Studying History

Major Historical Periods

Major Historical Themes

There are eight themes interwoven throughout the course studies.

NAT | National Identity

This theme focuses on how and why definitions of American and national identity and values have developed among the diverse and changing population of North America as well as on related topics, such as citizenship, constitutionalism, foreign policy, assimilation, and American exceptionalism. The development of an debates about democracy, freedom, citizenship[, diversity, and individualism shape American national identity, cultural values, and beliefs about American exceptionalism, and it turn, these ideas shape political institutions and society. Throughout America history, notions of national identity and culture have coexisted with varying degrees of regional and group identities.

WXT | Work, Exchange, Technology

This theme focuses on the factors behind the development of systems of economic exchange, particularly the role of technology, economic markets, and government. The interplay between markets, private enterprise, labor, technology, and government policy shape the American economy. I turn, economic activity shapes society and government policy and drives technological innovation.

MIG | Migration/Movements of People

This theme focuses on the role of geography and both the natural and human-made environments in the social and political developments in what would become the United States. Geographic and environmental factors, including competition over and debates about natural resources, shape the development of America and foster regional diversity. The development of America impacts the environment and reshapes geography, which leads to debates about environmental and geographic issues.

PCE | Politics and Power

This theme focuses on how different social and political groups have influenced society and government in the United States as well as how political beliefs and institutions have changed over time. Debates fostered by social and political groups about the role of government in American social, political, and economic life shape government policy, institutions, political parties, and the rights of citizens.

WOR | America in the World

This theme focuses on the interactions between nations that affected North American history in the colonial period and on the influence of the United States on world affairs. Diplomatic, economic, cultural, and military interactions between empires, nations, and peoples shape the development of America and America’s increasingly important role in the world.

GEO | Geography and Environment (physical & human)

This theme focuses on the role of geography and both the natural and human-made environments in the social and political developments in what would become the United States. Geographic and environmental factors, including competition over and debates about natural resources, shape the development of America and foster regional diversity. The development of America impacts the environment and reshapes geography, which leads to debates about environmental and geographic issues.

ARC | American and Regional Culture

This theme focuses on the how and why national, regional, and group cultures developed and changed as well as how culture has shaped government policy and the economy. Creative expression, demographic change, philosophy, religious beliefs, scientific ideas, social mores, and technology shape national, regional, and group cultures in America, and these varying cultures often play a role in shaping government policy and developing economic systems.

SOC | Belief Systems

This theme focuses on how and why systems of social organization develop and change as well as the impact that these systems have on the broader society. Social categories, roles, and practices are created, maintained, challenged, and transformed throughout American history, shaping government policy, economic systems, culture, and the lives of citizens.

Historical Thinking Skills

Historical Causation (CA)

Historical thinking involves the ability to identify, analyze and evaluate the relationships among historical causes and effects, distinguishing between those that are long term and proximate. Historical thinking also involves the ability to distinguish between causation and correlation, and an awareness of contingency, the way that historical events result from a complex variety of factors that come together in unpredictable ways and often have unanticipated consequences.

Compare and Contrast (COMP)

Historical thinking involves the ability to identify, compare and evaluate multiple perspectives on a given historical event in order to draw conclusions about that event. It also involves the ability to describe, compare, and evaluate multiple historical developments within one society, one or more developments across or between different societies, and in various chronological and geographical contexts.

Patterns of Continuity and Change Over Time (CCOT)

Historical thinking involves the ability to recognize, analyze, and evaluate the dynamics of historical continuity and change over periods of time of varying length, as well as the ability to relate these patterns to larger historical processes or themes.

Contextualization

Historical thinking involves the ability to connect historical events and processes to specific circumstances in time and place, as well as broader regional, national or global processes.

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Analyzing Evidence

Historical thinking involves the ability to describe, select, and evaluate evidence relevant about the past from diverse sources (including written documents, works of art, archaeological artifacts, oral traditions, and other primary sources) and draw conclusions about their relevance to different historical issues.

Interpretation

Historical thinking involves the ability to describe, analyze, and evaluate the different ways historians interpret the past. This includes understanding the various types of questions historians ask, as well as considering how the particular circumstances and contexts in which individual historians work and write shape their interpretations of past events and historical evidence.

Historical Argumentation

Historical thinking involves the ability to create an argument and support it using relevant evidence.

Synthesis

Historical thinking involves the ability to develop understanding of the past by making meaningful and persuasive historical and/or cross disciplinary connections between a given historical issue and other historical contexts, periods, themes, or disciplines.

Commonly used acronyms and feedback shorthand