Illinois State Standards for Social Studies: Grade 12

IL.14. Political Systems: Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States.

14.A. Understand and explain basic principles of the United States government.

14.A.5. Analyze ways in which federalism protects individual rights and promotes the common good and how at times has made it possible for states to protect and deny rights for certain groups.

14.B. Understand the structures and functions of the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

14.B.5. Analyze similarities and differences among world political systems (e.g., democracy, socialism, communism).

14.C. Understand election processes and responsibilities of citizens.

14.C.5. Analyze the consequences of participation and non-participation in the electoral process (e.g., women's suffrage, voter registration, effects of media).

14.D. Understand the roles and influences of individuals and interest groups in the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

14.D.5. Interpret a variety of public policies and issues from the perspectives of different individuals and groups.

14.E. Understand United States foreign policy as it relates to other nations and international issues.

14.E.5. Analyze relationships and tensions among members of the international community.

14.F. Understand the development of United States political ideas and traditions.

14.F.5. Interpret how changing geographical, economic, technological and social forces affect United States political ideas and traditions (e.g., freedom, equality and justice, individual rights).

IL.15. Economics: Understand economic systems, with an emphasis on the United States.

15.A. Understand how different economic systems operate in the exchange, production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.

15.A.5a. Explain the impact of various determinants of economic growth (e.g., investments in human/physical capital, research and development, technological change) on the economy.

15.A.5b. Analyze the impact of economic growth.

15.A.5c. Analyze the impact of various determinants on the levels of GDP (e.g., quantity/quality of natural/capital resources, size/skills of the labor force).

15.A.5d. Explain the comparative value of the Consumer Price Index (e.g., goods and services in one year with earlier or later periods).

15.B. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by consumers.

15.B.5a. Analyze the impact of changes in non-price determinants (e.g., changes in consumer income, changes in tastes and preferences) on consumer demand.

15.B.5b. Analyze how inflation and interest rates affect consumer purchasing power.

15.B.5c. Analyze elasticity as it applies to supply and demand and consumer decisions.

15.C. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by producers.

15.C.5a. Explain how competition is maintained in the United States economy and how the level of competition varies in differing market structures (e.g., monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic and perfect competition).

15.C.5b. Explain how changes in non-price determinants of supply (e.g., number of producers) affect producer decisions.

15.C.5c. Explain how government intervention with market prices can cause shortages or surpluses of a good or service (e.g., minimum wage policies, rent freezes, farm subsidies).

15.D. Understand trade as an exchange of goods or services.

15.D.5a. Explain how transaction costs affect decisions to produce or consume.

15.D.5b. Analyze why trade barriers and exchange rates affect the flow of goods and services among nations.

15.D.5c. Explain how technology has affected trade in the areas of transportation, communication, finance and manufacturing.

15.E. Understand the impact of government policies and decisions on production and consumption in the economy.

15.E.5a. Explain how and why government redistributes income in the economy.

15.E.5b. Describe how fiscal, monetary and regulatory policies affect overall levels of employment, output and consumption.

15.E.5c. Describe key schools of thought (e.g., classical, Keynesian, monetarist, supply-side) and explain their impact on government policies.

IL.16. History: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

16.A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.

16.A.5a. Analyze historical and contemporary developments using methods of historical inquiry (pose questions, collect and analyze data, make and support inferences with evidence, report findings).

16.A.5b. Explain the tentative nature of historical interpretations.

16.B. Understand the development of significant political events.

16.B.5a. Local, State, and United States History: Describe how modern political positions are affected by differences in ideologies and viewpoints that have developed over time (e.g., political parties' positions on government intervention in the economy).

16.B.5b. Local, State, and United States History: Analyze how United States political history has been influenced by the nation's economic, social and environmental history.

16.B.5c. World History: Analyze worldwide consequences of isolated political events, including the events triggering the Napoleonic Wars and World Wars I and II.

16.B.5d. World History: Describe how tensions in the modern world are affected by different political ideologies including democracy and totalitarianism.

16.B.5e. World History: Analyze the relationship of an issue in world political history to the related aspects of world economic, social and environmental history.

16.C. Understand the development of economic systems.

16.C.5a. Local, State, and United States History: Analyze how and why the role of the United States in the world economy has changed since World War II.

16.C.5b. Local, State, and United States History: Analyze the relationship between an issue in United States economic history and the related aspects of political, social and environmental history.

16.C.5c. World History: Explain how industrial capitalism became the dominant economic model in the world.

16.C.5d. World History: Describe how historical trends in population, urbanization, economic development and technological advancements have caused change in world economic systems.

16.C.5e. World History: Analyze the relationship between an issue in world economic history and the related aspects of political, social and environmental history.

16.D. Understand Illinois, United States and world social history.

16.D.5a. Local, State, and United States History: Analyze the relationship between an issue in United States social history and the related aspects of political, economic and environmental history.

16.D.5b. World History: Analyze the relationship between an issue in world social history and the related aspects of political, economic and environmental history.

16.E. Understand Illinois, United States and world environmental history.

16.E.5a. Local, State, and United States History: Analyze positive and negative aspects of human effects on the environment in the United States including damming rivers, fencing prairies and building cities.

16.E.5b. Local, State, and United States History: Analyze the relationship between an issue in United States environmental history and the related aspects of political, economic and social history.

16.E.5c. World History: Analyze how technological and scientific developments have affected human productivity, human comfort and the environment.

16.E.5d. World History: Analyze the relationship between an issue in world environmental history and the related aspects of political, economic and social history.

IL.17. Geography: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States.

17.A. Locate, describe and explain places, regions and features on the Earth.

17.A.5. Demonstrate how maps, other geographic instruments and technologies are used to solve spatial problems (e.g., land use, ecological concerns).

17.B. Analyze and explain characteristics and interactions on the Earth's physical systems.

17.B.5. Analyze international issues and problems using ecosystems and physical geography concepts.

17.C. Understand relationships between geographic factors and society.

17.C.5a. Compare resource management methods and policies in different regions of the world.

17.C.5b. Describe the impact of human migrations and increased urbanization on ecosystems.

17.C.5c. Describe geographic factors that affect cooperation and conflict among societies.

17.D. Understand the historical significance of geography.

17.D.5. Analyze the historical development of a current issue involving the interaction of people and geographic factors (e.g., mass transportation, changes in agricultural subsidies, flood control).

IL.18. Social Systems: Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the United States.

18.A. Compare characteristics of culture as reflected in language, literature, the arts, traditions and institutions.

18.A.5. Compare ways in which social systems are affected by political, environmental, economic and technological changes.

18.B. Understand the roles and interactions of individuals and groups in society.

18.B.5. Use methods of social science inquiry (pose questions, collect and analyze data, make and support conclusions with evidence, report findings) to study the development and functions of social systems and report conclusions to a larger audience.

18.C. Understand how social systems form and develop over time.

18.C.5. Analyze how social scientists' interpretations of societies, cultures and institutions change over time.