This course is aligned with Florida’s Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for 5th grade social studies. The students will first review the needed map skills to successfully complete the source. The class focuses on the history of early America. It also provides a chance for students to practice reading about and discussing current events. The students will learn about native American civilizations, including early ones such as the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations. They will then learn about European explorers, including Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus. Next the students will learn about the 13 original colonies and the steps that the colonies took towards revolution. They will review the major battles of the revolutionary war, and will learn about the Treaty of Paris, and the impact the war had on the country. The students will learn about how the government of the United States was formed and how the constitution was written. Next, they will learn about how the nation grew through things such as the Louisiana Purchase and the idea of manifest destiny. The students will learn about the growth of industry in the young country and the impact of slavery. Finally, the students will learn about how government is set up in the United States today, with the three branches of government and the system of checks and balances. They will also learn about their rights and responsibilities as a citizen of a country.