Pennsylvania State Standards for Social Studies: Grade 12

PA.5.1.12. Civics and Government: Principles and Documents of Government: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

5.1.12.A. Evaluate the major arguments advanced for the necessity of government.

5.1.12.B. Analyze the sources, purposes and functions of law.

5.1.12.C. Evaluate the importance of the principles and ideals of civic life.

5.1.12.D. Analyze the principles and ideals that shape the government of Pennsylvania and apply them to the government. (The Charter of 1681, Charter of Privileges, PA Constitution, its revisions and Amendments)

5.1.12.E. Evaluate the principles and ideals that shape the United States and compare them to documents of government.

5.1.12.F. Analyze and assess the rights of the people as listed in the Pennsylvania Constitution and the Constitution of the United States.

5.1.12.G. Analyze and interpret the role of the United States Flag in civil disobedience and in patriotic activities.

5.1.12.H. Analyze the competing positions held by the framers of the basic documents of government of Pennsylvania and United States.

5.1.12.I. Analyze historical examples of the importance of the rule of law explaining the sources, purposes and functions of law.

5.1.12.J. Analyze how the law promotes the common good and protects individual rights.

5.1.12.K. Analyze the roles of symbols and holidays in society.

5.1.12.L. Analyze Pennsylvania and United States court decisions that have affected principles and ideals of government in civic life. (Civil rights, Commerce, Judicial review, Federal supremacy)

5.1.12.M. Evaluate and analyze the importance of significant political speeches and writings in civic life (e.g., Diary of Anne Frank, Silent Spring).

PA.5.2.12. Civics and Government: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

5.2.12.A. Evaluate an individual's civic rights, responsibilities and duties in various governments.

5.2.12.B. Evaluate citizens' participation in government and civic life.

5.2.12.C. Interpret the causes of conflict in society and analyze techniques to resolve those conflicts.

5.2.12.D. Evaluate political leadership and public service in a republican form of government.

5.2.12.E. Analyze how participation in civic and political life leads to the attainment of individual and public goals.

5.2.12.F. Evaluate how individual rights may conflict with or support the common good.

5.2.12.G. Evaluate what makes a competent and responsible citizen.

PA.5.3.12. Civics and Government: How Government Works: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

5.3.12.A. Analyze and evaluate the structure, organization and operation of the local, state, and national governments including domestic and national policy-making.

5.3.12.B. Analyze the responsibilities and powers of the national government.

5.3.12.C. Evaluate the process of how a bill becomes the law on federal, state, and local levels.

5.3.12.D. Evaluate how independent government agencies create, amend and enforce regulations.

5.3.12.E. Evaluate the roles of political parties in election campaigns.

5.3.12.F. Evaluate the elements of the election process.

5.3.12.G. Evaluate how the government protects or curtails individual rights and analyze the impact of supporting or opposing those rights.

5.3.12.H. Evaluate the impact of interest groups on the political process.

5.3.12.I. Evaluate how and why government raises money to pay for its operations and services.

5.3.12.J. Evaluate the role of media in political life in the United States and explain the role of the media in setting the public agenda.

5.3.12.K. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various systems of government. (Autocracy, Democracy, Oligarchy, Republic)

PA.5.4.12. Civics and Government: How International Relationships Function: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

5.4.12.A. Analyze the impact of international economic, technological and cultural developments on the government of the United States.

5.4.12.B. Analyze the United States' interaction with other nations and governmental groups in world events.

5.4.12.C. Compare how past and present United States' policy interests have changed over time and analyze the impact on future international relationships.

5.4.12.D. Explain how foreign policy is developed and implemented.

5.4.12.E. Compare the purposes and functions of international organizations. (Governmental (e.g., NATO, World Court, OAS); Non-governmental (e.g., International Red Cross, Amnesty International, World Council of Churches))

PA.6.1.12. Economics: Economic Systems: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

6.1.12.A. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of traditional, command and market economies.

6.1.12.B. Analyze the impact of traditional, command and market economies on the United States economy.

6.1.12.C. Assess the strength of the regional, national and/or international economy and compare it to another time period based upon economic indicators.

6.1.12.D. Describe historical examples of expansion, recession, and depression internationally.

PA.6.2.12. Economics: Markets and the Functions of Governments: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

6.2.12.A. Analyze the flow of products, resources and money in a mixed economy.

6.2.12.B. Evaluate the operation of noncompetitive markets.

6.2.12.C. Analyze policies designed to raise or lower interest rates and how the Federal Reserve Board influences interest rates.

6.2.12.D. Evaluate changes in economic institutions over time (e.g., stock markets, non-government organizations).

6.2.12.E. Predict how changes in supply and demand affect equilibrium price and quantity sold.

6.2.12.F. Identify and analyze forces that can change price. (Government actions, Weather conditions, International events)

6.2.12.G. Evaluate types of tax systems. (Progressive, Proportional, Regressive)

6.2.12.H. Evaluate the economic roles of governments. (Macroeconomics (e.g., tariffs and quotas, exchange rates, trade balance); Microeconomics (e.g., price controls, monopolies, cartels))

6.2.12.I. Evaluate government decisions to provide public goods.

6.2.12.J. Evaluate the social, political and economic changes in tax policy using cost/benefit analysis.

6.2.12.K. Analyze the impact of media on decision-making of consumers, producers and policymakers.

6.2.12.L. Analyze how policies and international events may change exchange rates.

PA.6.3.12. Economics: Scarcity and Choice: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

6.3.12.A. Analyze actions taken as a result of scarcity issues in the regional, national and international economies.

6.3.12.B. Evaluate the economic reasoning behind a choice.

6.3.12.C. Evaluate the allocation of resources used to produce goods and services.

6.3.12.D. Evaluate regional, national or international economic decisions using marginal analysis.

6.3.12.E. Analyze the opportunity cost of decisions by individuals, businesses, communities and nations.

6.3.12.F. Evaluate in terms of marginal analysis how incentives influence decisions of consumers, producers and policy makers.

PA.6.4.12. Economics: Economic Interdependence: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

6.4.12.A. Analyze how specialization may increase the standard of living.

6.4.12.B. Analyze the relationships between trade, competition and productivity.

6.4.12.C. Evaluate how a nation might benefit by lowering or removing trade barriers.

6.4.12.D. Explain how the location of resources, transportation and communication networks and technology have affected international economic patterns.

6.4.12.E. Analyze how United States consumers and producers participate in the global production and consumption of goods or services.

6.4.12.F. Evaluate how trade is influenced by comparative advantage and opportunity costs.

6.4.12.G. Evaluate characteristics and distribution of international economic activities. (Primary - extractive industries (i.e., farming, fishing, forestry, mining); Secondary - materials processing industries (i.e., manufacturing); Tertiary - service industries (e.g., retailing, wholesaling, finance, real estate, travel and tourism, transportation))

PA.6.5.12. Economics: Work and Earnings: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

6.5.12.A. Analyze the factors influencing wages. (Demand for goods and services produced, Labor unions, Productivity, Education/skills)

6.5.12.B. Evaluate how changes in education, incentives, technology and capital investment alter productivity.

6.5.12.C. Analyze the costs and benefits of organizing a business as a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation.

6.5.12.D. Analyze the role of profits and losses in the allocation of resources in a market economy.

6.5.12.E. Compare distribution of wealth across nations.

6.5.12.F. Assess the impact of entrepreneurs on the economy.

6.5.12.G. Analyze the risks and returns of various investments. (Stocks, Bonds, Mutual funds, Savings bonds, Retirement savings (e.g., Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Keogh, 401K), Savings accounts (e.g., passbook, certificate of deposit))

6.5.12.H. Evaluate benefits and costs of changes in interest rates for individuals and society.

PA.7.1.12. Geography: Basic Geographic Literacy: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

7.1.12.A. Analyze data and issues from a spatial perspective using the appropriate geographic tools.

7.1.12.A.1. Spatial patterns of human features that change over time (e.g., intervening opportunity, distance decay, central place theory, locational preference).

7.1.12.A.2. Physical patterns of physical features that change over time (e.g., climate change, erosion, ecological invasion and succession).

7.1.12.A.3. Human and physical features of the world through mental maps

7.1.12.B. Analyze the location of places and regions.

7.1.12.B.1. Changing regional characteristics (e.g., short- and long-term climate shifts; population growth or decline; political instability).

7.1.12.B.2. Criteria to define a region (e.g., the reshaping of south Florida resulting from changing migration patterns; the US-Mexico border changes as a function of NAFTA; metropolitan growth in the Philadelphia region).

7.1.12.B.3. Cultural change (e.g., influence on people's perceptions of places and regions)

PA.7.2.12. Geography: The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

7.2.12.A. Analyze the physical characteristics of places and regions including the interrelationships among the components of Earth's physical systems: Biomes and ecosystem regions; Watersheds and river basins; World patterns of biodiversity.

7.2.12.B. Analyze the significance of physical processes in shaping the character of places and regions: Circulation of the oceans; Ecosystem processes; Atmospheric systems; Extreme natural events.

PA.7.3.12. Geography: The Human Characteristics of Places and Regions: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

7.3.12.A. Analyze the significance of human activity in shaping places and regions by their population characteristics:

7.3.12.A.1. Spatial distribution, size, density and demographic characteristics of population at the international level.

7.3.12.A.2. Demographic trends and their impacts on patterns of population distribution (e.g., carrying capacity, changes in fertility, changes in immigration policy, the mobility transition model).

7.3.12.A.3. Impact of movement on human systems (e.g., refugees, guest workers, illegal aliens).

7.3.12.B. Analyze the significance of human activity in shaping places and regions by their cultural characteristics.

7.3.12.B.1. Cultural conflicts (e.g., over language (Canada), over political power (Spain), over economic opportunities (Mexico)).

7.3.12.B.2. Forces for cultural convergence (e.g., the diffusion of foods, fashions, religions, language).

7.3.12.C. Analyze the significance of human activity in shaping places and regions by their settlement characteristics.

7.3.12.C.1. Description of current and past settlement patterns at the international scale (e.g., global cities).

7.3.12.C.2. Use of models of the internal structure of cities (e.g., concentric zone, sector, multiple nuclei).

7.3.12.C.3. Forces that have reshaped settlement patterns (e.g., commuter railroads, urban freeways, the development of megalopolis and edge cities).

7.3.12.D. Analyze the significance of human activity in shaping places and regions by their economic characteristics.

7.3.12.D.1. Changes in spatial distribution of economic activities at the global scale (e.g., patterns of agriculture, forestry, mining, retailing, manufacturing, services).

7.3.12.D.2. Forces that are reshaping business (e.g., the information economy, business globalization, the development of off-shore activities).

7.3.12.D.3. Effects of changes and movements in factors of production (e.g., resources, labor, capital).

7.3.12.E. Analyze the significance of human activity in shaping places and regions by their political characteristics.

7.3.12.E.1. Spatial pattern of political units in the global system.

7.3.12.E.2. Role of new political alliances on the international level (e.g., multinational organizations, worker's unions, United Nations' organizations).

7.3.12.E.3. Impact of political conflicts (e.g., secession, fragmentation, insurgencies, invasions).

PA.7.4.12. Geography: The Interactions Between People and Places: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

7.4.12.A. Analyze the impacts of physical systems on people.

7.4.12.A.1. How people depend on, adjust to and modify physical systems on international scales (e.g., resource development of oil, coal, timber).

7.4.12.A.2. Ways in which people modify ways of life to accommodate different environmental contexts (e.g., building in permafrost areas; the role of air-conditioning in the United States South and Southwest; the development of enclosed spaces for movement in cold climates).

7.4.12.B. Analyze the impacts of people on physical systems.

7.4.12.B.1. How people develop international agreements to manage environmental issues (e.g., Rio de Janeiro Agreement, the Law of the Sea, the Antarctica Treaty).

7.4.12.B.2. How local and regional processes can have global effects (e.g., wind and hydroelectric power transmitted across regions, water use and irrigation for crop production).

7.4.12.B.3. Sustainability of resources (e.g., reforestation, conservation).

7.4.12.B.4. World patterns of resource distribution and utilization (e.g., oil trade, regional electrical grids).

PA.8.1.12. History: Historical Analysis and Skills Development: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to analyze cultural, economic, geographic, political and social relations to:

8.1.12.A. Evaluate chronological thinking: Sequential order of historical narrative; Continuity and change; Context for events.

8.1.12.B. Synthesize and evaluate historical sources: Literal meaning of historical passages; Data in historical and contemporary maps, graphs and tables; Different historical perspectives; Data presented in maps, graphs and tables; Visual data presented in historical evidence.

8.1.12.C. Evaluate historical interpretation of events: Impact of opinions on the perception of facts; Issues and problems in the past; Multiple points of view; Illustrations in historical stories and sources; Connections between causes and results; Author or source of historical narratives' points of view; Central issue.

8.1.12.D. Synthesize historical research: Historical event (time and place); Facts, folklore and fiction; Historical questions; Primary sources; Secondary sources; Conclusions (e.g., Senior Projects, research papers, debates); Credibility of evidence.

PA.8.2.12. History: Pennsylvania History: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to analyze cultural, economic, geographic, political and social relations to:

8.2.12.A. Evaluate the political and cultural contributions of individuals and groups to Pennsylvania history from 1890 to Present.

8.2.12.A.1. Political Leaders (e.g., Gifford Pinchot, Genevieve Blatt, K. Leroy Irvis).

8.2.12.A.2. Military Leaders (e.g., Tasker H. Bliss, Henry 'Hap' Arnold, George C. Marshall).

8.2.12.A.3. Cultural and Commercial Leaders (e.g., Milton Hershey, Marian Anderson, Fred Rogers).

8.2.12.A.4. Innovators and Reformers (e.g., Frank Conrad, Rachel Carson, Joseph Rothrock).

8.2.12.B. Identify and evaluate primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in Pennsylvania history from 1890 to Present.

8.2.12.B.1. Documents, Writings and Oral Traditions (e.g., Constitution of 1968, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, Pennsylvania historical markers).

8.2.12.B.2. Artifacts, Architecture and Historic Places (e.g., 28th Division Shrine, Fallingwater, Levittown, Allegheny Ridge heritage corridor).

8.2.12.C. Identify and evaluate how continuity and change have influenced Pennsylvania history from the 1890s to Present.

8.2.12.C.1. Belief Systems and Religions (e.g., Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism).

8.2.12.C.2. Commerce and Industry (e.g., work of defense industries, rise and decline of the steel industry, increase of service industries).

8.2.12.C.3. Innovations (e.g., polio vaccine, air pollution examined, nuclear power plants).

8.2.12.C.4. Politics (e.g., Great Depression special legislative session, creation of the state income tax).

8.2.12.C.5. Settlement Patterns (e.g., growth and decline of cities, coal towns, Pittsburgh Renaissance).

8.2.12.C.6. Social Organization (e.g., creation of the State Soil Conservation Commission, First Amendment challenges to education, social services).

8.2.12.C.7. Transportation (e.g., Pennsylvania Turnpike, Interstate highways, international airports).

8.2.12.C.8. Women's Movement (e.g., League of Women Voters, Commission on Women).

8.2.12.D. Identify and evaluate conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations in Pennsylvania history from 1890 to Present.

8.2.12.D.1. Domestic Instability (e.g., The Great Depression, Three-Mile Island nuclear accident, floods of 1936, 1972 and 1977).

8.2.12.D.2. Ethnic and Racial Relations (e.g., segregation, desegregation, racial profiling).

8.2.12.D.3. Labor Relations (e.g., strikes, work stoppages, collective bargaining).

8.2.12.D.4. Immigration (e.g., increased immigration from Europe, migration of African-Americans from the South, influx of Hispanic and Asian peoples).

8.2.12.D.5. Military Conflicts (e.g., World War I, World War II, Persian Gulf War).

PA.8.3.12. History: United States History: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to analyze cultural, economic, geographic, political and social relations to:

8.3.12.A. Identify and evaluate the political and cultural contributions of individuals and groups to United States history from 1890 to Present.

8.3.12.A.1. Political Leaders (e.g., Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt).

8.3.12.A.2. Military Leaders (e.g., John Pershing, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower).

8.3.12.A.3. Cultural and Commercial Leaders (e.g., Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, Langston Hughes, Alan Greenspan).

8.3.12.A.4. Innovators and Reformers (e.g., Wilbur and Orville Wright, John L. Lewis, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King).

8.3.12.B. Identify and evaluate primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in United States history from 1890 to Present.

8.3.12.B.1. Documents (e.g., Treaty of Versailles, North Atlantic Treaty, Neutrality Acts).

8.3.12.B.2. 20th Century Writings and Communication (e.g., Coolidge's 'The Business of America is Business,' King's 'I Have A Dream,' Armstrong's 'One Small Step for Man').

8.3.12.B.3. Historic Places (e.g., Ellis Island, Pearl Harbor, Los Alamos).

8.3.12.C. Evaluate how continuity and change has influenced United States history from 1890 to Present.

8.3.12.C.1. Belief Systems and Religions (e.g., 20th century movements, religions of recent immigrants).

8.3.12.C.2. Commerce and Industry (e.g., corporations, conglomerates, multinational corporations).

8.3.12.C.3. Innovations (e.g., the Tin Lizzie, radio, World Wide Web).

8.3.12.C.4. Politics (e.g., New Deal legislation, Brown v. Topeka, isolationist/non-isolationist debate).

8.3.12.C.5. Settlement Patterns (e.g., suburbs, large urban centers, decline of city population).

8.3.12.C.6. Social Organization (e.g., compulsory school laws, court decisions expanding individual rights, technological impact).

8.3.12.C.7. Transportation and Trade (e.g., expansion and decline of railroads, increased mobility, Internet).

8.3.12.C.8. Women's Movement (e.g., right to vote, women in the war effort, Women's Peace Party).

8.3.12.D. Identify and evaluate conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations in United States history from 1890 to the Present.

8.3.12.D.1. Domestic Instability (e.g., Great Depression, assassination of political and social leaders, terrorist threats).

8.3.12.D.2. Ethnic and Racial Relations (e.g., internment camps for Japanese Americans, Montgomery Alabama Bus Boycott, land tensions with Native Americans).

8.3.12.D.3. Labor Relations (e.g., rise and decline of industrial unions, free trade agreements, imports impact on domestic employment).

8.3.12.D.4. Immigration and Migration (e.g., anti-immigrant attitudes, quota laws, westward and southward migration).

8.3.12.D.5. Military Conflicts (e.g., World War I, World War II, War on Terrorism).

PA.8.4.12. History: World History: Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to analyze cultural, economic, geographic, political and social relations to:

8.4.12.A. Evaluate the significance of individuals and groups who made major political and cultural contributions to world history since 1450.

8.4.12.A.1. Political and Military Leaders (e.g., Askia Daud, Simon Bolivar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mao Zedong).

8.4.12.A.2. Cultural and Commercial Leaders (e.g., Chinua Achebe, Gabriel Garcia Marquiez, Akira Kurosa, Christopher Columbus).

8.4.12.A.3. Innovators and Reformers (e.g., Nelson Mandela, Louis-Joseph Papineau, Mohandas Gandhi, Alexander Fleming).

8.4.12.B. Evaluate historical documents, material artifacts and historic sites important to world history since 1450.

8.4.12.B.1. Documents, Writings and Oral Traditions (e.g., Declaration of the International Conference on Sanctions Against South Africa; Monroe Doctrine, Communist Manifesto, Luther's Ninety-five Theses).

8.4.12.B.2. Artifacts, Architecture and Historic Places (e.g., Robben Island, New York World Trade Center, Hiroshima Ground Zero Memorial, Nazi concentration camps).

8.4.12.B.3. Historic districts (e.g., Timbuktu, Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco, Taj Mahal and Gardens, Kremlin and Red Square).

8.4.12.C. Evaluate how continuity and change throughout history has impacted belief systems and religions, commerce and industry, innovations, settlement patterns, social organization, transportation and roles of women since 1450: Africa; Americas; Asia; Europe.

8.4.12.B.3. Historic districts (e.g., Timbuktu, Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco, Taj Mahal and Gardens, Kremlin and Red Square).

8.4.12.D. Evaluate how conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations impacted world history from 1450 to Present in Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe: Domestic Instability; Ethnic and Racial Relations; Labor Relations; Immigration and Migration; Military Conflicts.

8.4.12.B.3. Historic districts (e.g., Timbuktu, Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco, Taj Mahal and Gardens, Kremlin and Red Square).