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8th grade · Social Studies · Unit 3 of 9

A New Nation

The first presidents to the Monroe Doctrine

What your child practices

The first presidents and parties, judicial review, the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark, the War of 1812 and early foreign policy.

Alaska content standards learning standard: SS.8.4.23.1; SS.8.4.3.1 · the challenges the new United States faced and the people who shaped its first years

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury, wanted a strong national government and a national bank; Jefferson preferred more power for states.
  2. The Alien and Sedition Acts (1798) were criticized for limiting free speech.
  3. Britain’s impressment of American sailors helped cause the War of 1812, and the Monroe Doctrine (1823) warned Europe away from the Americas.

Example: What was impressment? Britain needed sailors for its navy. It took sailors from American ships. They were forced to serve. Answer: Britain forcing American sailors to serve in its navy

A New Nation in Alaska

In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 3 of 9 in 8th grade Social Studies, after Founding Ideas and before Rights & Amendments.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Thomas Jefferson and his Democratic-Republicans favored…

    • Stronger states and a nation of farmers
    • A national bank
    • Cities only
    • A king

  2. Question 2

    Shays' Rebellion (1786–1787) convinced many leaders that…

    • the states needed kings
    • Britain should return
    • the Articles of Confederation were too weak
    • taxes should end

  3. Question 3

    The War of 1812 was fought between the US and…

    • Mexico
    • Spain
    • Britain
    • France

  4. Question 4

    How did the Louisiana Purchase change the United States?

    • It gave away Florida
    • It made the country smaller
    • It about doubled the size of the country
    • It ended the Revolution

  5. Question 5

    In 1803, the US bought the Louisiana Territory from…

    • Britain
    • Spain
    • Mexico
    • France

  6. Question 6

    The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 showed that…

    • states could ignore taxes
    • the new federal government could enforce its laws
    • the army was disbanded
    • Britain still ruled

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