the
US Constitution.
12 Weeks
constitution.
13. Summarize how the
nation’s leaders disagreed
with policies, and how
they compromised to
reach a middle-ground.
14. Explain the Bill of Rights
and how it came to be.
15. Analyze and explain the
principles of the US
Constitution, and the
processes for ratification.
16. Identify the branches of
government and the
extent of their powers.
17. Compare and contrast
the Illinois Constitution
with the US Constitution.
18. List and explain the
Articles.
Unit Title, Essential
Questions, Description and
Approximate Length
Unit 5:
Balancing US Nationalism and
Sectionalism and the
Westward Movement
Essential Questions:
1. How did regional
economies create
different political and
economic ideas?
2. What inventions
spurred an Industrial
Revolution in the US?
3. Why did tariffs and a
national bank stir
debate among states?
4. What internal
improvements helped
tie the nation
together?
5. What role does the
Supreme Court play in
the government’s
control of the country?
6. How did the US
expand its borders?
7. What lasting
implications did the
Monroe Doctrine have
on the citizens of the
US?
8. What motivated people
to move west?
9. How did Jackson’s
presidential style
manage to gain
support of a majority
of US citizens?
10. How did Jackson
approach the “Indian
Learning Objectives
(Skills & Understandings)
1. Identify the different
economic differences
among different
regions of the United
States.
2. Describe the effects
of the Industrial
Revolution on the
US.
3. Explain how the
cotton gin increased
the need for slavery
in the south.
4. Describe how the
Tariff of 1816 and
the National Bank
stirred debate across
the country.
5. List and differentiate
the various internal
improvements
throughout the US
which helped unite
the states.
6. Explain how the
Supreme Court limits
the powers of the
states.
7. Identify, through
specific examples,
how nationalism
shaped foreign
policy.
8. Explain the
relationship between
the Missouri
Compromise and the
debate over slavery.
9. Describe Jackson’s
presidential style and
Textbook
Reference
Suggested Activities, Investigations, Readings and
Videos

Find key locations on various maps (physical,
topographic, climate, and resource).

Create a timeline illustrating major political, social,
and economic events in early 19th century US.

Trace the development of canals and railroads
extending south and westward to explain the
increase of industry, and the effects on the
economy.

Create a graphic organizer listing the major
industries of the North versus the South, comparing
them to today’s industries to chart change and
continuity over time.

Using a visual representation, chart and explain
Supreme Court rulings and their effects on the
social and political aspect of the era.

Read the Monroe Doctrine for nationalism, and
compare to today’s nationalist feelings.

Create a Venn Diagram comparing the different
presidents’ political and economic beliefs.

Read excerpts from Native Americans to gain insight
on their forced removals, Christianization, and their
views on the White man.

Draw a political cartoon depicting one of Andrew
Jackson’s policies towards Native Americans or the
national banks.

Create a timeline with illustrations depicting
inventions during the Economic Revolution.

Write a journal or diary entry of a frontiersman or
woman discussing the excitement and fear of
travelling west.
Chapters:
7 and 9
Question”?
11. How did
entrepreneurs fuel the
new nation’s
economy?
12. How did the
inventions of the
Economic Revolution
impact Americans in
terms of economics,
environment, and
politics?
13. What were the
implications on
politics, economics,
technology, and
religion as a result of
Manifest Destiny?
14. What caused the US
expansion into Texas?
15. What were America’s
goals and ideas during
the period of
expansion and
economic
development?
American leaders devised a farsighted policy of improvements as
North, South, and West develop
distinct economies leading to
political and economic differences
between regions. Policies for the
common people allowed them to
move
westward,
but
had
devastating effects on Native
Americans. As the economy of
the US grew, so did the nation’s
territories, resulting in war and
annexation of Texas from Mexico,
as well as vast expanses of land
in
the
West.
Technological
advances in industry changed
the landscape of the nascent
nation as technology brought
his effect on the
common man.
10. Discuss how the
Indian Removal Act
of 1830 affected:
Native Americans,
frontiersmen, and
the environment.
11. Explain the theory of
nullification and its
political
repercussions.
12. Explain, using
visuals such as
graphic organizers or
PowerPoint
presentations, the
consequences of
western settlement
and the war with
Mexico.
13. Describe the impact
of inventions on
consumers and
producers.
14. Analyze the impact of
the westward
expansion on the
Native American
tribes.
15. Discuss the
resistance of the
Native Americans
against white
settlement.
16. Recreate a map of
the Oregon Trail and
the Trail of Tears.
17. Create a timeline of
the events leading up
to the formation of
the Republic of
Texas.
18. Explain how the US
gained control over

Make a map of the Oregon Trail.

Create a PowerPoint presentation on the fighting
and results of the Alamo.

Write an essay on the different viewpoints of the war
with Mexico using Polk, Lincoln, Douglass, or Santa
Anna and the Mexican Government.

Frequent reading and comprehension quizzes

Objective exam
people of different faiths into
conflict and cultural differences.
4 Weeks
New Mexico and
California.
19. Describe the impact
of the Gold Rush on
the West and its
inhabitants and
environment.
Unit Title, Essential
Questions, Description and
Approximate Length
Unit 6:
Slavery, Civil War, and
Reconstruction
Essential Questions:
1. How did the issue of
slavery relate to the
different economies of
the North and South?
2. To what extent did
the anti-slavery sect
go to in order to
counter the Fugitive
Slave Law?
3. What
role
does
literature and art play
in politics and social
order?
4. Why did the Wilmot
Proviso divide the
country as well as
Congress?
5. What experiences did
slaves and European
immigrants share in
the US?
6. What are some key
qualities one looks for
in a leader?
7. What uphill battles
did Lincoln face with
his presidency?
8. What role did the
Supreme Court play
in
the
curt
relationship between
the North and South?
9. What are the limits of
democracy
when
there is an absence of
trust
in
the
Learning Objectives
(Skills & Understandings)
1. Clarify the economic
importance of slavery
in the South.
2. Analyze the
complexities of the
conflict between
human rights and the
sanctity of property.
3. Describe the
differences in
economies in the
North and South.
4. Explain the provisions
of Clay’s Compromise
of 1850 and the
political backlash.
5. Describe how the
Continental Railroad
destroyed the
Missouri Compromise
as well as the
Compromise of 1850.
6. Explain what caused
the violence in
Kansas post KansasNebraska Act.
7. Describe the
prejudice experienced
by European
immigrants.
8. Summarize the
conflicts between
state and federal
powers.
9. Explain the effect of
the Dred Scott
decision on the North.
10. Discuss how Lincoln
came to be president
in 1860.
11. Using a visual
Textbook
Reference
Chapters:
10-12
Suggested Activities, Investigations, Readings and
Videos

Find key locations on various maps (physical,
topographic, climate, and resource)

Create a timeline illustrating major battles of the
Civil War and their outcomes.

Hold a mock debate on the Compromise of 1850
to gain an historical perspective.

Write a letter to the editor in praise of or
criticizing Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Create an abolitionist poster.

Prepare a visual report depicting the passive
resistance of slaves in the South.

Create a map of the passages of the Underground
Railroad.

Create a campaign leaflet for the election of 1856.

Watch footage of Ken Burns’ Civil War CD set.

Create a simulated telecast of the Battle of Bull
Run.

Draw a political cartoon depicting Lincoln firing
McClellan.

Create a Venn diagram comparing Lincoln’s and
Davis’s policies for handling dissent.

Research the inflation suffered by the American
citizens after the war.

Create a timeline depicting the major battles of
the war, as well as the results and the major
players in those battles.

Write a dialogue of a former slave speaking to
government?
10. What makes a civil
war different from a
foreign war?
11. How did the recent
innovations
in
technology
change
the battlefield and
naval battles?
12. How did the US
continue
relationships
with
foreign
countries
during the Civil War?
13. How did women react
to the war?
14. In what ways did the
Gettysburg
Address
change
the
way
American thought of
the US?
15. Can the use of force
preserve a nation?
16. What challenges do
oppositions face when
rebuilding a country
after a devastating
war?
17. What
were
the
economic conditions
of the North and
South after the war?
18. Why were there so
many oppositions to
Reconstruction?
The growing conflict over slavery
divided the North and South.
When compromises failed, deeprooted divisions resulted leading
to the secession of the Southern
states from the Union. The four
bloody years of the Civil War
ended with the South in dire
economic straits, while the North
representation, list
and explain the
various battles and
their results.
12. Describe new
weaponry and other
changes in warfare.
13. Analyze the effects of
the Emancipation
Proclamation.
14. Using visuals,
describe the
conditions of the
soldiers during the
war.
15. Describe how the war
changed the nation
insofar as balance of
power between state
and federal, as well as
the economic
imbalance between
the North and South.
16. Describe the
hardships freed
blacks faced after the
war.
17. Summarize Lincoln’s
Reconstruction
policies.
18. Describe the
population changes in
the US after the war.
19. List and explain the
scandals and money
crises which hurt the
Republicans.
his/her former master using vocabulary from the
era.

Write an obituary on the death of Lincoln.

Stage a mock trial of John Wilkes Booth with
Southerners and Northerners as the jury.

Write a letter or journal entry from the point of
view of a Southerner in 1865.

Create a handbook outline for new voters.

Frequent reading and comprehension quizzes

Objective exam
continued to enjoy prosperity.
Congress enacted policies to
punish the South while African
Americans struggled to survive
and establish new lives.
Eventually, Reconstruction fails,
and the Southern whites regain
control over the states.
5 Weeks
Unit Title, Essential
Questions, Description and
Approximate Length
Unit 7:
Industry, Immigrants, and
Urbanization
Essential Questions:
1. What were some of
the major effects of
the inventions and
manufacturing
innovations on the
nature of work,
the
American
labor movement,
and
on
businesses?
2. How
did
new
inventions change
the way people
lived and worked?
3. What
role
did
technology play in
the
westward
expansion
and
what
were
the
effects
on
the
environment?
4. How did railroads
manage to both
unite the nation as
well as to promote
nationalism?
5. What were some
management and
business
strategies
that
contributed to the
success of tycoons
such as Andrew
Carnegie?
Learning Objectives
(Skills & Understandings)
1. Discuss the
advantages and
disadvantages of
the expansion of
railroads.
2. Explain how the
abundance of
natural resources
led to intensive
industrialization.
3. Describe how
harnessing
electricity has
dramatically
changed traditional
family life.
4. Explain the
Interstate
Commerce Act and
its effect on the
economy and
relations between
states.
5. Explain the
principles of Social
Darwinism and
apply them to the
working classes.
6. Use visuals to
depict working
condition in the
factories of the late
19th and early 20th
century.
7. Create a chart
depicting the
different labor
unions that
emerged during the
Textbook
Reference
Chapters:
10-12
Suggested Activities, Investigations, Readings and
Videos

Find key manufacturing and railroad routes and
locations on various maps (physical, topographic,
climate, and resource).

Hold a mock debate between labor and factory
owners over working conditions.

Write a letter to the editor in praise of or criticizing
Andrew Carnegie’s influence over industrial giants.

Create a labor union poster.

Make a timeline of technological innovations and
their effects on manufacturing, lifestyles, and the
economy.

Create a graph depicting the salaries of men and
women factory workers and compare them to
modern day to illustrate change and continuity
over time.

Write a journal entry of an immigrant arriving at
Angel Island, using specific literary tools.

Read excerpts from Gold Mountain to gain
perspective on the conditions of Chinese
immigrants in San Francisco.

Create a graphic organizer illustrating the causes
and effects of immigrants coming to America.

Create a PowerPoint presentation on the conditions
of the urban city dwellers of the late 19th and early
20th century.

Write a dialogue of a factory worker and a manager
during the late 19th century using proper
vernacular.
6. What
is
the
relationship
between
Social
Darwinism
and
society?
7. How
did
labor
unions change the
working conditions
of millions of men,
women, and even
children?
Technological innovations and
the growth of the railroad
industry helped fuel an industrial
boom. Some business leaders
followed corrupt practices, and
workers, suffering harsh working
conditions, try to organize in
order to improve lives. As the
population rises due to
availability in the workplace, a
swell of immigrants join the
workforce, eventually leading to
the need for political bases to
fight abuses and promote reform.
5 Weeks
early 20th century
and their policies.
8. Create a PowerPoint
presentation
depicting the origins
of late 19th and
early 20th century
immigrants.
9. Explain the
difficulties
immigrants faced
when coming to
America.
10. Describe the
process of the
Americanization
movement.
11. List and discuss
the problems of
urbanization.
12. Explain the role of
political machines.

Create a help wanted ad for immigrants to work in
a factory using manipulative language from the
early 20th century.

Draw a political cartoon depicting Tammany Hall’s
disregard for the law.

Write a letter or journal entry from the point of
view of an Irish and German immigrant in the early
20th century.

Create a handbook for immigrants on how to be
“Americanized” using early 20th century social
standards.

Frequent reading and comprehension quizzes

Objective exam
Summative Assessment Description
Student performance will be assessed according to the following using appropriate rubrics:











Formal and informal essays
Map reading abilities
Primary source analyses
Accurate completion of graphic organizers
Role-playing
Guided discussions
Formal and informal research
Appropriate usage of internet and Microsoft applications
Reading and comprehension quizzes and tests
Objective exams
Technological activities (youtube videos, edmodo, webquests)
Semester 1—Standards Summary: Illinois State Goals
15.A.5b Analyze the impact of economic growth.
15.A.5c Analyze the impact of various determinants on the levels of GDP (e.g., quantity/quality of natural/capital
resources, size/skills of the labor force).
15.D.5c Explain how technology has affected trade in the areas of transportation, communication, finance and
manufacturing.
16.A.4a Analyze and report historical events to determine cause-and-effect relationships.
16.A.4b Compare competing historical interpretations of an event.
16.A.5b Explain the tentative nature of historical interpretations.
16.B.5c (W) Analyze the relationship of an issue in world political history to the related aspects of world economic,
social and environmental history.
16.C.5b (W) Describe how historical trends in population, urbanization, economic development and technological
advancements have caused change in world economic systems.
16.C.5c (W) Analyze the relationship between an issue in world economic history and the related aspects of political,
social and environmental history.
16.D.5 (W) Analyze the relationship between an issue in world social history and the related aspects of political,
economic and environmental history.
16.E.5a (W) Analyze how technological and scientific developments have affected human productivity, human
comfort and the environment.
16.E.5b (W) Analyze the relationship between an issue in world environmental history and the related aspects of
political, economic and social history.
17.A.4a Use mental maps of physical features to answer complex geographic questions (e.g., how physical features
have deterred or enabled migration).
17.A.4b Use maps and other geographic instruments and technologies to analyze spatial patterns and distributions
on earth.
17.B.4b Analyze trends in world demographics as they relate to physical systems.
17.C.4b Analyze growth trends in selected urban areas as they relate to geographic factors.
17.C.4c Explain how places with various population distributions function as centers of economic activity
(e.g., rural, suburban, urban).
17.D.4 Explain how processes of spatial change have affected human history (e.g., resource development and use,
natural disasters).
17.B.5 Analyze international issues and problems using ecosystems and physical geography concepts.
17.C.5a Compare resource management methods and policies in different regions of the world.
17.C.5b Describe the impact of human migrations and increased urbanization on ecosystems.
17.C.5c Describe geographic factors that affect cooperation and conflict among societies.
17.D.5 Analyze the historical development of issues involving the interaction of people and geographic factors
(e.g., transportation, changes in agricultural subsidies, flood control).
18.A.4 Analyze the influence of cultural factors including customs, traditions, language, media, art and architecture
in developing pluralistic societies.
18.B.4 Analyze various forms of institutions (e.g., education, military, religion, government).
18.C.4a Analyze major cultural exchanges of the past (e.g., Colombian exchange, the Silk Road, the Crusades).
18.C.4b Analyze major contemporary cultural exchanges as influenced by worldwide communications.
18.A.5 Compare ways in which social systems are affected by political, environmental, economic and technological
changes.
18.B.5 Use methods of social science inquiry (pose questions, collect and analyze data, make and support
conclusions with evidence, report findings) to study the development and functions of social systems and report
conclusions to a larger audience.
18.C.5
Analyze how social scientists’ interpretations of societies, cultures and institutions change over time.
Semester 2—Standards Summary: Illinois State Goals
15.C.4a Analyze the impact of political actions and natural phenomena (e.g., wars, legislation, natural disaster)
on producers and production decisions.
15.E.4b Describe social and environmental benefits and consequences of production and consumption.
15.E.4c Analyze the relationship between a country’s science/technology policies and its level and balance of trade.
15.B.4b Analyze the impact of current events (e.g., weather/natural disasters, wars) on consumer prices.
15.A.5a Explain the impact of various determinants of economic growth (e.g., investments in human/physical
capital, technological change) on the economy.
15.A.5b Analyze the impact of economic growth.
15.A.5c Analyze the impact of various determinants on the levels of GDP (e.g., quantity/quality of natural/capital
resources, size/skills of the labor force).
15.D.5c Explain how technology has affected trade in the areas of transportation, communication, finance
and manufacturing.
16.A.4a Analyze and report historical events to determine cause-and-effect relationships.
16.A.4b Compare competing historical interpretations of an event.
16.E.4b (W) Describe how migration has altered the world’s environment since 1450.
16.A.5a Analyze historical & contemporary developments using methods of historical inquiry (pose questions,
collect & analyze data, make & support inferences w/evidence & report findings)
16.A.5b Explain the tentative nature of historical interpretations.
16.B.5c (W) Analyze the relationship of an issue in world political history to the related aspects of world economic,
social and environmental history.
16.C.5b (W) Describe how historical trends in population, urbanization, economic development and technological
advancements have caused change in world economic systems.
16.C.5c (W) Analyze the relationship between an issue in world economic history and the related aspects of political, soc
environmental history.
16.D.5 (W) Analyze the relationship between an issue in world social history and the related aspects of political,
economic and environmental history.
16.E.5a (W) Analyze how technological and scientific developments have affected human productivity, human
comfort and the environment.
17.A.4a Use mental maps of physical features to answer complex geographic questions (e.g., how physical features
have deterred or enabled migration).
17.A.4b Use maps and other geographic instruments and technologies to analyze spatial patterns and
distributions on earth.
17.B.4b Analyze trends in world demographics as they relate to physical systems.
17.C.4b Analyze growth trends in selected urban areas as they relate to geographic factors.
17.C.4c Explain how places with various population distributions function as centers of economic activity
(e.g., rural, suburban, urban).
17.D.4 Explain how processes of spatial change have affected human history (e.g., resource development and use,
natural disasters).
17.B.5 Analyze international issues and problems using ecosystems and physical geography concepts.
17.C.5a Compare resource management methods and policies in different regions of the world.
17.C.5b Describe the impact of human migrations and increased urbanization on ecosystems.
17.C.5c Describe geographic factors that affect cooperation and conflict among societies.
18.A.4 Analyze the influence of cultural factors including customs, traditions, language, media, art and
architecture in developing pluralistic societies.
18.B.4 Analyze various forms of institutions (e.g., education, military, religion, government).
18.C.4a Analyze major cultural exchanges of the past (e.g., Colombian exchange, the Silk Road, the Crusades).
18.C.4b Analyze major contemporary cultural exchanges as influenced by worldwide communications.
18.A.5 Compare ways in which social systems are affected by political, environmental, economic and technological
changes.
18.B.5 Use methods of social science inquiry (pose questions, collect and analyze data, make and support
conclusions with evidence, report findings) to study the development and functions of social systems and report
conclusions to a larger audience.
18.C.5
Analyze how social scientists’ interpretations of societies, cultures and institutions change over time.
Yearlong NCSS Standards: History Thinking Standard 1
The student thinks chronologically:
Therefore, the student is able to:







Distinguish between past, present, and future time.
Identify the temporal structure of a historical narrative or story: its beginning,
middle, and end (the latter defined as the outcome of a particular beginning).
Establish temporal order in constructing their [students'] own historical
narratives: working forward from some beginning through its development, to some
end or outcome; working backward from some issue, problem, or event to explain its
origins and its development over time.
Measure and calculate calendar time by days, weeks, months, years, decades,
centuries and millennia, from fixed points of the calendar system: BC (before Christ)
and AD (Anno Domini, "in the year of our Lord") in the Gregorian calendar and the
contemporary secular designation for these same dates, BCE (before the Common
Era) and CE (in the Common Era); and compare with the fixed points of other
calendar systems such as the Roman (753 BC, the founding of the city of Rome) and
the Muslim (622 AD, the hegira).
Interpret data presented in time lines and create time lines by designating
appropriate equidistant intervals of time and recording events according to the
temporal order in which they occurred.
Reconstruct patterns of historical succession and duration in which historical
developments have unfolded, and apply them to explain historical continuity and
change.
Compare alternative models for periodization by identifying the organizing
principles on which each is based.
Historical Thinking Standard 2
The student comprehends a variety of historical sources:
Therefore, the student is able to:




Identify the author or source of the historical document or narrative.
Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage by identifying who was
involved, what happened, where it happened, what events led to these developments,
and what consequences or outcomes followed.
Identify the central question(s) the historical narrative addresses and the purpose,
perspective, or point of view from which it has been constructed.
Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations but
acknowledge that the two are related; that the facts the historian reports are selected





and reflect therefore the historian's judgment of what is most significant about the
past.
Read historical narratives imaginatively, taking into account what the narrative
reveals of the humanity of the individuals and groups involved--their probable values,
outlook, motives, hopes, fears, strengths, and weaknesses.
Appreciate historical perspectives--the ability (a) describing the past on its own
terms, through the eyes and experiences of those who were there, as revealed
through their literature, diaries, letters, debates, arts, artifacts, and the like; (b)
considering the historical context in which the event unfolded--the values, outlook,
options, and contingencies of that time and place; and (c) avoiding "presentmindedness," judging the past solely in terms of present-day norms and values.
Draw upon data in historical maps in order to obtain or clarify information on the
geographic setting in which the historical event occurred, its relative and absolute
location, the distances and directions involved, the natural and man-made features of
the place, and critical relationships in the spatial distributions of those features and
the historical event occurring there.
Utilize visual and mathematical data presented in graphs, including charts, tables,
pie and bar graphs, flow charts, Venn diagrams, and other graphic organizers to
clarify, illustrate, or elaborate upon information presented in the historical narrative.
Draw upon the visual, literary, and musical sources including: (a) photographs,
paintings, cartoons, and architectural drawings; (b) novels, poetry, and plays; and, (c)
folk, popular and classical music, to clarify, illustrate, or elaborate upon information
presented in the historical narrative.
Historical Thinking Standard 3
The student engages in historical analysis and interpretation:
Therefore, the student is able to:






Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas, values, personalities, behaviors, and
institutions by identifying likenesses and differences.
Consider multiple perspectives of various peoples in the past by demonstrating
their differing motives, beliefs, interests, hopes, and fears.
Analyze cause-and-effect relationships bearing in mind multiple causation
including (a) the importance of the individual in history; (b) the influence of
ideas, human interests, and beliefs; and (c) the role of chance, the accidental and the
irrational.
Draw comparisons across eras and regions in order to define enduring issues as
well as large-scale or long-term developments that transcend regional and temporal
boundaries.
Distinguish between unsupported expressions of opinion and informed
hypotheses grounded in historical evidence.
Compare competing historical narratives.




Challenge arguments of historical inevitability by formulating examples of
historical contingency, of how different choices could have led to different
consequences.
Hold interpretations of history as tentative, subject to changes as new
information is uncovered, new voices heard, and new interpretations broached.
Evaluate major debates among historians concerning alternative interpretations of
the past.
Hypothesize the influence of the past, including both the limitations and
opportunities made possible by past decisions.
Historical Thinking Standard 4
The student conducts historical research:
Therefore, the student is able to:






Formulate historical questions from encounters with historical documents,
eyewitness accounts, letters, diaries, artifacts, photos, historical sites, art,
architecture, and other records from the past.
Obtain historical data from a variety of sources, including: library and museum
collections, historic sites, historical photos, journals, diaries, eyewitness accounts,
newspapers, and the like; documentary films, oral testimony from living witnesses,
censuses, tax records, city directories, statistical compilations, and economic
indicators.
Interrogate historical data by uncovering the social, political, and economic context
in which it was created; testing the data source for its credibility, authority,
authenticity, internal consistency and completeness; and detecting and evaluating
bias, distortion, and propaganda by omission, suppression, or invention of facts.
Identify the gaps in the available records and marshal contextual knowledge
and perspectives of the time and place in order to elaborate imaginatively upon the
evidence, fill in the gaps deductively, and construct a sound historical interpretation.
Employ quantitative analysis in order to explore such topics as changes in family
size and composition, migration patterns, wealth distribution, and changes in the
economy.
Support interpretations with historical evidence in order to construct closely
reasoned arguments rather than facile opinions.
Historical Thinking Standard 5
The student engages in historical issues-analysis and decision-making:
Therefore, the student is able to:






Identify issues and problems in the past and analyze the interests, values,
perspectives, and points of view of those involved in the situation.
Marshal evidence of antecedent circumstances and current factors contributing to
contemporary problems and alternative courses of action.
Identify relevant historical antecedents and differentiate from those that are
inappropriate and irrelevant to contemporary issues.
Evaluate alternative courses of action, keeping in mind the information available
at the time, in terms of ethical considerations, the interests of those affected by the
decision, and the long- and short-term consequences of each.
Formulate a position or course of action on an issue by identifying the nature of
the problem, analyzing the underlying factors contributing to the problem, and
choosing a plausible solution from a choice of carefully evaluated options.
Evaluate the implementation of a decision by analyzing the interests it served;
estimating the position, power, and priority of each player involved; assessing the
ethical dimensions of the decision; and evaluating its costs and benefits from a
variety of perspectives.
Putting Historical Thinking Skills to Work
Historical thinking skills cannot be divorced from content. The skills highlighted in
brackets throughout the History Standards reflect only one of many thinking skills that
should be developed for each elaborated standard. The following are among the thinking
skills that can be brought to bear on particular topics. In fact, as students deepen their
historical thinking and knowledge, they will learn to draw upon an increasing range of
interconnected thinking skills.
The following examples illustrate how multiple historical thinking skills can be utilized in
studying particular history content standards.
Grades 9-12
United States History, Era 9, Standard 4A
The student is able to:
Assess the role of the legislative and executive branches in advancing the civil rights
movement and the effect of shifting the focus from de jure to de facto segregation.


Evaluate the implementation of a decision (Historical Thinking Standard 5F)
Explain historical continuity and change (Historical Thinking Standard 1F)



Analyze cause-and-effect relationships (Historical Thinking Standard 3C)
Challenge arguments of historical inevitability (Historical Thinking Standard 2E)
Formulate a position or course of action on an issue (Historical Thinking Standard
5E)
World History, Era 8, Standard 3A
The student is able to:
Describe the conflicting aims and aspirations of the conferees at Versailles, and analyze the
responses of major powers to the terms of the World War I settlement.




Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations (Historical
Thinking Standard 2D)
Hypothesize the influence of the past (Historical Thinking Standard 3J)
Marshal evidence of antecedent circumstances (Historical Thinking Standard 5B)
Evaluate the implementation of a decision (Historical Thinking Standard 5F)