Courses of Study : Social Studies (Grade 8)

Strand: Geography, History

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Explain how artifacts and other archaeological findings provide evidence of the nature, social and family structures, and movements of prehistoric groups of people including prehistoric fossils, human remains such as mummies, human artwork, pottery and other human-made artifacts.
• Describe the relationship among various methods for describing historical and pre-historical time, including: the Julian calendar, the Gregorian calendar and associated use of B.C. and A.D., use of B.C.E. and C.E.

Students know:

• How artifacts and other archaeological findings provide evidence of the nature of movement of prehistoric people.
• The historical basis for the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Various ways to describe historic and pre-historic time, including use of B.C.E. and C.E.
• Terms to describe characteristics of early societies and family structures (Ex. monogamous, polygamous, nomadic, agrarian).

The students are able to:

• Describe the difference between artifacts and fossils and how they are used by archeologists and historians.
• Use examples to explain the ways artifacts and other archaeological findings provide evidence of the nature and movement of prehistoric groups of people.
• Describe time through the use of a variety to calendars and methods.
• Identify terms used to describe characteristics of early societies and family structures.

Students understand that:

• Archaeologists and historians use evidence left behind by prehistoric people to describe the nature of these people and their movements.
• The Gregorian and Julian calendars differ and various calendars use different dates as their starting points.
• There are a variety of ways to identify historical time.

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Analyze and compare the characteristics of early civilizations in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and India based on their natural environments, urban development, technology, division of labor and social hierarchies, types of government, ethical and religious belief systems, economic systems, calendar, and writings.
• Locate and describe the cultural hearths of early civilizations including those in Mesopotamia and the Nile Valley.

Students know:

• The characteristics of early civilizations, including natural environments, urban development, technology, division of labor and social hierarchies, types of government, ethical and religious belief systems, economic systems, calendar, and writings the similarities and differences among the civilizations that developed in the Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, Indus, and Huang-He River valleys.
• The locations of cultural hearths of early civilizations.

The students are able to:

• Analyze and compare early civilizations using a list of characteristics.
• Locate places on a map.

Students understand that:

• There are ways early civilizations developed to meet the demands of their environment and the needs of their people.

Strand: History

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Compare the early world religions and philosophies, including the origins, development, influence, spread, and cultural contributions of each.

Students know:

• The origins, development, influence, spread, and cultural contributions of Judaism, Greek and Roman gods, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.

Students are able to:

• Identify locations on a map or globe.
• Use maps to support conclusions about cultural groups.

Students understand that:

• The history, key tenets, and beliefs of early world religions and philosophies have influenced regional and world history.

Strand: History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Analyze and compare cultural contributions of Classical Greece, including politics, intellectual life, arts, architecture, and science

Students know:

• The cultural contributions of Classical Greece, including the areas of politics, intellectual life, arts, literature, architecture, and science.
• The social and political structures of various city-states throughout Greece's Classical Era.
• The contribution of Greek democracy to the American system of government.

Students are able to:

• Analyze textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Describe how geography influenced Greek culture.

Students understand that:

• There were many cultural contributions of Classical Greece, in government, politics, arts, history, philosophy, drama, literature, architecture, math, and science.

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Evaluate the achievements, influence, and contributions of Alexander the Great and Hellenistic art, philosophy, science, and political thought.

Students know:

• The role of Alexander the Great played in the Hellenistic World.
• The economic impact of Alexander's empire.
• The reasons for separation of Alexander's empire after his death.
• The major contributions of Hellenistic art, philosophy, science, and political thought.

Students are able to:

Analyze textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Identify the boundaries of an empire and its political and economic impact.

Students understand that:

• The achievements, influences, and contributions of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age had effects on later civilizations.

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Analyze the influence of the Roman Republic, including reforms and the Pax Romana.

Students know:

• Details of the expansion of the Roman Republic and its transformation into an empire. Key geographic, political, and economic elements of the Roman Empire.
• The spatial distributions and patterns of the Roman Republic.
• How Rome gained control of the Mediterranean region events leading to the creation of a Roman empire.
• The reforms of Augustus.
• Effects of the Pax Romana.

Student are able to:

• Analyze textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Analyze the effects of geography on culture.

Students understand that:

• The Roman Republic evolved from a republic into an empire, and it later expanded.

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Analyze the history and impact of the Roman Empire on later societies.

Students know:

• The impact/influence of the Roman Empire on the world including cultural achievements.
• How to trace important aspects of the spread of Christianity such as how it relates to Judaism, its organization, and its doctrine. The reasons behind the decline and fall of Rome including economics, societal changes, Christianity, political and military problems, external factors, and the size and diversity of the empire.
• Long-lasting Roman influences.
• The important aspects of Christianity in the Roman Empire, including how it relates to other religions and its influence on Roman society.
• The role of economics, politics, size/diversity, and societal changes in the decline and fall of Rome.

Students are able to:

• Analyze textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Identify the effects of religious beliefs and practices on societies.
• Identify the cause and effect of economic changes on societies.

Students understand that:

• The Roman Empire impacted and influenced later societies.

Strand: Geography, History

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Describe the development of a classical civilizations in India and China and the influence of geography and economics on this development.

Students know:

• The development of a classical civilization in India and China.
• The climate and geography of India and China and the effects these had on the development of each region.
• The social and political impact of major groups on the development of India and China.
• The effects of religion and philosophy on Indian and Chinese societies and the effects of Indian and Chinese cultures and geographies on the development of religions and philosophies.

Students are able to:

• Analyze textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Identify the effects of religious beliefs and practices on societies.
• Describe how geography influenced culture.

Students understand that:

• The civilizations in India and China development into advanced, sophisticated civilizations.

Strand: History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Identify and analyze influences of the Byzantine empire on later societies.

Students know:

• The factors that led to the rise of the Byzantine Empire examples of Byzantine influences on art, culture, religion, architecture, and law.
• The influence of major political leaders, including Emperors Constantine and Justinian
• The factors leading to the establishment of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Students are able to:

• Understand textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Identify the effects of religious beliefs and practices on societies.
• Determine how governmental policies impact an empire. Analyze the long-term impact of specific aspects of a culture.

Students understand that:

• The Byzantine Empire influenced art, culture, religion, architecture, and law.

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Explain the development of the early Russian state and the expansion of its trade systems.

Students know:

• The factors that led to the development of the early Russian state.
• The importance of specific regions and cities on Russia's growth and economic development reasons for Russia's conversion to Orthodox Christianity.
• Changes in Russian politics, including the rise of czars.
• The economic, political, and social impacts of the movement of groups in Central Asia.
• The effects of the Mongol conquest on early Russia.

Students are able to:

• Analyze textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Identify the effects of religious beliefs and practices on societies.
• Identify the cause and effect of political, social, and economic changes on a society.

Students understand that:

• There were important social and political developments of the early Russian state and this expanded its trading system.

Strand: Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Describe the spread and influence early Islamic civilizations.

Students know:

• The influence of Islamic beliefs and philosophy on social, political, and economic development of early Islamic civilizations.
• The ways Islamic civilizations and influence spread throughout the Middle East, northern Africa, and western Europe including through trade, invasion, and conquest.

Students are able to:

• Analyze textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Identify the effects of religious beliefs and practices on societies and political systems.

Students understand that:

• There were important developments and influences from the early Islamic civilizations.

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Describe and compare China's influences on Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian cultural, political, and economic development.

Students know:

• The cultural influences of China on Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, including: art, architecture, language, religion, and daily life.
• The political influences of China on Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, including civil service.
• The economic influences of China on Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, including: patterns of trade.

Students are able to:

• Understand textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Identify the cause and effect of political, economic, and cultural actions.

Students understand that:

• China's cultural and political systems influenced Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Compare the African civilizations of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Students know:

• How geography, natural resources, movements of people, and trade influenced the early African civilization.
• The most prevalent spiritual beliefs that existed in the early African civilizations.

Students are able to:

• Understand textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Describe how geography influenced culture.
• Create a timeline.
• Understand map symbols.
• Interpret distribution maps.
• Identify and trace trade and migration patterns on a map.

Students understand that:

• There were important developments in the early African civilizations of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Analyze and compare pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas including the Olmecs, Mayas, Aztecs, Incas, and North American tribes.

pre-Columbian tribes (Olmec, Maya, Moche, Aztec, Inca, Anasazi, Iroquois) confederation conquistador mound builders Mississippian isthmus Montezuma

Students know: Key cultural aspects of various pre-Columbian groups, including the Olmecs, Mayas, Aztecs, Incas, and North American tribes. Migration and trade patterns for pre-Columbian groups location of pre-Columbian groups and the influence of geography on individual cultures. The influence of religion and spiritual beliefs on pre-Columbian culture, architecture, and art.

Students are able to: Understand textual evidence of primary and secondary sources. Locate places on a map. Describe how geography influenced culture. Understand map symbols and trace a series of events on a map. Describe the influence on art, architecture, language, and religion.

Students understand that: There were important developments in the pre-Columbian civilizations of the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Inca, Inuit, and North American tribes.

Strand: Economics, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Give examples of the influences of military, governmental, social, and economic events that shaped Europe in the early Middle Ages (600-1000).

Students know:

• Military events that influenced the early Middle Ages in Europe, including invasions and military leaders. Governmental events that influenced the early Middle Ages in Europe.
• Social events that influenced the early Middle Ages in Europe, including the role of the early medieval church.
• Economic events that influenced the early Middle Ages in Europe, including the impact of new agricultural methods, changes in feudalism, and changes in manorialism.

Students are able to:

• Understand textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Describe the ways military, governmental, social, and economic events can influence a country.
• Identify the effects of religious beliefs and practices on societies.
• Identify how religious beliefs affect government.

Students understand that:

• There were important influences from the military, governmental, social, and economic events in the early Middle Ages in Europe (600-1000 A.D.).

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Analyze religious, political, and economic developments that lead to major cultural changes in Western Europe in the High Middle Ages (1000-1300 A.D.).

Students know:

• Religious influences on Western Europe in the High Middle Ages, including the changing role of the Catholic Church and the Crusades.
• Political influences on Western Europe in the High Middle Ages, including the changing roles of governmental leaders, the signing of the Magna Carta, and the differing political developments in France, England, and the Holy Roman Empire.
• The ways agriculture improved and the influence this had on the growth of cities and towns.
• How the growth of cities and towns lead to increased trade and the expansion of the middle class.
• Social changes that influenced Western Europe in the High Middle Ages, including the rise of scholasticism.

Students are able to:

• Understand textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Describe how geography influenced culture.
• Create a timeline.
• Understand map symbols.
• Identify the effects of religious beliefs and practices on societies.
• Identify how religious beliefs affect government.

Students understand that:

• Religion, political developments, and economics led to changes in European society during the High Middle Ages.

Strand: Economics, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: World History to 1500

Students:

• Analyze events and conditions of the late Middle Ages and explain how these led to the origins of the Renaissance.

Students know:

• How the new prosperity of the late Middle Ages enabled the expansion of religious wealth and influence.
• The effects of the Crusades on Europe.
• The social and economic impact of the Black Death.
• The cause and effect of the Hundred Years' War.
• Identify changes in the arts, architecture, literature, and science in the late Middle Ages.
• Changes in intellectual thought and economic prosperity that lead to an increase in education among most social groups.
• Economic changes that resulted in a larger middle class and greater commercial prosperity.

Students are able to:

• Understand textual evidence of primary and secondary sources.
• Locate places on a map.
• Compare and contrast historical events.
• Analyze historical events for cause and effect.

Students understand that:

• Events and changes in the late Middle ages led to the origins of the Renaissance.