Grade 8 Social Science

8.1.1 Students will describe life in America before the 17th century by: identifying and describing culture and economic systems of the first Americans; explaining how geography and climate influenced the way Native Americans lived.

8.1.2 Students will trace the routes and evaluate early explorations of the Americas. (motivations, obstacles and accomplishments; political, economic, and social impact between Europeans and Native Americans)

8.1.3 Students will describe colonial America, such as the factors that led to the founding of the colonies; contrasts in the three regions of:  New England, the mid-Atlantic, and the South; perspectives of Native Americans, women, slaves, and others concerning life in the coloniesΣ

8.1.4 Students will analyze the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, such as: Native American heritage (Iroquois Five Nations Confederacy); Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Articles of Confederation, powers granted to CongressΣ

8.1.5 Students will describe challenges faced by the new United States government, such as: writing of a new Constitution in 1787, ratification of the Bill of Rights, major issues facing Congress and the first four presidents, development of two political parties.

8.1.6 Students will describe growth and change in America from 1801 to 1861, such as: territorial expansion, impact of inventions, development of money, savings, and credit.

8.1.7 Students will identify causes, key events, and the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction, such as: economic and philosophic differences between the North and the South, events leading to secession and war, key figures of the period, battles, life on the battlefield and at homeΣ

8.1.8 Students will interpret patriotic slogans and excerpts from notable speeches and documents in United States history up to 1877, such as „Give me liberty or give me death,‰ „E Pluribus Unum,‰ the Gettysburg Address, the Preamble to the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence.

8.1.9 Students will develop skills for historical analysis, such as the ability to: identify, analyze, and interpret primary sources to better understand events and life in U.S. history to 1877Σ

8.1.10 Students will develop skills in discussion, debate, and persuasive writing by analyzing historical situations and events, such as: different historical perspectives of people and different evaluations of the causes, costs, and benefits of major events in American history up to 1877Σ

8.2.1 Students will explain how, following the Civil War, massive immigration, combined with the rise of big business, heavy industry, and mechanized farming transformed American lifeΣ

8.2.2 Students will describe and analyze the changing role of the United States in world affairs between 1899 and 1930, such as: The Spanish-American War, The Panama Canal, Theodore Roosevelt‚s „Big Stick Diplomacy‰, World War IΣ

8.2.3 Students will describe the ideas and events of the 1920‚s and 1930‚s, such as: literature, music, dance, and entertainment; the Harlem Renaissance; impact of the automobile, Prohibition, women‚s suffrage; racial tensions and labor strikes; rural and urban electrification; ways money can increaseΣ

8.2.4 Students will explain the Great Depression and its effects, such as: weaknesses in the economy and the collapse of the financial markets in the late 1920‚s; the extent and depth of business failures, unemployment, and poverty; New Deal and its impact; personalities and leaders of the periodΣ

8.2.5 Students will describe the economic, social, and political transformation of the United States since World War II, such as: segregation, desegregation, and the Civil Rights Movement; changing role of women; technology revolution; consumer economy and global marketsΣ

8.2.6 Students will interpret patriotic slogans and excerpts from notable speeches in United States history since 1877, such as „Ask not what your country can do for youΣ,‰ „ΣDecember 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy,‰ „I have a dreamΣ,‰ and „Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!‰

8.2.7 Students will develop skills for historical analysis, such as the ability to: identify, analyze, and interpret primary sources; recognize and explain how nationalism, race, religion, and ethnicity have influenced different points of viewΣ

8.2.8 Students will evaluate different assessments of the causes, costs, and benefits of major events in recent American history to develop discussion, debate, and persuasive writing skills.

8.3.1 Students will compare national, state, and local governments, such as: their structures, functions, and powers; election and appointment of officials; division and sharing of powers among levels of government; separation and sharing of powers within levels of government; and the process of amending the United States and Nebraska Constitutions.

8.3.2 Students will compare the election process at the local, state, and national levels of government, such as: nomination and promotion of candidates for elective office; similarities and differences between the major political parties; voter turnout; evaluate the accuracy of campaign advertising; and recognize bias and identify how media reports, analysis, and editorials are different.

8.3.3 Students will compare the policy-making process at the local, state, and national levels of government, such as: basic law-making process within the legislative bodies; interaction between the chief executives and the legislative bodies; the functions of the departments, agencies, and regulatory bodies; the roles of political parties at the state and national levels; the ways that individuals and cultural, ethnic, and other interest groups can influence government policy makers; and the impact of the media on public opinion and policy makers.

8.3.4 Students will distinguish between the judicial systems established by the Nebraska Constitution and United States Constitution, such as: the organization and jurisdiction of Nebraska and United States courts; exercise of the power of judicial review; the process of bringing and resolving criminal and civil cases in Nebraska‚s judicial system; and the function and process of the juvenile justice system in Nebraska.

8.3.5 Students will describe the structure and operation of the United States economy by: explaining the concepts of scarcity, choice, trade-offs, specialization, productivity, inflation, profits, markets, and incentivesΣ

8.3.6 Students will describe the government‚s role in the United States economy, such as: provision of public goods and services; protection of consumer rights, contracts, property rights, and the promotion of competition; impact of government policies, taxation, and government borrowing on individuals and businesses; dealing with third party costsΣ

8.3.7 Students will compare the United States economic system to systems such as China, Japan, Canada, South America, and other Western European nations, such as: the differences between traditional command and market economies; and the degree of market, command, and traditional characteristics in various mixed economies and analyze costs and benefits of these economic systems.

8.3.8 Students will demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizens in America by: describing ways individuals participate in the political process, such as registering and voting, communication with government officials, participating in political campaigns, and serving on juries and in voluntary appointed positionsΣ

8.3.9 Students will explain the fundamental ideals and principles that form the foundation of our republican form of government, such as inalienable rights, „life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,‰ and the rule of law, justice, and equality under the law.

8.3.10 Students will know how to interpret economic and political issues as expressed in maps, tables, diagrams, charts, political cartoons, and economic graphs.

8.4.1 Students will describe early physical and cultural development of mankind from the Paleolithic Era to the revolution of agriculture, such as: impact of geography on hunter-gatherer societies; characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies; tool making and use of fire; technological and social advancements that gave rise to stable communities; and how archeological discoveries change our knowledge of early peoples.

8.4.2 Students will compare selected ancient river civilizations, such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and Shang China, and other ancient civilizations, such as the Hebrew and Phoenician kingdoms and the Persian Empire, such as: the location in time and place; development of social, political, and economic patterns; development of religious traditions; development of language and writing; and the development of calendars, architectural monuments, such as the Pyramids and the Great Wall of China.

8.4.3 Students will describe, analyze, and evaluate the history of ancient Greece from about 2000 to 300 B.C. and explain its impact on Western civilizationΣ

8.4.4 Students will describe, analyze, and evaluate the history of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C. to 500 A.D., explaining its impact on Western civilization Σ

8.4.5 Students will analyze the conflict between the Muslim world and Christendom from the 7th to the 11th century A.D., explaining its impact on Western civilization, such as the origin, traditions, customs, beliefs, and spread of Islam; theological differences between Islam and Christianity; cultural differences between Muslims and Christians; religious, political, and economic competition in the Mediterranean region; and historical turning points that affected the spread and influence of both religious cultures.

8.4.6 Students will describe, analyze, and evaluate the history of the Byzantine Empire and Russia from about 300 to 1000 A.D., explaining its impact on Western civilization, such as: the establishment of Constantinople  as the capital of the Roman Empire; the expansion of the Byzantine Empire and economy; codification of Roman  preservation of  Greek and Roman traditions; conflicts that led to a split between the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches; Byzantine art and architecture;  Byzantine influence on Russia and Eastern Europe.

8.4.7 Students will describe, analyze, and evaluate the history of Europe during the Middle Ages from about 500 to 1000 A.D., explaining its impact on Western civilization, such as: the structure of feudal society and its economic, social, and political effects; the Age of Charlemagne and the revival of the idea of the Roman Empire; the invasions and settlements of the Magyars and the Vikings, such as Angles and Saxons in Britain;  and the spread and influence of Christianity throughout Europe.

8.4.8 Students will describe and compare selected civilizations in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, focusing on chronology, location, geography, social structures, form of government, economy, religion, and contribution to later civilizationsΣ

8.4.9 Students will improve their skills in historical research and geographical analysis, by: identifying, analyzing, and interpreting primary sources and secondary sources to make generalizations about events and life in world history up to 1000 A.D.; identifying, analyzing, and interpreting global population distribution in the Middle Ages; identifying and comparing contemporary national political boundaries with the location of civilizations, empires, and kingdoms from 4000 B.C. to 1000 A.D. 

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