Grade 8 World History I
Unit 1: Standards and Benchmarks
Unit 1: Standards and Benchmarks
Middle & High School Social Studies Grade 8 1.0 Continuity and Change
(Time, Continuity, and Change)
Understands patterns of change and continuity, relationships between people and events through time, and various interpretations of these relationships
SS8.1.1 Identifies and evaluates long-term changes, enduring influences and recurring patterns in world history
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Byzantine Empire, Russia and Eastern Europe
• The Mongol Empire & Ming Dynasty
SS8.1.2 Describes how ideals and institutions of freedom, equality, justice and citizenship have changed over time and from one society to another
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
Middle & High School Social Studies Grade 8 2.0 Geography
(People, Places, and Environment) Understands the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography influence and are influenced by human history
SS8.2.1 Explains how the physical environment contributes to the development of distinct cultural identities
• Regional Civilizations (The Americas)
• Japan: An Island Empire
Middle & High School Social Studies Grade 8 3.0 Society
(Connections and Conflict) Understands causes and effects of interaction among societies, including trade, systems of international exchange, war, and diplomacy
SS8.3.1 Explains how trans-regional alliances and multinational organizations can encourage or discourage solidarity and diversity
• Ancient Greece
(Governance and Citizenship)
Understands why societies create and adopt systems of governance and how these systems address human needs, rights, and citizen responsibilities
SS8.3.7 Identifies strengths and weaknesses of various kinds of political philosophies
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
SS8.3.11 Explains the roots of contemporary political systems
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
Middle & High School Social Studies Grade 8 4.0 Economics
(Production, Distribution, and Consumption)
Understands fundamental economic principles and ways in which economies are shaped by geographic and human factors
SS8.4.1 Analyzes ways in which trade has contributed to economic change in selected societies or civilizations
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Trade and Towns Grow
(Time, Continuity, and Change)
Understands patterns of change and continuity, relationships between people and events through time, and various interpretations of these relationships
SS8.1.1 Identifies and evaluates long-term changes, enduring influences and recurring patterns in world history
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Byzantine Empire, Russia and Eastern Europe
• The Mongol Empire & Ming Dynasty
SS8.1.2 Describes how ideals and institutions of freedom, equality, justice and citizenship have changed over time and from one society to another
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
Middle & High School Social Studies Grade 8 2.0 Geography
(People, Places, and Environment) Understands the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography influence and are influenced by human history
SS8.2.1 Explains how the physical environment contributes to the development of distinct cultural identities
• Regional Civilizations (The Americas)
• Japan: An Island Empire
Middle & High School Social Studies Grade 8 3.0 Society
(Connections and Conflict) Understands causes and effects of interaction among societies, including trade, systems of international exchange, war, and diplomacy
SS8.3.1 Explains how trans-regional alliances and multinational organizations can encourage or discourage solidarity and diversity
• Ancient Greece
(Governance and Citizenship)
Understands why societies create and adopt systems of governance and how these systems address human needs, rights, and citizen responsibilities
SS8.3.7 Identifies strengths and weaknesses of various kinds of political philosophies
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
SS8.3.11 Explains the roots of contemporary political systems
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
Middle & High School Social Studies Grade 8 4.0 Economics
(Production, Distribution, and Consumption)
Understands fundamental economic principles and ways in which economies are shaped by geographic and human factors
SS8.4.1 Analyzes ways in which trade has contributed to economic change in selected societies or civilizations
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Trade and Towns Grow