1 How do different of government reflect different conceptions of human nature? After a century of religious warfare and conflict between king and aristocracy, absolutism was seen by many as the key to peace, order, security, and rights. Aim: Was Hobbes’ vision of absolutism appropriate for the age? Application: Did any of the American founding fathers share Hobbes’ view of human nature? Yes: the Federalists. This connects 9th-grade global to 8th-grade US.
2 What are the causes and consequences of social inequality? One of the most enduring legacies of the European conquest of America is a legacy of inequality, racial discrimination, and political disenfranchisement. The modern history of the region has been dominated by struggles to overturn and preserve these inequalities. Aim: Were the Sandinistas fighting for liberty or communism? Application: Can you identify any other places (past or contemporary) where persistent social inequality has led to conflict?
3 Should a democratic government obey the written constitution or the sentiment of the people? The American Constitution contained many compromises, and the concrete meaning of many provisions has varied according to time and place. Aim: Should Andrew Jackson be impeached or celebrated for forcing the Indians to move west? Application: Can you think of any recent events where the President has used his authority in ways that appear to disregard the written constitution—or that disregard public opinion?
Assessment Alignment Lesson Unit-Specific Main Ideas/ Learning Goals Lesson Aims or Learning Outcomes Assessment Explanation of how the assessment measures Main Ideas/Learning Goals 1 After a century of religious warfare and conflict between king and aristocracy, absolutism was seen by many as the key to peace, order, security, and rights. Pre-assessment Explain how the pre-assessment illuminates both what students know and what they do not know about the unit topic (absolutism). How is it designed to uncover any common misunderstandings or misconceptions (such as “monarchical rule is ‘bad’” or the belief that absolutism is the same thing as totalitarianism) pertaining to the topic?
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts. Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text. Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims. Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information. Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic. Compare and contrast treatments of the same in several primary and secondary sources. Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. By the end of 10, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently. By the end of 12, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.