Social Studies

World Geography - Students will learn physical and cultural geography. Students will learn how physical geography shapes the world and influences cultures and has directed the course of history. Students will also learn how cultures respond to their geography.

Western Geography - Students will study the Western Hemisphere in detail, including Europe and the Americas as well as the seas. Emphasis will be placed on how various geographical features have directed the course of history and human development in the West.

World History - Students will learn world history from human prehistory to the Crucifixion of Christ, to the modern era. Special emphasis will be placed on Jesus Christ, whose arrival, death and resurrection as the central event in human history. The course will take a practical approach, demonstrating how events in the past have shaped the world we know today.

American History - Beginning with the Age of Discovery, students will study the history of the Americas with an emphasis on the United States. The course will take students into the early 21st century. Students will learn about the defining events in American history as well as key persons and organizations. Students will learn how Catholicism helped to shape the United States and continues to impact the United States to this day.

Economics - Students will acquire basic literacy in economics with a survey of economic laws and philosophies. Students will learn the basic economic questions, the fundamental economic problem, and the options people have used to answer these questions. Students will also learn how economic systems work, both in theory and in history. A Catholic perspective in economics will be emphasized with students learning that markets are made for humanity, not humanity for markets.

Advanced Economics - In this course, students will explore the philosophy of economics. Students will also review fundamental economic laws and principles. Students will learn advanced economic concepts such as how a market economy works, money, savings, production, supply and demand, and how the money supply is managed.

Government - Students will learn how the government of the United States works. Students will learn about the Constitution, how laws are made, and how laws are interpreted and enforced. Students will look at the American government from a Catholic perspective to see how they ought to relate to its various policies. An emphasis will be placed on the importance of moral behavior in politics.

Honors Government - In this course, students will follow the normal government curriculum, but they will also study the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other influential works in detail. Students will also learn about the Supreme Court and the Roe v. Wade decision and why that case is so critical to understanding American history.