New York State K–12 Social Studies Framework

A sense of self is developed through physical and cultural characteristics and through the development of personal likes...

Personal experiences shape our sense of self and help us understand our likes, dislikes, talents, and skills, as well as...

Each person is unique but also shares common characteristics with other family, school, and community members.

Unique family activities and traditions are important parts of an individual’s culture and sense of self.

Children and families from different cultures all share some common characteristics, but also have specific differences ...

Diverse cultural groups within the community and nation embrace unique traditions and beliefs, and celebrate distinct ho...

The study of American symbols, holidays, and celebrations helps to develop a shared sense of history, community, and cul...

Children have basic universal rights or protections as members of a family, school, community, nation, and the world.

Children can be responsible members of a family or classroom and can perform important duties to promote the safety and ...

Children and adults must follow rules within the home, school, and community to provide for a safe and orderly environme...

People in authority make rules and laws that provide for the health and safety of all.

Children and adults have opportunities to contribute to the development of rules and/or laws.

A globe represents Earth, and maps can be used to represent the world as well as local places or specific regions.

Places and regions can be located on a map or globe, using geographic vocabulary.

Places, physical features, and man-made structures can be located on a map or globe and described using specific geograp...

Climate, seasonal weather changes, and the physical features associated with the community and region all affect how peo...

Specific words and phrases related to chronology and time should be used when recounting events and experiences.

People use folktales, legends, oral histories, and music to teach values, ideas, traditions, and important events from t...

A need is something that a person must have for health and survival, while a want is something that a person would like ...

Goods are objects that can satisfy people’s needs and wants; services are activities that can satisfy people’s needs and...

Scarcity is the condition of not being able to have all of the goods and services that a person wants or needs.

Goods are consumable, tangible products; services are actions performed by a person or group of people with a certain sk...

A producer makes goods or provides a service, while a consumer uses or benefits from the goods or services.

People and families work to earn money to purchase goods and services that they need or want.

People make decisions about how to spend and save the money that they earn.

Families are a basic unit of all societies, and different people define family differently.

People and families of diverse racial, religious, national, and ethnic groups share their beliefs, customs, and traditio...

Awareness of America’s rich diversity fosters intercultural understanding.

The study of historical events, historical figures, and folklore enables Americans with diverse cultural backgrounds to ...

The Pledge of Allegiance and patriotic songs play an important role in understanding and examining the nation’s history,...

An engaged and active citizen participates in the activities of the group or community and makes positive contributions.

Traits of a responsible citizen include respecting others *, behaving honestly, helping others, obeying rules and laws, ...

As global citizens, we are connected to people and cultures beyond our own community and nation, and we have a shared re...

Rules and laws are developed to protect people’s rights and for the safety and welfare of the community.

Governments exist at the local, state, and national levels to represent the needs of the people, create and enforce laws...

Children can participate in problem solving, decision making, and conflict resolution within their home, school, and com...

Maps and map tools, such as legends and cardinal directions, can help us navigate from one place to the next, provide di...

Maps are used to locate important places in the community, state, and nation, such as capitals, monuments, hospitals, mu...

Symbols are used to represent physical features and man-made structures on maps and globes.

People and communities depend on the physical environment for natural resources.

Roads, dams, bridges, farms, parks, and dwellings are all examples of how people modify the physical environment to meet...

People interact with their physical environment in ways that may have a positive or a negative effect.

Personal and family history is a source of information for individuals about the people and places around them.

Families change over time, and family growth and change can be documented and recorded.

Families of long ago have similarities and differences with families today.

Sequence and chronology can be identified in terms of days, weeks, months, years, and seasons when describing family eve...

Various historical sources exist to inform people about life in the past, including artifacts, letters, maps, photograph...

Oral histories, biographies, and family time lines relate family histories.

Scarcity means that people’s wants exceed their limited resources.

Families and communities must make choices due to unlimited needs and wants, and scarce resources; these choices involve...

People use tools, technologies, and other resources to meet their needs and wants.

An urban community, or city, is characterized by dense population and land occupied primarily by buildings and structure...

Suburban communities are on the outskirts of cities, where human population is less dense, and buildings and homes are s...

Rural communities are characterized by large expanses of open land and significantly lower populations than urban or sub...

Activities available for people living in urban, suburban, and rural communities are different. The type of community a ...

People living in urban, suburban, and rural communities embrace traditions and celebrate holidays that reflect both dive...

A community is strengthened by the diversity of its members, with ideas, talents, perspectives, and cultures that can be...

The United States is founded on the democratic principles of equality, fairness, and respect for authority and rules.

Government is established to maintain order and keep people safe. Citizens demonstrate respect for authority by obeying ...

The process of holding elections and voting is an example of democracy in action in schools, communities, New York State...

Symbols of American democracy serve to unite community members.

Communities have the responsibility to make and enforce fair laws and rules that provide for the common good.

Communities have leaders who are responsible for making laws and enforcing laws.

Citizens provide service to their community in a variety of ways.

Urban, suburban, and rural communities can be located on maps, and the geographic characteristics of these communities c...

The location of physical features and natural resources often affects where people settle and may affect how those peopl...

Humans modify the environment of their communities through housing, transportation systems, schools, marketplaces, and r...

The location and place of physical features and man-made structures can be described using symbols and specific geograph...

Continuities and changes over time in communities can be described using historical thinking, vocabulary, and tools such...

Continuities and changes over time in communities can be examined by interpreting evidence such as maps, population char...

Cause-and-effect relationships help us to understand the changes in communities.

The availability of resources to meet basic needs varies across urban, suburban, and rural communities.

People make decisions to buy, sell, and use money based on their needs, wants, and the availability of resources.

Scarcity, the price of goods and services, and choice all influence economic decisions made by individuals and communiti...

Taxes are collected to provide communities with goods and services.

Goods are the products a person or group of people makes. Services are actions performed by a person or group of people ...

Members of a community specialize in different types of jobs that provide goods and/or services to the community. Commun...

At times, neighboring communities share resources and workers to support multiple communities.

Communities around the world produce goods and provide services.

World communities have needs, wants, and limited resources. To meet their needs and wants, communities trade with others...

Earth is comprised of water and large land masses that can be divided into distinct regions.

Globes, maps, photographs, and satellite images contain geographic information. Maps often have a title, legend or key, ...

World communities can be located on globes and maps.

World communities can be located in relation to each other and to principle parallels and meridians.

Geographic factors influence where people settle and their lifestyle. Some geographic factors make a location more suita...

People make adaptations and modifications to the environment. Advancements in science, technology, and industry can brin...

People in world communities use legends, folktales, oral histories, biographies, and historical narratives to transmit c...

Arts, music, dance, and literature develop through a community’s history.

The structure and activities of families and schools share similarities and differences across world communities.

Communities around the world can be diverse in terms of their members, languages spoken, customs and traditions, and rel...

Cultural diffusion is the process by which cultures exchange and transmit ideas, beliefs, technologies, and goods over t...

The United States government is based on democratic principles. The fundamental principles of other governments may be s...

The process of selecting leaders, solving problems, and making decisions differs across governments in nations and commu...

Different governments have different ways of maintaining order and keeping people safe. This includes making rules and l...

The definition of citizenship and the role of the citizen vary across different types of political systems, and citizens...

Across global communities, governments and citizens alike have a responsibility to protect human rights and to treat oth...

Across time and place, communities and cultures have struggled with prejudice and discrimination as barriers to justice ...

When faced with prejudice and discrimination, people can take steps to support social action and change.

World communities use human and natural resources in different ways.

People in communities have various ways of meeting their basic needs and earning a living.

Physical and thematic maps can be used to explore New York State’s diverse geography.

New York State can be represented using a political map that shows cities, capitals, and boundaries.

Geographic factors often influenced locations of early settlements. People made use of the resources and the lands aroun...

Native American groups developed specific patterns of organization and governance to manage their societies.

Each Native American group developed a unique way of life with a shared set of customs, beliefs, and values.

Europeans in search of a route to Asia explored New York’s waterways. Early settlements began as trading posts or missio...

Colonial New York became home to many different peoples, including European immigrants, and free and enslaved Africans. ...

In the mid-1700s, England and France competed against each other for control of the land and wealth in North America. Th...

Growing conflicts between England and the 13 colonies over issues of political and economic rights led to the American R...

After the Revolution, the United States of America established a federal government; colonies established state governme...

The New York State Constitution establishes the basic structure of government for the state. The government of New York ...

Government in New York State is organized into counties, cities, towns, and villages.

New Yorkers have rights and freedoms that are guaranteed in the United States Constitution, in the New York State Consti...

Citizens of the State of New York have responsibilities that help their nation, their state, and their local communities...

There were slaves in New York State. People worked to fight against slavery and for change.

Women have not always had the same rights as men in the United States and New York State. They sought to expand their ri...

The United States became divided over several issues, including slavery, resulting in the Civil War. New York State supp...

After the Revolution, New Yorkers began to move and settle farther west, using roads many of which had begun as Native A...

In order to connect the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean, the Erie Canal was built. Existing towns expanded and new t...

Improved technology such, as the steam engine and the telegraph made transportation and communication faster and easier....

Farming, mining, lumbering, and finance are important economic activities associated with New York State.

Entrepreneurs and inventors associated with New York State have made important contributions to business and technology.

Between 1865 and 1915, rapid industrialization occurred in New York State. Over time, industries and manufacturing conti...

As manufacturing moved out of New York State, service industries and high-technology industries have grown.

Immigrants came to New York State for a variety of reasons. Many immigrants arriving in New York City were greeted by th...

Beginning in the 1890s, large numbers of African Americans migrated to New York City and other northern cities to work i...

Various forms of scientific evidence suggest that humans came to North America approximately 25,000 to 14,000 years ago ...

Human populations that settled along rivers, in rainforests, along oceans, in deserts, on plains, in mountains, and in c...

Early peoples living together in settlements developed shared cultures with customs, beliefs, values, and languages that...

Civilizations share certain common characteristics of religion, job specialization, cities, government, language and wri...

Complex societies and civilizations adapted to and modified their environment to meet the needs of their people.

Political states can take different forms, such as city-states and empires. A city-state is comprised of a city with a g...

Europeans traveled to the Americas in search of new trade routes, including a northwest passage, and resources. They hop...

Europeans encountered and interacted with Native Americans in a variety of ways.

The transatlantic trade of goods, movement of people, and spread of ideas and diseases resulted in cultural diffusion. T...

Africans were captured, brought to the Americas, and sold as slaves. Their transport across the Atlantic was known as th...

Physical maps reflect the varied climate zones, landforms, bodies of water, and natural resources of the Western Hemisph...

The Western Hemisphere can be divided into regions. Regions are areas that share common, identifiable characteristics su...

The physical environment influences human population distribution, land use, and other forms of economic activity.

The countries of the Western Hemisphere have varied characteristics and contributions that distinguish them from other c...

Countries in the Western Hemisphere face a variety of concerns and issues specific to the region.

Government structures, functions, and founding documents vary from place to place in the countries of the Western Hemisp...

Legal, political, and historic documents define the values, beliefs, and principles of constitutional democracy.

Across time and place, different groups of people in the Western Hemisphere have struggled and fought for equality and c...

Multinational organizations and nongovernmental organizations in the Western Hemisphere seek to encourage cooperation be...

Different types of economic systems have developed across time and place within the Western Hemisphere. These economic s...

Peoples of the Western Hemisphere have engaged in a variety of economic activities to meet their needs and wants.

Countries trade with other countries to meet economic needs and wants. They are interdependent.

Maps can be used to represent varied climate zones, landforms, bodies of water, and resources of the Eastern Hemisphere.

The Eastern Hemisphere can be divided into regions. Regions are areas that share common identifiable characteristics, su...

The physical environment influences human population distribution, land use, economic activities, and political connecti...

Issues and problems experienced in the regions of the Eastern Hemisphere have roots in the past.

Human populations that settled along rivers, in rainforests, along coastlines, in deserts, and in mountains made use of ...

Early peoples in the Eastern Hemisphere are often studied by analyzing artifacts and archaeological features. Archaeolog...

The Neolithic Revolution was marked by technological advances in agriculture and domestication of animals that allowed p...

Historians use archaeological and other types of evidence to investigate patterns in history and identify turning points...

Humans living together in settlements develop shared customs, beliefs, ideas, and languages that give identity to the gr...

Complex societies and civilizations share the common characteristics of religion, job specialization, cities, government...

Mesopotamia, Yellow River valley, Indus River valley, and Nile River valley complex societies and civilizations adapted ...

Political and social hierarchies influenced the access that groups and individuals had to power, wealth, and jobs and in...

Civilizations and complex societies developed belief systems and religions that have similar, as well as different, char...

Belief systems and religions are based on sets of mutually held values.

Belief systems and religions often are used to unify groups of people, and may affect social order and gender roles.

Geographic factors influence the development of classical civilizations and their political structures.

Political structures were developed to establish order, to create and enforce laws, and to enable decision making.

A period of peace, prosperity, and cultural achievements may be indicative of a golden age.

Overexpansion, corruption, invasions, civil wars, and discord led to the fall of Rome. Feudalism developed in Western Eu...

The Byzantine Empire preserved elements of the Roman Empire, controlled lands within the Mediterranean basin, and began ...

Islam spread within the Mediterranean region from southwest Asia to northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.

Competition and rivalry over religious, economic, and political control over holy lands led to conflict such as the Crus...

The Silk Roads, the Indian Ocean, and the Trans-Saharan routes formed the major Afro-Eurasian trade networks connecting ...

The Mongol conquests in Eurasia fostered connections between the East and the West, and the Mongols served as important ...

Complex societies and civilizations adapted and designed technologies for transportation that allowed them to cross chal...

Geography and climate influenced the migration and cultural development of Native Americans. Native Americans in North A...

Social, economic, and scientific improvements helped European nations launch an Age of Exploration.

Different European groups had varied interactions and relationships with the Native American societies they encountered....

European nations established colonies in North America for economic, religious, and political reasons. Differences in cl...

In New York, the Dutch established settlements along the Hudson River and the French established settlements in the Cham...

Over the course of the 17th and 18th centuries, slavery grew in the colonies. Enslaved Africans utilized a variety of st...

Conflicts between France and Great Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries in North America altered the relationship betw...

Stemming from the French and Indian War, the British government enacted and attempted to enforce new political and econo...

Influenced by Enlightenment ideas and their rights as Englishmen, American colonial leaders outlined their grievances ag...

The outcome of the American Revolution was influenced by military strategies, geographic considerations, the involvement...

Throughout the American Revolution, the colonies struggled to address their differing social, political, and economic in...

The lack of a strong central government under the Articles of Confederation presented numerous challenges. A convention ...

Advocates for and against a strong central government were divided on issues of States rights, role/limits of federal po...

The Constitution outlined a federalist system of government that shares powers between the federal, state, and local gov...

The Constitution established three branches of government as well as a system of checks and balances that guides the rel...

While the Constitution provides a formal process for change through amendments, the Constitution can respond to change i...

Foreign and domestic disputes tested the strength of the Constitution, particularly the separation of powers, the system...

Some Native Americans who aligned with the British during the American Revolution lost land and were forced to move.

Conflict and compromise with foreign nations occurred regarding the physical expansion of the United States during the 1...

Westward expansion provided opportunities for some groups while harming others.

The Second Great Awakening, which had a strong showing in New York State, inspired reform movements.

Enslaved African Americans resisted slavery in various ways in the 19th century. The abolitionist movement also worked t...

Women joined the movements for abolition and temperance and organized to advocate for women’s property rights, fair wage...

The Anti-Rent movement in New York State was an attempt by tenant farmers to protest the landownership system.

Early United States industrialization affected different parts of the country in different ways. Regional economic diffe...

As the nation expanded geographically, the question of slavery in new territories and states led to increased sectional ...

Perspectives on the causes of the Civil War varied based on geographic region, but the election of a Republican presiden...

The course and outcome of the Civil War were influenced by strategic leaders from both the North and South, decisive bat...

The Civil War affected human lives, physical infrastructure, economic capacity, and governance of the United States.

Different approaches toward and policies for Reconstruction highlight the challenges faced in reunifying the nation.

Freed African Americans created new lives for themselves in the absence of slavery. Constitutional amendments and federa...

Federal initiatives begun during Reconstruction were challenged on many levels, leading to negative impacts on the lives...

Technological developments changed the modes of production, and access to natural resources facilitated increased indust...

Population density, diversity, technologies, and industry in urban areas shaped the social, cultural, and economic lives...

Increased urbanization and industrialization contributed to increasing conflicts over immigration, influenced changes in...

In response to shifts in working conditions, laborers organized and employed a variety of strategies in an attempt to im...

Progressive reformers sought to address political and social issues at the local, state, and federal levels of governmen...

Continued westward expansion contributed to increased conflicts with Native Americans.

The Spanish-American War contributed to the rise of the United States as an imperial power.

Interest in Pacific trade contributed to an increase in United States foreign interactions.

The Roosevelt Corollary expanded the Monroe Doctrine and increased United States involvement in the affairs of Latin Ame...

European militarism, the alliance system, imperialism, and nationalism were all factors that contributed to the start of...

International, economic, and military developments swayed opinion in favor of the United States siding with the Allies a...

New military technologies changed military strategy in World War I and resulted in an unprecedented number of casualties...

Following extensive political debate, the United States refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles. The United States th...

After World War I, the United States entered a period of economic prosperity and cultural change. This period is known a...

Risky investing, protectionism, and overproduction led to the collapse of the stock market, a wave of bank failures, and...

The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl affected American businesses and families.

President Roosevelt issued the New Deal in an attempt to revive the economy and help Americans deal with the hardships o...

Worldwide economic depression, militant nationalism, the rise of totalitarian rule, and the unsuccessful efforts of the ...

From 1939 to 1941, the United States government tried to maintain neutrality while providing aid to Britain but was draw...

The nature and consequences of warfare during World War II transformed the United States and the global community. The d...

The Cold War was an ongoing struggle between the two nuclear superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. The Co...

The United States based its military and diplomatic policies from 1945 to 1990 on a policy of containment of communism.

Following the end of the Cold War, the United States sought to define a new role in global affairs, but the legacies of ...

Terrorist groups not representing any nation entered and reshaped global military and political alliances and conflicts....

Increased globalization has led to increased economic interdependence and competition.

After World War II, the United States experienced various shifts in population and demographics that resulted in social,...

The postwar United States experienced increasing immigration, debates over immigration policy, and an increase in cultur...

Pollution, population growth, the consumption of natural resources, clearing of land for human sustenance, and large-sca...

The civil rights movement began in the postwar era in response to long-standing inequalities in American society, and ev...

The civil rights movement prompted renewed efforts for equality by women and other groups.

The Great Society programs of President Lyndon Johnson strengthened efforts aimed at reducing poverty and providing heal...

Economic recession during the 1970s and concerns about the growth and size of the federal government encouraged fiscal c...

Constitutional issues involving the violation of civil liberties and the role of the federal government are a source of ...

Following World War II, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) was written. This provides a set...

Governments, groups, and individuals have responded in various ways to the human atrocities committed in the 20th and 21...

Historical and contemporary violations of human rights can be evaluated, using the principles and articles established w...

Powerful Eurasian states and empires faced and responded to challenges ca. 1750.

Perceptions of outsiders and interactions with them varied across Eurasia.

Enlightenment thinkers developed political philosophies based on natural laws, which included the concepts of social con...

Individuals used Enlightenment ideals to challenge traditional beliefs and secure people’s rights in reform movements, s...

Individuals and groups drew upon principles of the Enlightenment to spread rebellions and call for revolutions in France...

Cultural identity and nationalism inspired political movements that attempted to unify people into new nation-states and...

Agricultural innovations and technologies enabled people to alter their environment, allowing them to increase and suppo...

Factors including new economic theories and practices, new sources of energy, and technological innovations influenced t...

Shifts in population from rural to urban areas led to social changes in class structure, family structure, and the daily...

Social and political reform, as well as new ideologies, developed in response to industrial growth.

European industrialized states and Japan sought to play a dominant role in the world and to control natural resources fo...

Those who faced being colonized engagedin varying forms of resistance and adaptation to colonial rule with varying degre...

International conflicts developed as imperial powers competed for control. Claims over land often resulted in borders be...

International competition, fueled by nationalism, imperialism, and militarism along with shifts in the balance of power ...

Technological developments increased the extent of damage and casualties in both World War I and World War II.

The devastation of the world wars and use of total war led people to explore ways to prevent future world wars.

Nationalism and ideology played a significant role in shaping the period between the world wars.

Human atrocities and mass murders occurred in this time period.

The Cold War originated from tensions near the end of World War II as plans for peace were made and implemented. The Col...

The Cold War was a period of confrontations and attempts at peaceful coexistence.

The end of the Cold War and the collapse of the communist bloc in Europe had a global impact.

Independence movements in India and Indochina developed in response to European control.

African independence movements gained strength as European states struggled economically after World War II. European ef...

Nationalism in the Middle East was often influenced by factors such as religious beliefs and secularism.

Nationalism in China influenced the removal of the imperial regime, led to numerous conflicts, and resulted in the forma...

Cultures and countries experience and view modernization differently. For some, it is a change from a traditional rural,...

Tensions between agents of modernization and traditional cultures have resulted in ongoing debates within affected socie...

Technological changes in communication and transportation systems allow for instantaneous interconnections and new netwo...

Globalization is contentious, supported by some and criticized by others.

Population pressures, industrialization, and urbanization have increased demands for limited natural resources and food ...

Globalization has created new possibilities for international cooperation andfor international conflict.

After World War II, long-term demands for equality by African Americans led to the civil rights movement. The efforts of...

Individuals, diverse groups, and organizations have sought to bring about change in American society through a variety o...

Varying political philosophies prompted debates over the role of the federal government in regulating the economy and pr...

The United States created a coalition to defeat Iraq in the Persian Gulf War (1991), but was reluctant to commit America...

In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States launched the War on Terror, which involved...

Globalization and advances in technology have affected the United States economy and society.

Contact between Native American∗ groups and Europeans occurred through cultural exchanges, resistance efforts, and confl...

A number of factors influenced colonial economic development, social structures, and labor systems, causing variation by...

Colonial political developments were influenced by British political traditions, Enlightenment ideas, and the colonial e...

Following the French and Indian War, the British government attempted to gaingreater political and economic control over...

Failed attempts to mitigate the conflicts between the British government and the colonists led the colonists to declare ...

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation led to a convention whose purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederatio...

Under the new Constitution, the young nation sought to achieve national security and political stability, as the three b...

American nationalism was both strengthened and challenged by territorial expansion and economic growth.

Different perspectives concerning constitutional, political, economic, and social issues contributed to the growth of se...

Long-standing disputes over States rights and slavery and the secession of Southern states from the Union, sparked by th...

Between 1865 and 1900, constitutional rights were extended to African Americans. However, their ability to exercise thes...

The 14th and 15th amendments failed to address the rights of women.

Federal policies regarding westward expansion had positive effects on thenational economy but negative consequences for ...

Racial and economic motives contributed to long-standing discrimination against Mexican Americans and opposition to Chin...

New technologies and economic models created rapid industrial growth and transformed the United States.

Rapid industrialization and urbanization created significant challenges and societal problems that were addressed by a v...

In the late 1800s, various strategic and economic factors led to a greater focus on foreign affairs and debates over the...

While the United States attempted to follow its traditional policy of neutrality at the beginning of World War I, the na...

World War I had important social, political, and economic effects on American society.

The 1920s was a time of cultural change in the country, characterized byclashes between modern and traditional values.

African Americans continued to struggle for social and economic equality while expanding their own thriving and unique c...

For many Americans, the 1920s was a time of prosperity. However, underlying economic problems, reflected in the stock ma...

As situations overseas deteriorated, President Roosevelt’s leadership helped to move the nation from a policy of neutral...

United States entry into World War II had a significant impact on American society.

In response to World War II and the Holocaust, the United States played a major role in efforts to prevent such human su...

After World War II, ideological differences led to political tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. In...

The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a nuclear arms race that eventuallyled to agreements that limited the ...

American strategic interests in the Middle East grew with the Cold War, the creation of the State of Israel, and the inc...

A combination of factors contributed to the end of the Cold War, including American policies and Soviet economic and pol...

In making economic decisions in any role, individuals should consider the set of opportunities that they have, their res...

Sound personal financial (money management) practices take into account wealth and income, the present and the future, a...

Managing personal finance effectively requires an understanding of the forms and purposes of financial credit, the effec...

To be an informed participant in the global economy, one must be aware of inflation and have an understanding of how int...

Given that the resources of individuals (and societies) are limited, decisions as to what goods and services will be pro...

The choices of buyers and sellers in the marketplace determine supply and demand, market prices, allocation of scarce re...

Businesses choose what to supply in the product market, based on product market prices, available technology, and prices...

As the United States has evolved from an agrarian to an industrial to an information economy, the workplace requires a m...

The government’s evolving role in protecting property rights, regulating working conditions, protecting the right to bar...

The freedom of the United States economy encourages entrepreneurialism. This is an important factor behind economic grow...

A degree of regulation, oversight, or government control is necessary in some markets to ensure free and fair competitio...

The degree to which economic inequality reflects social, political, or economic injustices versus individual choices is ...

Policy makers establish economic goals related to economic indicators, including the Gross National Product (GNP), Gross...

The president and Congress determine fiscal policy by establishing the level of spending and taxing in the annual budget...

The Federal Reserve is the government institution responsible for managing the nation’s monetary policy, including regul...

Trade policies and agreements (tariffs, quotas, embargoes) set the rules for trade between the United States and other n...

Enlightenment ideas such as natural rights, the social contract, popular sovereignty, and representative government grea...

The Constitution created a unique political system that distributes powers and responsibilities among three different br...

Limited government is achieved through the separation of powers between three different branches. The system of checks a...

The rule of law is a system in which no one, including government, is above the law. The United States legal system has ...

The powers not delegated specifically in the Constitution are reserved to the states. Though the powers and responsibili...

The Constitution includes a clearly defined and intentionally rigorous process for amendment. This process requires stat...

Equality before the law and due process are two fundamental values that apply to all under the jurisdiction of the Unite...

The Constitution aims to protect, among other freedoms, individual and group rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the...

An independent judicial system is an integral part of the process that interprets and defends citizens’ freedoms and rig...

The definition of civil rights has broadened over the course of United States history, and the number of people and grou...

Rights are not absolute; they vary with legal status, with location (as in schools and workplaces), and with circumstanc...

Freedom of the press is an essential element of a democratic system, and allows for a citizen to receive and interpret i...

Citizens should be informed about rights and freedoms, and committed to balancing personal liberties with a social respo...

The right to vote, a cornerstone of democracy, is the most direct way for citizens to participate in the government. A c...

Citizens have opportunities to both participate in and influence their communities and country. Citizens contribute to g...

Citizens have the right to represent their locality, state, or country as elected officials. Candidates develop a campai...

Depending on the level of government and type of election, there are different processes and mechanisms within the Unite...

Allowing citizens to vote does not ensure that a system is a democracy. Open, safe, and honest elections are essential t...

In addition to voting, there are many ways in which citizens can participate in the electoral process. These include joi...

The United States and New York have political party systems, and the political parties represent specific political, eco...

Citizens participate in civic life through volunteerism and advocacy, including efforts such as contacting elected offic...

Each level of government has its own process of shaping, implementing, amending, and enforcing public policy. Customaril...

On various issues, certain governmental branches and agencies are responsible for determining policy. Those who create p...

Successful implementation of government policy often requires cooperation between many levels of government, as well as ...

Active and engaged citizens must be effective media consumers in order to be able to find, monitor, and evaluate informa...

Various motives, new knowledge, and technological innovations influenced exploration and the development of European tra...

Transatlantic exploration led to the Encounter, colonization of the Americas, and the Columbian exchange.

The decimation of indigenous populations in the Americas influenced the growth of the Atlantic slave trade. The trade of...

European colonization in the Americas and trade interactions with Africa led to instability, decline, and near destructi...

The Eastern Hemisphere trade networks were disrupted by the European development of new transoceanic trade across the In...

The Paleolithic Era was characterized by non-sedentary hunting and gathering lifestyles, whereas the Neolithic Era was c...

Complex societies and civilizations adapted to and modified their environment to meet the needs of their population.

Complex societies and civilizations shared common characteristics of religion, job specialization, cities, government, l...

Belief systems developed beliefs and practices to address questions of origin, the requirements to live a good life, and...

Belief systems were often used to unify groups of people, and affected social order and gender roles.

Geographic factors encouraged and hindered a state’s/empire’s expansion and interactions.

Empires used belief systems, systems of law, forms of government, military forces, and social hierarchies to consolidate...

A period of peace, prosperity, and cultural achievements can be designated as a Golden Age.

Political, socioeconomic, and environmental issues, external conflicts, and nomadic invasions led to the decline and fal...

Afro-Eurasian transregional trade networks grew across land and bodies of water.

New technologies facilitated and improved interregional travel during this era by allowing people to traverse previously...

Interregional travelers, traders, missionaries, and nomads carried products and natural resources, and brought with them...

Control of transregional trade and economic growth contributed to the emergence and expansion of political states.

Following the fall of the Roman Empire, divergent societies emerged in Europe.

Political states and empires employed a variety of techniques for expandingand maintaining control, and sometimes disrup...

Periods of stability and prosperity enabled cultural, technological, and scientific achievements and innovations that bu...

Internal tensions and challenges grew as disputes over authority and power arose between and among religious and politic...

Networks of exchange facilitated the spread of disease, which affected social, cultural, economic, and demographic devel...

Three belief systems influenced numerous, powerful states and empires across the Eastern Hemisphere.

The dominant belief systems and the ethnic and religious compositions of the Ottoman Empire and the Ming Dynasty affecte...

The Ottoman Empire and the Ming Dynasty had different views of the world and their place in it. Islam under the Ottoman ...

Complex societies and civilizations continued to develop in Africa and the Americas. The environment, the availability o...

Local traditional religions influenced the development of complex societies and civilizations in Africa and the Americas...

Complex societies and civilizations made unique cultural achievements and contributions.

The Renaissance was influenced by the diffusion of technology and ideas. The Islamic caliphates played an important role...

The Reformation challenged traditional religious authority, which prompted a counter reformation that led to a religious...

Absolutist governments emerged as Western European and Russian monarchs consolidated power and wealth.

The development of the Scientific Revolution challenged traditional authorities and beliefs.

The Enlightenment challenged views of political authority and how power and authority were conceptualized.