South Dakota Social Studies Standards

The standards in grade six expand student understanding of history by studying the people and events that ushered in the dawn of the major western and non-western ancient civilizations. Geography is of special significance in the development of the human story. Continued emphasis is placed on the everyday lives, problems, and accomplishments of people and their role in developing social, economic, and political structures, as well as in establishing and spreading ideas that helped transform the world forever. Students develop higher levels of critical thinking by considering why civilizations developed where they did, why they became dominant, and why they declined. Students analyze the interactions among the various cultures, emphasizing their enduring contributions and the link, despite time, between the contemporary and ancient worlds.

1. describe the early physical and cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic period to the agricultural revolution, emphasizing the hunter-gatherer societies and their characteristics, including the development of tools and the use of fire; the locations of human communities that populated the major regions of the world and how humans adapted to a variety of environments; and the climatic changes and the human modifications of the physical environment that gave rise to the domestication of plants and animals.
2. analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures of Mesopotamia and Egypt with emphasis on the location and description of the river systems, the physical settings that supported permanent settlement and early civilizations, the development of agricultural techniques that increased production which led to economic surplus, the emergence of cities as centers of culture and power, the relationship between religion and the social and political orders in each civilization, the origin and influence of Judaism, the significance of Hammurabi’s Code, the art and architecture of Egypt, the impact of Egyptian trade in the eastern Mediterranean and Nile Valley, the evolution of language and its written forms, and cultural contributions and their effect on modern everyday life.
3. analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures of ancient China and India with emphasis on the location and description of the river systems and the physical settings that supported the rise of these civilizations; the geographical features of China that made governance and movement of ideas and goods difficult and served to isolate that region from the rest of the world; the significance of the Aryan invasions in India with emphasis on the social structure of the caste system; the major beliefs and practices of Hinduism; the major beliefs and practices of Buddhism and how it spread to other regions, especially during the Mauryan Empire; the fundamental teachings of Confucianism and Taoism; the policies, achievements, and political contributions of the Qin and Han dynasties in China; the locations and significance of the trans-Eurasian "silk roads"; and cultural contributions and their effect on modern everyday life.
4. analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures of the early civilization of Ancient Greece with emphasis on the location and physical setting that supported the rise of this civilization; the connections between geography and the development of city-states, including patterns of trade and commerce; the transition from tyranny and oligarchy to early democratic forms of government and the significance of citizenship; the differences between Athenian, or direct, democracy and representative democracy; the significance of Greek mythology to the everyday life of people in ancient Greece and its influence on modern literature and language; the similarities and differences between life in Athens and Sparta; the rise of Alexander the Great in the north and the spread of Greek culture; and the cultural contributions in the areas of arts, science, language, architecture, government and philosophy.
5. analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures in the development of Rome with emphasis on the location and physical setting that supported the rise of the Roman republic; the significance of the republican form of government; the political and geographic reasons for the growth of the Roman Empire; the influence of Julius Caesar and Augustus in Rome’s transition from republic to empire; the origin and spread of Christianity during the Roman Empire; and the cultural contributions in the areas of art, architecture, technology, science, literature, language, and law.
6. analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures of the Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations with emphasis on the locations and physical settings of Mexico, Central and South America that supported the rise of these civilizations; the geographic influence on Mayan, Aztec, and Incan economies, their trade, and the development of urban societies; the roles of people in each society, including class structures, family life, warfare, beliefs, and slavery; the reasons that the Spanish were able to defeat Aztec and Inca Empires; the artistic and oral traditions and architecture of the three civilizations; and the cultural contributions especially in the areas of astronomy, mathematics, and agriculture.

The standards for grade seven will include the study of the peoples, places, and environments in the Western Hemisphere and Europe. The knowledge, skills, and perspectives of the course are centered on population and cultural characteristics, landforms and climates, economic and political systems, and migration and settlement patterns within these regions. Standards 1-7 provide the foundation for understanding the earth’s physical and human systems. The five themes of geography provide the framework for studying these regions/countries.

1. use maps, globes, and other geographic tools to analyze the human and physical features in order to recognize the different map projections and explain the concept of distortion; explain the characteristics, purposes, and differences among maps, globes, aerial photographs, geographic models, and satellite images; apply the concepts of scale, orientation, latitude and longitude; create and compare political, physical, and thematic maps (e.g., choropleth maps, cartograms) of countries and regions; and create and interpret charts, graphs, and diagrams.
2. will explain how earth/sun relationships shape climate and vegetation patterns; and produce day and night, time zones, seasons, and major climatic variations.
3. study the basics of climate in order to understand the physical settings of this region by identifying the factors that influence climate such as latitude, ocean currents, winds and mountains, elevation, and nearness to water; identifying ways in which climate influences people; and locating the different climate zones (North and South Temperate zones, the Torrid Zone, and the North and South Frigid zones).
4. compare and contrast the distribution, growth rates, and characteristics of human populations by identifying the characteristics and the distribution of population both locally and in other parts of the world; identifying the causes of human migration; describing the demographic structure of a population by creating and analyzing population pyramids; explaining reasons for variation in population distribution; researching appropriate sources to obtain current population information; and
5. understand the concept of culture by explaining how culture and technology affect perceptions of places and regions, explaining the spatial distribution of cultures both locally and in other parts of the United States and the world, and describing how cultures and cultural landscapes change.
6. understand the effects of interactions between human and physical systems and the changes in meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources by describing how human modifications of physical environments in one place often lead to changes in other places; explaining the role of technology in the human modification of the physical environment; explaining how the characteristics of different physical environments provide opportunities for or place constraints on human activities; identifying how technology affects the definition of, access to, and use of resources; and describing why people have different viewpoints with respect to resource use.
7. know how and why people define regions by identifying a region by defining its distinguishing characteristics, explaining how and why regions change, and analyzing the influences and effects of regional labels and images (e.g., Sun Belt states attract retirees and tourists).
8. analyze the geographic, political, economic and social structure of each region/country with emphasis on location and physical setting; the cultural characteristics of the people; the ways people have adapted to, changed, and used their environment in the past and present; the flow and interaction of people, ideas and products as they are influenced by transportation and communication systems; and the role this country/region has in the international setting.

The standards for eighth grade students relate to the history of the United States from causes of the Revolutionary War to the 1920s. Students will study United States history in chronological sequence, learn about change and continuity in our history and study documents and speeches that lay the foundation of American ideals. Students will understand the basic concepts of the Constitution and will identify key ideals of our form of government, such as justice, equality, and the rule of law, and discuss their application in specific situations. Eighth grade students will examine everyday life of people at different times in our history through primary and secondary sources. They will continue to learn fundamental concepts in civics, economics, and geography in the context of United States history.

1. identify and explain the sources of conflict which led to the American Revolution with emphasis on Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, and tax on tea.
2. identify key individuals and summarize their roles in the American Revolution, such as Thomas Jefferson, King George, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Samuel Adams, and Benjamin Franklin.
3. explain the political significance of the Declaration of Independence.
4. analyze major military battles and the role of major American and British military leaders in the American Revolution, such as Lexington and Concord, Saratoga, Yorktown, Bunker Hill, George Washington, Benedict Arnold, George Rogers Clark, William Howe, John Burgoyne, and Charles Cornwallis.
5. analyze the reasons why the colonies were able to defeat the British.
6. describe the successes and problems of the government under the Articles of Confederation.
7. contrast the differing points of view and compromises reached in the writing of the Constitution in 1787.
8. describe the basic structure of government adopted by the Constitutional Convention.
9. contrast the views of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the struggle for ratification of the Constitution.
10. explain the fundamental liberties stated in the Bill of Rights.
11. summarize and describe the emergence of two political parties and their leaders, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.
12. analyze the settlement patterns of the American people from the late 1700s to the mid-1800s focusing on how and why the land was acquired and settled, to include Louisiana Purchase, Florida, Oregon, and Texas.
13. examine how the following conflicts during the early to mid 1800s led to acquisition and settlement of land, to include War of 1812, Indian Conflict, Texas Revolution, and Mexican War.
14. evaluate the impact of inventions from the late 1700s to the mid 1800s, such as cotton gin, McCormick reaper, steamboat, and steam locomotive.
15. summarize the causes, key events, and effects of the Civil War with emphasis on philosophical differences between the North and South, as exemplified by men such as Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun on the constitutional issues of the doctrine of nullification and secession; geographic and economic differences between the agricultural South and industrial North; Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and his significant writings and speeches and their relationship to the Declaration of Independence, such as his "House Divided" speech (1858), the Gettysburg Address (1863), his second inaugural address of 1865; the views and lives of leaders and soldiers on both sides of the war including Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Sojourner Truth; and the critical developments in the war including the major battles, geographical advantages and obstacles, technological advances, and Lee’s surrender at Appomattox.
16. analyze the impact of the Reconstruction policies with emphasis on the postwar impact of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments to the Constitution, and their connection to the Reconstruction; Lincoln’s plan and the plan of Congress; migration of former slaves to cities in the North and West; and the effects of the Freedman’s Bureau and the Jim Crow laws on the South.
17. explain how, following the Civil War, massive immigration combined with the rise of big business, heavy industry, and mechanized farming transformed American life with emphasis on: western settlement and changing federal policy toward the Indians, obstacles faced and contributions made by immigrants, and the growth of American cities.
18. explain the impact of industrialization and urbanization with emphasis on reform movements such as muckraking literature, the Progressive movement, women’s suffrage and temperance, child labor, and organized labor, significant inventors and their inventions (e.g., Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Orville and Wilbur Wright); and laissez-faire policies toward big business and the rise of entrepreneurs and industrialists in politics, commerce, and industry (e.g., Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller).
19. describe and analyze the changing role of the United States in world affairs with emphasis on

the Spanish-American War, the Panama Canal, Theodore Roosevelt’s "Big Stick Diplomacy," United States role in World War I, and the League of Nations.