New Hampshire Social Curriculum Frameworks

Introduction Broad Goals Civics and Government Economics Geography History

History

Note: From the many relevant resources listed in the reference section of this framework, two works were used as the primary basis for the organization and development of New Hampshire's history standards. These publications are Building a History Curriculum: Guidelines for Teaching History in Schools prepared by the Bradley Commission on History in Schools and Lessons from History: Essential Understandings and Historical Perspectives Students Should Acquire prepared by the National Center for History in Schools.

Purpose. America is bound together by a democratic vision of liberty, equality, and justice. In order to preserve that vision and bring it into daily practice, all citizens need to understand American history to tell us who we are and who we are becoming; the history of Western civilization to illuminate our democratic political heritage; and world history to comprehend the interactions among the world's nations and people. To be effective, the study of history must focus on broad, significant themes and questions that provide students with context for the acquisition and understanding of facts and other useful information. These themes, together with the proficiency standards identified below, support local curriculum planners in the organization and design of programs of study. They also provide teachers with a means to convey the excitement, complexity, and relevance of the past. Furthermore, the study of history must provide students with training in the use of primary and secondary sources to analyze events, evaluate information, and solve problems; and opportunities for students to cultivate the perspective that comes from the development of a chronological view of the past down to the present day. In sum, historical knowledge and patterns of thought are indispensable to the education of citizens in a participatory democracy.

Curriculum Standard 16

Students will demonstrate the ability to employ historical analysis, interpretation, and comprehension to make reasoned judgements and to gain an understanding, perspective, and appreciation of history and its uses in contemporary situations.

Proficiency Standards
By the end of grade six students will be able to:

Locate events in time--past, present, and future--by using basic chronological concepts including calendars, elapsed time, and story sequence (beginning, middle, end).
Construct time lines of significant historical events in their community, state, and nation.
Interpret data presented in time lines in order to determine when events took place.
Identify and discuss the main ideas in historical narratives, their purpose, and the point of view from which they were constructed.
Examine historical data related to ideas, events, and people from a given time-frame in order to reconstruct a chronology and identify examples of cause and effect.
Demonstrate an understanding that people, artifacts, and documents represent links to the past and that they are sources of data from which historical accounts are constructed.
Examine historical documents, artifacts, and other materials and classify them as primary or secondary sources of historical data.
Understand the significance of the past to themselves and to society.
Display historical perspective by describing the past through the eyes and experiences of those who were there, as related through their memories, literature, diaries, letters, debates, arts, maps, and artifacts.
Discuss the importance of individuals and groups that have made a difference in history, and the significance of character and actions for both good and ill.
Recognize the difference between fact and conjecture and between evidence and assertion.
Frame useful questions in order to obtain, examine, organize, evaluate, and interpret historical information.
Use basic research skills to investigate and prepare a report on a historical person or event.

End-of-Grade 10 (Secondary)

In addition to the above, by the end of grade 10 students will be able to:

Construct and interpret parallel time lines on multiple themes.
Group events by broadly-defined eras in the history of the state, nation, or area under study.
Analyze historical documents, artifacts, and other materials for credibility, relevance, and point of view.
Examine historical materials relating to a particular region, society, or theme; analyze change over time; and make logical inferences concerning cause and effect.
Use historical materials to trace the development of an idea or trend across space or over a prolonged period of time in order to identify and explain patterns of historical continuity and change.
Develop and implement research strategies in order to investigate a given historical topic.
Critically analyze historical materials in order to distinguish between the important and the inconsequential and differentiate among historical facts, opinions, and reasoned judgements.
Perceive past events and issues as they were experienced by the people at the time to avoid viewing, analyzing, and evaluating the past only in terms of the present (present-mindedness).
Explain, using examples from history, that not all problems have clear-cut solutions.
Explain that judgements and generalizations about the past are often tentative and must be used carefully when dealing with present issues.
Utilize knowledge of the past and the processes of historical analysis to carry out historical research; make comparisons; develop and defend generalizations; draw and support conclusions; construct historical explanations, narratives, and accounts; solve problems; and make informed decisions.

Curriculum Standard 17

Students will demonstrate a knowledge of the chronology and significance of the unfolding story of America including the history of their community, New Hampshire, and the United States.

Proficiency Standards
By the end of grade six students will be able to:

Employ the techniques of historical analysis, interpretation, and comprehension identified in curriculum standard 16 as well as the themes described on page 32 to gain an understanding of local, New Hampshire, and United States history.
Outline the chronology of major events in local, New Hampshire, and United States history from the first arrival of humans to the present.
Describe the migration of large groups of people into and throughout the United States from the first arrival of humans to the present.
Discuss the on-going story of their community, state, and nation in terms of the contributions of countless individuals.
Identify and describe the contributions to the development of the United States and New Hampshire of key women and men involved with the founding of our state and nation; government and politics; business and economics; science and technology; and the arts.
Discuss the reasons why various groups of people came to America; why and how they became Americans; and how they contributed to the development of our country.
Explain the derivations of the name of our state, the names of its counties and major geographic features, and the name of their community.
Discuss the origin, functions, and development of New Hampshire town meetings from the 17th century to the present.
Compare a student's day in a New Hampshire school from the 17th century to the present.
Describe the history, use, and significance to New Hampshire of the state seal and flag, the Old Man of the Mountain, The Granite State, and Live Free or Die.
Describe the history, use, and significance to America of the Liberty Bell; George Washington as the father of our country; national flag; graphic representations of Liberty and Justice; Uncle Sam; Great Seal; White House; Lincoln Memorial; Statue of Liberty; veterans' memorials; Pledge of Allegiance; National Anthem; and E Pluribus Unum.
Describe the history and significance of Civil Rights Day, Washington's Birthday or Presidents' Day, Patriots' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Election Day, Veterans' Day, and Thanksgiving.
Explain, using examples, how folklore, literature, and the arts reflect, maintain, and transmit our national and cultural heritage.

In addition to the above, by the end of grade 10 students will be able to:

Describe the factors that led to the meeting of people from three worlds (The Great Convergence) that followed the arrival of Columbus in 1492 including major cultural changes in 15th-century Europe; the status and complexity of pre-Colombian societies in the Americas; and the status and complexity of West African societies in the 15th century.
Discuss the immediate impact and long-term consequences of The Great Convergence in terms of the continuing theme--the making of the American people.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Colonial Era (1565-1776) including characteristics of English colonies in North America; differences among Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English colonies in the Americas; the interaction of Native American, black, and colonial cultures; and the planting and maturing of new societies.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Revolutionary Era (1763-1787) including the causes of the Revolution; the establishment of government through the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Continental Congress; the Revolutionary War; the consequences of the Revolution; and the Northwest Ordinance.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Building of Our Nation (1783-1820) including the formation of our national government through the creation and ratification of the Constitution and Bill of Rights; conflicting views of Hamilton and Jefferson; origins of the two-party system; impact of the French Revolution; developing ideas of equality, independence, and civic virtue; the emerging role of presidential leadership; the beginnings of judicial review; and the implications of the War of 1812.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Expanding Nation: The North and South (1803-1860) including geographic and demographic expansion; market expansion; early industrialization (Industrial Revolution); the plantation system; growth of cities; immigrants and their experiences; political change; religious roots of reform movements; and the legacies of the temperance, public education, abolitionist, and women's rights movements.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Expanding Nation: Westward Movement (1803-1860) including the Louisiana Purchase; Indian policy and treaties; Manifest Destiny; the significance of the War with Mexico; interactions of white and black Americans, Native Americans, Asians, and Mexicans; and the economic, social, and political impact of the West on the growing nation.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877) including the slave system in the Old South and its defenders and opponents, North and South; causes of the war; conduct and course of the war; Lincoln's leadership and words; the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments; and the accomplishments, limits, and failures of Reconstruction.
Discuss the contributions of New Hampshire to United States history from 1600 through 1877 including the economic development of the colonies; Revolutionary War; creation and ratification of the United States Constitution; Industrial Revolution; abolitionist and other 19th century reform movements; creation of the Republican Party; and Civil War.
Discuss the impact on New Hampshire and its communities of major events and developments in United States history from 1600 through 1877 including the settlement of America; creation of the United States; War of 1812; Industrial Revolution; westward migration; expansion of the railroads; and Civil War.

In addition to the above, by the end of grade 12 students will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Second Industrial Revolu-tion (1865-1920) including technological developments; transformation of the economy in the late-1800s; immigration; role of education; urbanization; changes in work and the work-place; rise of labor unions; modernization of agriculture; Populism; development of the trans-Mississippi West; widespread political corruption; the civil service system; and mass politics.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Progressive Era (1900-1914) including the social justice movement; reform in the cities and states; Progressivism and national politics; and the impact of World War I on the Progressive Movement.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Emergence of the United States as a World Power (1890-1920) including the Spanish American War; American expansion in the far East and Latin America; the United States in World War I; effects of the war on the homefront; and America's role in postwar peacemaking.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the 1920s: A Decade of Prosperity and Problems (1920-1930) including economic changes and their ramifications; progress and conflict in the social and cultural scene; domestic politics; and foreign relations.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Depression and the New Deal (1929-1941) including the origins of the Great Depression and its effects on people and society; the major approaches and programs of the New Deal; and the continuing debate over the successes and failures of the New Deal.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of World War II and the Cold War (1939-1961) including the causes, conduct, course, and aftermath of World War II; effects of the war on the homefront; the emergence of the United States as a superpower; the origins of the Cold War; and postwar political developments at home and abroad.
Demonstrate an understanding of major topics in the study of the Recent United States (1949-present) including the Civil Rights and women's movements; new immigration policies; foreign policy developments; the Cold War; post-World War II conflicts; technological and economic change; expanding religious diversity and the growth of religious evangelicalism; and the United States in the contemporary world.
Discuss the contributions of New Hampshire to United States history from 1865 through the present including the Second Industrial Revolution; conservation movement; arts and literature; World War I; New Deal; World War II; presidential politics; and Space Program.
Discuss the impact on New Hampshire and its communities of major events and developments in United States history from 1865 through the present including the Second Industrial Revolution; Progressivism; World War I; Great Depression; World War II; advances in technology; changing patterns of energy production and use; changes in the world marketplace; and increases in leisure time and tourism.

Curriculum Standard 18

Students will demonstrate a knowledge of the chronology and significant developments of world history including the study of ancient, medieval, and modern Europe (Western civilization) with particular emphasis on those developments that have shaped the experience of the entire globe over the last 500 years and those ideas, institutions, and cultural legacies that have directly influenced American thought, culture, and politics.

Proficiency Standards
By the end of grade six students will be able to:

Employ the techniques of historical analysis, interpretation, and comprehension identified in curriculum standard 16 as well as the themes described on page 32 to gain an understanding of significant developments in world history including Western civilization.
Demonstrate a basic understanding of the origin, development, and distinctive characteristics of major ancient, classical, and agrarian civilizations including the Mesopotamian, Ancient Hebrew, Egyptian, Nubian (Kush), Greek, Roman, Gupta Indian, Han Chinese, Islamic, Byzantine, Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, and Incan Civilizations.
Discuss the connections among civilizations from earliest times as well as the continuing growth in interaction among the world's people including the impact of changes in transportation and communication.
Demonstrate an understanding of major landmarks in the human use of the environment from Paleolithic times to the present including the agricultural transformation at the beginning; the industrial transformation in recent centuries; and the current technological revolution.
Demonstrate a basic understanding of the distinctive characteristics of major contemporary societies and cultures of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

In addition to the above, by the end of grade 10 students will be able to:

Discuss the political, philosophical, and cultural legacies of ancient Greece and Rome.
Compare the origin, central ideas, institutions, and worldwide influence of major religious and philosophical traditions including Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.
Discuss the contributions of Judaism and Christianity to the development of Western civilization.
Demonstrate an understanding of major developments in Europe during the Middle Ages including nomadic invasions from the Eurasian Steppes; interactions with the Muslim world; Byzantine Empire; Black Death; and feudalism and the evolution of representative government.
Demonstrate an understanding of major developments in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries including the Renaissance and the Reformation; the rise of the Ottoman Empire; the origins of capitalism; and exploration and colonization.
Discuss the significance of the English Revolution of the 17th century including its political ideas and the development of parliamentary government, at home and in the colonies.
Discuss the evolution of Western culture and ideas during the Enlightenment including the scientific revolution of the 17th century and the intellectual revolution of the 18th century.
Discuss the causes, results, and influence on the rest of the world of the American and French Revolutions.
Discuss the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the world including its social and economic consequences and its effect on politics and culture.
Discuss the origins, political ideas, and worldwide effects on society, politics, and economics of the European ideologies of the 19th and 20th centuries including Conservatism, Liberalism, republicanism, social democracy, Marxism, Communism, Fascism, Nazism, and nationalism.
Discuss the nature and growth of European imperialism in the 18th and 19th centuries as well as decolonization in the 20th century including the consequences of both in Europe and their effects in Africa, India, East Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.
Demonstrate an understanding of the causes and worldwide consequences of World War I, the Russian Revolutions, World War II, the Chinese Revolution, the Cold War, and post-World War II conflicts.
Discuss the significance of major cultural, economic, and political developments in the 20th century including the development and internationalization of art, music, and literature; the worldwide quest for democracy, political freedom, and human rights; the making of the European community of nations; the growth of international trade; and new approaches to worldwide cooperation and interdependence.