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I hope you find all the projects and homework listed here.
Homework may not always be what is listed on the web site. Make sure your student writes down correct assignments daily from the boards in the classroom.

Please make sure your child is at school everyday unless he or she is ill. We will complete activities in class that may not be in a text book. Therefore, attendance is extremely important. In case of absence, students are given 3 days to make up any assignments. After the 3 day extension, the student will receive a "0".
 
Students are responsible for having all supplies every day.

Please monitor JPAMS for grades.  I have listed on my homework site when upcoming activities will be due.  

Creative Writing Assignments as well as Art Logs will be part of our regular routine. The students will be graded and responsible for having them completed on time. No completion will result in a lower grade.

Please do not hesitate to e-mail if you have questions.
Websites we will use in class are:
www.socialstudiesforkids.com
www.mrnussbaum.com
www.earlyamerica.com
www.wps.ablongman.com
www.studyisland.com

I have been going over review questions with the students for iLEAP and LEAP.
They can go to Louisiana Pass to take assessments to gain knowledge
www.louisianapass.org

You can also access the assessment guides for teachers at
www.doe.louisiana.org

7th grade key concepts are listed below:

KEY CONCEPT

Types of maps, charts, graphs, and diagrams related toU.S.history.

Physical features and climate that affected migration, settlement patterns, and land use in theU.S.through 1877

Physical features that have influencedU.S.historical events

Patterns of rural/urban migration in the U.S

Positive and negative consequences of urban development in the U.S

Racial, ethnic, and religious groups that settled in the U.S

Political, cultural, and economic reasons for immigration

Economic interdependence ofGreat Britainand the American colonies

Changing political boundaries due to cooperation and conflict in theU.S.to 1877

Physical environments in the North and South that led to different economic activities

Major purposes of government

Definition of federalism and structure of a federal system

Characteristics and organization of various forms of government

System of checks and balances and the limit of government through separation of power

Powers of the federal government according to the U.S. Constitution

Powers shared by the federal government and the state governments

Structure and powers of the three branches of government and the limits of those powers

Key positions within each branch of government

Qualifications, terms of office, responsibilities, and limits of power for elected officials at the national level

How a bill becomes a law at the federal level

Problems theU.S.faced after the American Revolution that led to the writing of the Constitution

Similarities and differences of the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution

Formation of the American constitutional government and the federal union

Arguments and leaders of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists

Ancient governments that influenced American democracy and culture

Major ideas expressed in the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence

Principles of government embodied in the U.S. Constitution

Methods of making changes in a democratic society

Political parties in the American political system

Political divisions of the world

Processes and strategies nations use to interact

WaysU.S.foreign policy is formed and carried out

Types of foreign policy issues

Qualifications and requirements forU.S.citizenship

Issues involving important rights and responsibilities of individuals in American society

Causes, course, and consequence of the American Revolutionary War

Compare and contrast the strategies and motivations of the Patriots, Loyalists, and British during the American Revolution

Key figures in the American Revolution

Effect of the American Revolution on the politics, society, and economy of the U.S

Issues involved in the creation and ratification of the U.S. Constitution

Specific guarantees of the Bill of Rights

Provisions of the Monroe Doctrine and its influence onU.S.foreign relations

Effect of westward movement of theU.S.on relations with American Indians and the changes it created

Concept of Manifest Destiny and its economic, political, social, and religious roots

Causes, course, and consequences of the Texas War forIndependenceand the Mexican-American War

The influence of Jacksonian democracy on theU.S.political system

Major technological developments related to land, water, and transportation

National policies on a protective tariff, national bank, federally funded improvements (roads, canals, railroads), and educational and prison reforms

Comparison of ways of life in northern and southern states

Causes and explanations for new waves of immigration prior to the Civil War

Importance of the ideas and reform leaders of the Second Great Awakening

Fundamental beliefs of abolitionists

Leaders and effects of the major antebellum reform movements

Advantages and disadvantages of the North and the South at the outbreak of the Civil War and their economic, social, and cultural differences


Here are the 8th grade key concepts from 5th - 8th grades

Key Concepts for 8th Grade LEAP (SOCIAL STUDIES)

 

 

 

• Identify and describe characteristics, functions, or applications of various types of maps (for example, political, physical, topographic, natural resource, climate, precipitation, climate, population distribution/density).

 

• Compare the uses of different types of maps, including two different types of maps of the same area.

 

• Read and interpret a graph, chart, or diagram.

 

• Read and interpret a map, using a map key/legend and symbols, distance scale, compass rose, and cardinal or intermediate directions.

 

• Analyze the distributions or patterns shown on a map (for example, compare/contrast population or resource distributions, climate, vegetation, or elevation).

 

• Use time zones in the United States or the International Date Line to interpret a map or representation of a globe.

 

• Use latitude (parallels) and longitude (meridians) to determine direction or to locate or compare points on a map or representation of a globe.

 

• Locate major landforms and geographic features, places, and bodies of water (waterways) on a map of Louisiana or the United States.

 

• Locate major features on a map of an area of the world, referring to the equator, the Prime Meridian, the hemispheres, the Tropic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn, the North and South Pole, or latitude and longitude.

 

• Construct a map based on given narrative information.

 

• Add features to a map based on given narrative information (for example, the location of capital/major cities, major landforms, bodies of water, battle sites).

 

• Construct a chart or diagram to display geographical information in an organized way (for example, resources in various regions of Louisiana).

 

• Construct a circle graph, bar graph, line graph, or pictograph to represent given data.

 

• Describe and analyze the distinguishing physical characteristics of a given place, for example:

 

—landforms and bodies of water (waterways)

 

—latitudinal location, distance from the equator or poles, altitude

 

—climate zones, precipitation patterns, vegetation patterns, ecosystems

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Describe and analyze the distinguishing human characteristics of a given place, for example:

 

—migration and settlement patterns

 

—population density

 

—land use

 

—cultural similarities

 

• Identify regions of the U.S. and major regions of the world in terms of their primary physical characteristics (for example, rain forests, deserts, Atchafalaya Basin).

 

• Identify and describe the role of land and climatic conditions conducive to human settlement in North America and other regions of the world.

 

• Describe how landforms affect migration and settlement patterns.

 

• Evaluate and use information on a map (for example, identify the most appropriate place for a settlement given a map and a list of potential settlers’ needs).

 

• Identify physical features that have influenced historical events and describe their influence, for example:

 

—the role of the Ohio River Valley in the American Revolution

 

—the role of the Mississippi River/swamp in the Battle of New Orleans

 

—the role of the Apennine Mountains in the Punic Wars

 

—the Nile and Tigris-Euphrates Rivers as cradles of civilization

 

—the geographical factors related to Little Bighorn

 

—the influence of winter in Russia on the defeat of Napoleon’s army

 

• Identify ways in which location and physical features generally influence the development or life of a region, for example:

 

—effects of natural barriers

 

—remote location vs. accessibility

 

—island conditions

 

• Identify physical criteria or other factors used to define regions.

 

• Apply given criteria to distinguish one region from another.

 

• Explain physical processes that produce distinctive landforms.

 

• Identify the physical processes and natural disasters that change regions, for example:

 

—volcanic activity, plate tectonics, earthquakes, global warming

 

—erosion by water current, flood, coastal storm, ice, or wind

 

—processes affecting bodies of water (for example, buildup of silt)

 

• Explain the effects of a physical process or natural disaster, for example:

 

—migration of the Sahara

 

—destruction of rain forests

 

—erosion of riverbanks

 

—reshaping of shorelines

 

 

 

 

 

• Explain how or why specific regions are changing as a result of physical phenomena, for example:

 

—buildup of the Mississippi Delta region

 

—coastal erosion of Louisiana wetlands and the Gulf Coast

 

• Explain how goals and interests affect the uses of places or regions, for example:

 

—exploration goal of “gold, glory, and God”

 

—population expansion vs. preservation of natural habitats

 

—industrial development vs. preservation of rain forests/forest lands

 

 

 

• Explain how technological advances and modern innovations affect the uses of places.

 

 

 

• Analyze the population characteristics and other demographic information about a country or region, for example:

 

—Population characteristics (demographic variables):

 

population size and population density

 

gender, race/ethnicity, age

 

religion

 

birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate

 

life expectancy

 

migration (immigration/emigration)

 

 

 

—Other demographic concepts:

 

education

 

housing and transportation

 

urban/suburban/rural

 

urbanization

 

crime rate

 

cultural diffusion

 

cultural diversity

 

• Construct a chart or draw a graph based on given demographic data or information (for example, to show population characteristics or demographic trends).

 

• Explain patterns of rural/urban migration, or the positive and negative consequences of urban development (for example, cultural diversity, overcrowding).

 

• Explain why humans settled and formed societies in specific regions.

 

• Explain why immigrant groups settled in specific areas (for example, the Acadians).

 

• Identify political, cultural, and economic motives for migration, for example:

 

—retire to the U.S. Sunbelt

 

—find jobs or new opportunities

 

—escape oppression or persecution

 

—flee severe and chronic climate changes such as drought

 

• Explain how immigration has influenced specific areas.

 

• Explain the effects of changing population distribution during a given period of time.

 

• Explain the role of geographical factors in migration (for example, how the Mississippi River affected westward movement).

 

• Analyze a flow chart illustrating the movement of people, goods, or ideas between regions or countries.

 

• Construct a flow chart based on given information (for example, describing triangular trade).

 

• Describe the factors that contribute to cultural diffusion, such as the trade of goods and services.

 

• Identify or explain factors or events that facilitated cultural diffusion (for example, European exploration/trade, the Crusades).

 

• Describe the causes and effects of cultural diffusion in the United States.

 

• Describe the causes and effects of cultural diversity in Louisiana.

 

• Describe parallels or differences between an historical and contemporary example of economic interdependence, based on given information.

 

• Explain conditions and motivations that contribute to conflict or cooperation within and among nations (for example, resource needs, territorial expansion, space exploration).

 

• Identify or explain examples of cooperation and conflict, and the ways societies interact to meet their needs (for example, trade/political treaties, revolution, cold war).

 

 

 

• Explain the following terms used to describe human systems:

 

—infrastructure

 

—economic interdependence

 

—trade

 

—territorial expansion

 

 

 

• Identify these environmental terms/concepts:

 

natural resources: renewable, nonrenewable, sustainable, limited

 

conservation of land and natural resources

 

hydrology (surface/underground water, cycle of precipitation/evaporation)

 

global warming, El Niño, acid rain, dead zones

 

• Explain the following terms as they relate to the interaction between society and the environment:

 

—Physical environments:

 

rain forest

 

agricultural land

 

flood plains

 

wetlands

 

barrier islands

 

upland regions

 

landlocked areas

 

natural habitats

 

 

 

—Human adaptations of physical environment:

 

irrigation, terracing

 

levee, canal, dam, flood/sea wall

 

timbering/deforestation

 

mining, industrialization, reclaiming land

 

roads, tunnels, bridges, railroads

 

—Natural resources:

 

forests/timberland

 

fresh water

 

coal, oil, natural gas

 

sea water (salt)

 

minerals in the earth (silver, gold, copper, tin, diamonds)

 

plants, roots, herbs (medicines, dyes)

 

• Analyze or evaluate actual consequences of environmental modifications on landforms, natural resources, or plant and animal life.

 

• Predict the effects of potential environmental modifications and overpopulation on natural resources or plant and animal life.

 

• Explain human activities that pollute the environment and identify obstacles to controlling pollution of all kinds (for example, air, water, land, or noise).

 

• Describe the difference between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources, and identify ways to sustain limited resources for future use.

 

• Identify or describe the benefits or challenges inherent in a particular environment, for example:

 

—harsh climates or short agricultural growing seasons

 

—characteristics that make New Orleans an excellent port

 

• Analyze ways in which a physical environment affects its inhabitants’ way of life, for example:

 

—effects of noise, overcrowding, lack of space, and/or lack of fresh air on urban life

 

—environmental factors affecting life in upland regions, flood plains, etc.

 

• Explain and give examples of how people adapt to living in a particular physical environment.

 

• Analyze world or regional distribution of natural resources in terms of the need to import or the capacity to export.

 

• Analyze the relationship between a country’s standard of living and its local natural resources (for example, the effects of oil or natural gas reserves in a region).

 

• Draw conclusions from a map showing world or regional distribution of natural resources (for example, coal, oil, mineral deposits, timberland, or rain forests).

 

• Map the locations of major environmental resources, based on given information.

 

 

 

• Identify or explain the distribution and uses of Louisiana’s natural resources.

 

 

 

 

 

• Identify the characteristics and organization of various systems of national government, for example:

 

—democracy (direct vs. indirect, republic, parliamentary)

 

—monarchy (constitutional vs. absolute)

 

—oligarchy

 

—totalitarian/authoritarian/dictatorship

 

—leaders/rulers (president, prime minister, king/queen, dictator)

 

• Explain the meaning of the term federalism.

 

• Describe the purposes of a state constitution.

 

• Identify the powers of the U.S. federal government, the powers of state government and the powers they share (according to the U.S. and Louisiana constitutions).

 

• Identify the powers of the three branches of the federal government, the limits of their respective powers, and the key positions within each branch, for example:

 

—executive branch: president, vice president, cabinet members

 

—legislative branch: members of Congress, president of the Senate, House/Senate majority and minority leaders, Speaker of the House, majority/minority whip, president pro tempore

 

—judicial branch: Supreme Court Chief Justice and associate justices, federal district court judges

 

• Describe the major responsibilities of local, state, and federal government.

 

• Describe the structure of the federal government, including Congress and the cabinet.

 

• Describe the structure of state government and various forms of local government.

 

• Describe the powers/responsibilities and limits of power for government officials at the local, parish, state, and national levels.

 

• Identify qualifications and terms of office for key leaders/representatives at the federal, state, and local level.

 

• Explain how a bill becomes law at the federal or state level.

 

• Discuss the importance of the rule of law in the American constitutional system, for example:

 

—establishing limits on those who govern and on the governed

 

—protecting individual liberties and the rights of the accused

 

—promoting social order and the common good

 

• List criteria for evaluating rules and laws.

 

• Examine a given law or court ruling and evaluate it on given criteria (for example, take and argue a position on the reasonableness of the decision in the Dred Scott case).

 

• Explain why taxes are needed and the purposes for which tax monies/revenues are used.

 

• Identify the likely source of public funding to address given needs.

 

 

 

• Identify types of taxes collected by the local, state, or federal government (for example, Social Security tax, federal/state income tax, sales tax, tariffs).

 

• Evaluate a type of tax in an historical context (for example, why England felt the Stamp Act and Tea Tax were necessary and why these taxes led to the American Revolution

 

 

 

• Identify the Magna Carta as a document that influenced the foundation of the American political system.

 

• Explain the major ideas in the Mayflower Compact.

 

• Identify problems the United States faced after the American Revolution that led to the writing of the U.S. Constitution.

 

• Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation with the U.S. Constitution. • Explain how the U.S. Constitution reflects certain principles of government, for example:

 

—federal union

 

—respect for individual liberties

 

—popular sovereignty

 

—consent of the governed

 

—due process of law

 

• Analyze how the separation of powers limits government

 

 

 

• Explain how the system of checks and balances is used to prevent abuses of power.

 

• Explain the meaning and importance of ideas essential to American constitutional democracy (for example, basic freedoms) and analyze these ideas in core documents (for example, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, or other major speeches/texts). • Describe historical experiences and factors that defined, influenced, or helped to shape American political culture, for example:

 

—colonization, American Revolution

 

—Jeffersonian (laissez-faire) democracy

 

—westward movement/migration

 

—immigration, “melting pot”

 

—Civil War, slavery

 

—Great Depression

 

—civil rights movements

 

• Identify the author or title of a significant historical document from an excerpt.

 

• Explain how changes are made in a democratic society, for example:

 

—voting officials into/out of office

 

—impeachment

 

—petitions

 

—amendments

 

—court cases

 

• Describe, analyze, or compare/contrast various peaceful ways of resolving political or societal conflicts, including understanding the role of majority vote vs. consensus, for example:

 

—voting

 

—recall, impeachment

 

—petitions

 

—amendments

 

—compromise

 

—rallies, marches, strikes, sit-ins, boycotts, or other methods of civil disobedience

 

—political parties, campaigns, and elections in the U.S. political system

 

• Contrast peaceful methods of instituting change with such alternatives as revolution or assassination.

 

• Analyze given events or experiences in U.S. history in terms of the methods used to institute change or resolve societal conflict, for example:

 

—War of 1812

 

—states’ rights theory

 

—Jackson’s handling of the tariff controversy

 

—Amendments 13, 14, 15

 

 

 

—admission of new states to the Union

 

• Propose a peaceful way to resolve a political or societal conflict or to institute change, in terms of a given scenario.

 

 

 

• Describe the role of political parties in the American political system.

 

• Explain how political parties, campaigns, and elections provide opportunities for citizens to participate in government.

 

• Describe various kinds of elections (for example, president, senator, mayor).

 

• Describe the purpose and function of the Electoral College.

 

• Explain how the U.S. Census affects the reapportionment of congressional districts.

 

 

 

• Describe political divisions of the world in terms of the roles or common objectives of various alliances and international organizations (for example, NATO, SEATO, Warsaw Pact, the United Nations [UN], OPEC). • Explain any of the various means by which nations interact, for example:

 

—trade

 

—treaty (political, economic, military)

 

—diplomacy

 

—summit meetings

 

—embassies, ambassadors

 

—military conflict

 

• Explain how U.S. foreign policy is formed and carried out, including the roles of the president, the Congress, and the secretary of state.

 

• Explain the terms strategic interests and national security with respect to the United States.

 

• Identify types of foreign policy issues with reference to current and historical examples (for example, Middle East conflicts).

 

• Describe the various means by which the United States attains its foreign policy objectives and protects its strategic interests, for example:

 

—division of responsibilities for foreign affairs

 

 

 

—national security

 

—peacekeeping

 

—isolationism

 

—imperialism

 

—protectionism

 

—neutrality

 

—humanitarian, economic, or military aid

 

—economic incentives/economic sanctions

 

—warfare/armed conflicts

 

 

 

• Identify the foreign policy issue addressed in given stimulus material, or characterize the means by which foreign policy is being handled.

 

 

 

• Define the following terms as they relate to the roles of citizens in U.S. society:

 

—citizenship

 

—residency

 

—resident aliens vs. nonresident aliens

 

• Identify the qualifications or requirements for U.S. citizenship (for example, birth in the United States, birth to American parents abroad).

 

• Identify the means by which noncitizens may become U.S. citizens (for example, naturalization).

 

• Identify individual rights guaranteed by specific amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

 

• Explain the importance of various rights and responsibilities of citizenship to the individual or to society at large, for example:

 

—holding public office

 

—voting

 

—paying taxes

 

—jury duty/trial witness

 

—military service

 

—obeying the law

 

—due process of law

 

• Analyze issues involving rights and responsibilities of individuals in American society (for example, rights of individuals with disabilities, right to a speedy trial, responsibility to pay taxes), including issues presented in stimulus material.

 

• Interpret a political cartoon.

 

• Explain, discuss, or argue for or against an idea/issue/position presented in stimulus material related to the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

 

• Describe ways by which citizens can organize, monitor, or influence government and politics at the local, state, and national levels, including:

 

—organizing or participating in peaceful demonstrations, rallies, or marches

 

—voting in elections

 

—running for office

 

—political campaigning

 

—serving as a convention delegate

 

—writing to government representatives

 

—signing petitions

 

—joining political action committees (PACs)

 

— lobbying

 

—attending public hearings and meetings of governing bodies

 

—keeping informed on public issues

 

 

 

• Examine the role of patriotism in the preservation of American constitutional democracy and identify ways in which citizens can demonstrate patriotism.

 

 

 

• Explain the following fundamental economic concepts:

 

—goods and services

 

—consumers and producers

 

—scarcity

 

—opportunity cost/trade-off

 

• Analyze situations involving scarcity at the individual, group, or societal level to determine the need for choices or what is gained or lost by a decision.

 

• Analyze or compare economic decisions in terms of benefits and costs.

 

 

 

• Identify the four basic economic questions:

 

—what to produce

 

—how to produce it

 

—how much to produce

 

—who gets what is produced

 

• Analyze an economic choice to identify its consequences and its opportunity cost.

 

• Explain choices/trade-offs, costs, benefits, and opportunity costs related to developing a personal or family budget.

 

• Define specialization and explain the role of specialization in the economic process, for example:

 

—the need for specialization when individuals consume a broader range of goods and services than they produce themselves

 

—the impact of division of labor and specialization on labor productivity

 

• Cite examples of how skills and knowledge increase personal productivity and career opportunities.

 

• Identify the skills and knowledge that would enhance particular career prospects.

 

• Discuss the importance of technical training to meet the needs of Louisiana’s businesses and industries.

 

• Characterize or analyze the use of productive resources in an economic system:

 

—natural resources

 

—capital resources

 

—human resources

 

• Describe how decisions about the production and allocation of goods and services are made in different economic systems, for example:

 

—traditional system (largely determined by historical custom)

 

—command system (major decisions made by a central authority)

 

—market system (major decisions decentralized, made by businesses and households in keeping with their own self-interests)

 

• Describe the institutions that make up economic systems:

 

—banks

 

—government agencies

 

—large companies and small businesses

 

—individuals/households

 

• Distinguish between different types of businesses, for example:

 

—individual proprietorship

 

—partnership

 

—corporation

 

—cooperative

 

• Identify the functions and characteristics of money.

 

 

 

• Distinguish between various forms of exchange and money, for example:

 

—barter

 

—currency

 

—bank checks

 

—credit cards

 

—loans

 

 

 

 

 

• Analyze the role of competition in affecting supply, demand, and price of products in a market structure.

 

• Analyze a diagram or situation demonstrating the principles of supply and demand.

 

 

 

• Describe the fundamental principles of supply and demand, for example:

 

—that prices are measures of the relative scarcity of different products

 

—how a change in supply or demand affects a product’s price:

 

as price goes up, quantity demanded decreases/quantity supplied increases

 

as price decreases, quantity demanded increases/quantity supplied decreases

 

• Analyze the circular flow of goods and services and money payments from a diagram.

 

• Explain or analyze factors affecting production and allocation of goods and services, for example:

 

—identify major inventions/technological advances that increased productivity

 

—explain economic risk, opportunity costs, and incentives (for example, profit) and the role these factors play in influencing investments or deciding what to produce

 

• Distinguish between private goods and services and public goods and services.

 

• Identify the costs and benefits of a given government policy on a competitive market, for example:

 

—regulation/deregulation

 

—trade agreement, embargo

 

—government borrowing/deficit spending

 

—taxation and tax exemptions

 

—redistribution of income

 

—minimum wage

 

• Identify various types of taxes and user fees, for example:

 

—Social Security tax

 

—income tax, sales tax, or property tax

 

—tariffs

 

—road tolls/user fees

 

—entrance fees to national parks

 

• Explain reasons for trade between nations (for example, scarce resources, lower-cost imports, humanitarianism).

 

• Describe the impact of international trade between nations (for example, higher quality of living, increased competition, increased specialization, worldwide interdependence).

 

• Give examples of U.S. exports (for example, grain, clothing) and imports (for example, electronics, automobiles).

 

 

 

• Describe historical and economic factors influencing the economic growth and development of Louisiana and the nation (for example, mass production/assembly line, individual entrepreneurship, wars, Great Depression/government programs, oil boom or decline).

 

 

 

 

 

• Define the meaning of various economic indicators, for example:

 

—gross domestic product (GDP)

 

—consumer price index (CPI)

 

—stock market indices

 

—unemployment rate

 

—inflation

 

—per capita income

 

—currency/exchange rate

 

—(economic) output

 

• Interpret the meaning of economic indicators used in a chart, graph, table, or news report.

 

• Analyze income distributions from a chart or graph (for example, in the United States vs. the third world).

 

• Define inflation and unemployment in terms of an economic system as a whole.

 

 

 

• Describe the impact of inflation or unemployment on different groups of people (for example, consumers, business owners, youth entering the labor market, unskilled vs. skilled workers).

 

 

 

• Design a timeline based on information in given stimulus material.

 

• Interpret data and information presented in a timeline.

 

• Chronologically organize major events and personalities in U.S. or Louisiana history.

 

• Demonstrate an understanding of elapsed time between and within historical time periods.

 

 

 

• Compare or contrast events or ideas from the past with events or ideas in the present, demonstrating awareness of differing political, social, or economic contexts.

 

• Explain change or continuity over time based on information in given stimulus material. • Explain the point of view of an historical figure or group, drawing on given stimulus material, for example:

 

—viewpoints of Acadians who left Nova Scotia to settle in Louisiana

 

—viewpoints of the abolitionists

 

—viewpoints of American Indian tribes during the Indian wars

 

• Use information in a biographical sketch to analyze the political, social, or economic context of a past period in time.

 

• Interpret a political cartoon depicting the viewpoint/perspective of a significant figure or of a common citizen in a particular historical context.

 

• Compare or contrast the viewpoints of two figures from different historical times.

 

• Identify, explain, or analyze the causes, effects, or impact of a given historical event (for example, the American Revolution).

 

• Explain how a given historical figure influenced or changed the course of history.

 

• Interpret or analyze historical data in a map, table, or graph to illuminate historical factors or trends (including applying any necessary mathematical skills).

 

• Identify historical issues or problems and identify possible courses of action to address them.

 

• Evaluate alternative courses of action in terms of their positive and negative consequences.

 

• Evaluate key decisions made at critical turning points in history by assessing their implications and long-term consequences.

 

• Use primary sources to analyze historical data, for example:

 

—documents core to U.S. democracy

 

—famous speeches and addresses

 

—journals/diaries

 

—autobiographies

 

• Use secondary sources to analyze historical data, for example:

 

—biographies

 

—encyclopedias, almanacs

 

—newspaper or magazine articles

 

—historical fiction

 

• Distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

 

• Propose different solutions to past issues and problems.

 

 

 

• Analyze given source material to distinguish opinion or propaganda from fact.

 

 

 

Era 1: Three Worlds Meet (Beginnings to 1860)

 

• Describe the triangular trade that connected the Americas, western Europe, and western Africa during this time period.

 

• Describe the origins of the West Africa–Europe trade connection. • Trace or describe major early explorations and explorers, for example:

 

—Leif Ericson

 

—Christopher Columbus

 

—Hernando de Soto

 

—Lewis and Clark

 

—Marquette and Joliet

 

• Identify and describe patterns of change in indigenous societies in the Americas up to the arrival of the Europeans.

 

• Identify and describe patterns of change in western European societies during the age of exploration.

 

• Identify developments in West Africa during the period of early contact with Europeans.

 

• Compare and contrast Africans, Europeans, and Native Americans converging in the Western Hemisphere after 1492.

 

• Discuss the effects that Europeans had on the culture, ecology, and economy of the New World.

 

 

 

• Explain the course and consequences of the Columbian exchange.

 

Era 2: Colonization and Settlement (1565–1763)

 

• Describe the founding of the British, Spanish, and French colonies in the Americas.

 

• Explain the role of mercantilism in the colonization of the Americas.

 

• Explain the causes, course, and consequences of the French and Indian War.

 

• Describe the arrival of Africans in the European colonies in the 17th century and the increase in the importation of slaves in the 18th century.

 

• Explain societal differences caused by the immersion of Africans in the Americas.

 

• Describe the various religious groups in colonial America and the role of religion in colonial communities.

 

 

 

• Describe the evolution of religious freedom within the colonies (for example, Rhode Island colony, Maryland Toleration Act, separation of church and state).

 

• Describe the Great Awakening and its consequences (for example, missionary/ humanitarian activities, founding of colleges, democratic spirit in religion).

 

• Describe reflections of European culture, politics, and institutions in American life.

 

• Explain why some colonists felt loyal to England due to their cultural, political, and economic ties to the mother land.

 

• Explain the emergence and development of political institutions in the English colonies.

 

• Describe the emergence of freedoms (for example, freedom of the press, religious toleration) in the English colonies.

 

Era 3: Revolution and the New Nation (1754–1820s)

 

• Explain the causes, course, and consequences of the American Revolutionary War, including the major battles.

 

• Compare and contrast the strategies and motivations of the Patriots, the Loyalists, and the British during the American Revolution.

 

• Identify key figures in the American Revolution, for example:

 

—Benjamin Franklin

 

—Thomas Jefferson

 

—Samuel Adams

 

—George Washington

 

—John Hancock

 

—Benedict Arnold

 

• Explain the formation of government and the economic and social impact occasioned by the American Revolution, including major ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

 

• Describe the issues involved in the creation and ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

 

• Discuss the significance of the Bill of Rights and its specific guarantees.

 

 

 

• Describe major events and issues involving early presidencies (for example, federal period, Jeffersonian democracy, Era of Good Feeling).

 

Era 4: Expansion and Reform (1801–1861)

 

• Explain Napoleon’s reasons for selling the Louisiana territory to the United States.

 

• Explain the causes, course, and consequences of the War of 1812.

 

• Explain President Madison’s reason for declaring war in 1812, the sectional divisions over the war, and the consequences of American Indian alliance with the British.

 

• Describe provisions of the Monroe Doctrine and its influence on U.S. foreign relations.

 

• Describe the impact Andrew Jackson’s presidency on the U.S. political system (for example, the spoils system).

 

 

 

 

 

• Explain westward movement of the United States, the changes it created, and its effects on relations with Native American Indians, including:

 

—government policy toward American Indians during the early 1800s

 

—accommodation, revitalization, and resistance strategies of American Indians

 

—removal/resettlement of American Indian nations

 

—impact of the California gold rush

 

• Explain Manifest Destiny and its economic, political, racial, and religious roots.

 

• Describe diplomatic and political developments that led to the resolution of conflicts with Britain, Spain, and Russia from 1815 to 1850.

 

• Identify the causes, course, and consequences of the Texas War for Independence and the Mexican-American War.

 

• Identify major technological developments related to land, water, and transportation and how they transformed the economy, created international markets, and affected the environment.

 

• Analyze national policies on a protective tariff, a national bank, federally funded improvements (for example, roads, canals, railroads), and education and prison reforms.

 

• Identify factors that caused rapid urbanization and growth of slavery (for example, invention of the cotton gin, opening of new lands in the South and West, the plantation system).

 

• Identify factors that caused new waves of immigration to the United States (for example, the expansion of the railroad system, the potato famine in Ireland, or the appeal of gold in California).

 

• Explain how rapid urbanization, immigration, and industrialization affected the social fabric of early-19th-century cities, for example:

 

—how the factory system affected gender roles and the lives of men, women, and children

 

—how immigrants adapted to life in the United States; the impact of such groups as the Know-Nothings

 

—how African Americans resisted conditions of their enslavement

 

• Describe fundamental beliefs of abolitionism.

 

• Compare the positions of those who favored gradual emancipation of slaves vs. those who favored immediate emancipation.

 

• Explain the importance of the Second Great Awakening, the ideas of its principal leaders, and how it affected public education, and the temperance, women’s suffrage, and abolition movements.

 

 

 

• Describe women’s contributions to the reform movement.

 

 

 

Era 5: Civil War and Reconstruction (1850–1877)

 

• Describe the economic, social, and cultural differences between the North and South, and the impact of the Dred Scott decision on increasing tensions. • Identify the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War, including:

 

—roles of women, American Indians, and African Americans on the home front and battle front in the Union and Confederacy

 

—human resources and tactical advantages of the Union and of the Confederacy

 

—impact of new military technology (for example, repeating rifles, ironclad ships) on the final outcome of the war

 

—human and material costs of the war in the North and in the South

 

• Chart the secession of the Southern states and identify the reasons for secession.

 

• Explain the purpose, nature, and significance of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

 

• Explain the significance of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

 

• Describe and analyze provisions of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.

 

• Describe, compare, or evaluate various reconstruction plans of the post–Civil War South (for example, as proposed by Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and congressional leaders).

 

• Explain the growing conflict between Andrew Johnson and Congress, and the reasons for and consequences of his impeachment and trial.

 

• Describe the impact of military reconstruction on the South.

 

 

 

• Explain how the presidential election of 1876 led to the Compromise of 1877 and brought about an end to Reconstruction in the South.

 

 

 

 

 

Era 1: The Beginnings of Society

 

• Describe the Old Stone Age (for example, cave dwellers, nomads). • Explain the characteristics of the New Stone Age, for example:

 

—domestication

 

—cultivation

 

—specialization

 

—civilization

 

 

 

• Describe features of the earliest communities.

 

 

 

• Explain how geographical features influenced development of early civilizations.

 

• Explain why agricultural societies developed from hunters and gatherers.

 

Era 2: The Rise of Early Civilization (4000–1000 B.C.)

 

• Describe and compare/contrast the major characteristics of early river valley civilizations:

 

—Nile (Egyptian pyramids, hieroglyphics, irrigation methods)

 

—Tigris-Euphrates (Mesopotamia, Code of Hammurabi, ziggurats)

 

—Indus Valley (Harrapa, Mohenjo-Daro)

 

—Huang-He/Yellow River

 

• Describe how the early river valley civilizations influenced the development of other cultures (cultural diffusion).

 

• Describe the development of agricultural societies and individual communities.

 

 

 

• Describe the development of written communication.

 

Era 3: Classical Traditions, Major Religions, and Giant Empires (1000 B.C.–A.D. 300)

 

• Describe or compare/contrast the major characteristics of the following civilizations:

 

—Greek (Acropolis, columns, orators, writings, democracy, city-states, social class structure, Alexander the Great)

 

—Roman (alphabet, dome, arch, aqueducts and roads, republic, 12 Tables, Caesar, Pax Romana, Constantine)

 

—Byzantine (Justinian)

 

—Persian (Darius, barter economy, coins, Cyrus the Great, road system)

 

—Phoenicians (alphabet, shipping, manufacturing, and trade, purple dye)

 

—Chinese (dynasty, Great Wall, Silk Road/trade)

 

• Identify the effects of migration and militarization on the politics/social fabric of Europe and Asia (for example, migration of the Hebrews, conquests of Alexander the Great).

 

• Explain the sharing of ideas, goods, services through trade between the Greek and Roman civilizations.

 

• Describe the absorption or reflection of Greek and Roman ideas into other cultures (through trade, warfare, art, etc.).

 

• Identify the major new religions and relate them to the empires that emerged in the Mediterranean basin, China, and India.

 

• Describe and compare/contrast the major religions in terms of leaders, key beliefs, holy texts/writings, and location, for example:

 

—Judaism

 

—Christianity

 

—Islam

 

—Hinduism

 

 

 

—Buddhism

 

—Taoism, Confucianism

 

 

 

Era 4: Expanding Zones of Exchange and Encounter (A.D. 300–1000)

 

• Trace, describe, or analyze the spread of major religions and cultural traditions.

 

• Identify the effect that the major religions have had on European, Asian, and African civilizations.

 

• Describe the changes and developments brought about by the emergence and collapse of major empires/kingdoms in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. • Describe major events, key figures, and social structure of the Middle Ages, for example:

 

—feudalism

 

—Crusades

 

—guild system

 

—Charlemagne

 

 

 

—Magna Carta

 

Era 5: Intensified Hemispheric Interaction (A.D. 1000–1500)

 

• Identify effects of trade on the economic and cultural development of Europe, Africa, and Asia.

 

• Explain how communication among regions was accomplished.

 

• Explain the role, importance, and routes of major world explorers, for example:

 

—Marco Polo

 

—Prince Henry the Navigator

 

—Christopher Columbus

 

—Francisco Pizarro

 

—Ferdinand Magellan

 

—Vasco da Gama

 

—Hernando Cortez

 

• Explain how or why Europe changed politically, socially, culturally, or economically during the period of intensified hemispheric interactions.

 

• Describe the origins and expansion of ancient American empires and complex societies in the Americas, for example:

 

—Maya

 

—Aztec

 

—Inca

 

 

 

• Describe major early explorers and explorations significant to Louisiana, for example:

 

—de La Salle (René-Robert Cavelier)

 

—Hernando de Soto

 

—Marquette and Joliet

 

—Lewis and Clark

 

—Iberville (Pierre le Moyne)

 

—Bienville (Jean Baptiste le Moyne)

 

• Describe early settlers in Louisiana (for example, American Indians, Acadians).

 

• Describe leaders who were influential in Louisiana’s development, for example:

 

—Bienville (Jean Baptiste le Moyne)

 

—Iberville (Pierre le Moyne)

 

—Bernardo de Gálvez

 

—William C. C. Claiborne

 

—General Benjamin Butler

 

—P. B. S. Pinchback

 

—Huey Long

 

 

 

 

 

• Describe and explain the importance of major events and ideas in the development of Louisiana, for example:

 

—Spanish/French control change

 

—Louisiana Purchase

 

—Napoleonic Code

 

—statehood

 

—secession

 

—Reconstruction

 

—Bourbon rule

 

—Jim Crow laws

 

Plessy v. Ferguson

 

—Treaty of San Ildefonso

 

• Describe the nature or causes of various migrations into or within Louisiana, for example:

 

—the Acadians’ migration to Louisiana to avoid swearing allegiance to Great Britain

 

—new settlers in Louisiana enticed by John Law’s Mississippi scheme

 

—settlers who came from other southern states after statehood

 

• Describe the contributions of ethnic groups significant in Louisiana history, for example:

 

—French

 

—Spanish

 

—American Indians

 

—Africans

 

• Describe various governments in Louisiana’s history, for example:

 

—French Superior Council

 

—Spanish Cabildo

 

—territorial

 

—republic

 

—Confederate

 

—constitutional

 

• Describe major conflicts in context of Louisiana history, for example:

 

—Natchez Indian wars

 

—Battle of New Orleans/War of 1812

 

—Civil War

 

• Construct a timeline from given information about people, events, or ideas significant to the growth and development of Louisiana.

 

• Describe and analyze the impact of Louisiana’s geographic features on historic events, settlement patterns, economic development, for example:

 

—plains, pine flats, uplands prairies, terraces, Mt. Driskill

 

—marshes, bayous, waterways, delta, coastal wetlands

 

—Mississippi River, Red River, Atchafalaya River

 

• Explain how Louisiana’s natural resources have shaped its history (for example, petroleum).

 

 

 

 

 

• Trace Louisiana’s economic development and growth towards economic diversity, for example:

 

—agriculture (cotton, sugarcane)

 

—seafood

 

—fur trading

 

—oil, gas, timber

 

—tourism

 

—Port of New Orleans

 

• Explain cultural elements that have shaped Louisiana’s state heritage, for example:

 

—voodoo, African/West Indies

 

Evangeline/Longfellow

 

—Cajun/Creole cooking

 

—Cajun language

 

—Mardi Gras

 

—jazz, gospel, and zydeco music

 

—antebellum period

 

—American Indian heritage

 

—Poverty Point settlement

 

—French and Spanish architecture