Book excerpt: The purposes, methodologies, and curricula of the social studies over the past 100 years are examined in this paper. This history was written to provide a useful background for current efforts to reform the social studies. The paper, which consists of nine chapters, begins with a discussion of the meanings, definitions, and beginnings of social studies. The three factors that set the stage for the development of the social studies are examined: the rise of the public high school, the growth of the universities, and the emergence of professional societies. Chapter two examines the 1916 report and the 1920s. The American Historical Association (AHA) Commission on the social studies and the 1930s are treated in chapter three. Chapter four examines the effect that World War II had on the social studies. The "New Social Studies" movement is the topic of chapters five, six, and seven. What happened in the 1970s is discussed in chapter eight. Following the summary and comments of chapter nine, there are name and subject indexes. (Author/RM)