United States History Unit 1

Big Idea:

Evaluate the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, in their historical contexts.

Student Expectations:

Priority TEKS

USH.1(A) [Supporting] analyze and evaluate the text, intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, and identify the full text of the first three paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence;

USH.1(B) [Supporting] analyze and evaluate the application of these founding principles to historical events in U.S. history; and

USH.2(A) [Supporting] identify the major characteristics that define an historical era;

USH.9(A) [Readiness] trace the historical development of the civil rights movement in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, including the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th amendments;

USH.22(A) [Supporting] discuss Alexis de Tocqueville's five values crucial to America's success as a constitutional republic: liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism, and laissez-faire;

Focus TEKS

USH.1(C) [Supporting] explain the contributions of the Founding Fathers such as Benjamin Rush, John Hancock, John Jay, John Witherspoon, John Peter Muhlenberg, Charles Carroll, and Jonathan Trumbull Sr.

USH.14(C) [Supporting] understand the effects of governmental actions on individuals, industries, and communities, including the impact on Fifth Amendment property rights.

USH.21(B) [Supporting] discuss historical reasons why the constitution has been amended.

USH.22(B) [Supporting] describe how the American values identified by Alexis de Tocqueville are different and unique from those of other nations; and

USH.22(C) [Supporting] describe U.S. citizens as people from numerous places throughout the world who hold a common bond in standing for certain self-evident truths.

USH.23(C) [Supporting] explain how participation in the democratic process reflects our national ethos, patriotism, and civic responsibility as well as our progress to build a "more perfect union."

USH.26(E) [Supporting] discuss the meaning and historical significance of the mottos "E Pluribus Unum" and "In God We Trust";

Ongoing TEKS

USH.29(A) use a variety of both primary and secondary valid sources to acquire information and to analyze and answer historical questions

USH.29(B) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and- effect relationships, comparing and contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations, making predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing conclusions

USH.29(C) understand how historians interpret the past (historiography) and how their interpretations of history may change over time

USH.29(D) use the process of historical inquiry to research, interpret, and use multiple types of sources of evidence

USH.29(E) evaluate the validity of a source based on language, corroboration with other sources, and information about the author, including points of view, frames of reference, and historical context;

USH.29(F) identify bias in written, oral, and visual material

USH.29(G) identify and support with historical evidence a point of view on a social studies issue or event

USH.29(H) use appropriate skills to analyze and interpret social studies information such as maps, graphs, presentations, speeches, lectures, and political cartoons

USH.30(A) create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information

USH.30(B) use correct social studies terminology to explain historical concepts

USH.30(C) use different forms of media to convey information, including written to visual and statistical to written or visual, using available computer software as appropriate

USH.31(A) create thematic maps, graphs, and charts representing various aspects of the United States

USH.31(B) pose and answer questions about geographic distributions and patterns shown on maps, graphs, charts, and available databases

USH.32(A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution

USH.32(B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision

Student Learning Targets:

• I will evaluate the intent and meaning of the founding documents and the impact of the principles within those documents on U.S. history.
• I will describe the contributions of selected Founding Fathers.
• I will discuss and describe how the values identified by Alexis de Tocqueville have been crucial to the United States’ success as a constitutional republic.
• I will write a modern example of the Declaration of Independence.

Essential Questions:

• What is the significance of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights?
• What has been the importance of these three documents to American History?
• What qualities led to America’s exceptional success as a democratic republic?
• How did the characteristics of American culture found by John de Crevecoeur compare to those later identified by Alexis de Tocqueville?

Extra Information:

Adopted Textbook: The Americans: US History since 1877 Texas Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Holt McDougal

District Grading Policy

Texas Gateway Online Resource Center