1st Semester:

Natural Texas and Its People:

This era includes natural geologic history (4 Natural Regions) as well as what is known about American Indians living in Texas before their contact with Europeans in 1528. Age of Contact:

This era is about European exploration of North America and their contact with Native Americans living in Texas.

Spanish Colonial:

This era deals with Spain establishing control of Texas by building missions.

Mexican National:

This era encompasses Mexico gaining its independence from Spain and Anglo Americans moving into Texas.

Revolution and Republic:

This era covers Texas' revolt against Mexican rule, the establishment of the Republic of Texas, and the annexation of Texas into the United States.

2nd Semester:

Republic (continued from 1st Semester) Early Statehood:

This era is about the impact of Texas annexation in 1845: Mexican War, Texas' boundary dispute, and significant population growth in Texas.

Achieving Manifest Destiny and the U.S. and Texas Constitutions:

These two topics are not considered eras in Texas History. Manifest Destiny was the idea that the U.S. would own all the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The students will be learning how the U.S. achieved this goal. We then will be discussing the U.S. and Texas Constitutions.

Civil War and Reconstruction:

This era deals with the Civil War: causes, establishment of the Confederate States of America, and the major battles. The Reconstruction era is about how the Southern states were going to be readmitted into the Union.

Cotton, Cattle, and Railroads:

This era covers how western expansion affected the Native Texans and created the buffalo soldiers. The era also includes the return to cotton driven agriculture, the rise of cattle ranching, and the development of railroads.

Age of Oil:

This era deals with several major reform movements: women's suffrage, temperance/prohibition, and railroad abuses. The era is also about the discoveries of oil and its effects on Texas.

Great Depression and World War II:

This era includes the effects the Great Depression had on Texas beginning in 1929, the Dust Bowl, and the role Texas played in WWII.

Civil Rights, Conservatism, and Contemporary Texas:

These eras encompass the movement for social equality that began after WWII and continued into the 1970s, the switch Texas made from electing Democratic Party leaders to Republican Party leaders, civic responsibility, and Texas industries in the latter 20th century and early 21st century.