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Seventh Grade Social Studies: U.S. History to 1877

Course Description

Students will study the history of the United States from early settlements in North America through the American Civil War/Reconstruction. Our goal is to foster the development of “historical understanding” in our students by offering them opportunities to engage with history. Using a variety of primary and secondary sources, students will learn to ask good questions about the past, make connections between a variety of sources of information, and recognize and consider alternate points of view and purpose, infer meaning as to how social context shapes events as well as ways in which our history is relevant today.  Students will: 

  • Study the history of the United States from early settlements in North America through the conclusion of the American Civil War/Reconstruction. 
  • Review how maps and globes reflect history, politics, & economics.
  • Research factors that motivated Europeans to colonize the New World and the resulting consequences of that migration.
  • Infer causes and agents of revolution (legislation, protests, rebellion, etc.).
  • Evaluate how government systems are created, structured, maintained, and changed. 
  • Identify & evaluate the risks and rewards of migration and of a nation expanding its influence. 
  • Analyze social, political, & economic opportunities and challenges spurred by innovation.
  • Debate about the relationship that should exist between an individual and their government. 
  • Examine how the meaning of citizenship has evolved over time. 

Grade Level(s):  Seventh Grade

Related Priority Standards (State &/or National):  Missouri Learning Standards for Social Studies (6-12)

Essential Questions

  • How do maps and globes reflect history, politics, and economics?
  • What is worth fighting for?
  • How are governments created, structured, maintained, and changed?
  • What are the risks and rewards that stem from expanding westward?
  • What social, political, and economic opportunities and problems arise from innovation?
  • What type of relationship should exist between an individual and their government?
  • How has the meaning of citizenship evolved?

Enduring Understandings/Big Ideas

Students will:

  • Identify recurring civic, geographic, historical, and economic themes
  • Identify multiple perspectives in order to engage in civil discourse
  • Identify text, context, and subtext of primary sources
  • Evaluate the usefulness of sources
  • Select, organize, and evaluate varied evidence in order to generate an informed conclusion.
  • Make and support claims using compelling questions and evidence
  • Generate a plan to take informed action to improve our communities

Course-Level Scope & Sequence (Units &/or Skills)

Unit 1: US Geography - How do maps and globes reflect history, politics, and economics?

In this unit, students will explore US physical features, political features, and five themes of geography.  Students will:

  • Create and use maps and other graphic representations in order to explain relationships and reveal patterns or trends in American history prior to c.1870
  • Locate major cities of Missouri, the United States, and the world; states of the United States and key world nations; the world's continents, and oceans; and major topographical features of the United States
  • Compare factors motivated Europeans to explore and settle in the New World to explain colonial diversity and regional differences in North and South America.

Unit 2: Early Exploration & Colonies

In this unit, students will explore European emigration to the Americas, the impact of exploration on Native American populations, and the creation of the 13 New England colonies.  Students will:

  • Compare factors that motivated Europeans to explore and settle in the New World to explain colonial diversity and regional differences in North and South America
  • Compare sources of labor, emerging economic production, and availability of land in the New World and their impact on economic development in North and South America
  • Analyze the mercantile system to explain colonial responses to economic control by European nations including Great Britain
  • Analyze the religious, cultural, political and intellectual developments of Spanish, Portuguese, British and French regions to explain the development of diverse cultures throughout the Americas
  • Analyze the religious, cultural, and intellectual developments of the European colonies to explain the development of regionalism and an American identity
  • Trace the causes and consequences of conflict and cooperation between Native Americans and North and South American colonists using multiple viewpoints
  • Using an American history lens, describe how peoples' perspectives shaped the sources/artifacts they created
  • Explain connections between historical context and peoples' perspectives at the time in American history
  • Trace the causes and consequences of indigenous peoples arriving in the Americas beginning c. 15,000 BCE
  • Analyze diverse Native American cultures in North, Central and South America to explain the ways they adapted to their various
  • Compare and contrast the interaction of European settlers with Native Americans in both North and South America
  • Analyze the geography of colonial regions in North and South America to explain their cultural, social and economic differences
  • Create and use tools to analyze a chronological sequence of related events in American history
  • Using an inquiry lens, develop compelling questions about American history prior to 1870, to determine helpful resources and consider multiple points of view represented in the resources
  • Describe the causes and consequences of the Seven Years War as a turning point in American history
  • Compare the governmental systems of European powers to determine their effect on colonization in the Americas
  • Explain how the founding of European colonies influenced their governments and expectations for self- rule
  • Analyze local and colonial governments to trace the factors influencing their structure and function.

Unit 3: What is Worth Fighting For?

In this unit, students will explore the causes of the revolution (i.e., acts, protests, taxation, rebellion) and major events of the American Revolutionary War.  Students will:

  • Trace the events leading to escalating conflict between Great Britain and the colonies, from multiple viewpoints.
  • With assistance, develop a research plan, identify appropriate resources for investigating social studies topics and create a research product which applies an aspect of American history prior to c. 1870 to a contemporary issue.
  • Analyze laws, policies and processes to determine how governmental systems affect individuals and groups in society in American history prior to c.1870
  • Evaluate the impact of the French and Indian Wars on Great Britain's approach to colonial rule
  • Compare major patterns of population distribution, demographics and migrations in the United States during this era c. 1763-1812
  • Draw conclusions about regional conflict and cooperation as a consequence of physical geography
  • Trace the development of the American economic system to explain how taxes, tariffs, and monetary policies were used to establish sustainability and growth.
  • Describe the function and purpose of taxes imposed by Great Britain following the Seven Years War, evaluating colonial responses to them
  • Analyze the perspectives of diverse individuals and groups to explain the extent of their support for the Revolutionary War
  • Analyze populations of colonies/states to explain how their cultural, religious, social, and economic characteristics influenced the emergence of regional identity
  • Apply the concept of representation to the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain
  • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the American colonies and Great Britain to explain the American victory in the Revolution
  • Compare the emerging economic characteristics of the nation and colonial regions to make predictions about future expansion and conflict.
  • Trace the development of the American economic system to explain how taxes, tariffs, and monetary policies were used to establish sustainability and growth.
  • Describe the function and purpose of taxes imposed by Great Britain following the Seven Years War, evaluating colonial responses to them.
  • Analyze the perspectives of diverse individuals and groups to explain the extent of their support for the Revolutionary War.
  • Analyze populations of colonies/states to explain how their cultural, religious, social, and economic characteristics influenced the emergence of regional identity.
  • Apply the concept of representation to the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain.
  • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the American colonies and Great Britain to explain the American victory in the Revolution.
  • Compare the emerging economic characteristics of the nation and colonial regions to make predictions about future expansion and conflict.

Unit 4: US Government (1783-1812)

In this unit, students will explore how governments are created, structured, maintained, and changed. Topics of study include the founding of a new nation, analysis of primary documents of the era, and study the fundamentals of US Government.  Students will:

  • Analyze the Declaration of Independence to determine the historical context and political philosophies that influenced its creation
  • Evaluate the responses of early American leaders to the social, political, economic and religious. challenges facing the new nation
  • Evaluate laws, events, and perspectives to determine the extent to which individuals and groups could participate in, and realize, the promise of American ideals
  • Analyze the artistic and intellectual achievements of early Americans to provide evidence of an emerging American identity
  • Evaluate the relationships among population, representation, and their effect on power in the new government.
  • Apply the principles of inalienable rights, popular sovereignty, natural rights, and social contract to evaluate the purpose and legacy of the Declaration of Independence
  • Evaluate the successes and challenges of the Articles of Confederation to explain the need for a Constitutional Convention
  • Explain the major debates that occurred during the adoption of the Constitution and their ultimate resolution
  • Compare and contrast the perspectives of individuals and groups regarding the development of the American governmental system to explain emerging divisions and political philosophies
  • Apply the principles of rule of law, representation, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism to explain the purposes and functions of the Constitution
  • Describe the origins and purposes of the Bill of Rights and evaluate the enduring significance of these concepts to the preservation of individual rights and liberties
  • Examine elections, issues, laws, and events of this time period to explain how the concepts of judicial review, elastic clause, and an amendment process were established or used to meet challenges
  • Infer how events of this period led to the development of philosophies, interest groups and political parties.
  • Analyze landmark Supreme Court cases to determine the effect on the definition and expansion of federal power

Unit 5: New Nation Implementation, Westward Expansion, & Early Industrialization (1812-1860)

In this unit, students will explore the risks and rewards that stem from expanding westward and the social, political, and economic opportunities and problems that rise from innovation.  Topics studied include Manifest Destiny, Texas Independence, and early industrialization and reforms.  Students will:

  • Assess Manifest Destiny in relation to push-pull factors, geographic features, and human environmental interactions to determine their influence on the movement of goods, people and ideas.
  • Compare major patterns of population distribution, demographics and migrations in the United States and the impact of those patterns on cultures and community life in this time period.
  • Analyze the expansion of the United States in the early nineteenth century to trace U.S. growth and form hypotheses about future conflicts
  • Analyze the concept of Manifest Destiny as a catalyst for change in American history.
  • Analyze the forced removal and resettlements of Native Americans to determine its impact on their cultures and civilizations
  • Describe the culture and accomplishments of native Americans and African Americans in the ways they responded to American expansion
  • Analyze patterns of immigration to determine their impacts on the cultural, social, political and economic development of the United States
  • Explain how the principles of rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism were impacted by Jacksonian Democracy
  • Trace the changing boundaries of the United States and describe how it represents the changing relationships with its neighbors and Native Americans
  • Explain how the expansion of industrialization, transportation and technological developments influenced different regions and the relationship among those regions
  • Analyze the origins and characteristics of coercive labor systems, including slavery, and their impact on economic and political expansion
  • Trace the continued development of the American economic system to explain how taxes, tariffs, and monetary policies were used to establish sustainability and growth
  • Analyze the causes and consequences of a specific problem in American history prior to c. 1870 as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address the problem
  • Using an American history lens, examine the opportunity costs and benefits of economic decisions on society as a whole as well as on individuals, prior to c. 1870
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of various. reform movements, laws, and events to determine their impact on the promise of American ideals
  • Trace the expansion of voting rights and patterns and explain how it impacted elections and political movements
  • Analyze diverse artistic, intellectual, and religious movements to show how they reflect the aspirations and beliefs of the developing nation
  • Explain how the physical and human characteristics of regions in the Americas prior to c. 1870 are connected to changing identity and culture
  • Evaluate the responses of North and South American leaders to the social, political, economic and religious. challenges of the period.

Unit 6: Civil War (1820-1865) & Reconstruction (1865-1877)

In this unit, students will explore what types of relationships should exist between an individual and their government and how the meaning of citizenship has evolved over time.  Topics of study include regional differences between North and South, the U.S. Civil War, and Reconstruction and the New South (1865-1896).  Students will:

  • Trace the events as well as political, cultural, economic and social conditions leading to conflict between Northern and Southern states
  • Compare and contrast the governmental systems of the U.S. North and South to determine the strengths and weaknesses of federal and confederal systems
  • Analyze the U .S. geography of North, South, and West in order to explain regional cultural, social and economic differences
  • Compare the economic strengths and weaknesses of the North and South before, during and immediately after the Civil War
  • Analyze the experiences of enslaved peoples in North and South America to determine their cultural impact and enduring consequences
  • Compare responses of government systems in the North and South to major legislation, executive orders, and court decisions before, during and immediately after the Civil War.
  • Analyze federalism and popular sovereignty to explain peoples' expectations of the role of government and their place in governance
  • Analyze the election of 1860 to explain the development of political parties and how they influence the selection of leaders
  • Explain how the expansion of industrialization, transportation, and technological developments influenced different regions and the relationship among those regions
  • Compare major patterns of population distribution, demographics and migrations in the United States and the impact of those patterns on cultures and community life in this time period.
  • Evaluate the significance of geography on the conduct of the war and strategy of the North and South.
  • Describe critical developments and turning points in the Civil War, including major battles.
  • Analyze political compromises over slavery in the territories to explain intensifying sectional conflicts.
  • Describe the impact of scientific and technological advances on the outcome of the war and its effect on people and diverse groups
  • Analyze the evolution of the women's movement to trace its continued development and evaluate its impact
  • Analyze the evolution of the Abolitionist Movement to trace its continued development and evaluate its impact
  • Trace the development of African American culture in non-slave states and in the context of slavery
  • Using an American history lens, examine the origins and impact of social structures and stratification on societies and relationships between peoples
  • Compare major patterns of population distribution, demographics and migrations in the United States and the impact of those patterns on cultures and community life.
  • Determine the impact of the ideas contained in major speeches, literature, music, and writings from diverse individuals on the varying perspectives of American people, groups and movements.

Course Resources & Materials: Discovery Education Social Studies Techbook, Everything You Need to Know to Ace American History (teacher copy)

Date Last Revised/Approved:  2017