7th grade Social Studies

The American Nation

Grade 7 - United States from 1607 to 1877:  Colonization Through Reconstruction

The seventh grade students will study United States History from European colonization (1607) through (1877), highlighting the role of Ohio.  The establishment of our democratic form of government will be explored from its English orgins emphasizing its ability to reflect the needs of changing times; and the Constitution and Amendments 1-15.  Current events should be a constant focus throughout the year.

Chapter Summaries

A view of North America from space
NASA

Chapter 1:  Geography, History, and the Social Sciences (Pre-history-Present)

The geography of North America has influenced the history and development of the United States. The work of historians, geographers, economists, and other social scientists is important to the overall understanding of the history of people and a nation's continued growth and progress.

Ruins of the Anasazi: Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Corel Professional Photos CD-ROM™

Chapter 2:  Before the First Global Age (Pre-history-1600)

Thousands of years ago, hunters from Asia followed herds of wild animals to the Americas. As they spread through North and South America, they developed a variety of cultures, and several great civilizations arose. At the same time, busy trade networks were being formed throughout Africa and Asia. The world began to see dramatic changes after Europeans in search of new trade routes reached American shores.

Pocahontas , Powhatan Indian, depicted in fashionable clothing
U.S. Senate Collection

Chapter 3:  Exploration and Colonization (1492-1675)

During the era of exploration, the Spanish established an empire in North and South America. In the meantime, the English, French, and Dutch were founding colonies of their own. These included the English settlements of Jamestown in Virginia and Plymouth in Massachusetts.

Colonists build houses along the James River in Virginia in a historic depiction of Jamestown in 1607
Library of Congress

Chapter 4:  The Thirteen English Colonies (1630-1750)

In the 1600s and 1700s, English settlers founded 13 colonies on the eastern coast of what is now the United States. Over time, the various colonies developed different economies and ways of life. Despite their differences, English settlers in all of the colonies came to develop an independent spirit and a tradition of self-government. This independence was strengthened by a religious movement called the Great Awakening and by new social and political ideas from Europe.

Colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians throwing a cargo of tea into Boston Harbor
Library of Congress

Chapter 5:  Crisis in the Colonies (1745-1775)

Between 1754 and 1763, competition for land led to a conflict between England and France that is now known as the French and Indian War. The British, with the help of American colonists and Indian allies, put an end to French power in North America. After the war, Britain angered colonists by taxing them without giving them representation in Parliament. Over the next years, colonial protests grew stronger. Finally, in April 1775, British troops and colonial farmers clashed at the villages of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The battles marked the start of the American Revolution.

"The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill"
Corel Professional Photos CD-ROM™

Chapter 6:  The American Revolution (1775-1783)

After Lexington and Concord, representatives of the colonies tried, without success, to find a peaceful solution to the conflict with Britain. In 1776, as the fighting spread, more colonists called for separation from Britain. With the bold words of the Declaration of Independence, the United States became a nation. From New England, the major operations of the war gradually spread to the Middle Colonies and the South. With help from France and other nations, the Americans defeated the British and won their war for independence.

George Washington presides over the signing of the United States Constitution
National Archives

Chapter 7:  Creating a Republic (1776-1790)

After the American Revolution ended, the new nation struggled to create a workable government. At first, the states were knit together only by a loose set of laws. When the central government proved too weak, representatives of 12 states gathered to create a new framework for government—the Constitution of the United States. During months of debate, the representatives hammered out a set of laws that would make the nation strong, yet protect the rights of the people. The Constitution lives on as the framework of our government today

The United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
Corel Professional Photos CD-ROM™

Chapter 8:  Government, Citizenship, and the Constitution (1787-Present)

The goal of the Constitution is to create a single, united nation with a fair government and system of laws. It ensures peace within the nation, provides for the defense of the country, and guarantees people's rights and liberties. The principles behind the Constitution include the people's right to rule themselves and the careful division of power among three separate branches of the government.

Portrait of George Washington, first President of the United States
Corel Professional Photos CD-ROM™

Chapter 9: Launching the New Government (1789-1800)

The new nation faced many decisions about how it would govern itself. Everything was a fresh issue, from what the President should be called to how the nation should pay its bills. The young republic also had to meet violent challenges inside its borders and on the high seas. In these confusing times, leaders clashed over what policies to follow. Some wanted a stronger national government, while others felt the states should have more power. Before long, two political parties formed. Despite powerful feelings on both sides, the nation successfully elected its second president and moved into the 1800s.

Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa
Library of Congress

Chapter 10: The Age of Jefferson (1801-1816)

Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison brought many changes to America. These included a smaller role for the federal government, the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, and American involvement in the War of 1812.

Women laborers at work in an early textile mill
Library of Congress

Chapter 11:  The Nation Grows and Prospers (1790-1825)

In the early 1800s, the United States changed rapidly. New factories sprang up along the nation's waterways, and with them new towns and cities. The nation increased in size too, as settlers swarmed west. Change led to increased differences. Economic differences grew between the traditional farming society and the newer industrial society. Regional differences also grew between the North, South, and West. The nation's leaders struggled to strengthen and unify a rapidly expanding nation. They also faced the challenge of creating a new foreign policy, as neighboring nations in Latin America won independence.

A flag with a log cabin and blue stars used in William H. Harrison's presidential campaign
Library of Congress

Chapter 12:  The Jacksonian Era (1824-1840)

The Age of Jackson was a time of expanding democracy and political conflict. As more and more white males gained the right to vote, two political parties, the Whigs and the Democrats, competed for their support. Nominating conventions and heated election campaigns became part of American politics. Not all, however, shared in democracy's growth. Women, Native Americans, African Americans, and others had to wait for political and social equality.

Westport Landing by William Henry Jackson
National Park Service

Chapter 13:  Westward Expansion (1820-1860)

By the mid-1800s, Americans began to dream of extending their territory to the Pacific Ocean. Eventually, that dream came true.
First, the United States secured the Pacific Northwest by signing a treaty with Britain. Next, after American settlers declared independence from Mexico, the United States brought Texas into the Union. Americans then won California and the Southwest by fighting a war with Mexico. As settlers poured into the Southwest, a new culture developed that blended American, Mexican, and Native American cultures.

A busy New Orleans seaport
Library of Congress

Chapter 14:  North and South (1820-1860)

As the 1800s progressed, the North and the South continued to develop differently. In many ways, the two regions were like separate worlds. The North based its economy largely on industry. The South, meanwhile, developed an agricultural system that relied primarily on cotton. The industry of the North depended on paid workers. These workers struggled to make a living and endured hard working conditions. Still, they were free. In contrast, cotton production in the South depended on the labor of enslaved African Americans. These enslaved people had no rights or freedoms.

Harriet Tubman
Library of Congress

Chapter 15:  Reform and a New American Culture (1820-1860)

In the mid-1800s, dedicated reformers sought to better American society. Many of these reformers acted on their political ideals. They wanted the nation to live up to its promise of "liberty and equality for all." Religious feeling also spurred many reformers. Reform took many directions. Two of the most sweeping goals were equal rights for women and the abolition of slavery. Reformers often faced opposition, criticism, and even threats. Yet, they continued to struggle and slowly gained support.

Political cartoon depicting President Lincoln undertaking the task of gluing the Union back together
Library of Congress

Chapter 16:  Slavery Divides the Nation (1820-1861)

Between 1820 and 1861, the nation grew increasingly divided as it struggled to answer difficult questions concerning slavery. Should slavery be allowed to spread to the West? Should slavery be abolished throughout the nation? For a time, northerners and southerners settled their differences through compromises. Gradually, however, violence became more and more common. In 1860, voters elected Abraham Lincoln, a member of the anti-slavery Republican Party, to be the next President of the United States. In response, southern states withdrew from the Union. The North and the South then prepared for war.

Battle of Bull Run —the first major battle of the American Civil War
Library of Congress

Chapter 17:  The Civil War (1861-1865)

For more than four years, Americans fought Americans in the Civil War. The South wanted to exist as an independent nation. The North wanted to force the South back into the Union. The war was also linked closely to the question of slavery. President Lincoln made this clear when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Throughout the North and the South, both soldiers and civilians experienced much suffering. The Union's armies struggled in the early years of the war. However, the North's superior resources wore heavily on the South. By the end of 1863, the South was in retreat. In 1865, the South surrendered, and the Civil War came to an end.

A Reconstruction-era lithograph, titled From the Plantation to the Senate, depicting former African American slaves who were elected to the national and state senates.
Library of Congress

Chapter 18:  Reconstruction and the Changing South (1863-1896)

After the Civil War, rebuilding the ruined South was a tremendous job. Just as troubling was the task of bringing the former Confederate states back into the Union. Should southerners who had fought against the United States government be welcomed back or treated harshly? How could the nation protect the newly won rights of freed African Americans? During a period called Reconstruction, North and South slowly reunited. At the same time, the economy of the South slowly recovered, and African Americans in the South gained several important rights and freedoms. However, in the years following Reconstruction, many of these rights were lost.

Photos and summaries from Prentice Hall web site