Honors American Studies

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies Standards

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying the context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places that are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
  • Belief systems and religions 
  • Commerce and Industry 
  • Technology 
  • Politics and government 
  • Physical and human geography 
  • Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.
   

• Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th)
• The Role of Federalism in Reconstruction
• Failure of Reconstruction
• Political and Social Reactions to Reconstruction
   

• Industries like railroads, steel, oil, and banking helped build modern America following the Civil War.  Abuses within these industries led to calls for reform.
• Labor Unions and collective bargaining are efforts to pool the influence of workers to affect pay, working conditions, and hours.  This can lead to tension between employers and unionized employees.
• Many Americans who already lived in the country were hostile toward immigrants, who flocked to America in the Gilded Age in hopes of a better life.
• Progressives were reformers who wished to change American society by fixing problems caused by industrialization and urbanization.

• Identify, compare, and evaluate the similarities and differences between President Andrew Johnson's plan for Reconstruction and the plan of Republicans in Congress (House of Representatives and Senate). (Context and Perspective)
• Contextualize the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments at the time they were ratified. (Context)
• Identify, compare, and evaluate the similarities and differences in federal and state laws during the Reconstruction Era. (Context)
• Research, determine, and argue, to what extent, freedom was a reality for African-Americans in the years following the Civil War. (approximately 1865 - 1880). (Reasoning)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• How did the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments lead to new status for former slaves and other African Americans?
• What problems in American society did Republicans and the Freedmen’s Bureau attempt to address?
• In what ways did some white Southerners respond negatively to new freedoms for African Americans? 
• To what degree did legal segregation influence life in the United States during the Reconstruction Era? 

• What were the differences between Lincoln's, Johnson's, and Congress’s plans for Reconstruction? 
• What were the pieces of legislation that impacted the newly freed slaves?
• What factors contributed to the complexity of Reconstruction?
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
   

• Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th)
• Black Codes
• Freedmen’s Bureau
• Compromise of 1877
• Jim Crow
• Plessy v. Ferguson
• Ku Klux Klan
• Lynching
• Segregation
• Juneteenth
   

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning
   

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies Standards

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying the context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
  • Belief systems and religions 
  • Commerce and Industry 
  • Technology 
  • Politics and government 
  • Physical and human geography 
  • Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.
   

• Rise of Industrial Capitalism 
• Impact of and Reaction to Immigration 
• Causes & Effects of Urbanization
• Advances in Technology
• Progressive Reforms (Political, Economic, Social)
   

• Industries like railroads, steel, oil, and banking helped build modern America following the Civil War.  Abuses within these industries led to calls for reform.
• Labor Unions and collective bargaining are efforts to pool the influence of workers to affect pay, working conditions, and hours.  This can lead to tension between employers and unionized employees.
• Many Americans who already lived in the country were hostile toward immigrants, who flocked to America in the Gilded Age in hopes of a better life.
• Progressives were reformers who wished to change American society by fixing problems caused by industrialization and urbanization.

• Draw conclusions and craft evidence-based arguments about whether or not major industrialists of the Gilded Age were "robber barons" or "captains of industry". (Reasoning)
• Determine the motivations for major labor disputes during the Gilded Age and represent those motivations from multiple perspectives. (Context)
• Identify significant inventions developed during the Gilded Age and why they developed. (Context & Reasoning)
• Identify the impact of urbanization on American life during the Gilded Age and craft arguments about its benefits and drawbacks. (Context)
• Examine the realities of immigrants during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. (Perspective) 
• Assess, evaluate, and argue to what degree, political, economic, and social progress was made from 1877-1920. (Reasoning)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• How did industries like railroads, steel, oil, and banking influence the growth of modern America in the Gilded Age?
• How do the concepts of organized labor and collective bargaining affect relationships between workers and employers? 
• Why did immigrants flock to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and what reactions were they met with?
• Who were the progressives and what types of problems in American society were they trying to solve?

• How did new technology impact the growth of America in the Gilded Age?
• How did big business grow in the Gilded Age?
• How did big business impact workers in the Gilded Age?
• What efforts were made to reform business during the Gilded Age?
• How did immigrants impact American society?
• What efforts were made to expand democracy in American politics during the Progressive Era?
• Which social reforms impacted American society with changes made during the Progressive Era?
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database

• Gilded Age
• Robber Barons/Captain of Industry 
• Monopoly
• Laissez Faire
• Immigration
• Nativism 
• Urbanization
• Muckrakers
• Organized Labor
• 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th Amendment (to the Constitution)
   

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning
   

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies Standards

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
  • Belief systems and religions 
  • Commerce and Industry 
  • Technology 
  • Politics and government 
  • Physical and human geography 
  • Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.
   

• Reasons for American imperialism
• Influence of nationalism on imperialism
• Examples of American imperialism
• M.A.I.N. (Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism) causes of World War I and U.S. neutrality
• Impact of US Foreign Policy during/after World War I (Domestic and Foreign)

• The United States pursued imperialist policies with the purpose of expanding the nation’s markets and access to natural resources by building a modern military and expanding its international influence.
• The United States stayed neutral for most of World War I because it did not want to be drawn into Europe’s trouble “over there.”  The United States entered the war when Germany disrupted America’s sea trade with Europe.
• The United States mobilized for World War I through government measures like the Selective Service Act and Propaganda.
• Several European nations followed many of the ideas laid out in Wilson’s “Fourteen Points,” including the League of Nations.  The United States Senate prevented America from heavy global involvement.
   

• Examine and evaluate the perspectives of political, economic, military, and social leaders of American imperialism. (Perspective)
• Determine how the Spanish-American War fits within the context of U.S. imperialism. (Context)
• Identify the events that led the United States to join The Great War (World War I) after its long-standing neutrality. (Context & Reasoning)
• Analyze and evaluate the perspectives portrayed in propaganda produced during World War I. (Perspectives)
• Draw conclusions and craft arguments about the growth of America’s power in the world between 1896 and 1919. (Synthesis)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• What factors led the United States to pursue imperialist policies? (Reasoning)
• How did American imperialist goals manifest in the Caribbean and Pacific regions? (Reasoning)
• What challenges did the United States experience in mobilizing for World War I after years of neutrality?  (Reasoning)
• To what level did President Woodrow Wilson’s vision for peace influence the world following World War I? (synthesis)
   

• Define imperialism and identify the arguments for and against imperialist policy. 
• How was the Spanish-American War a turning in American foreign policy? 
• How has the building of the Panama Canal affected the United States and the world?
• Why did the United States join the fighting in World War I after years of efforts to stay neutral?
• Identify the perspectives that impacted the support of and opposition to World War I. 
• Explain how America’s efforts during World War I impacted the status of America abroad. 
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
   

• Imperialism
• Nationalism
• Spanish American War
• Big Stick Diplomacy
• Election of 1912
• Panama Canal
• neutrality
• Mobilization
• Home Front
• Espionage and Sedition Acts
• Trench warfare
• 14 Points
• League of Nations
• Treaty of Versailles
   

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning
   

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies Standards

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
  • Belief systems and religions 
  • Commerce and Industry 
  • Technology 
  • Politics and government 
  • Physical and human geography 
  • Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.

• Growth, Impact, and Reaction to American Cultural Movements 
• Reactions to a Changing American Demographic
• Reasons for the Growth and Decline of the 1920s American Economy
• Causes and Effects of the Great Depression
• Political and Economic Responses to the Great Depression

• Americans challenged boundaries during the 1920s.  Some examples were a disregard for prohibition, changing roles and behaviors for women, an expansion of African-American culture, and technological advances.
• Jazz music became America’s soundtrack in the 1920s and 1930s and African-American poetry, painting and sculpture became more prevalent.
• Some factors that led to the Great Depression were buying goods on credit, buying stocks on margin, insufficient regulation of banks and the stock market, and an income gap between the wealthy and others.
• During the Great Depression unemployment and loss of savings led many Americans to homelessness or to live in shantytowns called Hoovervilles.  Private organizations provided assistance through bread and soup lines, and the suicide rate soared.  In the plains, the Dust Bowl made farming difficult or impossible.
• The New Deal aimed to bring the United States out of the Great Depression through relief, recovery, and reform.  The New Deal relied on unprecedented government involvement in the economy.

• Examine how the Harlem Renaissance redefined artistic expression and contributed to the Roaring ‘20s. (Context)
• Identify, evaluate, and discuss the reasoning for the rise of anti-foreign and racist sentiment during the 1920s. (Reasoning)
• Compare, contrast, and evaluate the different approaches to achieving suffrage for women. (Perspective)
• Evaluate how American women ultimately achieved the right to vote. (Context)
• Determine the factors that led to the growth, instability, and downturn of the 1920’s economy. (Reasoning)
• Discuss the economic and social impact of the Great Depression on typical Americans across multiple demographic groups. (Reasoning)
• Analyze the political and economic factors that contributed to the creation of New Deal policies. (Context)
• Craft evidence-based arguments about the New Deal. (Synthesis)
• Reason immediate and long-term impacts of the Great Depression. (Reasoning)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• How did American life and society change during the decade known as the Roaring ‘20s?
• What advances in American culture were evident in the Harlem Renaissance?
• What factors led the United States economy into the Great Depression? 
• How was American life affected by the economic disaster of the Great Depression?
• What was the purpose and results of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal?
   

• What factors altered the views on women and their status in society during the 1920s? 
• How were the 1920s a turning point regarding women and their status in American society?
• How did the social culture of the Harlem Renaissance impact the views of and toward African Americans? 
• What factors led to rapid growth in the U.S. economy in the 1920s? 
• Which factors of the 1920s economy contributed to the stock market crash and Great Depression? 
• How did the Great Depression impact the lives of Americans across all demographic groups? 
• How did Franklin Roosevelt’s efforts to provide relief, recovery, and reform impact the effects of the Great Depression? 
• Why did the Great Depression force America into a more isolationist role?

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
   

• Progressive Amendments (16th- 19th)
• Harlem Renaissance
• Tulsa Massacre 
• Debates over culture (gender roles, modernism, science, religion, race, and immigration)
• Stock Market Crash of 1929
• Great Depression (causes and effects)
• Responses to the Great Depression (Hoover and F. Roosevelt)
• Dust Bowl
• New Deal (programs, regulations, and challenges to)
   

1. Summative Assessment Option
2. Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
3. Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
4. Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
5. Project/Problem-Based Learning
    

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies Standards

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
  • Belief systems and religions 
  • Commerce and industry 
  • Technology 
  • Politics and government 
  • Physical and human geography 
  • Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.
   

• Interwar Foreign policy and isolationism
• Mobilization and Home Front 
• Strategic Goals of Allied and Axis Powers 
• Domestic Political and Economic Policy
• U.S. Reaction to the Holocaust
• Use of nuclear weapons
   

• A surprise attack by Japan on the American Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii led the United States to declare war on Japan and led American citizens to support the war effort.
• The United States mobilized for World War II through rationing, selective service, the War Productions Board, propaganda, and an industrial complex nicknamed the “Arsenal of Democracy.”
• The United States government sanctioned the relocation of Japanese-American citizens to internment camps away from the West Coast.  The Supreme Court decision in Korematsu v. U.S. upheld Japanese internment as Constitutional.
• America’s choice to use atomic weapons on Japan ended World War II.  This action marked the beginning of the Cold War as people understood the destructive power of these weapons.

• Explain how and why nationalism gained momentum in the years following World War I, and explain how each component fits into a larger model in the Interwar Years. (Synthesis)
• Identify and explain several actions that the U.S. government took to ensure that the nation was neutral at the beginning of World War II.  Infer why neutrality was a national priority for the United States.  (Reasoning)
• Analyze maps, charts, and images to understand events, concepts, and vocabulary within the context of World War II in the European Theater, and explain the significance of large-scale military objectives. (Interpretation)
• Analyze evidence from primary sources related to U.S. Mobilization for World War II. (Interpretation)
• Read primary source accounts from the perspective of Holocaust survivors.  (Interpretation).
• Evaluate the program of Japanese-American internment based on an Executive Order from President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  Students will work to develop an understanding of Japanese-American Internment within its historical time and setting. (Contextualization)
• Examine the U.S. decision to drop nuclear weapons on Japan and the end of World War II.
• Craft and defend arguments about the U.S. decision to use nuclear weapons. (Synthesis)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• How did the U.S. become involved in World War II after years of efforts to stay neutral?
• How did the United States mobilize for World War II?
• What effects did the fighting of World War II have on Japanese-Americans in the United States?
• What was the significance of America’s use of atomic weapons on Japan during World War II?
   

• Why were nationalism and fascism growing forces during the 1920s and 1930s?
• How did the United States react to the changing landscape of global politics? 
• Why was the United States reluctant to get involved in Europe’s affairs in the 1930s? 
• Explain Japan’s relationship with Germany and how it changed America’s involvement in the war. How did Japan’s alliance with Germany and Italy change America’s involvement in World War II?
• What were the primary political, economic, and military strategies used in the European and Pacific theaters? 
• What implications did the internment of Japanese-American citizens have for Civil Rights during World War II?
• Why did the United States decide to use the atomic bomb on Japan? 
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
   

• Nationalism
• Fascism
• Allied/ Axis Powers
• Appeasement
• Neutrality Acts
• Lend-Lease Acts
• Pearl Harbor
• Executive Order 9066- Japanese Internment
• Holocaust
• Island Hopping
• Nuclear Warfare
• “Big Three” Conferences
• Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials
• United Nations
   

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning
   

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies Standards

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
• Belief systems and religions 
• Commerce and Industry 
• Technology 
• Politics and government 
• Physical and human geography 
• Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.

• Ideological differences between capitalism and communism
• Causes and Effects of the Postwar economic boom 
• Causes and Effects of the Korean War
• McCarthyism
• Mass culture (suburbanization, conformity, music, art, rebellion)
   

• The Cold War was an ideological and military struggle between the United States and Soviet Union.  It was marked by an arms race and efforts to expand/limit the influences of democracy and communism.  Both sides mobilized for a war that did not ultimately happen.
• The United States chose to involve itself in the Korean War as a measure to prevent the spread of Communism in Asia. 
• The Interstate Highway Act made the movement of military equipment and personnel around the continental United States easier and more efficient.  Private citizens used the roads to travel more extensively than they had previously.
• McCarthyism reflected American fears about Communist influence on government and society during the Cold War.

• Construct a creative product that utilizes allegorical elements to better understand major concepts of the Cold War in the context of its time.  (context)
• Examine the development of nuclear weapons before their use in World War II and their implications for the Cold War. (patterns)
• Evaluate the decision by the United States to use nuclear weapons on Japan and craft arguments about that decision. (synthesis)
• Evaluate maps, charts, and images to understand events, concepts, and vocabulary within the context of the Korean War. (context)
• Contextualize the impact that Jackie Robinson’s inclusion had on Major League Baseball and why it was a turning point for American Civil Rights and professional sports. (context)
• Compare and contrast the economic and political systems of capitalism and communism. (patterns)
• Identify the threat that communism posed to the world from the U.S. perspective and the biases that existed in the argument. (interpretation)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.
   

• What was the Cold War, and how did it affect American society and the world?
• How did U.S. involvement in the Korean War fit into the story of the Cold War?
• How did the Interstate Highway Act change the United States?
• How did the concept of McCarthyism reflect the tensions of the early Cold War?

• How did the United States respond to the threat of communism during the early years of the Cold War?
• What role did the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan play in shaping American foreign policy during this period?
• How did the Korean War impact the United States' Cold War strategy and foreign policy goals?
• What was the significance of the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union during the 1950s?
• How did the Cold War affect domestic politics and society in the United States during this period?
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
   

• Threats of Atomic Warfare
• Cold War
• Iron Curtain
• Truman Doctrine and Containment
• Arms Race 
• Berlin Airlift
• Marshall Plan
• NATO and Warsaw Pact
• Red Scare and McCarthyism
• Korean War
• Baby Boomers
• GI Bill
• Interstate Highway System

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning
   

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies Standards

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.
• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
  • Belief systems and religions 
  • Commerce and Industry 
  • Technology 
  • Politics and government 
  • Physical and human geography 
  • Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.

• Strategies for the Civil Rights Movement
• Washington’s Federal (Judicial, Executive, Legislative) Response to the Movement
• Expansion of Democratic Values
• Resistance to the Civil Rights Movement

• African-Americans addressed inequality during the Civil Rights Movement through boycotts, sit-ins, marches, and other forms of public protest.
• The Supreme Court ruled that segregation was unconstitutional, President Eisenhower used federal troops to enforce the integration of public schools, and Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
• Efforts to slow down the Civil Rights Movement were only temporary as the push for democracy gained momentum throughout the time period. 

• Reason how ideals are affected by perspective and evaluate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ideal for American society in the context of U.S. history. (interpretation)
• Analyze primary sources with the purpose of recognizing the perspective of their authors and identifying potential bias. (interpretation)
• Draw conclusions about the relationships between events, people, organizations, legislation, and Supreme Court decisions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s-1960s. (reasoning)
• Analyze primary source videos from the Civil Rights Era to exhibit an understanding of continuity and change over time.  (patterns)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• What methods and strategies did African-American protesters use to address inequality during the Civil Rights Movement? 
• How did the United States government react to inequality during the Civil Rights Movement? 
• How did the Civil Rights Movement reshape American democracy?
• How did the media, including television and newspapers, shape public opinion and influence the outcome of the Civil Rights Movement?

• What were the key events that led to the African American Civil Rights Movement in the United States from 1954-1968, and how did they impact the movement's goals and strategies?
• What role did leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks play in the African American Civil Rights Movement, and what were their key contributions to the movement's success?
• What were some of the major challenges and obstacles faced by African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement, and how did they work to overcome them?
• How did the African American Civil Rights Movement influence other social justice movements in the United States and around the world, and what lessons can we learn from its successes and failures?
• What were some of the major legislative and policy changes that resulted from the African American Civil Rights Movement, and how did these changes impact society?
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
• Teacher-made Materials
   

• Jim Crow Segregation
• Brown v. Board of Education 
• Montgomery Bus Boycott
• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
• Civil disobedience 
• Little Rock Nine
• Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Voting Rights Act
• 24th Amendment
• March on Washington, “I Have a Dream”
• SCLC and SNCC
• University Integration
• Selma to Montgomery Marches
   

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning
   

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
  • Belief systems and religions 
  • Commerce and Industry 
  • Technology 
  • Politics and government 
  • Physical and human geography 
  • Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.

• The Impact of Containment
• The role of Militarism and its impact on domestic policy
• Proxy Wars 
• Political Upheaval and Activism of the 1960s

• Decisions by the Warren Court expanded civil rights, the rights of accused persons, and freedom of expression.
• President Johnson’s Great Society programs were intended to create more equal opportunities for economically disadvantaged Americans in order to make society better.
• The status of the United States was challenged when a Communist government took control in Cuba and America was unsuccessful in toppling that government.  When the Soviet Union placed nuclear weapons in Cuba, it was the closest that the world came to World War III.
• The United States involved itself in Vietnam to prevent the spread of Communism into Southeast Asia.  Involvement in this war led to significant discontent within the United States.
   

• Examine the relationships between events and topics and their place in the historical time and setting of the decade of the 1960s.  (reasoning)
• Examine the presidential administrations of the 1960s, ordering events chronologically, and determine how they fit into multiple themes of U.S. history. (context)
• Analyze maps, charts, and images to understand events, concepts, and vocabulary within the context of the War in Vietnam. (context)
• Analyze various perspectives about U.S. participation in the War in Vietnam. (interpretation) 
• Draw conclusions and craft arguments about U.S. involvement in the conflict. (Reasoning)
• Craft arguments about how history should remember key figures and events. (synthesis)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• What effects have decisions by the Warren Court had on the United States?
• How did President Lyndon Johnson wish to affect America with his Great Society program?
• What challenges to America’s “superpower” status were challenged through the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis?
• How does the U.S. involvement in Vietnam fit into the story of the Cold War?
   

• How did the United States' Cold War policy during the 1960s shape its foreign relations with other countries, particularly in Asia?
• What were the key events and policies that defined the United States' Cold War strategy during the 1960s and 1970s, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the policy of containment?
• In what ways did the United States' Cold War policy during the 1960s and 1970s impact domestic politics, particularly in terms of the government's response to social and political movements?
• How did the United States' Cold War policy during the 1960s and 1970s influence the development of new military technologies and strategies, and what were the consequences of this for the country's national security?
• How did the United States' Cold War policy during the 1960s and 1970s shape the country's role in the world, and what are some of the long-term effects of this policy on global politics and international relations?
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
   

• Berlin Wall
• Bay of Pigs Invasion
• Cuban Missile Crisis
• JFK Assassination
• Warren Court
• Great Society
• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
• Space Race
• Counterculture and the Hippie Movement
   

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning
   

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
• Belief systems and religions 
• Commerce and Industry 
• Technology 
• Politics and government 
• Physical and human geography 
• Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.

• The Cold War’s Lasting Legacy
• The Growing Criticism of the Presidency
• Relationship between the U.S. and the region of the Middle East

• The Watergate Scandal supported the suspicion of many Americans that elected officials were corrupt and proved that the Constitution prevents branches of government from using outsized influence. 
• Frustrations felt by Middle Eastern nations regarding the United States led to an oil embargo by OPEC nations and a hostage situation in Iran.
• The fall of the Berlin Wall marked a figurative and literal breakdown of Soviet-backed Communist governments in Eastern Europe.
• During the Persian Gulf War the United States aimed to protect the sovereignty of Kuwait and ensure the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf.
• President Clinton’s impeachment transfixed American citizens because of its sexual nature and led to distrust of elected officials.
• More American voters cast ballots for Al Gore than George W. Bush in the Election of 2000, but Bush won the Presidency by virtue of the Electoral College and a Supreme Court decision.

• Examine primary and secondary sources to understand why the Watergate scandal represents a turning point in U.S. History. (context)
• Contextualize the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade. and examine the perspectives of the majority and dissenting opinions.  (context)
• Explain major events that took place during the Ford and Carter administrations.  Prioritize events based on their importance.  (reasoning)
• Craft arguments about how history should remember key figures and events. (synthesis)
• Analyze some of the basic beliefs of the religion of Islam, and to learn some of the history of interactions between the United States and Iran and Iraq in the latter part of the 20th century. (interpretation)
• Examine and evaluate events and concepts during the Clinton years (1993-2001) within their historical time and setting. (context)
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• What effects did the Watergate Scandal have on the United States?
• How did the relationship between the United States and several Middle Eastern nations affect America in the 1970s?
• Why do many consider the fall of the Berlin Wall to be the end of the Cold War?
• What goals did the United States hope to achieve in fighting the Persian Gulf War?
• What effects did the impeachment of President Bill Clinton have on the United States?
• How did the Election of 2000, including the Supreme Court’s role, affect the United States?
   

• What were some of the key political and economic trends that characterized the United States during the period from 1972 to 2000, and how did these trends shape the country's development over time?
• How did the changing social landscape of the United States during the 1970s and 1980s affect politics and culture, particularly with regard to issues such as civil rights, feminism, and LGBTQ+ rights?
• What were some of the most significant economic challenges faced by the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, and how did the country respond to these challenges? What impact did these responses have on the economy and society more broadly?
• What were some of the major political controversies that emerged during this period, such as Watergate, the Iran-Contra affair, and the Clinton impeachment, and what were their lasting effects on American politics and culture?
• How did the United States' foreign policy evolve during the period from 1972 to 2000, particularly with regard to the Cold War, the Gulf War, and 1990s terrorism? 
• What were some of the most significant cultural developments during this period, such as the rise of the internet, the emergence of hip-hop and other new musical genres, and the growth of reality television? How did these developments reflect broader changes in American society and culture?
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
   

• Watergate Scandal
• Roe v. Wade
• Iran Hostage Crisis
• Reagan and Conservatism
• AIDS epidemic
• Fall of Berlin Wall
• Mikhail Gorbachev
• Persian Gulf War
• Clinton Presidency and Impeachment
• NAFTA
• Nuclear Proliferation
• Election of 2000
   

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning

PA Reading and Writing in History and Social Studies

• CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
• CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

PA Social Studies Standards

• 8.1.9.A: Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
• 8.1.9.B: Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
• 8.1.9.C: Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and demonstrate use of appropriate primary and secondary sources. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.8 Research)
• 8.3.9.A: Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
• 8.3.9.B: Compare the impact of historical documents, artifacts, and places which are critical to the U.S.
• 8.3.9.C: Analyze how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
  • Belief systems and religions 
  • Commerce and Industry 
  • Technology 
  • Politics and government 
  • Physical and human geography 
  • Social organizations
• 8.3.9.D: Interpret how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.
   

• Terrorism & National Security
• Party Polarization
• Impact of Economic Fluctuations on Americans 
• Increasing Focus on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
• Expanding Impact of Technology on Society
   

• The September 11 terrorist attacks led Americans to question their safety within the United States and Congress passed the Patriot Act, limiting the personal freedoms of Americans in exchange for increased national security.
• The United States has sought to destroy terrorist organizations in the Middle East that could pose threats to the United States and its interests.  The United States has involved itself in lengthy wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, eventually killing Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
• Houses became overvalued and the mortgage industry was poorly regulated.  When houses lost value many Americans were “underwater,” and unemployment rose dramatically.
   

• Analyze and evaluate primary source materials and contemporary news accounts to gain a deeper understanding of the post-9/11 landscape.
• Explore the controversies surrounding post-9/11 U.S. policies and craft arguments about their effectiveness in achieving national security objectives.
• Explain various perspectives about border security, the treatment of undocumented immigrants, and the role of immigrants in American society.
• Identify the impact of social media and digital disinformation on American politics and society since 9/11. 
• Explore the causes and effects of economic inequality in the post-9/11 era, including the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath. 
• Analyze primary source documents including political cartoons, charts, graphs, literary excerpts, and legislation.

• Why were the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 a turning point in American and world history?
• How has the War on Terror affected the United States and the world?
• How did an economic bubble in the housing market lead to a recession beginning in 2008?
• How were civil liberties and civil rights shaped by foreign and domestic events in the 21st century? 
• What role have advances in technology changed American society in the 21st century?
   

• How has the War on Terror, launched after the 9/11 attacks, affected American foreign policy and national security priorities? What have been some of the successes and failures of this approach?
• What role has partisan polarization played in American politics since 2001? How has this affected policymaking and the ability of elected officials to address important issues facing the country?
• How did the 2008 economic crisis impact American society, particularly in terms of employment, housing, and wealth inequality, and what were some of the key factors that contributed to the crisis?
• In what ways has the War on Terror led to an erosion of civil liberties in the United States? How have Americans responded to this trend, and what are some potential consequences of these policies for democracy and individual freedoms?
• How has the rise of social media and digital disinformation affected American politics and society since 2001? What are some of the key challenges and opportunities associated with this trend?
   

• America: Pathways to the Present- Modern American History.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003
• Primary/Secondary Sources
• GALE Database
   

• September 11th, 2001
• Patriot Act and Department of Homeland Security
• War on Terror- Afghanistan and Iraq
• Recession (2008-2013)
• Early 21st Century issues (racial tension, LGBTQ+, political division, mass shootings, immigration)
   

• Summative Assessment Option
• Thinking Skills-Based Assessments
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Writing Prompts
• Argumentation Through Evidence-Based Discussion Boards
• Project/Problem-Based Learning