N.NSCG.
| N.NSCG. | STRAND / ORGANIZATION National Standards for Civics and Government (NSCG) |
| I.B. | STANDARD / BENCHMARK What are civic life, politics, and government? What are the essential characteristics of limited and unlimited government? |
| I.B.3. | BENCHMARK / GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Civil society and government. Students should be able to explain and evaluate the argument that civil society is a prerequisite of limited government. To achieve this standard, students should be able to |
| I.B.3.2. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Explain how civil society provides opportunities for individuals to associate for social, cultural, religious, economic, and political purposes |
| II.B. | STANDARD / BENCHMARK What are the foundations of the American political system? What are the distinctive characteristics of American society? |
| II.B.1. | BENCHMARK / GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Distinctive characteristics of American society. Students should be able to explain how the following characteristics tend to distinguish American society from most other societies. To achieve this standard, students should be able to |
| II.B.1.1. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Explain important factors that have helped shape American society, such as |
| II.B.1.1.j. | EXPECTATION Diversity of the population |
| II.B.1.1.k. | EXPECTATION Individualism |
| II.B.1.2. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Compare the distinctive characteristics of American society with those of other countries |
| II.B.4. | BENCHMARK / GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Diversity in American society. Students should be able to evaluate, take and defend positions on issues regarding diversity in American life. To achieve this standard, students should be able to |
| II.B.4.1. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Identify the many forms of diversity found in American society, e.g., racial, religious, ethnic, socioeconomic, regional, linguistic |
| II.B.4.2. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Explain the impact on American politics, both historically and at present, of the racial, religious, socioeconomic, regional, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of American society |
| II.B.4.3. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Explain alternative ideas about the role and value of diversity in American life both historically and at present |
| II.B.4.4. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Describe conflicts that have arisen from diversity and explain the means by which some have been managed and explain why some conflicts have persisted unabated |
| II.C. | STANDARD / BENCHMARK What are the foundations of the American political system? What is American political culture? |
| II.C.2. | BENCHMARK / GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Character of American political conflict. Students should be able to describe the character of American political conflict and explain factors that usually tend to prevent it or lower its intensity. To achieve this standard, students should be able to |
| II.C.2.2. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Explain some of the reasons why political conflict in the United States, with notable exceptions such as the Civil War, nineteenth century labor unrest, the 1950s and 1960s civil rights struggles, and the opposition to the war in Vietnam, has generally been less divisive than in many other nations. These include |
| II.C.2.2.k. | EXPECTATION A sense of unity within diversity |
| II.D. | STANDARD / BENCHMARK What are the foundations of the American political system? What values and principles are basic to American constitutional democracy? |
| II.D.3. | BENCHMARK / GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Fundamental values and principles. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on what the fundamental values and principles of American political life are and their importance to the maintenance of constitutional democracy. To achieve this standard, students should be able to |
| II.D.3.1. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Explain the following values which are widely considered to be fundamental to American civic life |
| II.D.3.1.f. | EXPECTATION Diversity |
| II.D.4. | BENCHMARK / GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Conflicts among values and principles in American political and social life. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on issues in which fundamental values and principles may be in conflict. To achieve this standard, students should be able to |
| II.D.4.1. | GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION Describe historical and contemporary issues which involve conflicts among fundamental values and principles and explain how these conflicts might be resolved |
| II.D.4.1.a. | EXPECTATION Liberty and equality |