Social Studies 8th Grade [Credit Recovery]

Course Description\nStudents focus on the history of North America and, in particular, the history of the United States. Before Europeans knew that North America existed, indigenous civilizations thrived throughout the continent. Students learn how colonial life led to early attempts at self-government and how European influence continues to this day. As they witness the expansion of US borders, students discover how the desire for land and resources led to the removal of native populations, wars with neighbors, and annexations. Students see the impact of civil war and witness the struggle of slavery and America’s emergence as an industrial powerhouse. In their study of the twentieth century, students trace the reasons for and outcomes of the civil rights movement and consider the role of the United States as a world power.\n\nCourse Breakdown\n\n Colonization of the New World\n Rise of the slave trade\n French and Indian War\n American Revolution\n Articles of Confederation\n Checks and balances in government\n Slavery\n Westward expansion and manifest destiny Westward expansion and foreign policy\n Slavery\n Civil War\n Reconstruction\n Spanish-American War\n World War I\n World War II\n Global superpowers\n Cold War\n\nCourse Goals\n Identify the peoples of North America, explore migration, and describe the settlement of early colonies.\n Analyze the major events and ideas that gave rise to the American Revolution against English rule and assess the outcome of the war.\n Identify the competing political philosophies in the early national period and explain how they impacted the creation of the Constitution.\n Recognize the three branches of government, their roles, and the events leading up to the War of 1812. Examine the events of westward expansion including the acquisition of Texas and the events of the Mexican-American War.\n Analyze the events leading up to, during, and after the American Civil War.\n Examine the persecution of African Americans and Native Americans and the events that lead to the Spanish-American War.\n Analyze the role of the United States in the global conflicts of the 1900s.