Eighth Grade

United States History and Geography: Colonization of North America to Reconstruction and the American West

​

Course Description: Eighth grade students will study the European Exploration of North America along with the geographic features that influenced early settlements and colonies. This course will emphasize the development and maturation of the British colonies, and the political, cultural, and economic influences that led to the American Revolution.  The major events and outcomes of the American Revolution will be analyzed, along with the individuals that played influential roles in the development of the new nation.  Students will follow the development of the United States and its government, continuing through the early 19th Century.  The impact of the expansion of the United States will be analyzed , including implications on domestic and foreign policy.  Policies that affected the American Indians will also be studied.  The events leading up to the Civil War will be examined , along with the individuals and events that were significant during the war.  The history, people, government, and geography of Tennessee will be emphasized in order to illustrate the role our state has played in American history.  Reconstruction and the development of the American West will conclude the course.  Appropriate primary sources and informational texts will be included in order to enhance understanding of the content.