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1790s: Post-Revolution
"Social studies" within the U.S. were fixated on understanding the language and usage of both the Declaration of Independence and the newly formed U.S. Constitution -
1893 Convention of Ten
The National Education Association met in 1893 in response to the competing realms of academia and the corporate world to better ready students for their respective fields after completing secondary school. The committee created this curriculum basis fixated on history, civil government, and political economy:
Grade 7: American history and government
Grade 8: Greek and Roman history
Grade 9: French history
Grade 10: English history
Grade 11: American history
Grade 12: Optional studies in depth -
1899 AHA Committee of Seven
The American Historical Association met in 1899 to implement its own interpretation of history curriculum in a four year setting:
Grade 9: Ancient history, especially Greek and Roman, ending in 4th century
Grade 10: Medieval and modern European history
Grade 11: English history
Grade 12: American history and civil government The AHA met ten years after to create the program for the K-8 setting -
1916 NEA Committee on Social Studies
In 1916, the report from the social studies subcommittee of the NEA has influenced social studies education so much so that most of its findings and influences make up social studies curriculum in schools today. Social studies was now being deemed as an umbrella to help students understand and comprehend the society in which they live in. The committee outlined citizenship as a significant outcome from secondary schooling. Courses include interacting history, civics, and social sciences. -
Post-WWII and the Cold War
After both the World Wars and as tensions with the Soviet Union escalated throughout the 20th century, social studies curriculum began to become more nationalistic to combat with the Soviets. Critiques claimed that schools were teaching too broad of subjects, such as, science or social studies, instead of core or "pure" disciplines, such as, history, chemistry, or physics. In response, both secondary schools and universities began to reform curriculum to compete. -
1960s: "The New Social Studies"
During the 1960s, a project known as the "New Social Studies" was being heavily funded and implemented within public school systems. This program created curriculum and courses that were based on projects of "national significance", such as, the High School Geography Project and Man: A Course of Study. These projects were designed to be based off of inquiry discovery and inductiveness. This type of curriculum helped influence our current emphasis on reflective and critical thinking. -
1970s: A Return to the Basics
In response to the changes brought on by the 1960s to social studies curriculum, the 1970s implemented a return to "the basics". Schools were being criticized for being academically questionable "shopping malls" for students to pick and choose overtly specific and irrelevant courses. The return to the basics philosophy relied on concepts such as skill over knowledge and process over content. -
Recent Attempts at Reform (1980s and 1990s)
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, there have been many attempts and more social studies curriculum reform headed by the National Council for the Social Studies. However, these changes have had little to no impact on what is being taught within social studies courses throughout the U.S. In 1992, the NCSS established their own definition of social studies as well as its purpose within school curriculum.