Source:
National Standards for United States History: Exploring the American Experience National Center for History in the School, Department of History.
University of California,
6339 Bunche hall,
405 Hilgard Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1473
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/contact.html

See also McREL Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education (2nd Edition) on the Web at http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/

Standard 1: Chronological Thinking

A. Distinguish between past, present and future time.

C. Establish temporal order in constructing historical narratives of their own: working forward from some beginning through its development, to some end or outcome; working backward from some issue, problem or event to explain its origins and its development over time.

D. Interpret data presented in time lines and create time lines by designating appropriate equidistant intervals of time and recording events according to the temporal order in which they occurred.

E. Reconstruct patterns of historical succession and duration in which historical developments have unfolded and apply them to explain historical continuity and change.

Standard 2: Historical Comprehension

A. Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage by identifying who was involved, what happened, where it happened, what events led to these developments and what consequences or outcomes followed.

C. Read historical narratives imaginatively, taking into account (a) the historical context in which the event unfolded - the values, outlook, options and contingencies of that time and place; and (b) what the narrative reveals of the humanity of the individuals involved - their probable motives, hopes, fears, strengths and weaknesses.

D. Evidence historical perspectives - the ability (a) to describe the past on its own terms, through the eyes and experiences of those who were there, as revealed through their literature, diaries, letters, debates, arts, artifacts and the like; and (b) to avoid "present-mindedness," judging the past solely in terms of present-day norms and values.

E. Draw upon data in historical maps in order to obtain or clarify information on the geographic setting in which the historical event occurred, its relative and absolute location, the distances and directions involved, the natural and man-made features of the place and critical relationships in the spatial distributions of those features and the historical event occurring there.

F. Utilize visual and mathematical data presented in charts, tables, pie and bar graphs, flow charts, Venn diagrams and other graphic organizers to clarify, illustrate or elaborate upon information presented in the historical narrative.

G. Draw upon visual, literary and musical sources including: (a) photographs, paintings, cartoons and architectural drawings; (b) novels, poetry and plays; and (c) folk, popular and classical music to clarify, illustrate or elaborate upon information presented in the historical narrative.

Standard 3: Historical Analysis and Interpretation

A. Identify the author or source of the historical document or narrative and assess its credibility.

B. Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas, values, personalities, behaviors and institutions by identifying similarities and differences.

E. Analyze cause-and-effect relationships, bearing in mind multiple causation including (a) the importance of the individual in history; (b) the influence of ideas, human interests and beliefs; and (c) the role of chance, the accidental and the irrational.

J. Hypothesize the influence of the past, including both the limitations and the opportunities made possible by past decisions.

Standard 4: Historical Research Capabilities

A. Formulate historical questions from encounters with historical documents, eyewitness accounts, letters, diaries, artifacts, photos, historical sites, art, architecture and other records from the past.

B. Obtain historical data from a variety of sources, including: libraries and museums, historical sites, historical photos, journals, diaries, eyewitness accounts, newspapers and documentary films, and so on.

D. Identify the gaps in the available records and marshal contextual knowledge and perspectives of the time and place in order to elaborate imaginatively upon the evidence, fill in the gaps deductively and construct a sound historical interpretation.

Standard 5: Historical Issues-Analysis and Decision-Making

A. Identify issues and problems in the past and analyze the interests, values, perspectives and points of view of those involved in the situation.

E. Formulate a position or course of action on an issue by identifying the nature of the problem, analyzing the underlying factors contributing to the problem and choosing a plausible solution from a choice of carefully evaluated options.