This year 8th Grade will cover United States studies from 1492 through 1877. They will learn about Explorations through the Reconstruction Period. The historical focus for 8th Grade will be on European exploration and the settlements that developed in the United States. We will also cover the early development of the United States through the Civil War and the Reconstruction. We will approach this year with historical thinking and a chronological view of the development of the United States. Students will examine how historic events are shaped by geographic, social, cultural, economic, and political factors.