Grade 8: Students study the ideas, issues and events from the framing of the Constitution up to World War I, with an emphasis on America’s role in the war. After reviewing the development of America’s democratic institutions founded in the Judeo-Christian heritage and English parliamentary traditions, particularly the shaping of the Constitution, students trace the development of American politics, society, culture and economy and relate them to the emergence of major regional differences. They make connections between the rise of industrialization and contemporary social and economic conditions.

Grade 9–12: Students pursue a deeper understanding of the institutions of American government. An emphasis is placed on analyzing the relationships among federal, state and local governments. These standards represent the culmination of civic literacy as students prepare to vote, participate in community activities and assume the responsibilities of citizenship.