In Grade 7, students study the history of Texas from early times to the present. Content is presented with more depth and breadth than in Grade 4.
The focus in each era is on key individuals, events, and issues and their impact.
Students identify regions of Texas and the distribution of population within and among the regions and explain the factors that caused Texas to change from an agrarian to an urban society.
Students describe the structure and functions of municipal, county, and state governments, explain the influence of the U.S. Constitution on the Texas Constitution, and examine the rights and responsibilities of Texas citizens.
Students use primary and secondary sources to examine the rich and diverse cultural background of Texas as they identify the different racial and ethnic groups that settled in Texas to build a republic and then a state.
Students analyze the impact of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on the development of Texas in various industries such as agricultural, energy, medical, computer, and aerospace.
Students use primary and secondary sources to acquire information about Texas.
Students identify the role of the U.S. free enterprise system within the parameters of this course and understand that this system may also be referenced as capitalism or the free market system.
The following periodization should serve as the framework for the organization of this course:
Natural Texas and its People
Age of Contact
Spanish Colonial
Mexican National
Revolution and Republic
Early Statehood
Texas in the Civil War and Reconstruction
Cotton, Cattle, and Railroads
Age of Oil
Texas in the Great Depression and World War II
Civil Rights and Conservatism
Contemporary Texas
My Personal Goals: Through the study of Texas History, I want to foster in our students critical and historical thinking skills, making them life-long learners and productive citizens. We will be studying many cultures and many different types of people, but our focus will always be on how history helps us to better interact with those around us.