U.S. History Framework for the 2006 National Assessment of Educational Progress

This document provides a guide for the development of the 2006 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) U.S. History Assessment. NAEP measures the U.S. history knowledge and skills of students in grades 4, 8, and 12. According to the NAEP U.S. history framework, the assessment should be organized around three dimensions: historical themes, chronological periods, and ways of knowing and thinking about U.S. history. Four historical themes, intended to cover all major branches of historical study are the core organizing structure of the framework: (1) Change and continuity in American democracy: ideas, institutions, events, key figures, and controversies; (2) Gathering and interactions of peoples, cultures, and ideas; (3) Economic and technological changes and their relation to society, ideas, and the environment; and (4) America's changing role in the world. Eight at-times overlapping chronological periods were used in developing the assessment, focusing attention on several major eras of U.S. history: (1) Beginnings to 1607; (2) Colonization, settlement, and communities (1607 to 1763); (3) Revolution and the new nation (1763 to 1815); (4) Expansion and reform (1801 to 1861); (5) Crisis of the Union: Civil War and Reconstruction (1850 to 1877); (6) Development of modern America (1865 to 1920);(7) Modern America and the World Wars (1914 to 1945); and (8) Contemporary America (1945 to present). Two cognitive domains of knowing and thinking were used as a guide to develop questions: (1) Historical knowledge and perspective: includes knowing and understanding people, events, concepts, themes, movements, contexts, and historical sources; sequencing events; recognizing multiple perspectives and seeing an era or movement through the eyes of different groups; and developing a general conceptualization of U.S. history; and (2) Historical analysis and interpretation: includes explaining issues, identifying historical patterns; establishing cause-and-effect relationships; finding value statements; establishing significance; applying historical knowledge; weighing evidence to draw sound conclusions; making defensible generalizations; and rendering insightful accounts of the past. The report contains 2 appendixes: (1) NAEP U.S. History Framework Project; and (2) Released Items from the NAEP U.S. History Assessment. (Contains 5 tables.) [Developed for the National Assessment Governing Board by the Council of Chief State School Officers with the American Historical Association, American Institutes for Research, National Council for History Education, and National Council for the Social Studies.]