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The PSU SSE Framework for NH is embedded in a living Google Document. The version visible on these pages is dated 12.08.25 and lacks links to related inquiries and resources. For full resources, follow the link to the Framework below. 

Rome

Grade 7: 

Cultural Geography and Civilizations II

Grade 7 continues the sequence from grade 6, studying the development of ancient and classical civilizations and physical geography of Asia, Oceania, and Europe. Students study these topics by exploring guiding questions such as, “How did the concept of self-government develop?” and “Why do empires rise and fall?” Additional supporting questions appear under each topic. The questions are included to stimulate teachers’ and students’ own questions for discussion and research.

Grade 7 Social Studies Topics

  • Central and South Asia

  • East Asia

  • Southeast Asia and Oceania

  • Europe

Literacy in Social Studies

In studying these topics, students apply grades 6-8 reading, writing and speaking and listening skills, and learn vocabulary and concepts related to history and social science.

​​​Looking Ahead: Connections to Social Studies in Kindergarten

Sixth graders focused on the geography, history, and ancient civilizations of Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands, the Middle East and Africa as sixth graders. Students in eighth grade will study civics. Students in the high school will study world history from approximately 500 CE to the first decades of the 21st century.  

Grade Level Statewide Programs

National History Day in New Hampshire, a program for teaching historical research that culminates in the state history competition.

 

Mikva Challenge, a program for teaching civic speech writing that culminates in a competition for students. Supported by NH Civics.

Major Resources

Standards for

History and Social 

Science Practice, Pre-K-12 

 

  1. Develop focused questions or problem statements and conduct inquiries.

  2. Organize information and data from multiple primary and secondary sources.

  3. Analyze the purpose and point of view of each source; distinguish opinion from fact.

  4. Evaluate the credibility, accuracy, and relevance of each source.

  5. Argue or explain conclusions, using valid reasoning and evidence. 

  6. Determine next steps and take informed action, as appropriate.

Topic 1. Central and South Asia

Compelling Question: See below

Suggested Content:

Modern countries in Central and South Asia 

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Significant ancient societies, empires, religions, and cultures in Central and South Asia

Indus Valley civilization, the Gandharan Kingdom, Kushan Empire, Mauryan Empire, Gupta Empire, the empire of Alexander the Great, the Persian Empire, contacts with the Roman Empire and Chinese Empire, cultures along the Silk Road, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Zoroastrianism

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Physical and political geography of Central and South Asia 

  1. On a physical map of the world, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legend, and title to locate Central and South Asia. On a topographic map of Central and South Asia locate important physical features of the region (e.g. the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the Ganges River, the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Northern Mountains, the Khyber Pass, the Deccan Plateau, the Himalayan Mountains, and the Steppes). Use other kinds of maps (e.g., landform, population, climate) to determine important characteristics of this region.

  2. On a political map of the region, demonstrate map reading skills to distinguish countries, capitals, and other cities and to describe their absolute location (using latitude and longitude coordinates) and relative location (relationship to other countries, cities, or bodies of water); use knowledge of maps to complement information gained from text about a city, country or region.

  3. Explain how absolute and relative locations, major physical characteristics, climate and natural resources in this region have influenced settlement patterns, population size, and economies of the countries.

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Early Indian and Central Asian civilizations, religions, and cultures

Compelling Question: What was the most significant contribution of early societies in India and Central Asia to mathematics, science, the arts, and technology in the modern world?

  1. Explain the ways in which early Indian and Central Asian societies interacted with East African, Western Asian, and European societies (e.g., by conquest, trade, colonization, diffusion of religion, language, and culture). 

  2. Describe important economic, political, and religious developments in Indian and Central Asian history and evaluate the ways in which they conform to or differ from developments in societies in other regions of the world.

  1. the origins of Indian society in the Indus Valley, c. 3000-1300 BCE

  2. the evolution and central principles of Hinduism

  3. the teachings of Gautama Buddha in India in the 6th to 4th centuries BCE 

  4. the Mauryan Empire in the 4th to 2nd centuries BCE and the role of the Emperor Ashoka adopting Buddhism’s moral teachings and the philosophy of non-violence and supporting Buddhist missionaries in North Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, and Mediterranean Europe; the Gupta Empire in the 3rd to 6th centuries CE, sometimes referred to as the “Golden Age of India,” and its Sanskrit classic literature and art 

  5. the development of the caste system in India

  6. achievements in art, architecture, technology, astronomy, and mathematics

  7. the role topography and geography played in making trade along the several routes of the Silk Road viable and lucrative; connections through trade routes to Africa, Europe, and China 

Suggested Inquiries:

1.1-6 Investigating History: What were the most important turning points in early human history?

​

Suggested Resources:

Hinduism, The Vedas -excerpts from The Vedas: The Rig Veda (c.1500-500 BCE) Article and excerpts. Text alone. 

Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (c. 500 BCE)

Topic 2. East Asia

Compelling Question: See below

Suggested Content:

Modern countries in East Asia

China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan 

Significant ancient societies, religions, and cultures in East Asia

Dynasties in ancient China, ancient Japan, ancient Korea, the Mongolian Empire, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Shintoism

 

Physical and political geography of East Asia 

  1. On a physical map of the world, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legend, and title to locate East Asia. Locate important physical features (e.g. the Huang He [Yellow] River and Chang Jiang [Yangtze] Rivers, and the Himalayan Mountains) and other characteristics of the region. Use other kinds of maps (e.g., landform, population, climate) to determine important characteristics of this region.

  2. On a political map of the region, demonstrate map reading skills to distinguish countries, capitals, and other cities and to describe their absolute location (using latitude and longitude coordinates) and relative location (relationship to other countries, cities, or bodies of water); use knowledge of maps to complement information gained from text about a city, country or region.

  3. Explain how absolute and relative locations, major physical characteristics, climate and natural resources in this region have influenced settlement patterns, population size, and economies of the countries.

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Early East Asian societies, religions, and cultures
Ancient China, c. 1600 BCE-500 CE

Compelling Question: To what degree have Chinese societies over time been shaped by geography?

  1. Describe the topography and climate of eastern Asia, including the importance of mountain ranges and deserts, and explain how geography influenced the development of Chinese complex societies. 

  2. Describe important economic, political, and religious developments in early Chinese history and evaluate the ways in which they are similar to or different from the characteristics of societies in other regions of the world. 

  1. the continuity of rule and encouragement of learning in the Shang and Zhou dynasties (c. 1600-256 BCE)

  2. the teachings of Confucius (551-479 BCE), including writings on ethics and good government, codes of proper conduct, and relationships between parent and child, friend and friend, husband and wife, and subject and ruler and the philosophy/religion of Taoism, emphasizing harmony of humanity and nature

  1. the First Emperor’s unification of China in the short Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) by subduing warring factions, seizing land, centralizing government, imposing strict rules, and creating, with the use of slave labor, large state building projects for irrigation, transportation, and defense (e.g., the Great Wall) and his own tomb with life-size terracotta warriors

  2.  the Chinese ideographic writing system (characters, which are symbols for concepts/ideas) and how it differs from an alphabetic writing system

  3. important technologies of China such as bronze casting, silk and gunpowder manufacture.

  4. China’s role in trade across Asia and to and from Africa and Europe along the Silk Roads and the introduction of Buddhism in China starting c. 1st century CE.

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Ancient Japan and Korea, c.300 BCE-1300 CE

Compelling Question: How has Korea served as both a cultural bridge and a battleground between China and Japan? 

  1. Trace the spread of Buddhism from India in the 4th century BCE to China, Korea, and Japan, and its development in Japan from the 6th through the 13th century CE; explain significant cultural contributions of ancient Japan (e.g., Buddhist philosophy, art, calligraphy, and temple and landscape architecture).

  2. Describe the impact of encounters, such as through trade, religion, and conquest, among the ancient civilizations of China, Japan, and Korea.

Suggested Inquiries:

2.6-7 Investigating History: How do geography and climate influence the development of societies and the lives of people in East Asia?

2.9 Investigating History: To what degree have Chinese societies over time been shaped by geography? 

2.10 Investigating History: How did Ancient Chinese societies change over the course of history and what are the influences seen in today’s China?

2.10 Digital Inquiry Group: What caused the fall of the Qin dynasty?

2.10 Digital Inquiry Group: What did ancient Chinese philosophers think was the ideal form of government?

2.11 Investigating History: Why did Buddhism spread across East Asia?

2.11 Digital Inquiry Group: What rules did samurai follow?

2.12 Investigating History: What influences did Ancient China, Japan, and Korea have on each other?

​

Suggested Resources:

Excerpts from Confucius, The Analects (c. 500 BCE)

The Longmen Caves, Loyang (c. 5th to 8th centuries CE)

Martin Amster and Lier Chen, Buddhist Art Styles and Cultural Exchange along the Silk Road (2004)

Topic 3. Southeast Asia and Oceania

Compelling Question: See below

Suggested Content:

Modern countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania

Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Guam (U.S.), Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands (U.S.), Palau, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam 

Significant ancient religions, societies, and cultures in Southeast Asia and Oceania

Hinduism, Buddhism, the ancient Khmer culture in Southeast Asia, Aborigine and Maori cultures in Oceania

​

Physical and political geography of Southeast Asia and Oceania 

  1. On a physical map of the world, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legend, and title to locate the Indian Ocean, Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, the major Pacific Islands, the Pacific Ocean, and the Coral Sea. Locate important physical features (e.g. the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, the Great Victoria Desert, and the Great Barrier Reef) and characteristics of the region. Use other kinds of maps (e.g., landform, population, climate) to determine important characteristics of this region.

  2. On a political map of the region, demonstrate map reading skills to distinguish countries, capitals, and other cities and to describe their absolute location (using latitude and longitude coordinates) and relative location (relationship to other countries, cities, or bodies of water); use knowledge of maps to complement information gained from text about a city, country or region.

  3. Explain how absolute and relative locations, major physical characteristics, climate and natural resources in this region have influenced settlement patterns, population size, and economies of the countries.

 

First People of Australia and New Zealand 

  1. Identify and describe the major social features of the indigenous peoples in Australia (the Aborigines) and New Zealand (the Maoris). Describe archaeological evidence, such as rock paintings, from the region and explain what it indicates about early Aboriginal and Maori cultures.

Suggested Resources:

Coming soon!

Topic 4. Europe

Compelling Question: See below

Suggested Content:

Modern countries in Europe

Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Channel Islands (U.K.), Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar (U.K.), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City 

Significant ancient societies, religions, and cultures in Europe

Paleolithic societies in Spain and France, Celtic societies in northern Europe, Neolithic to Bronze Age sites in Eastern Europe; Minoan and Mycenaean societies in Greece, ancient Athens and Sparta, Etruscan society in Italy, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire in Europe, the Islamic Empire on the Iberian Peninsula 

 

Physical and political geography of Europe 

  1. On a physical map of the world, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legend, and title to locate Europe. Locate important physical features (e.g. the Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Norwegian Sea, and Barents Sea; Lake Baikal, the Volga, Danube, Ural, Rhine, Elbe, Seine, Po, and Thames Rivers; the Alps, Pyrenees, and Balkan Mountains). Use other kinds of maps (e.g., landform, population, climate) to determine important characteristics of this region.

  2. On a political map of the region, demonstrate map reading skills to distinguish countries, capitals, and other cities and to describe their absolute location (using latitude and longitude coordinates) and relative location (relationship to other countries, cities, or bodies of water); use knowledge of maps to complement information gained from text about a city, country or region.

  3. Explain how absolute and relative locations, major physical characteristics, climate and natural resources in this region have influenced settlement patterns, population size, and economies of the countries.

  4. Identify what time zones are, when and how the precise measurement of longitude was scientifically and historically determined, the function and location of the International Date Line, and the function of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, and give examples of differences in time in countries in different parts of the world. For example, note that Russia has 11 time zones.

 

Ancient and Classical Greece, c. 1200-300 BCE

Compelling Question: How does the democracy of Athens compare to the democracies of today?

  1. On a historical map of the Mediterranean area, locate Greece and trace the extent of its influence from c. 1200 to 300 BCE. 

  2. Explain how the geographical location of ancient Athens and other city-states such as Corinth and Sparta contributed to their role in maritime trade, colonies in the Mediterranean, and the expansion of their cultural influence. 

  3. Explain the democratic political concepts developed in ancient Greece. 

  1. the “polis” or city-state

  2. civic participation and voting rights

  3. legislative bodies 

  4. constitution writing

  5. rule of law

  1. Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta, including the status and role of women and enslaved people in the two city-states. 

  2. Analyze the causes, and consequences of the Persian Wars between Greek city-states and the Persian Empire (490-480 BCE), the Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta (431-404 BCE), and the conquests of Alexander the Great in Asia (c.336-331BCE). 

  3. Give examples of Greek gods and goddesses, heroes, and events; explain the persistence of terms from Greek and Roman mythology in modern English and other European languages (e.g., Pandora’s box, a Herculean task, the wrath of Achilles, Amazon, Olympics, marathon, narcissism). 

  4.  Identify the major accomplishments of the ancient Greeks by researching and reporting on one of the following: 

  1. a scientist or mathematician (e.g., Thales, Pythagoras, Euclid, or Hippocrates) 

  2. a philosopher(e.g., Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle), historian (e.g., Herodotus or Thucydides), poet or dramatist (e.g., Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, or Euripides)

  3. architecture (e.g., the Parthenon, the Acropolis, and the Temple of Apollo) 

  4. writing (e.g., development of the first complete alphabet with symbols for consonants and vowels)

  5. art (e.g., the development of ideals of beauty and proportions in the human body in sculpture or the depiction of myths and heroes in vase painting)

 

Ancient and Classical Rome, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire, c. 500 BCE-500 CE

Supporting Questions: What was the influence and legacy of the Roman Empire on the conquered peoples in the territory it controlled?

  1. Locate Rome on a map, trace the expansion of the Roman Empire to 500 CE and explain how Rome’s location contributed to its political power in the Mediterranean and beyond.

  2. Describe the rise of the Roman Republic, its government, including separation of powers, rule of law, representative government, and the notion of civic duty.

  3.  Describe the influence of Julius Caesar and Augustus in Rome’s transition from a republic to an empire and explain the reasons for the growth and long life of the Roman Empire. ​

    1. Military organization, tactics, and conquests; and decentralized administration

    2. the purpose and functions of taxes

    3. the promotion of economic growth through the use of a standard currency, road construction, and the protection of trade routes and the benefits of a Pax Romana

  4. Describe the characteristics of the system of classes and slavery under the Romans. Clarification Statement: Teachers may want to review relevant grade 6 standards to clarify that lands and peoples of Palestine, Western Asia, Egypt, and other parts of North Africa, and Europe were part of the Roman Empire. Many enslaved people in the Roman Empire were captives from conquered countries.

  5. Explain how inner forces (e.g., the rise of autonomous military powers, political corruption, and economic and political instability) and external forces (shrinking trade, invasions from northern tribes) led to the disintegration of the Roman Empire. 

  6. Describe the contribution of the Romans to architecture, engineering, and technology (e.g., roads, bridges, arenas, baths, aqueducts, central heating, plumbing, and sanitation). 

  7. Explain the spread and influence of the Roman alphabet and the Latin language, and the role of Latin and Greek in scientific and academic vocabulary today. 

  8. Describe how scientific, philosophical, and aesthetic ideas diffused throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa as a result of trade, migration, conquest, and colonization.

Suggested Resources:

Greece 

Greek Art: Sixteen examples of Aegean and Greek sculpture, vase painting, and objects from c.2300 BCE to 100 BCE, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 

Homer, The Iliad or The Odyssey (c. 800 BCE based on earlier oral tradition) Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War (431 BCE); 

Plato, The Republic (360 BCE); 

Aristotle, Politics  (350 BCE) 

Rome

Excerpts from Julius Caesar, War Commentaries (58-47 BCE)

Mosaic: Hunting Scene (Antioch, early 6th CE), Worcester Art Museum

Library Computer Workstations

Skills Matter: teach the four dimensions of inquiry

Dimension 1: Developing Questions

Dimension 2: Applying Disciplinary Concepts and Tools

Dimension 3: Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action

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Learn more at C3teachers.org

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Grades 6–8 Reading Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas: History/Social Science 

 

Key Ideas and Details

  1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, quoting or paraphrasing as appropriate. (See grades 6–8 Writing Standard 8 for more on paraphrasing.)

  2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. 

  3. Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).

 

Craft and Structure

  1. Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.

  2. Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally), including how written texts incorporate features such as headings.

  3. Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

 

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

  1. Integrate visual information (e.g., charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

  2. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

  3. Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.

 

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

  1. Independently and proficiently read and comprehend history/social studies texts exhibiting complexity appropriate for the grade/course. 

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Grades 6–8 Writing Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas 

Text Types and Purposes

  1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

    1. Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims/critiques, and organize the reasons and evidence logically in paragraphs and sections.

    2. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.

    3. Use words, phrases, and clauses with precision to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims/critiques, reasons, and evidence.

    4. Establish and maintain a style appropriate to audience and purpose (e.g., formal for academic writing).

    5. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

  1. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

  1. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; use paragraphs and sections to organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include text features (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

  2. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

  3. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas, concepts, or procedures.

  4. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

  5. Establish and maintain a style appropriate to audience and purpose (e.g., formal for academic writing).

  1. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.

  1.  (See note; not applicable as a separate requirement.)

 

Production and Distribution of Writing

  1. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

  2. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

  3. Use technology, including current web-based communication platforms, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

 

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

  1. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

  2. When conducting research, gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

  3. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, interpretation, reflection, and research. (See grades 6–8 Reading Standard 1 for more on the use of textual evidence.)

 

Range of Writing 

  1. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

 

Grades 6–8 Speaking and Listening Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas 

Comprehension and Collaboration

  1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on discipline-specific topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

    1. Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. (See grades 6–8 Reading Standard 1 for more on the use of textual evidence.)

    2. Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

    3. Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.

    4. Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.

  2. Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

  3. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced. 

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Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

  1. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate vocabulary, eye contact, volume, and pronunciation.

  2. Integrate multimedia components and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

  3. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

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