Study Guide

Overview and Test Objectives
Field 105: Social Studies (Elementary)

Test Overview

Table outlining the test format, number of questions, time, and passing score.

Format	Computer-based test (CBT)
Number of Questions	100 multiple-choice questions
Time	2 hours 30 minutes*
Passing Score	220

*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial

Test Objectives

Table outlining test content and subject weighting by sub area and objective.

Subarea		Range of Objectives	Approximate Percentage of Questions on Test
I1	World History	001–003	14%
II2	U.S. and Michigan History	004–007	18%
III3	Geography	008–013	27%
IV4	Political Science	014–016	14%
V5	Economics	017–019	13%
VI6	Inquiry, Interdisciplinary Perspectives, and Public Discourse	020–022	14%

Hover over each subarea for details of subtest content or see table above.

Sub area 1 14%, Sub area 2 18%, Sub area 3 27%, Sub area 4 14%, Sub area 5 13%, and Sub area 6 14%.

Subarea I1—WORLD HISTORY

Objective 001—Understand historical concepts, terms, sources, and perspectives.

Includes:

• basic historical terms and concepts (e.g., time, chronology, change and continuity, periodization, era, city-state, civilization, empire)
• construction of time lines, measurement of chronological time by decades and centuries, and the identification of chronological relationships between major events and developments in Michigan, U.S., and world history
• differences between primary and secondary sources of historical information
• basic reference sources used in historical research (e.g., almanacs, information technology, bibliographies, periodical guides, encyclopedias, biographical dictionaries)
• uses of various historical source materials (e.g., oral histories, newspapers, diaries, artifacts, probate data, tax lists, census data, personal correspondence, materials accessed through information technology)
• multiple historical interpretations of the past, ways in which knowledge of history is constructed, and the biases that shape historical interpretation
• cause-and-effect relationships between historical events and the evaluation of major historical issues and events from diverse perspectives (e.g., regional, interregional, global, racial, ethnic, social class, gender)

Objective 002—Understand major events and developments in world history during Era 1, the beginnings of human society to 4000 BCE; Era 2, early civilizations and cultures and the emergence of pastoral peoples, 4000 to 1000 BCE; Era 3, classical traditions, world religions, and major empires, 1000 BCE to 300 CE; and Era 4, expanding and intensified hemispheric interactions, 300 to 1500 CE.

Includes:

• the Agricultural Revolution and the beginnings of human society (e.g., social structure, division of labor, political organization, technology)
• early civilizations in Mesopotamia, Africa, India, China, and the Americas
• early human migrations within and between Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas
• developments and contributions of ancient Greek and Roman civilization
• principal beliefs and the historical development and spread of Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam
• geographic, social, political, economic, and cultural characteristics of Islamic civilization
• the development of Europe (e.g., the decline of the Roman Empire, the emergence of feudalism, the evolution of medieval society)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of historical knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of history, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in history instruction

Objective 003—Understand major events and developments in world history during Era 4, expanded and intensified hemispheric interactions, 300 to 1500 CE; Era 5, the emergence of the first global age, fifteenth to eighteenth centuries CE; Era 6, an age of global revolutions, eighteenth century to 1914 CE; Era 7, global crisis and achievement, 1900 to 1945 CE; Era 8, the Cold War and its aftermath, twentieth century since 1945 CE; and Era 9, America in a new global age, 1980 CE to the present.

Includes:

• the European Renaissance, European expansion between 1450 and 1750 (e.g., the Columbian exchange, the rise of transatlantic slave systems, the effects of European conquest and colonization) and the causes and consequences of the Protestant Reformation
• continuity and change in major world empires (e.g., the Aztec, Inca, and Maya civilizations; the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, the Kingdom of Mali, the Ottoman Empire)
• the causes, major events, and consequences of the age of global revolutions (e.g., the Scientific Revolution, political revolutions such as the American and French Revolutions, the Industrial Revolution)
• the growth of European imperialism and its consequences for Europe and the world (e.g., motives for colonization, responses to imperialism by Asian and African populations, the effect of imperialism on Asian and African societies)
• origins, major events, and consequences of World War I, World War II (e.g., Nazi and Japanese actions, the Holocaust, the use of the atomic bomb, the impact of the war on the U.S. home front), and the Cold War (e.g., U.S.-Soviet differences, major Cold War conflicts, the nuclear arms race, the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. involvement in other countries, the Korean and Vietnam wars)
• decolonization in postwar Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and the economic and political challenges faced by new nations
• revolution and development in East Asia and Latin America (e.g., the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the reconstruction of postwar Japan, the Cuban revolution)
• major developments and challenges of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries (e.g., demographic change, racism, apartheid, economic globalization, environmental degradation, domestic and global terrorism, nuclear proliferation, limited natural resources)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of historical knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of history, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in history instruction

 

Subarea II2—U.S. AND MICHIGAN HISTORY

Objective 004—Understand major events and developments in U.S. history during Era 1, beginnings to 1620 CE; Era 2, colonization and settlement, 1585 to 1763 CE; and Era 3, revolution and the new nation, 1754 to 1800 CE.

Includes:

• social, economic, political, and cultural features of major American Indian nations before the arrival of Europeans
• events and developments related to the European colonization of North America (e.g., objectives of various explorers, consequences of key expeditions and settlements)
• coexistence and conflict between Europeans and American Indians
• the development of Great Britain's North American colonies (e.g., the triangular trade; the growth of representative government; similarities and differences between the New England, mid-Atlantic, and southern colonies)
• operation of the European slave trade, the development of slavery in North America, and African American life and culture in the colonies
• causes, major events, and consequences of the Revolutionary War
• the evolution of American government after the Revolution (e.g., problems under the Articles of Confederation, major debates and compromises at the Constitutional Convention)
• contributions of major individuals related to Eras 1, 2, and 3 of U.S. history
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of historical knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of history, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in history instruction

Objective 005—Understand major events and developments in U.S. history during Era 4, expansion and reform, 1792 to 1861 CE; and Era 5, the Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850 to 1877 CE.

Includes:

• westward expansion (e.g., major territorial acquisitions, the Indian Removal Act, the impact of westward settlement on American Indian nations)
• political and constitutional developments (e.g., the Washington, Adams, and Jefferson presidencies; John Marshall and the Supreme Court; the emergence of Jacksonian democracy)
• causes and consequences of economic growth (e.g., improvements in transportation and technology, the spread of factory production, immigration, urbanization)
• major events and developments in U.S. foreign relations (e.g., the War of 1812, the Monroe Doctrine, Manifest Destiny, the Mexican War)
• major antebellum reform movements (e.g., the temperance movement, the woman suffrage movement, abolitionism)
• the impact of slavery in the United States and developments that contributed to sectional polarization
• the outbreak and events of the Civil War (e.g., the secession of Southern states, advantages and disadvantages of the Union and Confederacy, major battles, significant figures, the Emancipation Proclamation)
• major developments of Reconstruction (e.g., conflict between President Johnson and Congress; the passage of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments)
• contributions of major individuals related to Eras 4 and 5 of U.S. history
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of historical knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of history, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in history instruction

Objective 006—Understand major events and developments in U.S. history during Era 6, the development of an industrial, urban, and global United States, 1870 to 1930 CE; Era 7, the Great Depression and World War II, 1920 to 1945 CE; Era 8, the post–World War II United States, 1945 to 1970 CE; and Era 9, America in a new global age, 1980 CE to the present.

Includes:

• the growth of the industrial economy and the conflict between industrial capitalism and organized labor
• changing patterns of immigration to the United States and the impact of immigration and urbanization on U.S. society
• the settlement of the trans-Mississippi West (e.g., life on the mining, ranching, and farming frontiers; the effects of expanding settlement on American Indian nations)
• the emergence of the United States as a world power (e.g., the Spanish-American War, U.S. territorial acquisitions)
• the disenfranchisement and segregation of African Americans after Reconstruction; the efforts of African Americans to overcome social, political, and economic obstacles that confronted them; and contributions of African Americans to U.S. society
• the causes of the Great Depression, the governmental response to economic collapse, and the effects of the Depression on U.S. society
• social, political, and economic developments in the United States after World War II (e.g., the postwar economic boom; changing patterns of immigration; the decline of the industrial economy; challenges, issues, and accomplishments of different presidential administrations)
• the struggle for African American rights (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education, the sit-in movement, civil unrest, legislative milestones)
• social and political activism during the second half of the twentieth century (e.g., the feminist movement, the American Indian Movement, the Hispanic rights movement, the Asian American movement, the counterculture, the environmental movement)
• issues and developments in U.S. foreign policy since 1970 (e.g., the end of the Cold War, the Persian Gulf War, 9/11 and the response to international terrorism, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars)
• contributions of major individuals related to Eras 6, 7, 8, and 9 of U.S. history
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of historical knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of history, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in history instruction

Objective 007—Understand major events, developments, and individuals in Michigan history.

Includes:

• social and cultural characteristics of American Indian groups in Michigan
• explorers and fur traders who influenced the development of Michigan and the impact of the fur trade on both European and American Indian societies
• events and developments related to the American Revolution and the War of 1812 in Michigan, the establishment and settlement of the Michigan Territory, and the achievement of Michigan statehood
• the impact of natural resources (e.g., minerals, soil, water, forest resources) on the development of Michigan
• immigration, cultural diversity, and movements toward equality in Michigan history (e.g., the Great Migration, the civil rights movement)
• social, economic, political, and geographic changes that have taken place in Michigan as a result of the automotive industry
• chronological relationships between major events and developments in Michigan, U.S., and world history (e.g., the Erie Canal, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Soo Locks, Michigan as "arsenal to the world," worldwide adoption of the assembly line)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of historical knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of history, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in history instruction

 

Subarea III3—GEOGRAPHY

Objective 008—Understand geographic terms, concepts, and resources.

Includes:

• the five fundamental themes of geography (i.e., location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and region)
• basic geographic terms and concepts (e.g., habitat, ecology, interdependence, assimilation, population distribution and density)
• the six essential elements of geography (i.e., the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and the uses of geography)
• basic properties (e.g., orientation, grid systems, symbol systems, scales, projections), limitations (e.g., distortion), and uses of maps and globes
• analysis and interpretation of geographic documents, maps, and information
• characteristics and applications of tools used to acquire, process, and communicate geographic information (e.g., geographic information systems, global positioning systems, remote sensing technology)
• characteristics and uses of basic reference sources employed in geographic research (e.g., almanacs, atlases, information technology, encyclopedias)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of geographic knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of geography, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in geography instruction

Objective 009—Understand physical systems.

Includes:

• the shape and location of major landmasses and bodies of water
• characteristics of major types of physical features (e.g., mountains, hills, plains, river systems)
• characteristics and processes of the four basic components of the earth's physical systems (i.e., the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere)
• the structure of the earth and geological and hydrological processes that shape the earth's surface (e.g., glaciation, plate tectonics, weathering, erosion, deposition)
• the primary elements of climate (e.g., temperature, atmospheric pressure, winds, condensation, precipitation, air masses)
• global climate types and climatic patterns
• the location and characteristics of major world ecosystems
• the location, characteristics, and uses of major natural resources
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of geographic knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of geography, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in geography instruction

Objective 010—Understand human-environment interactions.

Includes:

• ways in which human societies modify the physical environment and adapt to environmental change
• the role of technological innovation and economic development in the creation and solution of environmental problems
• the causes and effects of current environmental problems (e.g., climate change, deforestation, desertification, pollution, decline of fish stocks, water supply problems)
• major conservation initiatives and programs for resource use and management
• basic forms of land use and development (e.g., residential, agricultural, industrial) and the economic, environmental, cultural, and political consequences of land use and development decisions
• perceptions of and responses to natural hazards and catastrophes
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of geographic knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of geography, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in geography instruction

Objective 011—Understand human systems.

Includes:

• cultural characteristics (e.g., customs and traditions, belief systems, patterns of livelihood) of the diverse populations of the world and how culture influences human perceptions
• types of human settlements, factors that influence the characteristics and locations of human settlements, causes and consequences of urbanization, and the functions and structure of cities and towns (e.g., urban sprawl) in developed and developing countries
• causes and consequences of population increase and decline in world history, historical and contemporary population patterns, and world and regional population distribution
• types of human migration and the causes and consequences of historical and contemporary migrations of human populations (e.g., push and pull factors, the diffusion of ideas and cultural traits)
• major types of economic activity, factors influencing the location of different forms of economic activity, economic interdependence, and ways in which transportation and communication link individuals and their communities
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of geographic knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of geography, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in geography instruction

Objective 012—Understand characteristics, processes, and issues of major regions of the Eastern Hemisphere.

Includes:

• comparison of the physical and human characteristics of major regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
• the location of major places (e.g., cultural centers, cities, physical features) in the Eastern Hemisphere
• the location of major events and their impact on the people and environments of the Eastern Hemisphere
• cultural characteristics of regions of the Eastern Hemisphere (e.g., languages, religions, political systems, race and ethnicity)
• types of economic activities within the Eastern Hemisphere (e.g., mining, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing and services)
• the effects of physical factors such as climate, topography, ecology, and location on population distribution, livelihood, industry, agriculture, and commerce in the Eastern Hemisphere
• major connections within regions of the Eastern Hemisphere (e.g., trade, migration, flow of goods and services)
• the significance of political agreements, treaties, and international organizations (e.g., EGOS, NGOs, European Union, NATO, OPEC) for the countries and regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
• the impact of global issues associated with population growth, resources, patterns of global interaction, and conflict and cooperation on the countries and regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of geographic knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of geography, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in geography instruction

Objective 013—Understand characteristics, processes, and issues of major regions of the Western Hemisphere.

Includes:

• comparison of the physical and human characteristics of major regions of the Western Hemisphere
• the location of major places (e.g., cultural centers, cities, physical features) in the Western Hemisphere
• the location of major events and their impact on the people and environments of the Western Hemisphere
• cultural characteristics of regions of the Western Hemisphere (e.g., languages, religions, political systems, race and ethnicity)
• types of economic activities within the Western Hemisphere (e.g., mining, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing and services)
• the effects of physical factors such as climate, topography, ecology, and location on population distribution, livelihood, industry, agriculture, and commerce in the Western Hemisphere
• major connections within regions of the Western Hemisphere (e.g., trade, migration, flow of goods and services)
• the significance of political agreements, treaties, and international organizations (e.g., EGOS, NGOs, European Union, NATO, OPEC) for the countries and regions of the Western Hemisphere
• the impact of global issues associated with population growth, resources, patterns of global interaction, and conflict and cooperation on the countries and regions of the Western Hemisphere
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of geographic knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of geography, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in geography instruction

 

Subarea IV4—POLITICAL SCIENCE

Objective 014—Understand political science concepts, terms, and perspectives.

Includes:

• basic political science terms and concepts (e.g., politics, government, federalism, nation-state, balance of power, sovereignty, social contract)
• the functions and purposes of government
• major characteristics of different forms of government (e.g., democracy, republic, monarchy, totalitarian regimes)
• similarities and differences between political systems
• the formation of government and significant transitions from one form to another (e.g., revolution, election, coup, legislation)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of political science knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of political science, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in political science instruction

Objective 015—Understand the foundations of U.S. government, the U.S. political process, and the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship.

Includes:

• documents related to the origins and development of American constitutional government and democratic ideals (e.g., Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Seneca Falls Declaration, the Gettysburg Address, Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech)
• basic principles of the U.S. Constitution (e.g., separation of powers, checks and balances, popular sovereignty, limited government, judicial review, federalism)
• major components of the U.S. Constitution
• landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions (e.g., Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, Brown v. Board of Education, Lau v. Nichols)
• the U.S. political process and the development of political parties
• the meaning, rights, and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship and the process by which an individual becomes a U.S. citizen
• the role of civic engagement in U.S. society and ways in which citizens can participate in the political process and in public affairs
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of political science knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of political science, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in political science instruction

Objective 016—Understand the structure, organization, and operation of local, state, and federal government in the United States and the role of the United States in the international community.

Includes:

• the organization and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government
• the organization and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of local and state government in Michigan and relations between federal, state, and local government in the United States
• lawmaking processes in the United States (e.g., steps in the legislative process, the role of lobbyists, special interest groups, media, initiatives and referendums)
• the operation of the U.S. legal system (e.g., functions of law in U.S. society, major sources of U.S. law, the criminal justice system)
• how U.S. foreign and domestic policy is made and implemented, major components in the policymaking process, and the role of the United States in world affairs
• the functions and purposes of international organizations (e.g., United Nations, NATO, the European Union, the Organization of American States, the World Trade Organization, the Red Cross/Red Crescent)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of political science knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of political science, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in political science instruction

 

Subarea V5—ECONOMICS

Objective 017—Understand economic concepts and the market economy.

Includes:

• basic economic terms and concepts (e.g., scarcity, opportunity cost, economic incentives, competition, specialization, recession)
• basic characteristics of a free market economic system
• similarities and differences between major economic systems
• how economic systems affect different groups of people in the local and global economy
• the effects of supply, demand, prices, and incentives on personal economic choices and collective economic activity
• basic characteristics of various market structures (e.g., pure competition, oligopoly, monopoly)
• basic forms of business organization and how businesses organize resources to produce goods and services
• major economic indicators, measures, and models (e.g., gross domestic product, national income, consumer price index, production possibility curves, circular flow model)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of economics knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of economics, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in economics instruction

Objective 018—Understand personal finance.

Includes:

• how the economic concepts of scarcity, opportunity cost, and marginal analysis affect household choices and individual economic decisions
• consumer rights and responsibilities, sources of consumer information, consumer fraud, and consumer protection laws and agencies
• the influence of advertising and factors to consider when making economic decisions
• principles and steps involved in creating and maintaining a budget and factors affecting financial planning
• types of credit, procedures for obtaining credit, factors that affect credit eligibility, and appropriate uses of credit
• characteristics of insurance, savings, and investment, and the risks and benefits associated with each
• types of institutions, businesses, and agencies that provide financial services (e.g., credit unions, commercial banks, savings and loan associations)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of economics knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of economics, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in economics instruction

Objective 019—Understand macroeconomics and international economics.

Includes:

• major components of the U.S. economic system (e.g., banks, financial markets, labor unions, small businesses, corporations, consumers, producers, households)
• business cycles and the causes and effects of unemployment and inflation
• fiscal policy (e.g., taxation, government expenditures) and how it affects economic activity
• the Federal Reserve System and the influence of monetary policy on the U.S. economy
• forms of government regulation, goods and services provided by the government, and the effects of government activity on consumers and producers
• basic principles and components of international economics (e.g., the concept of comparative advantage, free trade and protectionism, exchange rates)
• factors influencing the operation of the international economic system (e.g., the effects of the European Union, trade barriers and sanctions) and the impact of globalization on the U.S. and world economy (e.g., the North American Free Trade Agreement, World Trade Organization)
• instructional strategies and resources for promoting the acquisition of economics knowledge, applying techniques for assessing student understanding of economics, and utilizing knowledge of professional standards and technology in economics instruction

 

Subarea VI6—INQUIRY, INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES, AND PUBLIC DISCOURSE

Objective 020—Understand social studies research methods and the analysis and interpretation of social studies information.

Includes:

• steps in the research process (e.g., formulating research questions, choosing a research design, collecting data, organizing and communicating results)
• methods and techniques for collecting social studies information (e.g., interviews, surveys, case studies)
• the acquisition, organization, and management of social studies data (e.g., gathering sources, note taking, file maintenance, preparation of bibliographies)
• the use of electronic technologies to assist in accessing and managing information
• methods and techniques for reporting, sharing, and communicating information and research related to the social sciences
• the analysis of documents and interpretations (e.g., recognizing purpose, point of view, and central questions; distinguishing between fact and opinion; making inferences and drawing conclusions)
• the evaluation of primary and secondary sources of social studies information (e.g., assessing evidence, identifying underlying assumptions, recognizing bias)
• the interpretation of social studies issues represented in graphic formats (e.g., charts, diagrams, maps, political cartoons, graphs)

Objective 021—Understand interdisciplinary perspectives among the social sciences.

Includes:

• the integration of and connections between basic content and concepts from history, geography, economics, and political science
• the interrelatedness of major world demographic, political, economic, and cultural regions (e.g., regional organizations, commercial relationships, shared religious beliefs)
• ways in which historical, geographic, political, and economic factors combine to influence human events and shape human societies
• the origins and interdisciplinary context of global issues involving political stability and change, refugee populations, economic development and international trade, resource use, environmental degradation, and various forms of oppression

Objective 022—Understand core democratic values, recognize the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society, and apply methods for analyzing public policy questions.

Includes:

• core democratic values of America's constitutional republic (e.g., individual rights, justice for all, equal opportunity, respect and appreciation for diversity, patriotism) and ways in which pivotal decisions and major debates in U.S. history reflect those values
• responsible conduct by members of a democratic society (e.g., how an individual's actions affect other people, how one acts in accordance with the rule of law, how one acts in a virtuous and responsible way as a member of society, how individuals in history demonstrated good character and virtue)
• ways of engaging in constructive conversation about matters of public concern (e.g., clarifying issues, considering opposing views, applying democratic values, anticipating consequences, working toward making decisions)
• ways of making reasoned and informed decisions on public issues (e.g., stating issues clearly, tracing the origins of issues, analyzing various perspectives people bring to public policy debates, recognizing factors to be considered when formulating resolutions to public issues, evaluating possible solutions)
• criteria used to analyze evidence and position statements (e.g., logical validity, factual accuracy and/or omission, emotional appeal, credibility, unstated assumptions, logical fallacies, distortions, appeals to bias or prejudice)
• ways of composing coherent essays that express positions on public issues that are supported by reasoned arguments and pertinent evidence

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