Units of Study

This course covers 1865 to the present.  Below each unit you will find the Enduring Understandings for each unit.  An enduring understanding is a key point that you will learn in the unit.

Unit 1 Reconstruction to 1898 

• The balance of power between the three branches of government and between the states and federal government is constantly being renegotiated.
• Although the responsibility of the federal government to protect the rights of minorities and the individual evolved as policy, the government does not always follow through to ensure enforcement of these policies.
• Industrialization had both positive and negative results. While the technological explosion causes an explosion in the standard of living and provided opportunities for many new immigrants, the creation of cities and the exploitation of the working class generated new social problems.
• Westward expansion helps to define American Identity. People moved west in search of new opportunities and spurned by improvements in transportation, yet their experience often did not live up to their expectations and helped cause the destruction of Native American cultures and the environment.

Unit 2 1899 - 1929

Unit 3 1929 - 1945

• During times of great crisis, there is a large philosophical and policy shift by the government that allows the country to effectively deal with the crisis.
• Governments address the balance between civil liberties and security/authority.
• There is frequently a philosophical debate over the size and scope of government involvement in the lives of the citizens
• War often sparks great leaps in medical and technological knowledge
• Individuals are willing to make great sacrifices in order to preserve a way of life.

Unit 4 1946 - 1968

• During the Red Scare, the United States government attempted to balance civil liberties and security/authority.
• The Cold War resulted from competition between the United States and Soviet Union for international power and the tension between communist and democratic political and economic systems.
• During this era, the United States became a superpower and defined the responsibilities of a world leader.
• During this era, fuller civil rights were extended to more Americans, including women, African Americans, and people living in poverty.
• Post-war economic prosperity had a profound impact on family structure, residential patterns, and social values.

Unit 5 1968 - 1980

• As a world superpower, the US became increasingly involved in world affairs.
• Many citizens of the US protested against government actions they believed were illegal, unfair or harmful.
• The citizens of the US demonstrated an increasing concern for the environment.
• More minority groups sought an expansion of civil rights.

Unit 6 1981 - Present

• The factors that contribute to a nation’s foreign policy include threats to sovereignty, economic security, alliance building, regional stability, and humanitarian concerns. A nation’s foreign policy adjusts in response to changing needs and goals.
• These variables affect political, economic, and social systems. Understanding trends of change in a nation provide insight into the direction for future development.
• Societies anticipate and prepare for the future by observing patterns of the present. America’s future will be determined in part by the patterns of American culture seen today.
• Turning points establish new patterns that impact social, economic, and political systems.
• The pattern of presidential power in recent decades has fluctuated in response to changing national and international concerns. In times of crisis, presidential power has risen to meet challenges of national security and economic stability.
• In modern times, new patterns of American life have developed in response to technology, globalization, and changes in American society.

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