Social Studies 5th (6519)

Students learn about the development of the United States as a nation, with an emphasis on the period up to 1850. They learn about the creation of a new nation, peopled by immigrants from all parts of the globe and governed by institutions founded on the Judeo-Christian heritage, the ideals of the Enlightenment, and English traditions of self-government. This course focuses on the experiences of different racial, religious, and ethnic groups.

Major topics include:

• The land and people before Columbus
• The age of exploration
• Cooperation and conflict in North America
• Settling the colonies:
• Southern colonies
• Life in New England
• The middle colonies
• The road to war
• The American Revolution
• The development and significance of the U.S. Constitution
• Life in the young republic
• The new nation’s westward expansion