National History Education Clearinghouse

AL.1. Standard: United States Studies

• 1.1. Objective: Economics/Geography/History

  Describe Westward Expansion and its technological, economic, and social influence on the people of the United States prior to World War I.

  • 1.1.1. Grade Level Example:

    Locating states, capitals, and important geographic features west of the Mississippi River.

  • 1.1.2. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying major groups and individuals involved with Westward Expansion.

  • 1.1.3. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying areas of conflict and cooperation and trading practices among western settlers.

  • 1.1.4. Grade Level Example:

    Analyzing the impact of closing the frontier on Native Americans.

  • 1.1.5. Grade Level Example:

    Locating areas settled in the United States between 1877 and 1900.

• 1.2. Objective: Economics/Geography/History/Political Science

  Describe the impact of industrialization, free markets, urbanization, communication, and cultural changes in the United States prior to World War I.

  • 1.2.1. Grade Level Example:

    Discussing the construction of the Panama Canal.

  • 1.2.2. Grade Level Example:

    Explaining how the United States acquired Alaska and Hawaii.

• 1.3. Objective: Geography/History/Political Science

  Identify causes and consequences of the Spanish-American War.

  • 1.3.1. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying major people involved in the Spanish-American War.

  • 1.3.2. Grade Level Example:

    Locating major territories which were part of the treaty that ended the Spanish-American War.

• 1.4. Objective: Economics/Geography/History/Political Science

  Describe changing social conditions during the Progressive Period.

  • 1.4.1. Grade Level Example:

    Describing countries of origin and experiences of new immigrants to the United States.

  • 1.4.2. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying political and social leaders of the Progressive Movement.

  • 1.4.3. Grade Level Example:

    Analyzing the impact of early civil rights movements on the lives of Americans.

  • 1.4.4. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying cultural changes from 1900-1920 resulting from religious beliefs, industrialization, urbanization, and changes in communication and technology.

• 1.5. Objective: Economics/Geography/History/Political Science

  Identify causes of World War I and reasons for entry into the war by the United States.

  • 1.5.1. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the role of the United States in World War I both militarily and on the home front

  • 1.5.2. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying important people involved in World War I

  • 1.5.3. Grade Level Example:

    Discussing technological advances and their impact on the economy of the United States

  • 1.5.4. Grade Level Example:

    Locating on a map or globe major countries involved in World War I and boundary changes after the war

  • 1.5.5. Grade Level Example:

    Explaining rejection of world leadership by the United States after World War I

• 1.6. Objective: Economics/History

  Identify cultural and economic developments in the society of the United States from 1877 through the 1930s.

  • 1.6.1. Grade Level Example:

    Discussing the contributions of inventors from 1877 to World War I.

  • 1.6.2. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the development of the modern woman.

  • 1.6.3. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying notable people of the 1920s.

  • 1.6.4. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the results of the economic policies of the Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover Administrations.

• 1.7. Objective: Economics/Geography/History/Political Science

  Identify causes of the Great Depression.

  • 1.7.1. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the effect of the Great Depression on the people of the United States.

  • 1.7.2. Grade Level Example:

    Locating on a map the area of the United States known as the Dust Bowl.

  • 1.7.3. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the importance of the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt as President of the United States.

  • 1.7.4. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the impact of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on the life of Alabamians.

  • 1.7.5. Grade Level Example:

    Locating river systems utilized by TVA.

• 1.8. Objective: Geography/History/Political Science

  List key figures, significant events, and reasons for the involvement of the United States in World War II.

  • 1.8.1. Grade Level Example:

    Locating on a map or globe countries controlled by the Axis powers from 1939-1942.

  • 1.8.2. Grade Level Example:

    Locating on a map or globe Allied countries and key battles in World War II.

  • 1.8.3. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the development and use of the atomic bomb.

  • 1.8.4. Grade Level Example:

    Describing social costs associated with World War II.

  • 1.8.5. Grade Level Example:

    Explaining the importance of the treaties ending World War II.

• 1.9. Objective: Economics/History/Political Science

  Identify changes in the American home front during World War II.

  • 1.9.1. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the changing role of women in the society of the United States during World War II.

  • 1.9.2. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the changing role of African Americans and Japanese Americans in the society of the United States during World War II.

• 1.10. Objective: History

  Identify major social and cultural changes in the United States from 1945 to 1960.

• 1.11. Objective: Geography/History/Political Science

  Identify critical events occurring in the United States and throughout the world from the Truman through the Johnson Administrations, including the Cold War, Berlin Airlift, Korean Conflict, space race, construction of Berlin Wall, Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, and Vietnam War.

  • 1.11.1. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying Alabama's role in the Cold War.

  • 1.11.2. Grade Level Example:

    Locating on a map areas of international conflict from 1945-1969.

• 1.12. Objective: Economics/History/Political Science

  Identify components of John F. Kennedy's New Frontier and Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society.

• 1.13. Objective: History/Political Science

  Describe the role of major civil rights leaders and significant events occurring during the modern Civil Rights Movement.

• 1.14. Objective: Economics/History

  Identify cultural and economic changes throughout the United States from 1960 to the present.

  • 1.14.1. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the impact of technological and social changes on the society of the United States from 1970 to the present.

• 1.15. Objective: Geography/History/Political Science

  Explain major political events from the Nixon administration to the present, including the Vietnam War; Watergate; the collapse of the Soviet Union; the Gulf War; the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; and the War on Terrorism.

  • 1.15.1. Grade Level Example:

    Identifying important legislation created from the Nixon Administration to the present.

  • 1.15.2. Grade Level Example:

    Describing the changing role of women and minorities in society from 1970 to the present.

  • 1.15.3. Grade Level Example:

    Locating on a map sites of significant historical events occurring between 1970 and the present.