8th Grade

To what extent were American colonists justified in rebelling against British authority and creating their own political system?

Students examine the impact of European colonization on Native Americans and Africans. Students learn about the purposes of government and how the American democratic system developed to meet those purposes more effectively. Students study the impact of the French and Indian War and British colonial governance on the colonies and the causes and consequences of the American Revolution.

To what extent did American responses to inside and outside forces contribute to the creation of a national political culture?

Students learn how American culture is grounded in shared values that have shaped the nation over time. Students learn about the Articles of Confederation, the Constitutional Convention, the Constitution, and Bill of Rights to understand how the American political system reflects American values. Students also learn how the U.S. political system was strengthened and challenged by various inside and outside forces during the first five presidential administrations.

How did geographic and economic expansion impact the rights of diverse populations in America?

Students learn how there are costs and benefits to expansion and how conflict can result when people try to protect or gain rights and resources. Students evaluate the costs and benefits of geographic, economic, and political expansion from 1820-1853 by studying Native American removal, the spread of slavery, Jacksonian democracy, industrialization, the increase of immigration, and the rise of the Abolition and Women’s rights movements.

How effectively did the U.S. resolve the political, economic, and social issues that led to and resulted from the Civil War?

Students learn about how cultural differences can divide a society and how people react to cultural change and apply these concepts to their study of the causes and consequences of the Civil War, the effectiveness of Reconstruction, and continuity and change in the postbellum period.