Red Comet Grade 8 Social Studies In this course, students learn about the many cultures around the world. They learn about cultures & traditions of Western Europe, North American countries, Latin American countries, Russia and the eastern European countries, Asia and Africa. Students are also exposed to some of the remote cultures that exist in different parts of the world. Unit 1 (MILESTONE I) List and describe the three motivations that led to the discovery of the Americas. Explain the sense in which Columbus discovered the Americas. Describe the purpose of the Crusades. Describe the technologies that allowed for long, ocean-going voyages. Describe the efforts of European nations to explore the New World. Describe the concept of privateers. Describe the geography of North America and how it affected early colonization of the continent. Describe the early colonial efforts of Spain, France, Holland, and England. Explain the advantages that England possessed that helped its colonies succeed. Describe the founding of the Jamestown Colony. Describe the difficulties of Jamestown and the reasons for its ultimate success. Describe the Christian convictions of the two groups of Puritans in England in the early 1600s. Describe the religious persecutions that led to the establishment of the Plymouth Colony. Describe the development of the colonies of New England. Describe events in England that motivated colonists to come to North America. Describe events that led to the founding of the Maryland colony. Explain the purpose of the Toleration Act of 1649. List the thirteen American colonies by region. Place the thirteen American colonies on a map. Describe the lives of colonials. Discuss the rise of slavery in the colonies. Unit 2 (MILESTONE I) Understand the five strands of colonial growth. Recount the facts of Bacon s Rebellion. Understand the events that led to the creation of provinces in the colonies. Describe the Glorious Revolution and the provisions of the English Bill of Rights. List the three major themes of American history at the start of the 18th century. Understand the events and lasting effects of the Great Awakening. Describe events leading to the Salem Witch Trials. Describe the differences between colleges in England and those in the American colonies. Understand the reasons for growing colonial dissatisfaction. Define the idea of mercantilism as an economic system.
Describe the Navigation Acts and the colonials efforts to resist and ignore them. Describe the events of the colonial wars, including the French and Indian War. Explain the importance of the Albany Conference. Describe the results of the Treaty of Paris of 1763. Describe the events of Pontiac s Rebellion. Explain the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and its results. Describe the vigilante action of the Paxton Boys. Describe the acts by the British Parliament that were unpopular both in the colonies and in England. Describe the use of Writs of Assistance and the Quartering Act. Describe the formation of resistance groups that called themselves Sons of Liberty. Explain the events that led to conflict between the colonists and the British government. Describe the events in Boston that led to the Intolerable Acts. Unit 3 (MILESTONE II) Understand the contributions of philosophers to the mind-set of colonial Americans. Describe the natural rights set forth by these philosophers. Describe the reasons for and the acts of the First Continental Congress. Explain the significance of the Galloway Plan. Describe the response of the British to the First Continental Congress. Describe the event that has become known as the Powder Alarm. Explain the events leading to the armed conflict at Lexington and Concord. Describe the events of the Second Continental Congress. Describe the roles of George Washington as leader of the Continental Army. List and explain the advantages and disadvantages facing the British Army in America. Describe the events of the Revolutionary War through 1776. Describe the events leading to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Describe the events of the second half of the Revolutionary War. Explain the assistance of France and Spain in winning the war. Describe the events leading to the end of the Revolutionary War. Explain the provisions of the Treaty of Paris. Describe the adoption and ratification of the Articles of Confederation. Unit 4 (MILESTONE II) Describe the challenges facing the new nation. Explain the reasons for and the difficulties of the adoption and ratification of the Articles of Confederation. Identify the Northwest Territory of the 1780s. Describe the purposes of the Northwest Ordinances of 1785 and 1787. Explain the ideas of the township and the section. Describe the importance of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 as a foundational document toward democracy. List and explain the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Describe the events of Shays Rebellion. Describe the events of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Describe the compromises reached at the convention and the final results. Read the U.S. Constitution carefully and critically for understanding. Describe the process and events of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Explain the terms Federalist and Anti-Federalist. Explain the concerns of the Anti-Federalists. Understand the reasons for the writing of the Federalist Papers. Describe the contents and purposes of the Federalist Papers. Differentiate the authors of the Federalist Papers. Know how the authors of the Federalist Papers became involved with the project. Understand the purpose and the meaning of the Bill of Rights. Unit 5 (MILESTONE III) Describe the challenges facing the nation under the Constitution. Explain the population growth within different regions of the nation. Describe the economic challenges of the new nation. Describe the policy problems of Indian conflicts and foreign affairs. Describe the characteristics of a good citizen. Explain why people would want to become naturalized citizens of the United States. Describe the responsibilities of naturalized citizens. List the requirements for becoming a naturalized citizen. Describe the divisions or departments of the executive branch. Describe the layers of government in the federal system. Explain the importance of the Credit Reports. Describe the structure of the court system under the Washington Administration. Describe the events that occurred during George Washington s two terms in office. Explain the development of the two political parties. Describe developments in the nation during the second term of President Washington. Explain America s involvement with France and Spain. Describe the issues discussed in Washington s Farewell Address. Describe events of the John Adams administration. Describe the XYZ Affair and the Quasi-War with France. Explain the reasons that John Adams was not reelected in 1800. Describe the development of political parties in the United States. Describe the modern political parties and their beliefs. Describe the events of the administration of President Thomas Jefferson. Explain the purpose of the 12th Amendment. Describe the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Explain events surrounding the Burr-Hamilton duel and the Burr Treason Trial. Explain the reasons for the Industrial Revolution. Describe the growth of industry in the United States. List the technological developments that allowed the Industrial Revolution to progress. Explain the importance of patents.
Unit 6 (MILESTONE III) Understand the westward movement of the population of the United States. Name the states added to the United States from 1791 to 1837. Describe the events leading to the War of 1812 and the Battle of Tippecanoe. Explain why the United States was not ready to go to war with Great Britain. Describe the three-pronged strategy of the British. Memorize the words to the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner. Describe the results of the War of 1812 on the nation. Explain why Democrat-Republicans wanted to charter the second national bank. Explain the beginning and ending of the Era of Good Feelings. Explain the causes of the Panic of 1819, as well as how McCulloch v. Maryland strengthened the power of the federal government and judicial review. Describe the events that led to the Adams-Onís Treaty. Describe the reasons for the Missouri Compromise and the Monroe Doctrine. Describe the election of 1824. Describe the nationalist policies of John Quincy Adams. Explain the development of the two-party system following the election of 1824. Discuss the pros and cons of protective tariffs. Describe the events and spirit of the election of 1828, as well as the Peggy Eaton Affair. Explain the doctrine of nullification and its importance during the Jackson Presidency. Explain Andrew Jackson s intentions for the Indian tribes of the eastern United States. Describe the Black Hawk War, Indian removal, and the Trail of Tears. Describe President Jackson s opposition to the Second Bank of the United States. Unit 7 (MILESTONE IV) Describe the events known as the Second Great Awakening. Describe the rise of new, radical denominations and the reform movements of the early 1800s. Explain the movement of the Mormons from New York to Utah. Describe the changes which took place in the national elections due to extended suffrage. Explain the efforts of women s societies to reform society. Describe the temperance movement, why women were interested in restricting the sale of alcoholic beverages, and the rise of abolitionism. Describe changes in America s education system, including contributions of Noah Webster. Discuss artists and writers of the first half of the 19th century. Describe the election of 1836 and the causes and results of the Panic of 1837. Explain the popular idea of Manifest Destiny. Describe the events that occurred in Texas and led to Texas statehood. Describe the problems of the Presidency of John Tyler. List President Polk s four main objectives for his administration. Describe the events in Oregon and the tragedy of the Tonquin. Explain the meaning of and events surrounding 54-40 or Fight.
Describe the events leading to the acquisition of and admission to the Union of California. Explain the purpose of the Gadsden Purchase. Explain the rise of sectionalism and the reasons that it grew into a serious problem. Describe the effect of abolitionism on the division between North and South. Explain the effect of the Wilmot Proviso on sectionalism and on political parties. Describe the immigration and key inventions of the first half of the 19th century. Unit 8 (MILESTONE IV) Explain how the spread of cotton caused an expansion of slavery. Describe how fear is an important concept concerning slavery. Describe the meaning of chattel property. Understand the difference between public and private worship in the lives of the slaves. Describe the balance in the Senate and political party changes in 1848. Describe the Compromise of 1850 and Zachary Taylor s lost favor with the Whigs. Explain the realignment of political parties based on sectionalism. Describe several issues that were viewed by North and South from their own perspectives. Explain the work of proslavery adventurers in Central and South America. Explain the purposes of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. Understand the events surrounding the settlement of Kansas. Describe the rise of the Republican Party and the Charles Sumner incident in the Senate. Explain the growing division of the nation around sectional issues. Describe the Underground Railroad and the lives of free blacks in the North and South. Explain the role and influence of abolitionists and the idea of positive good. Explain the events that led to further division and the Dred Scott decision. Describe the Panic of 1857, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and the Freeport Doctrine. Describe the events at the federal arsenal at Harper s Ferry. Explain the goals of the 1860 Republican Party and the breakup of the Democratic Party. Explain why the Republican victory in 1860 led to Southern secession. Compare and contrast the philosophies of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Analyze the advantages held by the North at the beginning of the Civil War. Describe the actions taken by Abraham Lincoln in the early days of the war. Describe the First Battle of Bull Run and its effect on Union strategy. Describe scientific advancements and industrial warfare during the Civil War.
Unit 9 (MILESTONE V) Describe the three theaters of the Civil War. Explain why the Southern strategy was defensive. Describe the South s plan to gain the support of Great Britain. Describe the two basic regions of the Western Theater. Describe the events leading to the Battle of Shiloh. Explain why Vicksburg, Mississippi, was so important to both the North and the South. Describe events in the Eastern Theater of the Civil War. Describe the battle of the first ironclads. Recount the contributions of Mathew Brady to the history of the Civil War. Describe Confederate attempts to invade Maryland and threaten Washington, D.C. Describe the purpose of the Morrill Land-Grant Act and the Homestead Act of 1862. Explain the results of the Emancipation Proclamation. Describe the work of Clara Barton and the state of medicine and surgery during the Civil War. Describe the Union actions taken to defeat the Confederate defenders of Vicksburg. Explain the importance of Chattanooga and northern Georgia to both the North and South. Describe the failed invasions that took place in December 1862 and in 1863. Memorize the Gettysburg Address. Interpret evidences that show the unpopularity of the Civil War. Describe the draft riots in New York City. Describe the Presidential election of 1864 and events in Georgia in 1864. Describe the Richmond Campaign and General Lee s surrender. Describe events of the Lincoln assassination and the fate of the conspirators. Unit 10 (MILESTONE V) Describe the Ten Percent Plan and the costs of the war. Explain the Wade-Davis Plan and the purpose and passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. Describe the basic points of Andrew Johnson s Reconstruction Plan. Explain why the former Confederate states were forced to repudiate their debts. Explain why Congress seized control of the Reconstruction process. Describe the life and conditions of soldiers returning home after the war. List the objectives of the Radical Republicans for Reconstruction of the South. Describe and explain the purpose of the Black Codes. Explain the Freedmen s Bureau, and understand the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment. Explain the results of the election of 1866 and their impact on Reconstruction. Understand the life of the freedmen after emancipation, and explain the idea of sharecropping. Describe the opportunities and success of black businessmen shortly after the Civil War. Explain the battle between the states and the Congress over the rights of the freedmen. Explain the fight over Reconstruction, and list the states in each military district.
Describe the actions of the Ku Klux Klan and the laws passed to put an end to this organization. Describe the Tenure of Office Act and the Command of the Army Act. Explain the reasons for Andrew Johnson s impeachment. Describe the purchase of the Alaskan territory and the causes of the Plains Indians Wars. Describe the effectiveness of the Dawes Act and events of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Describe three groups who angered Southern whites during the Reconstruction. Describe the importance of the election of Hiram Rhodes Revels. Explain the Black Friday scandal as well as the Credit Mobilier scandal of 1872. Describe positive achievements of the Grant administration and the Presidential election of 1876. Explain the Compromise of 1877 as the last great sectional compromise. Describe the Texas Constitution.