High School Social Studies Maine Standards

History

Geography

Personal Finance & Economics

Civics & Government

Students understand the ideals, purposes, principles, structures, and processes of constitutional government in the United States and in the American political system, as well as examples of other forms of government and political systems in the world by:

Evaluating and comparing the relationship of citizens with government in the United States and other regions of the world.

Evaluating current issues by applying democratic ideals and constitutional principles of government in the United States, including checks and balances, federalism, and consent of the governed as put forth in founding documents.

Comparing the American political system with examples of political systems from other parts of the world.

Explaining that the study of government includes the structures, functions, institutions, and forms of government.

Explaining how and why democratic institutions and interpretations of democratic ideals and constitutional principles change over time.

Describing the purpose, structures, and processes of the American political system.

Students understand the constitutional and legal rights, the civic duties and responsibilities, and roles of citizens in a constitutional democracy and the role of citizens living under other forms of government in the world by:

Comparing the rights, duties, and responsibilities of United States citizens with those of citizens from other nations.

Analyzing the constitutional principles and the roles of the citizen and the government in major laws or cases.

Explaining the relationship between constitutional and legal rights, and civic duties and responsibilities in a constitutional democracy.

Evaluating the relationship between the government and the individual as evident in the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and landmark court cases.

Evaluating how people influence government and work for the common good, including voting, writing to legislators, performing community service, and engaging in civil disobedience.

Students understand political and civic aspects of cultural diversity by:

Analyzing constitutional and political aspects of historical and/or current issues that involve unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and other nations through selecting, planning, and implementing a civic action or service-learning project based on a community, school, state, national, or international asset or need, and evaluate the project's effectiveness and civic contribution.

Analyzing the political structures, political power, and political perspectives of the diverse historic and current cultures of the United States and the world.

Explaining basic civic aspects of historical and/or current issues that involve unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and other nations.

Describing the political structures and civic responsibilities of the diverse historic and current cultures of Maine, including Maine Native Americans.

Students understand the geography of the United States and various regions of the world and the effect of geographic influences on decisions about the present and future by:

Proposing a solution to a geographic issue that reflects physical, environmental, and cultural features at local, state, national, and global levels.

Using inquiry to predict and evaluate consequences of geographic influences.

Describing the major regions of the Earth and their major physical, environmental, and cultural features using a variety of geographic tools including digital tools and resources.

Analyzing local, national, and global geographic data on physical, environmental, and cultural processes that shape and change places and regions.

Evaluating and developing a well-supported position about the impact of change on the physical and cultural environment.

Students understand geographic aspects of unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and the world, including Maine Native American communities by:

Summarizing and interpreting the relationship between geographic features and cultures of Maine Native Americans, and historical and recent immigrant groups in Maine, United States, and the world.

Analyzing geographic features that have impacted unity and diversity in the United States and other nations.

Students understand major eras, major enduring themes, and historic influences in United States and world history, including the roots of democratic philosophy, ideals, and institutions in the world by:

Analyzing and critiquing varying interpretations of historic people, issues, or events, and explain how evidence from primary and secondary sources is used to support and/or refute different interpretations.

Analyzing and critiquing major historical eras: major enduring themes, turning points, events, consequences, and people in the history of the world and the implications for the present and future.

Tracing and critiquing the roots and evolution of democratic ideals and constitutional principles in the history of the world using historical sources.

Making a decision related to the classroom, school, community, civic organization, Maine, United States, or international entity by applying appropriate and relevant social studies knowledge and skills, including research skills, ethical reasoning skills, and other relevant information.

By explaining that history includes the study of the past based on the examination of a variety of primary and secondary sources and how history can help one better understand and make informed decisions about the present and future.

Analyzing and critiquing major historical eras: major enduring themes, turning points, events, consequences, and people in the history of the United States and the implications for the present and future.

Tracing and critiquing the roots and evolution of democratic ideals and constitutional principles in the history of the United States using historical sources.

Developing individual and collaborative decisions/plans by considering multiple points of view, weighing pros and cons, building on the ideas of others, and sharing information in an attempt to sway the opinions of others.

Students understand historical aspects of unity and diversity in the United States, the world, and Native American communities by:

Identifying and critiquing issues characterized by unity and diversity in the history of other nations, and describing their effects, using primary and secondary sources.

Making use of primary and secondary sources, identifying and analyzing major turning points and events in the history of world cultures as it pertains to various historical and recent migrant groups.

Identifying and critiquing issues characterized by unity and diversity in the history of the United States, and describing their effects, using primary and secondary sources.

Identifying and analyzing major turning points and events in the history of Native Americans and various historical and recent immigrant groups in the United States, making use of primary and secondary sources.

Students understand the principles and process of personal finance by:

Evaluating ways credit can be used.

Evaluating different strategies for money and risk management.

Explaining how personal finance involves the use of economics as the basis for saving, investing and managing money.

Identifying factors that impact consumer credit.

Students understand the principles and processes of personal economics, the role of markets, the economic system of the United States, other economic systems in the world, and how economics serves to inform decisions in the present and future by:

Analyzing economic activities and policies in relationship to freedom, efficiency, equity, security, growth, and sustainability.

Explaining and applying the concepts of specialization, economic interdependence, and comparative advantage.

Proposing a solution to a problem using the theory of supply and demand.

Analyzing the role of financial institutions, the financial markets, and government including fiscal, monetary, and trade policies.

Identifying and explaining various economic indicators and how they represent and influence economic activity.

Students understand economic aspects of unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and the world, including Maine Native American communities, by:

Analyzing multiple views on how resource distribution has affected wealth, poverty, and other economics factors and present an argument as to the role of regional, international, and global organizations that are engaged in economic development.

Comparing a variety of economic systems and strategies of economic development.

Analyzing how resource distribution effects wealth, poverty, and other economic factors.

Students draw on concepts from civics and government to understand political systems, power, authority, governance, civic ideals and practices, and the role of citizens in the community, Maine, the United States, and the world.

Students draw on concepts and processes from geography to understand issues involving people, places, and environments in the community, Maine, the United States, and the world.

Students draw on concepts and processes using primary and secondary sources from history to develop historical perspective and understand issues of continuity and change in the community, Maine, the United States, and world.

Students draw from concepts and processes in personal finance to understand issues of money management, saving, investing, credit, and debt; students draw from concepts and processes in economics to understand issues of production, distribution, consumption in the community, Maine, the United States, and the world.