Garden City Middle School

Course: United States and New York State History Social Studies 8

Instructional Philosophy:

The United States and New York State History Social Studies 8 curriculum is the second part of a two-year program designed to provide an overview of United States history from political, social and economic perspective. Students will develop and apply historical skills and concepts, and use a variety of methods to convey their understanding of the past.

Garden City Middle School’s United States and New York History curriculum seeks to balance the need for a guaranteed curriculum with flexibility in response to student needs. Aligned with NYS standards in social studies, it is designed to guide teachers yet preserve their autonomy in instructional decision-making. Teachers utilize essential questions in order for students to grapple with complex historical issues to develop a deeper level of understanding and, ultimately, ownership of the content. The questions that frame the study of seventh and eighth grade social studies are:

Why does history matter?

To what extent has the history of the United States been a history of progress for all people?

To what extent did the United Stated fulfill the ideals of the Declaration of Independence? What does discrimination look like? What keeps it alive?

What is the purpose of government?

How do individuals shape history?

To what extent does contact between cultures result in positive change?

What is worth fighting for? Can conflict be avoided?

How does government/governmental decisions both reflect and shape society?

How should individual liberties be balanced with what is in the best interest of the nation?

How does geography shape history and culture?

What makes writing worth reading?

Overview of American History Social Studies 8

Social studies content in grade 8 is the second year of a two year course focused on a chronologically organized study of United States and New York State history. Course content is divided into 12 units, tracing the human experience in the United States from Reconstruction to the present, and tying political, geographic, economic, and social trends in United States history to parallel trends and time frames in New York State history.

Knowledge and Skills Objectives

  1. To develop chronological thinking skills necessary to examine United States history from Reconstruction to the present day.
  2. To develop the skills necessary to read and analyze secondary and primary sources.
  3. To develop the skills necessary to think critically about historical events.
  4. To define, develop and practice writing and research skills.

Units of study:

  1. The Reconstruction Era 1865-1877
  2. How did the assassination of Lincoln impact Reconstruction?
  3. Compare and contrast the philosophy of the Radical Republicans with Presidents Lincoln and Johnson.
  4. How did the 13, 14 and 15th amendments affect the lives of African Americans?
  5. Why was the election of 1876 significant?
  6. Analyze whether the goals of Reconstruction were fulfilled.
  1. Westward Expansion 1860-1890
  2. Analyze the reasons for westward expansion and the consequences for Native Americans.
  3. How did the transcontinental railroad have an impact on the settlement of the West and Native American culture?
  4. Evaluate the role of the United States government in both westward expansion and in responding to problems between settlers and Native Americans.
  5. Describe the life of the miners, ranchers and farmers.
  6. Why did the Poplulist Party form? To what extent were they successful in fulfilling their goals?
  1. Industrialization Era 1860-1890
  2. Analyze the impact of the networking of railroads on businesses and people across the United States?
  3. Analyze the impact of new business practices on small businesses and the US economy?
  4. Why did industrial pioneers (captains of industry) emerge? How did they shape America?
  5. How did new inventions impact on business, the economy and people’s lives?
  6. Why did labor unions emerge? Evaluate the strategies and tactics labor unions employed in the late 19th/early 20th century.
  7. To what extent were labor unions successfully in reforming the American workplace?
  1. Immigration 1865-1914
  2. Why did immigrants come to America?
  3. How did people in America respond to immigrants? Why?
  4. Analyze the impact of immigrants on the development of America.
  5. How did realism reflect changes in American culture?
  1. Progressive Era 1876-1920
  2. To what extent can individuals shape history? Consider the role of muckrakers and progressive reformers.
  3. Evaluate the progressive reforms of Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson.
  4. What is the purpose of government?
  5. To what extent were the ideals of the Declaration of Independence fulfilled by 1920?
  6. How did the Progressive Era affect women, workers, small business, big businesses, farmers and the government
  1. Imperialism 1890-1920
  2. Why did the United States shift from isolationism to imperialism?
  3. Evaluate the impact of imperialism in US history
  4. Was the US justified in fighting the Spanish-American War?
  5. Evaluate the impact of the Spanish American War.
  6. Evaluate US foreign policies with regard to Latin America at the turn of the century.
  1. World War I 1914-1918
  2. Describe the causes of the war in Europe.
  3. Was the US justified abandoning its policy of neutrality and entering WWI?
  4. Analyze the impact of WWI on America at home.
  5. Evaluate the impact of WWI on the role of the US in the world.
  6. Compare Wilson’s Fourteen Points with the Treaty of Versailles.
  7. To what extent did the Treaty of Versailles plant the seeds for WWII?
  1. Roaring Twenties 1920-1929
  2. Why did business boom in the 1920s?
  3. Why was the 18th Amendment passed and then later repealed? What does this reveal about American society?
  4. Analyze the impact of the automobile on American society.
  5. How did music, literature and new forms of entertainment create a mass culture?
  6. Why did economic problems begin to surface?
  1. Depression 1929-1941
  2. Analyze the impact of the stock market crash of on the American economy and society.
  3. Compare Hoover and FDR’s response to the economic crisis and to the needs of the American people?
  4. Evaluate FDR’s New Deal. To what extent was it a success/failure?
  1. World War II 1939-1945
  2. Why were European dictators able to rise to power during the 1930s?
  3. Why/how did the United States move from a position of neutrality to involvement in the war?
  4. How did WWII affect America on the home front?
  5. Analyze the impact of new military technology during WWII and in the post-war period.
  1. Cold War 1945-1990
  2. Why did the Cold War begin?
  3. How did the Cold War affect shape US foreign and domestic policies?
  4. Evaluate the US foreign policy of containment between 1945-1989.
  1. Present Day
  2. How did the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas help the Civil Rights Movement gain momentum?
  3. Who was Martin L. King Jr. and how did his efforts impact minority groups?
  4. How did our modern presidents beginning with John F. Kennedy through Ronald Reagan respond to the threat of Soviet expansion and the needs of the American people?
  5. Why did George Bush Sr. involve the United States in the Persian Gulf War?
  6. How did William Clinton’s domestic reforms have an impact on the economy?

Materials:

Davidson, James and Michael Stoff. The American Nation, 2005.

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