Social Studies (8th)

  • Quarter 1

    • Explain the origins and migration patterns of Native Americans
    • Compare and contrast the economic system of Native Americans to our free market  economy
    • Understand the European competition in North America
    • Explain the beginnings of slavery in America
    • Analyze the economic and social development of the American colonies
    • Understand the changes in culture over time in the thirteen colonies
    • Trace and explain the causes and outcomes of the French and Indian War
    • Describe important events the led to the American Revolution
    • Analyze the seven principles of the Constitution
    • Examine the process people use to make choices and to consider what elements are involved in making good and bad choices
    • Evaluate the goals expressed in Ben Franklin’s “Code of Conduct”
    • Understand how Philadelphia was at the forefront of opposition to slavery
  • Quarter 2

    • Identify rights protected by the Bill of Rights
    • Financial Literacy-“What’s a High School Degree Worth to Me?”
    • Evaluate Washington’s presidency
    • Analyze Jefferson’s philosophy on government
    • Explain and interpret how industry contributed to the American economy
    • Analyze Jacksonian democracy and the expansion of voting rights
    • Identify reasons why the people went west and the impact of “Oregon fever”
    • Understand the purpose of the Monroe Doctrine
    • Analyze the role of women in the workforce
    • Explain the relationship between the cotton boom and slavery
    • Summarize the war between Texas and Mexico
    • Apply economic reasoning to the American Revolution and then apply these concepts to an analyze of neighbor markets
    • Explain the origins of Manifest Destiny
    • Participate in a Mock Trial Exercise
    • Understand why scarcity exists and the choices we must make about the use of the scarce resources
  • Quarter 3

    • Analyze the impact of the gold rush in California
    • Identify the push-pull factors of immigration
    • Analyze the effects of immigration on the U.S. cities and on public opinion
    • Evaluate the impact of the early labor movement
    • Describe the development of the abolitionist movement
    • Explain the significance of the Underground Railroad
    • Describe the controversies over slavery in the territories
    • Explain the factors that contributed to industrial growth
    • Understand how racism caused discrimination and the spread of segregation
    • Identify the goals of the Progressive movement
    • Summarize Roosevelt’s presidency
    • Identify the progressive qualities of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments
    • Analyze the reasons for the eighteenth amendment
    • Analyze the events that led to the Nineteenth Amendment
    • Understand how women in Pennsylvania were leaders of social change
    • Describe the contributions of several African American leaders associated with Philadelphia
    • Recognize that Philadelphia is a city with a diverse population
    • Recognize that Philadelphia’s history can be seen through its landmarks, parks, buildings and neighbors
    • Understand and discuss offenses such as harassment, sexual assault and their consequences
    • Understand and discuss the juvenile justice system
    • Explore entrepreneurship and consider a career and options
  • Quarter 4

    • Identify the factors that led to American imperialism
    • Identify the reasons for the Spanish-American War
    • Evaluate the use of “big stick diplomacy”
    • Identify the causes of WWI
    • Describe how Americans mobilized for the war
    • Describe how President Wilson attempted to shape the peace
    • Evaluate the ways new technology change daily life during the 1920s
    • Analyze the characteristics of popular culture during the 1920s
    • Understand the causes and effects of the Great Depression
    • Explain how President Roosevelt changed the role of government in the United States
    • Understand the causes, major battles and consequences of WWII
    • Describe how Americans reacted to the economic prosperity and rapid change of the postwar period
    • Identify the origins of the Civil Rights movement
    • Analyze the roots of the Vietnam War
    • Evaluate the Presidency of Richard Nixon
    • Describe how conservatives changed domestic policy
    • Explain how the Korean War began
    • Understand and discuss why people commit crimes and how it can be reduced
    • Examine the relationship between savings and investment and see the benefit to societies