Oklahoma Social Studies 7.C.8

Standard Cluster

Analyze the physical and human characteristics of regions which create uniqueness and influence people’s perceptions of the Eastern Hemisphere. Define the concept of region and explain how regions change over time through physical and human processes, such as land use, urban growth, population, natural disasters, and trade. Explain and summarize how common physical or human characteristics can link as well as divide regions (e.g., manmade canals linking European trading centers, the Sahara Desert as both a physical and cultural division of the African continent, religious and political differences leading to armed conflict in Southwest Asia). Explain patterns of global interdependence, including the impact of changing technology on trade routes, dependence on resources, use of low-cost labor, and the outsourcing of technological and manufacturing jobs to developing regions. Examine indicators of economic interdependence and world trade, including why nations are concerned with the balance of trade, and explain major trade patterns among regions of the Eastern Hemisphere. Explain why countries enter into global trade agreements (e.g., Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries [OPEC], the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] and the African Continental Free Trade Area [AfCFTA]). Describe how political, economic, and cultural forces (e.g., civil wars, terrorism, genocide, ethnic separatism) have challenged political arrangements (e.g., political status of Taiwan to China, the division of Sudan and South Sudan). Analyze reasons for conflict and cooperation among regions, evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of international organizations and alliances (e.g., European Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, International Red Cross) as they relate to mutual defense, the resolution of disputes, and the response to humanitarian needs.

Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies (2026)