- Fishkill Plains Elementary School
- Social Studies Overview
-
Social Studies Framework6th Grade Learning Standards
The Eastern Hemisphere
6.1 PRESENT-DAY EASTERN HEMISPHERE GEOGRAPHY: The diverse geography of the Eastern Hemisphere has influenced human culture and settlement patterns in distinct ways. Human communities in the Eastern Hemisphere have adapted to or modified the physical environment. (Standard: 3: Theme: GEO)-
6.1a Maps can be used to represent varied climate zones, landforms, bodies of water, and resources of the Eastern Hemisphere.
-
6.1b The Eastern Hemisphere can be divided into regions. Regions are areas that share common identifiable characteristics, such as physical, political, economic, or cultural features. Regions within the Eastern Hemisphere include:
-
6.1c The physical environment influences human population distribution, land use, economic activities, and political connections.
-
6.1d Issues and problems experienced in the regions of the Eastern Hemisphere have roots in the past.
6.2 THE FIRST HUMANS THROUGH THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION IN THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE: The first humans modified their physical environment as well as adapted to their environment. (Standards: 2, 3; Themes: MOV, TCC, GEO, ECO, TECH)-
6.2a Human populations that settled along rivers, in rainforests, along coastlines, in deserts, and in mountains made use of the resources and the environment around them in developing distinct ways of life.
-
6.2b Early peoples in the Eastern Hemisphere are often studied by analyzing artifacts and archaeological features. Archaeologists engage in digs and study artifacts and features in a particular location to gather evidence about a group of people and how they lived at a particular time.
-
6.2c The Neolithic Revolution was marked by technological advances in agriculture and domestication of animals that allowed people to form semi-sedentary and sedentary settlements.
-
6.2d Historians use archaeological and other types of evidence to investigate patterns in history and identify turning points. A turning point can be an event, era, and/or development in history that has brought about significant social, cultural, ecological, political, or economic change.
6.3 EARLY RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS IN THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE (ca. 3500 B.C.E. – ca. 500 B.C.E.): Complex societies and civilizations developed in the Eastern Hemisphere. Although these complex societies and civilizations have certain defining characteristics in common, each is also known for unique cultural achievements and contributions. Early human communities in the Eastern Hemisphere adapted to and modified the physical environment. (Standards: 2, 3; Themes: ID, TCC, GEO, SOC)-
6.3a Humans living together in settlements develop shared customs, beliefs, ideas, and languages that give identity to the group.
-
6.3b Complex societies and civilizations share the common characteristics of religion, job specialization, cities, government, language/record keeping system, technology, and social hierarchy. People in Mesopotamia, Yellow River valley, Indus River valley, and Nile River valley developed complex societies and civilizations.
-
6.3c Mesopotamia, Yellow River valley, Indus River valley, and Nile River valley complex societies and civilizations adapted to and modified their environment to meet the needs of their population.
-
6.3d Political and social hierarchies influenced the access that groups and individuals had to power, wealth, and jobs and influenced their roles within a society.
6.4 COMPARATIVE WORLD RELIGIONS (ca. 2000 B.C.E – ca. 630 C.E): Major religions and belief systems developed in the Eastern Hemisphere. There were important similarities and differences between these belief systems. (Standard: 2; Themes: ID, SOC)-
6.4a Civilizations and complex societies developed belief systems and religions that have similar as well as different characteristics.
-
6.4b Belief systems and religions are based on a set of mutually held values.
-
6.4c Belief systems and religions often are used to unify groups of people and may affect social order and gender roles.
6.5 COMPARATIVE CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS IN THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE (ca. 600 B.C.E. – ca. 500 C.E.): As complex societies and civilizations change over time, their political and economic structures evolve. A golden age may be indicated when there is an extended period of time that is peaceful, prosperous, and demonstrates great cultural achievements. (Standards: 2, 3, 5; Themes: ID, TCC, GEO, SOC, GOV, CIV)-
6.5a Geographic factors influence the development of classical civilizations and their political structures.
-
6.5b Political structures were developed to establish order, to create and enforce laws, and to enable decision making.
-
6.5c A period of peace, prosperity, and cultural achievements may be indicative of a golden age.
6.6 MEDITERRANEAN WORLD: FEUDAL WESTERN EUROPE, THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE, AND THE ISLAMIC CALIPHATES (ca. 600 C.E. – ca. 1450): The Mediterranean world was reshaped with the fall of the Roman Empire. Three distinct cultural regions developed: feudal Western Europe, the Byzantine Empire, and the Islamic caliphates. These regions interacted with each other and clashed over control of holy lands. (Standards: 2, 3, 4, 5; MOV, TCC, GOV, CIV, EXCH)-
6.6a Overexpansion, corruption, invasions, civil wars, and discord led to the fall of Rome. Feudalism developed in Western Europe in reaction to a need for order and to meet basic needs.
-
6.6b The Byzantine Empire preserved elements of the Roman Empire, controlled lands within the Mediterranean basin, and began to develop Orthodox Christianity.
-
6.6c Islam spread within the Mediterranean region from southwest Asia to northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.
-
6.6d Competition and rivalry over religious, economic, and political control over the holy lands led to conflict such as the Crusades.
6.7 INTERACTIONS ACROSS THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE (ca. 600 C.E. – ca. 1450): Trade networks promoted the exchange and diffusion of language, belief systems, tools, intellectual ideas, inventions, and diseases. (Standards: 2, 3, 4; Themes: MOV, TCC, GEO, ECO, TECH, EXCH)-
6.7a The Silk Roads, the Indian Ocean, and the Trans-Saharan routes formed the major Afro-Eurasian trade networks connecting the East and the West. Ideas, people, technologies, products, and diseases moved along these routes.
-
6.7b The Mongol conquests in Eurasia fostered connections between the East and the West and the Mongols served as important agents of change and cultural diffusion.
-
6.7c Complex societies and civilizations adapted and designed technologies for transportation that allowed them to cross challenging landscapes and move people and goods efficiently.
-
