Period 1 Social Studies

5th Grade Social Studies standards cover a wide range of topics. Students are required to know our country's history including Native Americans, European explorers, settlement, colonies, westward movement, industry, economics, location of major cities, rivers, states, as well as geography skills. For the remainder of the school year, the class will focus on geography skills and expansion of the United States into the Western Territories. This week we will identify trade routes in the early 1800's, locate the Erie Canal and determinine ways the canal affected trade and settlement. Also, we will trace the route taken by the Cherokee along the Trail of Tears.