Grade 8 Social Studies Maryland standards Standards

Skills and Processes

History

Economics

Geography

Peoples of the Nations and World

Civics

Inquire about the historical development of the fundamental concepts and processes of authority, power, and influence with particular emphasis on civic reasoning in order to become informed, responsible citizens, engage in the political process, and contribute to society.

Inquire about the people of the United States and the world using a historically grounded, multidisciplinary approach in order to recognize multiple narratives and acknowledge the diversity and commonality of the human experience.

Inquire about the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location, distribution, and impact of human activities using geographic tools and spatial thinking in order to demonstrate a significance of place.

Inquire about decisions made by individuals and groups using economic reasoning in order to understand the historical development and current status of economic principles, institutions, and processes needed to be effective citizens, consumers, and workers participating in local communities, the nation, and the world.

Inquire about significant events, ideas, beliefs, and themes to identify patterns and trends and to analyze how individuals and societies have changed over time to make connections to the present in their communities, Maryland, the United States, and the world.

Inquire about civics, geography, economics, history, and people and nations of the world using disciplinary literacy skills and processes to critically evaluate content through a variety of source materials across disciplines and use reading, writing, and other forms of communication to develop, defend, and critique arguments in order to take informed action.

Growth of Industrial America (1877-1890)

Civil War and Reunion (1860-1896)

Geographic Expansion and Political Division (1820-1860)

A New Nation (1787-1825)

Founding of the New Government (1776-1791)

The American Revolution (1754-1783)

Colonization (1607-1754)

Analyze the causes and consequences of the conflict among and between American Indians and European colonies by:

Explaining the sources of conflict among and between American Indians, European powers, and Americans' migrating west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Assessing how the French and Indian War impacted American Indian alliances, British colonial policies, and American colonists.

Evaluate the significance of the end of salutary neglect as a turning point in American History by:

Analyzing the effect of British policies on the American colonies.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the methods of colonial resistance to British policies.

Identifying the principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

Evaluate the relative importance of key factors that led to an American victory in the Revolutionary War by:

Analyzing the domestic, military, geographic, and diplomatic factors that led to the American defeat of the British.

Assessing how free and enslaved African Americans, women and American Indians, contributed to and were impacted by the American Revolution.

Evaluate the interaction of European, African, and Native cultures in colonial America by:

Describing the varied cultures and geographic distribution of Native populations in North America prior to European arrival.

Assessing the range of reactions of Native populations to the colonization of North America.

Analyzing the factors causing European migration to North America.

Identifying the causes and impacts of slavery in colonial North America.

Analyze how geography and economics influenced the location and development of Colonial North American regions by:

Comparing the economic, political, social, religious and ethnic composition of colonial regions of New England, the mid-Atlantic, the Chesapeake, and the South.

Evaluating the impact of mercantilism on the political and economic relationship between the North American colonies and Great Britain.

Analyze factors affecting the outcome of the Civil War by:

Contrasting the goals, resources, military technology, and strategies of the Union and Confederacy.

Evaluating how Union and Confederate political, military, and diplomatic leadership affected the outcome of the conflict.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the United States Government in protecting the rights of individuals and groups during the Civil War by:

Evaluating the military and historic significance of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Evaluating the efficacy and constitutionality of President Abraham Lincoln's suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus.

Describing economic opportunities and obstacles faced by soldiers, civilians, free and enslaved populations during the Civil War.

Analyze the political, economic, and social goals of Reconstruction by:

Contrasting the goals and policies of the Congressional and Presidential Reconstruction plans.

Identifying the legal and illegal actions used to deny political, social, and economic freedoms to African Americans.

Examining the ways in which African American communities fought to protect and expand their rights.

Explain how the United States government protected or failed to protect the rights of individuals and groups by:

Assessing the factors that influenced the end of Reconstruction.

Evaluating the impact of the Supreme Court, debt peonage, Jim Crow Laws and disenfranchisement on the enforceability of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.

Evaluate the historical significance of the Articles of Confederation by:

Explaining the structure and the powers of the Articles of Confederation.

Analyzing the success and failures of the Articles of Confederation.

Evaluate the reasons for the development of the United States Constitution by:

Describing the purpose of the Constitutional Convention.

Analyzing how the Great Compromise addressed regional interests and differences.

Describing the sectional debate over slavery and how the Constitution addressed slavery and freedom.

Evaluate the impact of the Constitution on the structure of the United States government by:

Identifying the goals of the Constitution as stated in the Preamble.

Explaining how the Constitution embeds key principles of checks and balances, separation of powers, federalism, popular sovereignty, individual rights, and limited government.

Identifying the powers enumerated and denied to each branch of government as outlined in the Constitution.

Analyze how the Bill of Rights resolved the issues over the ratification of the Constitution by:

Analyzing the Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments for and against the ratification of the Constitution.

Evaluating the impact of the Bill of Rights on the ratification of the Constitution.

Analyze the influence of industrialization, technological , and demographic changes on society by:

Assessing the impact of technological developments in communication and transportation.

Evaluating the growth of the factory system and its impacts on labor, women, and migration.

Assessing the impact of the Supreme Court of John Marshall on national power and economic growth.

Identifying the push and pull factors driving antebellum immigration.

Examine the institution, conditions, and expansion of slavery while analyzing methods of social and political resistance by:

Evaluating the impact of technology on the geographic expansion of the institution of slavery.

Analyzing the conditions that defined life for the enslaved.

Contrasting the various ways in which enslaved African Americans and free blacks resisted enslavement, oppression, and institutionalized racism.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Missouri Compromise in resolving the influence of slavery on politics and sectionalism.

valuate the political, economic, and social impact of Jacksonian Democracy by:

Explaining the impact of President Andrew Jackson's presidency on sectional politics, democracy, electoral processes, and the economy.

Contrasting the Native and American arguments surrounding the issue of American Indian rights and land ownership.

Analyze the impact of antebellum reform movements on American politics and society by:

Evaluating the impact of social reform movements on temperance, prison, and educational reform.

Tracing the evolution, arguments, and impacts of the antebellum women's movement.

Identifying the methods, arguments, and impacts of the abolitionist movement.

Evaluate the political, social, and economic impact of westward expansion on individuals and groups by:

Assessing multiple perspectives on Manifest Destiny and its impacts on territorial possession.

Analyzing the consequences of the rapid settlement of California, Oregon, and Texas.

Explaining the causes, course, and consequences of the Mexican-American War.

Assessing the impacts of the Compromise of 1850.

valuate the causes of the Civil War by:

Evaluating the impact of territorial expansion, the Supreme Court, and individual action on sectional polarization.

Assessing the impact of Abraham Lincoln, the Republican Party and the election of 1860 on the secession of the southern states.

Explaining the causes of the Civil War and evaluate the importance of slavery as a central cause of the conflict.

Analyze the causes and consequences of Industrialization in the late 19th century United States by:

Evaluating how improved use of resources, new technology and inventions, and transportation networks influenced the growth of industrialization and urbanization.

Describing the impact of business leaders, laissez-faire capitalism, and the use of trusts/monopolies on the American economy.

Evaluating the impact of industrialization and laissez-faire policies on labor.

Identifying responses to post-Civil War immigration.

Analyze the causes and consequences of westward expansion by:

Describing the impact of geography and technology on the settlement of the west.

Evaluating the American Indian responses to western migration.

Evaluating the impact of government actions on patterns of immigration.

Describing the impact of geographic expansion on rights for African Americans, Chinese immigrants, and the political and legal rights to women.

Evaluate the short and long term impact of government decisions made during Federalist administrations by:

Identifying the impact President George Washington had on setting precedents for the office of the President.

Evaluating the evolution and impact of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties on domestic and foreign policy.

Explaining the impact of Marbury v Madison (1803) on the power of the Supreme Court.

Evaluate the historical significance of the Louisiana Purchase on the United States by:

Analyzing the diplomatic and constitutional challenges involved in the Louisiana Purchase.

Assessing the political and economic impact of the Louisiana Purchase and its impact on the United States relations with native populations.

Analyze the emerging foreign policy of the United States by:

Identifying the domestic and foreign causes of the War of 1812.

Explaining the political, geographic, and military factors that led to the American defeat of the British.

Analyzing how the War of 1812 impacted Native tribes, American political parties, and American nationalism.