United States · Common Core State Standards
5th Grade Early American History
The story of America from its earliest inhabitants through the founding of a new nation. Students in 5th grade explore Indigenous civilizations, European exploration, colonial life, the American Revolution, and the creation of the Constitution.
Indigenous Americas
The rich and diverse civilizations that thrived across the Americas for thousands of years before European arrival.
The advanced civilizations of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca and their complex urban societies.
The regional adaptations of Indigenous nations from the Pacific Northwest to the Eastern Woodlands.
Innovation in government, agriculture, and oral traditions among North American tribes.
Initial meetings between Indigenous peoples and Europeans and the immediate consequences.
Age of Exploration
The motivations for European voyages and the global exchange that followed.
The search for trade routes, gold, and the spread of religion using new maritime technology.
The movement of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds.
The arrival of Conquistadors in Central and South America and the fall of empires.
The early French, Dutch, and English attempts at settlement and trade.
Colonial America
Development of the thirteen colonies and the diverse cultures within them.
Puritan life, the importance of education, and the maritime economy of the North.
The 'Breadbasket' colonies known for diversity, tolerance, and trade.
The plantation economy and the rise of the transatlantic slave trade.
Early steps toward democracy including the Mayflower Compact and Virginia House of Burgesses.
Religious revival and the changing social landscape of the mid-1700s.
The American Revolution
The conflict between the colonies and Great Britain leading to independence.
Taxes, protests, and the escalating tension following the French and Indian War.
The philosophy and grievances found in America's founding document.
The military struggle from Lexington and Concord to the victory at Yorktown.
The vital roles played by non-combatants and marginalized groups during the conflict.
The end of the war and the official recognition of American independence.
Creating the Constitution
The struggle to design a stable and fair system of government.
America's first attempt at a national government and why it ultimately failed.
The debates and compromises that shaped the final version of the Constitution.
The system of checks and balances between the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches.
The first ten amendments and the protection of individual liberties.
The Early Republic & Expansion
The growth of the nation and the emergence of new political and social challenges.
George Washington's leadership and the precedents he established for future leaders.
The massive land acquisition from France and its impact on the size of the U.S.
The second conflict with Britain and the rise of American national identity.
Early inventions like the cotton gin and the steam engine changing how Americans lived.
The forced relocation of Indigenous nations and the impact of the Indian Removal Act.
The expansion of voting rights and the early movements for social reform.