本文旨在以19、20世紀之交的美國為場域,就著歷史十人報告(1893年)、歷史七人報告(1898年)及社會科報告(1916年)等三個與文題有直接關聯的課程文件,配合有關的研究文獻,採取歷史研究的方法追本溯源,敘述其所提建議由中學歷史單獨設科轉變為社會合科的演進過程,並評析其意義。在指出這些課程文件的推陳出新,乃是受到社會情況的更迭、教育思潮的遞移、學術團體的角力、關鍵人物的推動等多重因素所影響,而表現在各方人士對於中學生應該學習什麼樣的歷史與社會等方面的知識,所持不同主張的多方折衝與協商之後,本文歸結:儘管1916年的社會科小組早已建議「社會學習」作為一個科目,但是,百餘年後今日的美國中學教學現場,「歷史」仍為「社會學習」這個較廣域課程組織中的多個科目之一。
This paper analyzes the transformation of secondary level history from a single subject to its incorporation into social studies, a fused broad-field subject, in the United States of America at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. This study is based on a critical survey of curriculum documents initiated by "History Ten" (1893), "History Seven" (1898), "Committee on Social Studies" (1916), and other related literature. By explicating the processes of initiation and write-up of the documents, the author confirmed that the transformation of curriculum proposals was influenced by several factors, including change in the social atmosphere, evolution of educational thought, the struggles of various academic groups, and promotion by key figures. On the other hand, the change resulted in contradictions and compromises regarding the different views on what exactly secondary school students should be taught in regard to history and society. Although "social studies" as a named subject was recommended in a 1916 report, "history" is still one of several subjects within the broad-field curriculum organization taught for more than one hundred years in the United States.