National Standards

I. National History Standards

Section 1: Let My People Go

• Era 4 Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
  • Standard 2D: The student understands the rapid growth of "the peculiar institution" after 1800 and the varied experiences of African Americans under slavery.
• Era 5 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877) 
  • Standard 2A: The student understands how the resources of the Union and Confederacy affected the course of the war.

Section 2: Broke At Last

• Era 5 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)
  • Standard 3A: The student understands the political controversy over Reconstruction.
  • Standard 3B: The student understands the Reconstruction programs to transform social relations in the South.
  • Standard 3C: The student understands the successes and failures of Reconstruction in the South, North, and West.

Section 3: This Land is Your Land

• Era 6 The Development of the Industrial United States (1870-1900)
  • Standard 2A: The student understands the sources and experiences of the new immigrants.
  • Standard 2B: The student understands "scientific racism", race relations, and the struggle for equal rights.
  • Standard 3B: The student understands the rise of national labor unions and the role of state and federal governments in labor conflicts.
  • Standard 4A: The student understands various perspectives on federal Indian policy, westward expansion, and the resulting struggles.
• Era 7 The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
  • Standard 1B: The student understands Progressivism at the national level. 
  • Standard 1C: The student understands the limitations of Progressivism and the alternatives offered by various groups.
  • Standard 2C: The student understands the impact at home and abroad of the United States involvement in World War I.
• Era 8 The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)
  • Standard 3C: The student understands the effects of World War II at home.

Section 4: A Change is Gonna Come

• Era 9 Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)
  • Standard 2A: The student understands the international origins and domestic consequences of the Cold War.
  • Standard 4A: The student understands the “Second Reconstruction” and its advancement of civil rights.

Section 5: We Shall Overcome

• Era 9 Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)
  • Standard 4A: The student understands the “Second Reconstruction” and its advancement of civil rights.

II. National Standards for Civics and Government

Section 1: Let My People Go

• Standard I.C.2.
  Describe historical and contemporary instances of how constitutions have been disregarded or used to promote the interests of a particular group, class, faction, or a government itself, e.g., slavery, exclusion of women from the body politic, prohibition of competing political parties.
• Standard II.D.5.
  Describe historical and contemporary efforts to reduce discrepancies between ideals and reality in American public life, e.g., abolitionists; suffrage, union, and civil rights movements; government programs such as Head Start; civil rights legislation and enforcement.
• Standard V.E.3.
  Describe historical and current examples of citizen movements seeking to expand liberty, to insure the equal rights of all citizens, and/or to realize other values fundamental to American constitutional democracy, such as the suffrage and civil rights movements.

Section 2: Broke At Last

• Standard I.C.2.
  Describe historical and contemporary instances of how constitutions have been disregarded or used to promote the interests of a particular group, class, faction, or a government itself, e.g., slavery, exclusion of women from the body politic, prohibition of competing political parties
• Standard II.C.2.
  Describe political conflict in the United States both historically and at present, such as conflict about geographic or sectional interests; slavery and indentured servitude; national origins; extending the franchise; extending civil rights to all Americans; the role of religion in American public life; the rights of organized labor; the role of government in regulating business; engaging in wars.
• Standard II.D.5.
  Describe historical and contemporary efforts to reduce discrepancies between ideals and reality in American public life, e.g., abolitionists; suffrage, union, and civil rights movements; government programs such as Head Start; civil rights legislation and enforcement
• Standard V.E.3.
  Describe historical and current examples of citizen movements seeking to expand liberty, to insure the equal rights of all citizens, and/or to realize other values fundamental to American constitutional democracy, such as the suffrage and civil rights movements

Section 3: This Land is Your Land

• Standard II.D.5.
  Describe historical and contemporary efforts to reduce discrepancies between ideals and reality in American public life, e.g., abolitionists; suffrage, union, and civil rights movements; government programs such as Head Start; civil rights legislation and enforcement
• Standard IV.C.2.
  Explain the effects on other nations of significant American political developments, e.g., immigration policies; opposition to communism; promotion of human rights; foreign trade; economic, military, and humanitarian aid.
• Standard V.B.5.
  Explain what is meant by the "scope and limits" of a right, e.g., the scope of one's right to free speech in the United States is extensive and protects almost all forms of political expression; however, the right to free speech can be limited if and when speech seriously harms or endangers others
• Standard V.B.5.
  Explain considerations and criteria commonly used in determining what limits should be placed on specific rights, e.g., clear and present danger; compelling government interest; national security; chilling effect on the exercise of rights; libel or slander; public safety; equal opportunity.

Section 4: A Change is Gonna Come

• Standard II.D.5.
  Describe historical and contemporary efforts to reduce discrepancies between ideals and reality in American public life, e.g., abolitionists; suffrage, union, and civil rights movements; government programs such as Head Start; civil rights legislation and enforcement
• Standard V.E.3.
  Describe the many ways citizens can participate in the political process at local, state, and national levels.
• Standard V.E.3.
  Describe historical and current examples of citizen movements seeking to expand liberty, to insure the equal rights of all citizens, and/or to realize other values fundamental to American constitutional democracy, such as the suffrage and civil rights movements
• Standard V.E.3. 
  Explain what civil disobedience is, how it differs from other forms of protest, what its consequences might be, and evaluate the circumstances under which it might be justified
• Standard V.E.3.
  Evaluate the usefulness of other forms of political participation in influencing public policy, e.g., attending political and governmental meetings, filing a legal challenge, demonstrating, contacting public officials, working in campaigns, contributing money to political parties or causes, writing letters, boycotting, community organizing, petitioning, picketing, expressing opinions on talk shows, running for political office

Section 5: We Shall Overcome

• Standard II.C.1.
  Explain the shared ideas and values of American political culture as set forth in other sources such as The Federalist and Anti-federalist writings, the Declaration of Sentiments of the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address," Woodrow Wilson's "Fourteen Points," Franklin Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms," Martin Luther King's "Letter from the Birmingham Jail," and many landmark decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States
• Standard II.D.5.
  Explain, using historical and contemporary examples, discrepancies between American ideals and the realities of American social and political life, e.g., the ideal of equal opportunity and the reality of unfair discrimination
• Standard V.E.3.
  Describe the many ways citizens can participate in the political process at local, state, and national levels.
• Standard V.E.3.
  Describe historical and current examples of citizen movements seeking to expand liberty, to insure the equal rights of all citizens, and/or to realize other values fundamental to American constitutional democracy, such as the suffrage and civil rights movements
• Standard V.E.3.
  Explain what civil disobedience is, how it differs from other forms of protest, what its consequences might be, and evaluate the circumstances under which it might be justified
• Standard V.E.3.
  Evaluate the usefulness of other forms of political participation in influencing public policy, e.g., attending political and governmental meetings, filing a legal challenge, demonstrating, contacting public officials, working in campaigns, contributing money to political parties or causes, writing letters, boycotting, community organizing, petitioning, picketing, expressing opinions on talk shows, running for political office

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