Middle School Early American History Syllabus
This social studies course covers the history of America, from the early 15th century, up until the early 1900s. Familiar topics of the Pilgrims, the Original Colonies, the American Revolution, the Constitution of the United States, the Civil War, and Reconstruction are covered in a thorough, thoughtful way. Each lesson from the text is reinforced and re-explained with engaging audio/visual resources. This course also discusses map skills and basic economic concepts.
Textbook: Early American History - © Excel Education Systems, Inc. - 2021
Course objectives:
Throughout the course, you will meet the following goals:
- Interpret maps and use other geographic tools as primary sources for analyzing history.
- Describe why humans often settle near rivers and other bodies of water.
- Explain why European countries explored the new world in the 15th
- Describe life in the 13 Original Colonies.
- Explain why there was an American Revolution.
- Describe the contents of the U.S. Constitution and the important people who wrote it.
- Define the concept of manifest destiny and why the westward migration occurred.
- Explain why the American Civil War was fought.
- Explain what Reconstruction was.
Contents:
Semester A
1: Geography and Settlement
2: The New World
3: Life in the Colonies
4: The American Revolution
5: Drafting the Constitution
6: Westward Migration and Manifest Destiny
Semester B
7: American Government Today
8: Pre-Civil War Tensions
9: The Civil War
10: Reconstruction
11: Rebuilding Post-Civil War
12: Social Hostilities Going Into the 1900s
Grading Scale
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = under 59%
Grade Weighting
Unit Quizzes.........................35%
Writing Assignments.........35%
Mid-Term/Final Exams......30%
Total.......................................100%
