Individuals and Societies- U.S. History
Grade 8 ( Middle Years Program - Year 3)
“The MYP individuals and societies subject group incorporates disciplines traditionally studied under
humanities and social sciences. This subject group encourages learners to respect and understand the
world around them, and equips them with the necessary skills to inquire into historical, geographical,
political, social, economic, and cultural factors that affect individuals, societies and environments.
The study of individuals and societies helps students to appreciate critically the diversity of human
culture, attitudes and beliefs. Courses in this subject group are important for helping students to
recognize that both content and methodology can be debatable and controversial, and for practicing the
tolerance of uncertainty.” (MYP Individuals and Societies Subject Guide, 2015)
The U.S. History course in 8th grade presents a chronological account of the American experience from
early colonial times through the Civil War. Students discover the foundation upon which the United
States was built by studying early exploration, the establishment of the thirteen colonies, causes of the
American Revolution, and important documents in American history including the Declaration of
Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Students explore the growth and development of
the new nation and its government, build their knowledge of the Thomas Jefferson era, and learn how
the North and South started moving in different directions. The final unit examines the causes and
effects of the Civil War.
Course Objectives and Standards
Listed below are some of the key objectives covered in U.S. History. They are taken from the Michigan K12 2015 Social Studies Standards DRAFT- Social Studies Content Expectations Grade Eight, authored by
the Michigan Department of Education.
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Describe the ideas, experiences, and interactions that influenced the colonists’ decisions to
declare independence by analyzing colonial ideas about government, experiences with selfgovernment, and changing interactions with the royal government of Great Britain after the
French and Indian War.
Using the Declaration of Independence, including the grievances at the end of the document,
describe the role this document played in expressing colonists’ views of government and their
reasons for separating from Great Britain.
Describe the consequences of the American Revolution by analyzing the birth of an independent
republican government, creation of Articles of Confederation, changing views on freedom and
equality, and concerns over distribution of power within governments, between government
and the governed, and among people.
Explain the reasons for the adoption and subsequent failure of the Articles of Confederation.
Identify economic and political questions facing the nation during the period of the Articles of
Confederation and the opening of the Constitutional Convention.
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Describe the major issues debated at the Constitutional Convention including the distribution of
political power, conduct of foreign affairs, rights of individuals, rights of states, election of the
executive, and slavery as a regional and federal issue.
Explain how the new constitution resolved (or compromised) the major issues including sharing,
separating, and checking of power among federal government institutions, dual sovereignty
(state-federal power), rights of individuals, the Electoral College, the Three-Fifths Compromise,
and the Great Compromise.
Use Washington’s Farewell Address to analyze the most significant challenges the new nation
faced and the extent to which subsequent Presidents heeded Washington’s advice.
Explain the changes in America’s relationships with other nations by analyzing treaties with
American Indian nations, Jay’s Treaty (1795), French Revolution, Pinckney’s Treaty (1795),
Louisiana Purchase, War of 1812, Transcontinental Treaty (1819), and the Monroe Doctrine.
Explain how political parties emerged out of the competing ideas, experiences, and fears of
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton (and their followers), despite the worries the
Founders had concerning the dangers of political division, by analyzing disagreements over
relative power of the national government and of the executive branch, foreign relations,
economic policy.
Compare and contrast the social and economic systems of the Northeast and the South with
respect to geography and climate and the development of agriculture, including changes in
productivity, technology, supply and demand, and price, industry, including entrepreneurial
development of new industries, such as textiles, the labor force including labor incentives and
changes in labor forces, transportation including changes in transportation (steamboats and
canal barges) and impact on economic markets and prices, immigration and the growth of
nativism, race relations, and class relations.
Explain the ideology of the institution of slavery, its policies, and consequences.
Explain the expansion, conquest, and settlement of the West through the Louisiana Purchase,
the removal of American Indians (Trail of Tears) from their native lands, the growth of a system
of commercial agriculture, the Mexican-American War, and the idea of Manifest Destiny.
Explain the differences in the lives of free blacks (including those who escaped from slavery)
with the lives of free whites and enslaved peoples.
Describe how the following increased sectional tensions: the Missouri Compromise (1820), the
Wilmot Proviso (1846), the Compromise of 1850 including the Fugitive Slave Act, the KansasNebraska Act (1854) and subsequent conflict in Kansas, the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision
(1857), and changes in the party system.
Describe the resistance of enslaved people and effects of their actions before and during the
Civil War.
Describe how major issues debated at the Constitutional Convention such as disagreements
over the distribution of political power, rights of individuals (liberty and property), rights of
states, election of the executive, and slavery help explain the Civil War.
Explain the reasons (political, economic, and social) why Southern states seceded and explain
the differences in the timing of secession in the Upper and Lower South.
Make an argument to explain the reasons why the North won the Civil War by considering the
critical events and battles in the war, the political and military leadership of the North and
South, the respective advantages and disadvantages, including geographic, demographic,
economic and technological.
Describe the role of African Americans in the war, including black soldiers and regiments, and
the increased resistance of enslaved peoples.
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Construct generalizations about how the war affected combatants, civilians (including the role
of women), the physical environment, and the future of warfare, including technological
developments.
Middle Years Program Individuals and Societies Criteria for Year 3 (Grade 8)
Criterion
A
Knowing and
Understanding
Use a range of terminology in context, demonstrate knowledge
and understanding of subject-specific content and concepts,
through descriptions, explanations and examples.
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Criterion
B
Investigating
Formulate/choose a clear and focused research question,
explaining its relevance, formulate and follow an action plan to
investigate a research question, use the methods to collect and
record relevant information, evaluate the research process and
results, with guidance.
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CriterionC
Communicating
Communicate information and ideas in a way that is appropriate
for the audience and purpose, structure information and ideas
according to the task instructions, create a reference list and cite
sources of information.
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Criterion
D
Thinking Critically
Analyze concepts, issues, models, visual representation and/or
theories, summarize information to make valid, well supported
arguments, analyze a range of sources/data in terms of origin
and purpose, recognizing values and limitations, recognize
different perspectives and explain their implications.
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