and rationalefor the state of Floridas new social studies curriculum for grades K-12.Geography and history are hightlighted as core subjects of the school curriculumin Goal Three of a set of six National Education Goals proclaimed by thePresident and the state governors in February 1990.The Shaping of America: A Geographical Perspective on 500 years of AmericanHistory-stresses that geography is not just a physical stage for the historicaldrama, not just a set of facts about areas of the earth. It is a special way oflooking at the world. Geography, like history, is an age-old and essential strategyfor thinking about large and complex matters.Framework for the 1994 NAEP U.S. History Assessment-points out that historyis a spatial dimension-the places where human actions occur. for example,aspects of the natural environment, such as climate and terrain, influence humanbehavior; and people affect the places they inhabit. Therefore, main ideas ofgeography, such as the location of places and relationships within places shouldbe included as important parts of the study of history.Geography for Life-presents a framework of four questions that focus on usinggeography to interpret the past. ...
