8th Grade US History

8th Grade US History is the study of the United States from the colonial days of the 1700's to the defining era of Reconstruction in 1877. We focus on Big Idea questions that guide our journey through history. History is a puzzle and we will fill in the mystery of history piece by piece. At the end of the year students will see the full picture and understand the deeper connections of history. The first semester will focus on the 13 Colonies, the American Revolution, the US Constitution and the first five Presidents. The second semester focuses on Manifest Destiny, US expansion, relations with foreign countries, wars, conflict and change. The defining moment of the Spring will be the US Civil War and Reconstruction. We will complete an in depth study of both the conflict and its aftermath. As we go on the journey of US history we will spend time on the defining moments of our Presidents and other key leaders. We will look at issues from both sides and understand the role that point of viewo plays in history. Overall, we will stress critical thinking skills and we will work to build our writing skills by writing in multiple formats on a variety of topics.