Courses of Study : Social Studies

Number of Standards matching query: 17
Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 2
Classroom Resources: 2
1 ) Explain how artifacts and other archaeological findings provide evidence of the nature and movement of prehistoric groups of people.

Examples: cave paintings, Ice Man, Lucy, fossils, pottery

•  Identifying the founding of Rome as the basis of the calendar established by Julius Caesar and used in early Western civilization for over a thousand years
•  Identifying the birth of Christ as the basis of the Gregorian calendar used in the United States since its beginning and in most countries of the world today, signified by B.C. and A.D.
•  Using vocabulary terms other than B.C. and A.D. to describe time
Examples: B.C.E., C.E.

•  Identifying terms used to describe characteristics of early societies and family structures
Examples: monogamous, polygamous, nomadic


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.1- Recognize that cave paintings, fossils, and pottery remnants provide evidence of early groups of people; draw logical conclusions about sample artifacts.
SS.AAS.8.1a - Identifying terms B.C. and A.D. used to describe to describe time.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 6
Learning Activities: 1
Classroom Resources: 5
2 ) Analyze characteristics of early civilizations in respect to technology, division of labor, government, calendar, and writings.

•  Comparing significant features of civilizations that developed in the Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, Indus, and Huang He River Valleys
Examples: natural environment, urban development, social hierarchy, written language, ethical and religious belief systems, government and military institutions, economic systems

•  Identifying on a map locations of cultural hearths of early civilizations
Examples: Mesopotamia, Nile River Valley


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.2- identify and list characteristics of early civilizations.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 4
Learning Activities: 1
Classroom Resources: 3
3 ) Compare the development of early world religions and philosophies and their key tenets.

Examples: Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Greek and Roman gods

•  Identifying cultural contributions of early world religions and philosophies
Examples: Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Greek and Roman gods, Phoenicians


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.3- Recognize that different world cultures have different values, beliefs, and traditions.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 7
Learning Activities: 2
Classroom Resources: 5
4 ) Identify cultural contributions of Classical Greece, including politics, intellectual life, arts, literature, architecture, and science.


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.4- Locate the ancient Greek peninsula on a map; identify at least one significant contribution from ancient Greece in the fields of politics, intellectual life, arts, literature, architecture, or science.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 4
Classroom Resources: 4
5 ) Describe the role of Alexander the Great in the Hellenistic world.

Examples: serving as political and military leader, encouraging cultural interaction, allowing religious diversity

•  Defining boundaries of Alexander the Great's empire and its economic impact
•  Identifying reasons for the separation of Alexander the Great's empire into successor kingdoms
•  Evaluating major contributions of Hellenistic art, philosophy, science, and political thought

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.5- Recognize that civilizations and empires thrive under strong leadership using Alexander the Great as an example; identify characteristics of strong leadership.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 3
Classroom Resources: 3
6 ) Trace the expansion of the Roman Republic and its transformation into an empire, including key geographic, political, and economic elements.

Examples: expansion—illustrating the spread of Roman influence with charts, graphs, timelines, or maps

transformation—noting reforms of Augustus, listing effects of Pax Romana

•  Interpreting spatial distributions and patterns of the Roman Republic using geographic tools and technologies

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.6- Locate ancient Rome and the empire on a map; identify at least one significant contribution from ancient Rome in the fields of politics, intellectual life, arts, literature, architecture, or science.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 6
Classroom Resources: 6
7 ) Describe the widespread impact of the Roman Empire.

Example: spread of Roman law and political theory, citizenship and slavery, architecture and engineering, religions, sculptures and paintings, literature, and the Latin language

•  Tracing important aspects of the diffusion of Christianity, including its relationship to Judaism, missionary impulse, organizational development, transition from persecution to acceptance in the Roman Empire, and church doctrine
•  Explaining the role of economics, societal changes, Christianity, political and military problems, external factors, and the size and diversity of the Roman Empire in its decline and fall

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.7- Compare at least one modern aspect of culture to one ancient aspect.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 4
Learning Activities: 2
Classroom Resources: 2
8 ) Describe the development of a classical civilization in India and China.

Examples: India—religions, arts and literature, philosophies, empires, caste system

China—religions, politics, centrality of the family, Zhou and Han Dynasties, inventions, economic impact of the Silk Road and European trade, dynastic transitions

•  Identifying the effect of monsoons on India
•  Identifying landforms and climate regions of China
Example: marking landforms and climate regions of China on a map


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.8- Locate India and China on a world map; recognize at least one accomplishment of classical civilizations in India and China including the Great Wall, gunpowder, fireworks, and the Taj Mahal; recognize major landforms and climate patterns including monsoon season, the Himalayas, and the Yellow River.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 3
Classroom Resources: 3
9 ) Describe the rise of the Byzantine Empire, its institutions, and its legacy, including the influence of the Emperors Constantine and Justinian and the effect of the Byzantine Empire on art, religion, architecture, and law.

•  Identifying factors leading to the establishment of the Eastern Orthodox Church

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.9- Locate the Byzantine Empire and Constantinople (Istanbul) on a world map; identify at least one accomplishment or characteristic of the Byzantine Empire.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 1
Classroom Resources: 1
10 ) Trace the development of the early Russian state and the expansion of its trade systems.

Examples: rise of Kiev and Muscovy, conversion to Orthodox Christianity, movement of peoples of Central Asia, Mongol conquest, rise of czars


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.10- Locate Russia on a world map; recognize how Russia was important to the interaction of people and trade between Asia and Europe in at least one area.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 1
Classroom Resources: 1
11 ) Describe early Islamic civilizations, including the development of religious, social, and political systems.

•  Tracing the spread of Islamic ideas through invasion and conquest throughout the Middle East, northern Africa, and western Europe

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.11- Locate the Middle East and northern Africa on a world map, specifically, the Arabian Peninsula; list at least one religious, social, culture, or political characteristic of early Islamic civilizations.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 1
Classroom Resources: 1
12 ) Describe China's influence on culture, politics, and economics in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

Examples: culture—describing the influence on art, architecture, language, and religion

politics—describing changes in civil service

economics—introducing patterns of trade


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.12- Locate China's neighbors on a map including Japan and Korea; identify at least one influence of China on Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 1
Classroom Resources: 1
13 ) Compare the African civilizations of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai to include geography, religions, slave trade, economic systems, empires, and cultures.

•  Tracing the spread of language, religion, and customs from one African civilization to another
•  Illustrating the impact of trade among Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
Examples: using map symbols, interpreting distribution maps, creating a timeline


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.13- Identify Africa on a world map; recognize the language, religion, and customs of one early African kingdom, including Ghana, Mali, and Songhai; identify the importance of the gold and salt trade and Timbuktu.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 4
Classroom Resources: 4
14 ) Describe key aspects of pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas including the Olmecs, Mayas, Aztecs, Incas, and North American tribes.

Examples: pyramids, wars among pre-Columbian people, religious rituals, irrigation, Iroquois Confederacy

•  Locating on a map sites of pre-Columbian cultures
Examples: Maya, Inca, Inuit, Creek, Cherokee


Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.14- Recognize the key aspects of at least one pre- Columbian culture, including Aztec, Incan, Mayan, Olmec, Inuit, Creek and North American tribes; locate Central and South America on a world map.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 1
Classroom Resources: 1
15 ) Describe military and governmental events that shaped Europe in the early Middle Ages (600-1000 A.D.).

Examples: invasions, military leaders

•  Describing the role of the early medieval church
•  Describing the impact of new agricultural methods on manorialism and feudalism

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.15- Recognize an example of military or governmental events that shaped Europe in the early Middle Ages (600-1000 A.D./C.E.).


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 1
Classroom Resources: 1
16 ) Describe major cultural changes in Western Europe in the High Middle Ages (1000-1300 A.D.).

Examples: the Church, scholasticism, the Crusades

•  Describing changing roles of church and governmental leadership
•  Comparing political developments in France, England, and the Holy Roman Empire, including the signing of the Magna Carta
•  Describing the growth of trade and towns resulting in the rise of the middle class

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.16- Identify at least one cultural change in the High Middle Ages.
SS.AAS.8.16a - Identify the Magna Carta.


Social Studies (2010)
Grade(s): 8
World History to 1500
All Resources: 4
Lesson Plans: 1
Classroom Resources: 3
17 ) Explain how events and conditions fostered political and economic changes in the late Middle Ages and led to the origins of the Renaissance.

Examples: the Crusades, Hundred Years' War, Black Death, rise of the middle class, commercial prosperity

•  Identifying changes in the arts, architecture, literature, and science in the late Middle Ages (1300-1400 A.D.)

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.8.17- Identify at least one key event, accomplishment, or person from the late Middle Ages.