Curriculum Framework: Social Studies

SUPPORT SKILLS

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND ECONOMICS

Historical and Cultural Inquiries

The student will analyze historical events and assess their impact on the formation and functioning of government.
-identify people and events that characterize the major issues or periods of American political development, including independence, the Constitution, immigration, the Civil Rights movement, and Supreme Court decisions
-evaluate the influence of various forces and philosophies in the creation of the constitutional system of the United States
-analyze historical and contemporary conflicts over the respective roles of local, state, and national governments

Geographic Skills and Concepts

The student will analyze the impact of physical geography on the structure of American government and economics.
-define United States political regions and explain ways they are interconnected
-analyze why states have their own constitutions and the relationship of state constitutions to the federal constitution
-examine the relationships among local, state, and national governments

Civic Concepts and Systems

The student will analyze the role and structure of American government and its effects on society and the individual.
-explain the structure of the United States government
-analyze the major documents which shape United States government:
-Declaration of Independence
-the Constitution
-the Bill of Rights
-identify opportunities where students can improve the quality of life in their own communities
-state and defend positions on issues in which traditional democratic values and principles are in conflict
-evaluate positions of contemporary issues on the proper balance between individual rights and the common good
-explain how the design of the United States Constitution is intended to balance and check powers and prevent their abuse
-analyze historical and contemporary conflicts over the respective roles of local, state, and national governments
-evaluate the contemporary role of voters, political parties, associations, and groups in local, state, and national politics
-explain citizenship as an entitlement to protection of legally defined rights and as an obligation to a set of responsibilities
-compare and analyze the rights of citizens and non-citizens
-describe historical and current examples of citizen movements seeking to expand liberty to ensure rights of all citizens
-evaluate the claim that constitutional democracy is fragile and that it requires the participation of an attentive, knowledgeable, and competent citizenry
-describe various ways one can exercise leadership and participate in public affairs

Economic Perspectives

The student will examine how government impacts and is influenced by economic factors.
-describe how incentives (wages, rent, interest, and profits) allow individuals , businesses, governments, and societies to use scarce human, capital, and natural resources more efficiently to meet economic goals
-evaluate economic systems by their ability to achieve broad societal goals such as freedom, efficiency, equity, security, employment, stability, and economic growth
-compare and contrast the characteristics of different market structures, including pure competition, oligopoly, monopoly, and monopolistic competition
-interpret measurements of inflation rates and unemployment and relate them to the general economic health of the national economy
-compare and contrast different types of taxes, including progressive, regressive, and proportional taxes
-explain possible economic roles of government, including the following:
-providing public goods and services
-maintaining competition
-redistributing income
-promoting employment
-stabilizing prices
-sustaining reasonable rates of economic growth
-analyze the effects of specific government regulations on different groups, including consumers, employees, and businesses -explain why nations often restrict trade by using quotas, tariffs, and non-tariff barriers to trade
-identify how monetary policies can affect exchange rates and international trade