State of Ohio Social Studies Standards

Government

Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 4.  
Recognize the need for rules in different settings and the need for fairness such rules.

Standard Number: 5.  
Discuss the consequences of violating rules.

Grade: Gr. 2
Government
Role of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Identify leaders such as mayor, governor and president, and explain that they are elected by the people.

Standard Number: 2.  
Explain how a system of government provides order to a group such as a school or community and why government is necessary including
a.   making and enforcing laws
b.   providing leadership
c.   providing services
d.   resolving disputes

Standard Number: 3.  
Explain the importance of landmarks in the United States and the ideals that they represent including
a.   the Washington Monument
b.   the Jefferson Memorial
c.   the Lincoln Memorial
   
Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 4.  
Explain the purpose of rules in the

Standard Number: 5.  
Predict the consequences of following rules or violating rules in different settings.

Grade: Gr. 3
Government
Role of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Explain the major functions of local government including
a.   promoting order and security
b.   making laws
c.   settling disputes
d.   providing public services
e.   protecting the rights of individuals
   
Standard Number: 2.  
Explain the structure of local governments and identify local leaders (e.g., township trustees, county commissioners, city council members or mayor).

Standard Number: 3.  
Identify the location of local government buildings and explain the functions of government that are carried out there.

Standard Number: 4.  
Identify goods and services provided by local government, why people need them and the source of funding (taxation).

Standard Number: 5.  
Define power and authority.

Standard Number: 6.  
Explain why the use of power without legitimate authority is unjust (e.g., bullying, stealing).

Grade: Gr. 4
Government
Role of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Explain major responsibilities of each of the three branches of government Ohio
a.   the legislative branch, headed by the General Assembly, makes state laws
b.   the executive branch, headed by the governor, carries out and enforces laws made by the General Assembly
c.   the judicial branch, headed by the Ohio Supreme Court, interprets and applies the law
   
Standard Number: 2.  
Explain why elections are used to select leaders and decide issues.

Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 3.  
Explain the purpose of a democratic constitution
a.   to provide a framework for a government
b.   to limit the power of government
c.   to define the authority of elected officials
   
Standard Number: 4.  
Explain that the Ohio Constitution tells how the state government should be organized and guarantees the rights of individuals.

Grade: Gr. 5
Government
Role of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Explain major responsibilities of each of the three branches of the United States government
a.   the legislative branch, headed by Congress, passes laws
b.   the executive branch, headed by the president, carries out and enforces the laws made by Congress
c.   the judicial branch, headed by the Supreme Court, interprets and applies the law
   
Standard Number: 2.  
Explain the essential characteristics of American democracy including
a.   the people are the source of the governmentís authority
b.   all citizens have the right and responsibility to vote and influence the decisions of the government
c.   the government is run directly by the people or through elected representatives
d.   the powers of government are limited by law
e.   basic rights of individuals are guaranteed by the Constitution
   
Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 3.  
Explain the significance of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.

Grade: Gr. 6
Government
Role of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Explain reasons for the creation of governments such as
a.   protecting lives, liberty and property
b.   providing services that individuals cannot provide for themselves

Standard Number: 2.  
Describe how the world is divided into countries that claim sovereignty over territory, and countries may be further divided into states or provinces that contain cities and towns.

Standard Number: 3.  
Explain the ways that countries interact with each other including
a.   diplomacy
b.   treaties
c.   international meetings and exchanges, e.g., United Nations
d.   military conflict
   
Systems of Government
Standard Number: 4.  
Describe the defining characteristics of democracies, monarchies and dictatorships.

Grade: Gr. 7
Government
Systems of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Compare direct and representative democracy using examples of ancient Athens, the Roman republic and the United States today.

Standard Number: 2.  
Describe the essential characteristics of the systems of government found in city-states, kingdoms and empires from ancient times through the Middle Ages.

Grade: Gr. 8
Government
Role of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Analyze the principles of self-government and natural rights expressed the Declaration of Independence and their relationship to Enlightenment ideas.

Standard Number: 2.  
Explain how political parties developed as a result of attempts to resolve issues in the early years of the United States including
a.   payment of debt
b.   establishment of a national bank
c.   strict or loose interpretation of the Constitution
d.   support for England or France

Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 3.  
Explain how events and issues demonstrated the need for a stronger form governance in the early years of the United States
a.   Shays's Rebellion
b.   economic instability
c.   government under the Articles of Confederation

Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 4.  
Explain the political concepts expressed in the United States Constitution
a.   representative democracy
b.   federalism
c.   bicameralism
d.   separation of powers
e.   checks and balances
   
Standard Number: 5.  
Explain how the United States Constitution protects the rights of citizens, regulates the use of territory, manages conflict and establishes order and security.

Standard Number: 6.  
Explain how specific provisions of the United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, limit the powers of government in order to protect the rights of individuals with emphasis on
a.   freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition
b.   right to trial by jury and the right to counsel
c.   due process and equal protection of the laws

Standard Number: 7.  
Explain how the Northwest Ordinance established principles and procedures for the orderly expansion of the United States.

Standard Number: 8.  
Describe the process by which a bill becomes a law.

Grade: Gr. 9
Government
Systems of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Explain how various systems of governments acquire, use and justify their power.

Standard Number: 2.  
Analyze the purposes, structures and functions of various systems of government including
a.   absolute monarchies
b.   constitutional monarchies
c.   parliamentary democracies
d.   presidential democracies
e.   dictatorships
f.   theocraciesGrade:

Gr. 10
Government
Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 1.  
Examine the United States Constitution as a living document by analyzing its evolution through amendments and Supreme Court decisions including
a.   Plessy v. Ferguson
b.   Brown v. Board of Education
c.   Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

Standard Number: 2.  
Explain why the 19th and 26th Amendments were enacted and how they affected individuals and groups.

Grade: Gr. 11
Government
Role of Government
Standard Number: 1.  
Analyze the actions of the United States government and evaluate the to which those actions reflect characteristics of American democracy and help to serve the public good.

Standard Number: 2.  
Explain, using examples, how political parties, interest groups, the media and individuals influence the policy agenda and decision-making of government institutions.

Standard Number: 3.  
Describe the changing relationships among the branches of the national government, and evaluate applications of the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances for serving the public good and protecting individual rights.

Standard Number: 4.  
Describe the changing relationship among the levels of government in the United States federal system, and evaluate applications of the principle of federalism for serving the public good and protecting individual rights.

Standard Number: 5.  
Explain the major responsibilities of the federal government for domestic and foreign policy including powers of each branch of the government.

Standard Number: 6.   
Explain the functions of local and state governments in Ohio and how their powers are derived from the Ohio Constitution.

Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 7.  
Explain the philosophical foundatio ns of the American political system as outlined in the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and the Federalist Papers with emphasis on the basic principles of natural rights.

Standard Number: 8.  
Compare and analyze the powers granted to the national and state governments in the federal system with emphasis on
a.   concurrent powers
b.   reserved powers
c.   implied powers
d.   expressed powers

Standard Number: 9.  
Explain how interpretations of the basic principles found in the United States Constitution have changed over time.

Standard Number: 10.  
Explain the importance of the privilege of habeas corpus and of the constitutional prohibitions against bills of attainder and ex post facto laws.

Systems of Government
Standard Number: 11.  
Explain the role of elections and political parties (including third parties) in facilitating the democratic process.

Standard Number: 12.  
Describe the ways in which public officials are held accountable for the public good including ways they can acquire and lose their offices with emphasis on
a.   appointments
b.   primary and general elections
c.   the Electoral College
d.   recall
e.   impeachment
   
Standard Number: 13.  
Explain the use of the initiative and referendum in the government of Ohio.

Grade: Gr. 12
Government
Role of Government
Standard Number: 1.   
Identify and analyze an issue related to domestic or foreign policy in the United States (e.g., human rights, intervention in conflicts between other countries or health care).

Standard Number: 2.  
Explain how individuals and groups, both governmental and nongovernmental, influence domestic and foreign policy and evaluate how these actions reflect characteristics of American democracy.

Rules and Laws
Standard Number: 3.  
Exp lain the key arguments made for and against the ratification of the Constitution and illustrate how those arguments influence contemporary political debate.

Systems of Government
Standard Number: 4.  
Identify and analyze issues related to the election process in the United States (e.g., election board policies, technology used in elections, media reporting of election results).