Standards - Social Studies

Trace the impact of the media on the political process and public opinion in the United States, including party press, penny press, print media, yellow journalism, radio, television, and electronic media.

Describing regional differences in public opinion in the United States

Analyzing television and electronic media for their impact on the election process and campaign spending from the John F. Kennedy-Richard M. Nixon debate to the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States

Explaining the effect of attack advertisements on voter selection of candidates

Evaluate roles political parties play in the functioning of the political system of the United States.

Describing the role of third-party candidates in political elections in the United States

Explaining major characteristics of contemporary political parties in the United States, including the role of conventions, party leadership, formal and informal memberships, and regional strongholds

Describing the influence of political parties on individuals and elected officials, including the development of party machines, rise of independent voters, and disillusionment with party systems

Evaluate constitutional provisions of the legislative branch of the government of the United States, including checks by the legislative branch on other branches of government.

Comparing rules of operations and hierarchies of Congress, including roles of the Speaker of the House, the Senate President Pro Tempore, majority and minority leaders, and party whips

Identifying the significance of Congressional committee structure and types of committees

Tracing the legislative process, including types of votes and committee action, from a bill’s presentation to presidential action

Evaluate constitutional provisions of the executive branch of the government of the United States, including checks by the executive branch on other branches of government and powers, duties as head of state and head of government, the electoral process, and the Twenty-fifth Amendment.

Critiquing informal powers of the President of the United States, including press conferences, State of the Union addresses, total media access, head of party, and symbolic powers of the Oval Office

Identifying the influence of White House staff on the President of the United States

Ranking powers held by the President’s Cabinet, including roles of Cabinet secretaries, appropriations by Congress, appointment and confirmation, and operation of organization

Comparing diverse backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and levels of education of United States’ presidents

Evaluate constitutional provisions of the judicial branch of government of the United States, including checks by the judicial branch on other branches of government, limits on judicial power, and the process by which cases are argued before the United States Supreme Court.

Explaining the structure and jurisdiction of court systems of the United States, including lower courts and appellate courts

Identifying the impact of landmark United States Supreme Court cases on constitutional interpretation

Describing the shifting political balance of the court system, including the appointment process, the ideology of justices, influences on court decisions regarding executive and legislative opinion, public opinion, and the desire for impartiality

Contrasting strict and loose constructionist views of the Constitution of the United States

Describe the role of citizens in American democracy, including the meaning, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship; due process and other rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States; and participation in the election process.

Explaining how the balance between individual versus majority rule and state versus national authority is essential to the functioning of the American democratic society (Alabama)

Explain the role and consequences of domestic and foreign policy decisions, including scientific and technological advancements and humanitarian, cultural, economic, and political changes.

Evaluating financial, political, and social costs of national security

Explain why productive resources are limited and why individuals, businesses, and governments have to make choices in order to meet needs and wants.

Explaining scarcity as a basic condition that exists when unlimited wants exceed limited productive resources

Explaining land (an example of a natural resource), labor (an example of a human resource), capital (an example of a physical or human resource), and entrepreneurship to be the factors of production

Explaining opportunity cost as the next best alternative to relinquish when individuals, businesses, and governments confront scarcity by making choices

Explain how rational decision making entails comparing additional costs of alternatives to additional benefits.

Illustrating on a production-possibilities curve how rational decision making involves trade-offs between two options

Explaining rational decision making as the comparison between marginal benefits and marginal costs of an action

Describe different economic systems used to allocate scarce goods and services.

Defining command, market, and mixed economic systems