Advanced US History
Welcome to 8th grade social studies! You will study the first half of American history this year, from Exploration and Colonization through the Reconstruction period ending in 1877. (You will cover the second part of American History, Reconstruction through the modern era, in high school.) You will build on the foundations you began in 5th and 7th grades and study topics in more depth, using primary and secondary sources, artwork, technology, and other resources. You will also take your first-ever social studies STAAR test in May.
These are the units we will study this year. See the complete Texas Education Agency’s grade 8 social studies TEKS for details. The strands of social studies are integrated and therefore the topics and units often overlap. We will use a variety of resources to explore these eras in addition to these basic textbook chapters:
FIRST SEMESTER
Unit 1: Exploration and Colonialism - Chapters 2 and 3
Unit 2: American Revolution - Chapters 3 and 4
Unit 3: Constitution - Chapters 5 and 6
Unit 4: Early Republic - Chapters 7, 8, and 9
Unit 5: Age of Jackson - Chapter 10
SECOND SEMESTER
Unit 6: Westward Expansion - Chapter 11
Unit 7: Industrialization and Reform Movements – Chapters 12, 13, and 14
Unit 8: Sectionalism and Causes of the Civil War – Chapters 13 and 15
Unit 9: Civil War - Chapter 16
Unit 10: Reconstruction - Chapter 17
Reminders
- Accurate grades can be found in TAC.
- The best way to reach me is by email.