Grade 8 Social Studies Rhode Island standards Standards

Grade 8 - Government and Civic Life in the United States and Rhode Island

Content Standards

Economics

Geography

History

Civics and Government

Anchor Standards

Identify what political power is and who has political power in a society.

Explain how political power is and has been obtained and used to govern communities and individuals with attention to their intersectional identities and lived experiences.

Analyze the purpose of government and the use of power, including balancing order and freedom, to advance and control different communities and individuals based on their intersectional identities and lived experiences.

Argue how power can be distributed and used to create a more equitable society for communities and individuals based on their intersectional identities and lived experiences.

Identify what rules and laws are, and who has the power to make them, in different settings and cultures that are familiar and unfamiliar to students.

Explain why rules and laws exist, and how they are implemented by and for individuals and communities based on their intersectional identities and lived experiences.

Analyze how rules and laws positively and/or negatively impact different individuals and communities based on their intersectional identities and lived experiences.

Argue how rules and laws can be used to create an equitable society.

Identify what rights and responsibilities individuals and communities have in a society and who can take advantage of them.

Explain different ways communities and individuals inform themselves, exercise their rights and responsibilities, and engage formally and/or informally in political processes.

Analyze how individuals and communities have been included or excluded from the political process based on their intersectional identities and lived experiences and the impact these actions have had on their rights, responsibilities, and the functioning of a democratic society.

Argue for a possible solution to make rights equitable and the roles of those involved in pursuing that solution.

Identify the ways that different political systems utilize economic systems to organize and distribute goods and services to individuals and communities.

Explain how those traditionally privileged and marginalized across intersecting identities can influence and interact with economic systems.

Analyze how inequities within the economic system have been addressed or sustained by the actions of those traditionally privileged and marginalized.

Argue how different economic systems can create more equitable outcomes for individuals and communities, particularly for those traditionally marginalized from the economic system.

Identify the individuals and communities involved in the production of any good or service, the materials needed for producing them, where and how the materials are obtained, and the various interrelationships among all of these elements.

Explain who has the power to make decisions related to the means of production and the effects those decisions have on individuals and communities

Analyze how individuals and communities acting through intersectional identities and lived experiences can affect the means of production.

Argue whether the costs and benefits of an aspect of the means of production equitably serve all individuals and communities.

Identify the choices communities make about how to use resources based on the scarcity of that resource, including those that are familiar and unfamiliar.

Explain how scarcity affects the cost and availability of desired goods and services, and who has the power to influence the factors related to cost and availability and why.

Analyze how decisions affecting access to goods and services are influenced by systems of power and cultural norms including how these effects of decisions create more equitable or inequitable outcomes.

Argue how a resource can be used differently to create a more equitable outcome for individuals and communities including how individuals and communities can influence systems of power to achieve that change.

Identify the characteristics of human systems, physical systems, and the environment, and ways they interact at local, regional and/or global levels.

Explain how humans and their societies and institutions affect, modify and/or preserve the environment, as well as how the modifications of the physical environment affect physical, behavioral, and diverse cultural systems.

Analyze how individuals and societies at local, regional and/or global levels influence political, economic, and social decision-making.

Argue how decisions about resources and the environment made by individuals and/or communities impact current and future peoples differently and how those decisions might be made more equitable.

Identify maps, globes, and other geographic tools and technologies that are used to describe where places are located both absolutely and relatively across time, space, and distance.

Explain how the characteristics and elements of maps, globes, geographic tools, and other technologies are used and selected to identify and describe local, regional and/or global locations.

Analyze multiple types of maps, charts, and graphs and how they are used to interpret topographical information, draw inferences about the development of societies, and determine how places shape events and how places may be changed by events.

Argue how the systematic analysis of the spatial patterns provides an integral understanding of a place or region and supports equitable decisions about climate and land use.

Identify historical events that are culturally relevant to global, national, and local histories and connect to students' intersectional identities and lived experiences.

Explain multiple causes and effects of historical events, centering and representing the voices and experiences of individuals and communities who were agents of change and resistance.

Analyze multiple sources to compare and contrast historical events through the lenses of identity, power, and resistance.

Argue how social change, intersectional identities, and lived experiences are crucial to the study and practice of history.

Identify key people, central ideas, and the mechanisms by which stories are told and retold regarding an event or series of events, centering the voices of historical actors and groups engaged in resistance and change.

Explain the purpose, audience, and perspective of multiple types of sources (art, music, oral histories, pamphlets, film, texts, etc.) relating to a historical event or series of events, individual, or group of people, including indications of bias toward or against the subject portrayed.

Analyze multiple types of sources, including art, music, oral histories, pamphlets, film, texts, etc., through a critical reflection of the creators' and students' intersectional identities and lived experiences.

Argue, using multiple narratives rooted in identity, power, and resistance, how history itself is an interpretation of events.

Identify the characteristics of populations based on their size, place, region, and cultural demographics, as well as identifying patterns of migration.

Explain how and why a population's characteristics, including their spatial distribution, growth, and movement, have divided, organized, and unified areas of Earth's surface and impacted both human and physical systems.

Analyze how human systems and the distribution of populations interact with and impact physical systems, and how conflict and access to resources influence physical systems.

Argue how the relationship between populations and physical systems influence decision-making about the equitable access to resources and land at the local, regional, and/or global levels.

Identify peoples, events, technologies, and ideas involved in historical and social change in various geographical and temporal locations.

Explain how historical and social change have been and continue to be accomplished in relation to systems of power, identity, and resistance.

Analyze historical change through the intersectional identities and lived experiences of people who have accomplished social change throughout history in relation to systems of power, identity, and resistance.

Argue how all individuals can act as local, national, and/or global agents of social change by using lessons learned from history.

Analyze the idea of natural rights and its roots to ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Enlightenment thinkers, and Indigenous peoples.

Explain the difference between natural rights v. legal rights

Explain the relationship between parts of the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, the Constitution of the United States, and natural rights

Analyze the similarities and differences among Athenians', Romans', and members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy's views of the rights of individuals

Analyze enlightenment thinker views on equality, enslavement, women's rights, education, habeas corpus, and protection from government

Analyze the efficacy of varying perspectives from figures during this period (e.g., John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, James Otis, Phillis Wheatley, Mary Wollstonecraft)

Analyze discussions of natural rights today

Argue what it meant to be civically engaged in the past and identify ways to participate today.

Analyze the similarities and differences among Athenians', Romans', members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and British citizens' views on civic participation, civic duty/common good, citizenship and a citizen's responsibilities, and government organization, and argue the impacts on their societies

Analyze American founding documents' treatment of a citizen's responsibilities, who had access to citizenship, and who was denied access to civic participation

Explain ways students can participate in their communities today, analyze ways that young people have made contemporary contributions, and argue their impacts

Argue the impact of influences from ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, 18th century Britain, and Indigenous communities in constructing laws.

Explain different types of governments (e.g., democracy, oligarchy, monarchy)

Explain the purpose of government and the concepts of rule of law as defined by other governments (e.g., Ancient Athens, Roman Republic, 18th century Britain, Indigenous communities)

Analyze ways other forms of representative governments influenced the American system (e.g., Ancient Athens, Roman Republic, 18th century Britain, Indigenous governments)

Identify important documents and perspectives during this period including but not limited to the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Constitution of the United States, the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, and argue the ways they influenced the construction of a rule of law in United States government

Argue the necessity of separation of powers in the American political system

Argue whether the United States has lived up to the ideals written in the Declaration of Independence by considering the authors, signers, and their ideals.

Analyze the definition of liberty according to the Declaration of Independence

Analyze the grievances and ideals laid out in the Declaration of Independence

Analyze the backgrounds (race, gender, occupation, religion, age, location, and view of slavery) of the Declaration of Independence signatories, and argue the effect that their perspectives had on their political views

Analyze events that were immediate influenced by the Declaration of Independence (e.g., French Revolution, Haitian Revolution, Grievance 27, continuation of slavery)

Analyze the ways that the United States has lived up to and fallen short of the ideals in the Declaration of Independence, and argue ways that individuals were left out of the ideas of liberty

Identify ways that students see the ideals of the Declaration of Independence represented in their lives

Analyze the events of the Constitutional Convention and the issues raised during the debates.

Analyze the conflicts that lead to compromises during the 1787 Constitutional Convention (e.g., The Virginia Plan, The New Jersey Plan, the Connecticut Compromise, Shays' Rebellion, Northwest Ordinance 1787, The Great Compromise, Rhode Island's initial resistance to ratifying the Constitution of the United States) and argue the impact of those compromises

Analyze the views of the leaders of the Constitutional Convention on critical issues (e.g., slavery, rights of individuals, distribution of political power, representation, rights of states) and how these issues were resolved in the proposed Constitution

Analyze the Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist responses and what they tell us about the new Constitution (e.g., federalism, factions, checks and balances, independent judiciary, republicanism, limited government) (Suggested Federalist Papers – 9, 10, 39, 51, 70, 78, 84)

Explain the amendments in the Bill of Rights, and analyze why they were added to the Constitution

Argue the current challenges to and uses of the Bill of Rights (e.g., gun ownership, right to protest, right to online privacy, prayer in schools)

Argue the impact of Article I of the Constitution of the United States and the work of Congress with a focus on the critical issues that Congress is debating today.

Analyze the relationship between enumerated and implied powers

Explain the structural components of Congress and its two houses (e.g., mechanics, specific powers, eligibility, and length of terms of members, how laws are passed)

Explain the process for electing members to Congress

Identify current legislative leaders for Rhode Island and analyze their positions/platforms

Argue the importance and impact of recent issues brought before Congress (e.g., gun ownership, abortion, LGBTQIA+ rights, immigration)

Explain the role of political parties and how they influence Congressional legislation

Explain the relationships between legislators and professional lobbyists, and analyze the positive and negative effects that lobbying has on the legislative process (e.g., corporations, unions, nonprofit organizations, private citizens)

Analyze ways that individual citizens can participate in the legislative process

Argue the impact of Article II of the Constitution of the United States and how the power of the presidency has changed over time.

Explain the structure of the executive branch (e.g., cabinet, departments)

Explain the structure of the presidency (e.g., how elected, requirements for office, specific powers, removal process)

Argue how the scope and limits of the presidency (both foreign and domestic) has changed over time

Explain the process of presidential elections, and analyze campaigns and how they have changed over time

Analyze the role of the electoral college in presidential elections, and argue its impact in recent elections

Explain the role and responsibilities of the Vice President

Argue the importance of the role of the Supreme Court and its influence on issues of today.

Explain the structure of the judiciary (e.g., eligibility, length of service, selection, and confirmation process)

Analyze the scope of the Supreme Court and important rulings, past and present

Analyze how the Supreme Court has interpreted the Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments over time (e.g., due process of law, free speech, equal protection, protection against unreasonable search and seizure), and argue how their decisions impact society

Analyze current cases before the Supreme Court, and argue how their decisions could affect students

Analyze the ways the branches of government provide checks on one another to limit the abuse of power.

Explain how the three branches of government provide checks on one another, and analyze how effective those checks are

Explain the Constitution's dual purpose – to enumerate power and to limit the abuse of power

Argue the current and historic impacts of the city or town government(s) local to students.

Explain the function, funding, leadership, and administration of local city or town government

Analyze the treatment of different groups of people in the local city or town (e.g., the unhoused, senior citizens, unemployed) and the related resources offered, and argue how treatment and resources have impacted those groups

Analyze important local issues (e.g., public schools, public services, housing, land use, business regulation) and governmental response, and argue how local responses have impacted these issues

Explain ways people can create change in their local government (e.g., vote, petition, voice opinions at a hearing)

Argue the current and historic impact of the Rhode Island state government.

Explain the history of the Rhode Island Constitution (e.g., drafting, signing, amendments), and analyze the influence of the earlier Charter on the creation of the state constitution

Explain the structure, organization, function, and responsibilities of Rhode Island's General Assembly

Explain the structure, organization, function, and responsibilities of Rhode Island's executive branch

Explain the structure, organization, function, and responsibilities of Rhode Island's judiciary

Explain how state government is funded

Analyze important state issues (e.g., infrastructure, education, regulation of business, civil and criminal laws, land use) and governmental response, and argue how responses have impacted the issues

Explain ways people can create change through Rhode Island government (e.g., vote, petition, protest, write a letter to a representative) and how the state Constitution can be amended

Argue the impact of the systems, practices, and values of tribal governments.

Analyze the elements of sovereignty and how federal and state recognition of tribes is handled, and argue the impacts to Indigenous groups that are and are not state or federally recognized

Analyze the diversity of tribal governments located in North America

Analyze the tribal governments local to Rhode Island including their cultural practices, values, and experiences with colonization (e.g., Narragansett in RI, Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan in CT, and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head and Mashpee Wampanoag in MA)

Analyze the systems, laws, and policies of tribal governments in and local to Rhode Island (e.g., constitutions, infrastructure, leadership, constituent's rights and responsibilities, land use, economies), and argue the impacts on their constituents

Analyze what happens when jurisdictions overlap with opposing views and goals.

Analyze the similarities and differences among reserved, expressed, implied, and concurrent powers

Analyze the relationships between different levels of government and their powers, and argue the impacts and who benefits

Analyze the relationships between the Narragansett tribal and local and state governments and their powers, and argue the impacts of those relationships

Analyze the process and goals for addressing issues with overlapping jurisdiction (e.g., health care, transportation, education, housing) including between local governments, Rhode Island state government, and tribal governments

Analyze the development and implementation of public policy at each level of government

Argue the historical significance of Federal laws enacted by Congress and the Executive branch to protect, expand, or limit individual rights.

Identify how congressional laws are passed

Analyze the purpose, procedure, and limits of executive orders

Analyze significant changes to the Constitution (e.g., 14th Amendment, 19th Amendment, 26th Amendment), and argue the impacts of those changes

Analyze the laws or executive orders expanding civil rights and equal protection for race, religion, gender, sexuality, and disability that demonstrate the evolving protections to civil rights (e.g., 1964 Civil Rights Act, 1965 Voting Rights Act, 1972 Title IX, 1972 Equal Employment Act, 1990 American with Disabilities Act, 2014 Executive Order 13672, 2022 Executive Order 14076), and argue their impacts

Analyze laws or executive orders that challenged civil rights by limiting individual rights (e.g., 1942 Executive order 9066, 1953 Executive order 10450), and argue their impacts

Analyze the implications of the "necessary and proper" clause to the Constitution

Analyze court decisions and interpretations that affected freedoms and citizen rights.

Explain the process of judicial review established in Marbury v. Madison – how cases come before the Supreme Court, how they are argued, how the Court issues decisions and dissents

Analyze the effects of major court interpretations addressing freedom of religion, assembly, press, petition, and speech under the first Amendment; the due process clause and the equal protection clause of the fourteenth Amendment; and cases where individual rights conflicted with community or national beliefs

Analyze the impact of the doctrine of incorporation on states

Argue the importance of the rights citizens hold in a democracy and what it means to protect those rights.

Explain the differences between the term "citizen" as it pertains to being an active and responsible participant in society as opposed to being a legal citizen as an individual with full rights under a particular system of government

Explain the process for individuals to become legal citizens, and analyze how that is applied differently to groups

Explain the history of when groups or individuals legally became citizens

Analyze ways that individuals live in the United States as participatory citizens but not as legal citizens

Analyze the difference between rights protected by the Constitution of the United States and other laws for all individuals living in the United States despite legal status (e.g., equity, tolerance, due process, freedom of speech, religion, and privacy) and those rights that apply only to legal citizens (e.g., voting, running for and holding elected office), and argue the impacts across different populations

Analyze the freedoms for all individuals existing in civic, political, and private life despite legal citizenship (e.g., labor rights, children's rights, cultural freedoms, religious freedoms, rights to subsistence, education, health care), and argue the impacts across different populations

Argue ways that government actions help and hinder individual groups' rights

Analyze the importance of the responsibilities and obligations of a citizen and how people can participate in their communities.

Analyze the roles and expectations of all individuals in a democracy (e.g., paying taxes, obeying laws, military service, public service, voting, serving on a jury)

Explain ways that every individual can actively participate in their local communities

Analyze the political process, how elections work, issues surrounding elections, and the ways people can get involved.

Explain how to register to vote, find a polling place, and access voter information in Rhode Island

Analyze the election process in Rhode Island, how that process differs in other states, and argue the ways that those different processes affect individuals (e.g., requirements for individuals, procedures, rules, regulations)

Explain the role of primaries and the Electoral College

Explain the methods of participation in elections (e.g., running for office, campaigning, lobbying, demonstrating, volunteering at polling places, voting, filing legal challenges)

Analyze issues surrounding elections (e.g., redistricting, voter identification laws, campaign financing, campaign ads, voter turnout) and how they reflect voters' positions

Explain career opportunities in public service at local, state, and federal levels

Argue the impacts individuals and groups have made towards securing civil rights in the United States.

Explain the concept of equal rights

Analyze the strategies and outcomes of the African American, Latinx, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Indigenous, Women, LGBTQIA+, Immigrants, and Disability rights movements (e.g., root inequities, legal challenges, social movements, role of community leaders, efforts of ordinary people, any legal changes as a result of the movements, Rhode Island connections), and argue the impacts of the outcomes to different groups of people

Analyze the cooperation between movements (e.g., school segregation legal challenges, Delano Grape Strike 1965, Section 504 Sit-in 1977), and argue the impacts of working together

Identify civil rights issues that continue to exist today, analyze current debates surrounding these issues, and argue their position on one or more of the issues

Explain ways students can contribute to efforts for equality

Argue the impacts individuals and groups have made in securing human rights globally.

Explain what human rights are, analyze the elements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and argue their impact globally

Explain how the United Nations and other organizations (e.g., Human Rights Watch, Anti-Slavery International, Save the Children, Amnesty International) secure human rights across the globe, analyze their approaches, and argue their impacts globally

Analyze human rights violations and genocides (e.g., Armenian genocide, Jewish Holocaust, Cambodian genocide, Rwandan genocide, human trafficking, child labor, modern slavery) and the ways nations and organizations intervene

Analyze current global issues (e.g., climate change, disease, food insecurity), explain ways people as global citizens can be involved (e.g., volunteering, advocacy, educating others), and argue the potential impacts

Argue the benefits and challenges of media in a democracy.

Explain the idea of freedom of the press, its purpose, and its origins

Explain the role of the press, and analyze how that role has changed over time, and the responsibilities it has to the public

Analyze the function of news articles, news programs, websites, editorials, cartoons, advertisements, social media posts, and argue the impacts of those venues

Argue the benefits and challenges of digital news and social media

Identify methods for evaluating the credibility of online and print sources