NYCDOE: Passport to Social Studies – Grade 11 Unit 2 Guide
This Passport to Social Studies teacher’s guide is the first unit of the United States History and Government course, titled: Expansion, Nationalism, and Sectionalism (1800–1865). This curriculum was developed by a team of NYCDOE staff and teachers, in collaboration with scholars of global history and history education. Students immerse themselves in the topic by discussing historical questions, reading and analyzing a rich collection of diverse primary and secondary sources, examining artifacts, and interpreting images, such as paintings, photographs, and maps.
In this six-week unit, Expansion, Nationalism, and Sectionalism (1800– 1865), students explore how, as the nation expanded, growing sectional tensions resulted in political and constitutional crises that culminated in the Civil War, to answer the essential question: Was the Civil War inevitable?
Throughout the unit, students continue to strengthen historical thinking skills embedded in the Regents Exam for United States History and Government (Framework). Students investigate how long-standing disputes over states’ rights, slavery, and the eventual secession of Southern states from the Union, led to the Civil War. They explore how the expansion of the country westward, as well as different perspectives concerning constitutional, political, economic, and social issues contributed to the growth of sectionalism. They consider how continued encroachment on Native American land affected Native American cultures. Students also examine how both structural forces and human agency contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War while learning to use evidence and disciplinary language to make claims about causation. Additionally, they will continue to strengthen their ability to interpret, select, and cite accurate historical evidence, contextualize primary sources, and use disciplinary vocabulary to develop their analysis.
This guide includes multiple components:
- Overview
- Day-by-Day Planner
- Model Lesson
- Unit Assessment (and rubric)
- Historical Thinking Tools and Analysis Strategies
- Key Standards
- Connections to the Regents Exam in United States History and Government and Civcs for All
To evaluate student mastery of content knowledge, cognitive processes, and critical thinking skills, this unit includes opportunities for formative assessments and a performance-based unit assessment.
Please note that the NYCDOE 9-12: Passport to Social Studies materials also include a separate student Text Set for each unit.
