CSET: Social Science Subtest II (115) Test Alignment

Why Test Alignment Matters for Your CSET: Social Science Subtest II Study Guide

Certification test standards are broad, but the exam questions are very specific. Our team of curriculum experts uses the 240 Study Guide Creation Process to ensure the most aligned, specific content for your CSET: Social Science Subtest II (115) test — so you are not wasting time on broad subject review that may not show up on exam day.

Why 240 is the best choice for the CSET 115 study guide

Built around the official exam framework
Organized by the competencies actually used on the exam
Shows exactly what is covered and where depth is partial
Includes aligned questions, flashcards, study materials, and videos
Helps candidates study what is actually tested instead of broad generic content

Transparent coverage is a strength. We show where the guide is strong, where depth is partial, and where a gap has been identified so you can make an informed study decision.

How to Read This Alignment Review

2Domains

80Competencies reviewed

74%Test-aligned

56Covered

7Partially covered

17Gaps

CoveredCompetency is comprehensively supported by the guide.
Partially coveredCore content is covered, but some depth gaps remain.
Coverage gap identifiedA content gap has been identified.

This study guide is based on the current official exam framework. We review and update alignment whenever the official framework changes so candidates are always studying current, accurate material.

U.S. History (Domain 2)Partially covered

SMR 2.1 · Pre-Revolutionary Era and the War for Independence94 questions · 6 materials · 58 cards · 3 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Describe the major American Indian cultural groups and their contributions to early American society.	Native American Groups Pre-Colonization	Covered	18	1	4	0	Covered by 1 topic (18 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos).
b. Explain and analyze the struggle for the control of North America among European powers and the emergence of the 13 colonies under English rule.	Colonial Period; French and Indian War; Thirteen Colonies	Covered	38	3	24	2	Covered by 3 topics (38 questions, 3 materials, 24 cards, 2 videos).
c. Analyze the effects of English, French, Dutch, and Spanish colonial rule on social, economic, and governmental structures in North America, and the relationships of these colonies with American Indian societies.	Colonial Period	Covered	11	1	11	1	Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 1 videos).
d. Describe the institutionalization of African slavery in the Western Hemisphere and analyze its consequences in sub-Saharan Africa.	Slavery	Covered	11	1	8	0	Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos).
e. Analyze the causes for the War for Independence, the conduct of the war, and its impact on Americans.	The American Revolution V1	Covered	27	1	24	1	Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 24 cards, 1 videos).

SMR 2.2 · The Development of the Constitution and the Early Republic16 questions · 1 materials · 4 cards · 1 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Describe and evaluate the impact of the Enlightenment and the unique colonial experiences on the writing of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, the Federalist Papers, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.	Articles of Confederation	Covered	16	1	4	1	Covered by 1 topic (16 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos).
b. Examine the issues regarding ratification of the Constitution, and compare and contrast the positions of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.	Articles of Confederation	Covered	16	1	4	1	Covered by 1 topic (16 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos).

SMR 2.3 · The Emergence of a New Nation87 questions · 9 materials · 64 cards · 2 videosPartially covered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Describe the differing visions of the early political parties and explain the reasons for the respective successes and failures of those parties.	Origin of Political Parties	Covered	8	1	5	0	Covered by 1 topic (8 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 0 videos).
b. Compare the significant political and socioeconomic ideas and issues during the Jeffersonian and Jacksonian periods and contrast how they were implemented in policy and practice.	Key Names in Early Republic; Early 1800s V1	Covered	10	2	17	0	Covered by 2 topics (10 questions, 2 materials, 17 cards, 0 videos).
c. Describe American foreign policy prior to the Civil War.	Early 1800s V1	Partially covered	4	1	5	0	Partial coverage by 1 topic (4 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content.
d. Identify and describe the political, social, religious, economic, and geographic factors that led to the formation of distinct regional and sectional identities and cultures.	Regionalism in the Early United States; Causes of Sectionalism	Covered	22	2	13	1	Covered by 2 topics (22 questions, 2 materials, 13 cards, 1 videos).
e. Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with settlements of the West, including the concept of Manifest Destiny.	Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny	Covered	25	1	16	1	Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 16 cards, 1 videos).
f. Map and analyze the expansion of U.S. borders and the settlement of the West, and describe how geographic features influenced this expansion.	Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny	Covered	25	1	16	1	Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 16 cards, 1 videos).
g. Analyze the evolution of American Indian policy up to the Civil War.	Minority Groups in Early America	Partially covered	6	1	3	0	Partial coverage by 1 topic (6 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content.
h. Describe and analyze the impact of slavery on American society, government, and economy, and the contributions of enslaved Africans to America, and trace the attempts to abolish slavery in the first half of the 19th century.	Slavery	Covered	11	1	8	0	Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos).
i. Describe and compare and contrast early 19th-Century social and reform movements and their impact on antebellum American society (e.g., the Second Great Awakening, the temperance movement, the early women’s movement, utopianism).	Great Awakenings	Partially covered	5	1	4	0	Partial coverage by 1 topic (5 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content.

SMR 2.4 · Civil War and Reconstruction54 questions · 4 materials · 32 cards · 0 videosPartially covered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Notes
a. Interpret the debates over the doctrines of nullification and state secession.	Early Tariff Issues	Partially covered	5	1	3	Partial coverage by 1 topic (5 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content.
b. Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of the Union and Confederacy.	Civil War	Covered	25	1	11	Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 0 videos).
c. Describe the major military and political turning points of the war.	Civil War; Civil War - Major Milestones	Covered	28	2	17	Covered by 2 topics (28 questions, 2 materials, 17 cards, 0 videos).
d. Describe and analyze the physical, social, political, and economic impact of the war on combatants, civilians, communities, states, and the nation.	Civil War	Covered	25	1	11	Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 0 videos).
e. Compare and contrast plans for Reconstruction with its actual implementation.	Reconstruction	Covered	21	1	14	Covered by 1 topic (21 questions, 1 materials, 14 cards, 0 videos).
f. Explain and assess the development and adoption of segregation laws, the influence of social mores on the passage and implementation of these laws, and the rise of white supremacist organizations.	Reconstruction	Covered	21	1	14	Covered by 1 topic (21 questions, 1 materials, 14 cards, 0 videos).
g. Analyze the relationship of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to Reconstruction, and compare and contrast their initial and later interpretations.	Reconstruction	Covered	21	1	14	Covered by 1 topic (21 questions, 1 materials, 14 cards, 0 videos).

SMR 2.5 · The “Gilded Age”56 questions · 4 materials · 35 cards · 0 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Notes
a. Describe and analyze the role of entrepreneurs and industrialists and their impact on the United States economy.	Second Industrial Revolution; Gilded Age	Covered	27	2	19	Covered by 2 topics (27 questions, 2 materials, 19 cards, 0 videos).
b. Describe and analyze the effects of industrialization on the American economy and society, including increased immigration, changing working conditions, and the growth of early labor organizations.	Second Industrial Revolution	Covered	15	1	9	Covered by 1 topic (15 questions, 1 materials, 9 cards, 0 videos).
c. Explain and analyze the causes for, and the impact of, Populism and Progressivism.	Progressive Movement; Populism	Covered	29	2	17	Covered by 2 topics (29 questions, 2 materials, 17 cards, 0 videos).
d. Explain the development of federal Indian policy – including the environmental consequences of forced migration into marginal regions – and its consequences for American Indians.	Second Industrial Revolution	Covered	15	1	9	Covered by 1 topic (15 questions, 1 materials, 9 cards, 0 videos).
e. Analyze the impact of industrialism and urbanization on the physical and social environments of the United States.	Second Industrial Revolution	Covered	15	1	9	Covered by 1 topic (15 questions, 1 materials, 9 cards, 0 videos).

SMR 2.6 · The U.S. as a World Power59 questions · 4 materials · 34 cards · 2 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Evaluate the debate about American imperialistic policies before, during and following the Spanish-American War.	American Imperialism	Covered	21	1	12	0	Covered by 1 topic (21 questions, 1 materials, 12 cards, 0 videos).
b. Analyze the political, economic, and geographic significance of the Panama Canal, the “Open Door” policy with China, Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” Diplomacy, William Howard Taft’s “Dollar” Diplomacy, and Woodrow Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy.	The Fourteen Points	Covered	7	1	7	0	Covered by 1 topic (7 questions, 1 materials, 7 cards, 0 videos).
c. Evaluate the political, economic, social, and geographic consequences of World War I in terms of American foreign policy and the war’s impact on the American home front.	Effects of World War I on America V1; World War I V1	Covered	31	2	16	2	Covered by 2 topics (31 questions, 2 materials, 16 cards, 2 videos).

SMR 2.7 · The 1920s27 questions · 3 materials · 29 cards · 1 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Analyze domestic events that resulted in, or contributed to, the Red Scare, Marcus Garvey’s Back to Africa movement, the Ku Klux Klan, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Anti-Defamation League.	Interwar America	Covered	6	1	10	0	Covered by 1 topic (6 questions, 1 materials, 10 cards, 0 videos).
b. Analyze the significance of the passage of the 18th and 19th Amendments as they related to the changing political and economic roles of women in society.	Women's Rights Movement; Early 20th Century Amendments	Covered	21	2	20	1	Covered by 2 topics (21 questions, 2 materials, 20 cards, 1 videos).
c. Assess changes in American immigration policy in the 1920s.	Interwar America	Covered	6	1	10	0	Covered by 1 topic (6 questions, 1 materials, 10 cards, 0 videos).
d. Describe new trends in literature, music, and art, including the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz Age.	Interwar America	Covered	6	1	10	0	Covered by 1 topic (6 questions, 1 materials, 10 cards, 0 videos).
e. Assess the impact of radio, mass production techniques, and the growth of cities on American society.	Interwar America	Covered	6	1	10	0	Covered by 1 topic (6 questions, 1 materials, 10 cards, 0 videos).

SMR 2.8 · The Great Depression and the New Deal19 questions · 2 materials · 6 cards · 1 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Analyze the differing explanations for the 1929 stock market crash, Herbert Hoover’s and Congress’ responses to the crisis, and the implementation of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal policies.	Great Depression and the New Deal	Covered	18	1	5	1	Covered by 1 topic (18 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos).
b. Describe and assess the human toll of the Great Depression, including the impact of natural disasters and agricultural practices on the migration from rural Southern and Eastern regions to urban and Western areas.	Great Depression and the New Deal; Other Great Depression Programs	Covered	19	2	6	1	Covered by 2 topics (19 questions, 2 materials, 6 cards, 1 videos).
c. Analyze the effects of, and controversies arising from, New Deal policies, including the social and physical consequences of regional programs (e.g., the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Central Valley Project).	Great Depression and the New Deal; Other Great Depression Programs	Covered	19	2	6	1	Covered by 2 topics (19 questions, 2 materials, 6 cards, 1 videos).
d. Trace and evaluate the gains and losses of organized labor in the 1930s.	Great Depression and the New Deal	Covered	18	1	5	1	Covered by 1 topic (18 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos).

SMR 2.9 · World War II10 questions · 1 materials · 4 cards · 1 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Explain the origins of American involvement in World War II, including reactions to events in Europe, Africa, and Asia.	World War II and America V1	Covered	10	1	4	1	Covered by 1 topic (10 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos).
b. Analyze American foreign policy before and during World War II.	World War II and America V1	Covered	10	1	4	1	Covered by 1 topic (10 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos).
c. Evaluate and analyze significant events, issues, and experiences during World War II, including: Internment of people of Japanese ancestry. Allied response to the Holocaust. The experiences and contributions of American fighting forces, including the role of minorities (e.g., the Tuskegee Airmen, the 442nd Regimental Combat Unit, Navajo Code Talkers). The role of women and minority groups at home. Major developments in aviation, weaponry, communications, and medicine. The significance and ramifications of the decision to drop the atomic bomb	World War II and America V1	Covered	10	1	4	1	Covered by 1 topic (10 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos).
d. Assess American foreign policy in the aftermath of World War II, using geographic, political, and economic perspectives.	World War II and America V1	Covered	10	1	4	1	Covered by 1 topic (10 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos).

SMR 2.10 · Post-World War II America24 questions · 3 materials · 18 cards · 0 videosPartially covered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Notes
a. Describe and evaluate the significance of changes in international migration patterns and their impact on society and the economy.	None	Coverage gap identified	0	0	0	No matching topic found in the study guide.
b. Describe the increased role of the federal government in response to World War II and the Cold War and assess the impact of this increased role on regional economic structures, society, and the political system.	The Cold War - SDI	Partially covered	3	1	4	Partial coverage by 1 topic (3 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content.
c. Describe the effects of technological developments on society, politics, and the economy since 1945.	Political Developments 1945-1970; American Society 1945-1990	Covered	21	2	15	Covered by 2 topics (21 questions, 2 materials, 15 cards, 0 videos).
d. Analyze the major domestic policies of presidential administrations from Harry S Truman to the present.	American Society 1945-1990	Covered	14	1	8	Covered by 1 topic (14 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos).

SMR 2.11 · Post-World War II U.S. Foreign Policy44 questions · 8 materials · 27 cards · 1 videosPartially covered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Trace the origins of the Cold War.	The Cold War - Policies	Covered	10	1	13	0	Covered by 1 topic (10 questions, 1 materials, 13 cards, 0 videos).
b. Analyze the roles of the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and military alliances, including the North American Treaty Organization (NATO), the South East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO), and the Warsaw Pact.	Marshall Plan; NATO	Partially covered	7	2	2	0	Partial coverage by 2 topics (7 questions, 2 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content.
c. Trace the origins and consequences of the Korean War.	Korean War and Vietnam War; Korean War Milestones	Covered	10	2	6	1	Covered by 2 topics (10 questions, 2 materials, 6 cards, 1 videos).
d. Explain and analyze the relationship between domestic and foreign policy during the Cold War, including McCarthyism.	McCarthyism	Covered	11	1	4	0	Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos).
e. Analyze the foreign policies of post-World War II presidential administrations and their effect on the Cold War.	The Cold War - Policies	Covered	10	1	13	0	Covered by 1 topic (10 questions, 1 materials, 13 cards, 0 videos).
f. Trace the causes, controversies, and consequences of the Vietnam War, its effects on American combatants and civilians, and its continued impact on American society.	Counterculture; Korean War and Vietnam War; Vietnam War Milestones	Covered	14	3	10	1	Covered by 3 topics (14 questions, 3 materials, 10 cards, 1 videos).

SMR 2.12 · Civil Rights Movement37 questions · 3 materials · 21 cards · 1 videosPartially covered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Examine and analyze the key people, events, policies, and court cases in the field of civil rights from varying perspectives.	African American Civil Rights Movement in America	Covered	22	1	17	1	Covered by 1 topic (22 questions, 1 materials, 17 cards, 1 videos).
b. Describe the civil rights movements of African Americans and other minority groups and their impacts on government, society, and the economy.	African American Civil Rights Movement in America; Hispanic Civil Rights Movement; American Indian Civil Rights Movement	Covered	37	3	21	1	Covered by 3 topics (37 questions, 3 materials, 21 cards, 1 videos).
c. Analyze the development of the women’s rights movement and its connections to other social and political movements.	None	Coverage gap identified	0	0	0	0	No matching topic found in the study guide.

U.S. Geography (Domain 6)Partially covered

SMR 6.1 · Tools and Perspectives of Geographic Study28 questions · 3 materials · 8 cards · 0 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Describe the criteria for defining regions and identify why places and regions are important.	Characteristics of Major Regions; California's Economy	Covered	20	2	4	0	Covered by 2 topics (20 questions, 2 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos).
b. Explain the nature of map projections and use maps, as well as other geographic representations and technologies (including remote sensing and geographic information systems) to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.	Mapping Tools	Covered	8	1	4	0	Covered by 1 topic (8 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos).

SMR 6.2 · Geographic Diversity of Natural Landscapes and Human Societies44 questions · 4 materials · 14 cards · 0 videosPartially covered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Notes
a. Analyze how unique ecologic settings are encouraged by various combinations of natural and social phenomena, including bio-geographic relationships with climate, soil, and terrain.	Natural Forces	Covered	17	1	5	Covered by 1 topic (17 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 0 videos).
b. Analyze the patterns and networks of economic interdependence across the earth’s surface during the agricultural, industrial, and post-industrial revolutions, including the production and processing of raw materials, marketing, consumption, transportation, and other measures of economic development.	Economic Development	Covered	7	1	7	Covered by 1 topic (7 questions, 1 materials, 7 cards, 0 videos).
c. Describe the processes, patterns, and functions of human settlements from subsistence agriculture to industrial metropolis.	Factors Affecting Settlement	Covered	19	1	2	Covered by 1 topic (19 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos).
d. Analyze the forces of cooperation and conflict among peoples and societies that influence the division and control of the earth’s surface (e.g., boundaries and frontiers, the control of resources, centripetal vs. centrifugal forces, spheres of influence).	California Modern Issues	Partially covered	1	1	0	Partial coverage by 1 topic (1 questions, 1 materials, 0 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content.

SMR 6.3 · Culture and the Physical Environment72 questions · 6 materials · 21 cards · 1 videosCovered

Official competency	Matching 240 topics	Alignment	Qs	Mats	Cards	Vids	Notes
a. Describe and analyze ways in which human societies and settlement patterns develop in response to the physical environment, and explain the social, political, economic, and physical processes that have resulted in today’s urban and rural landscapes.	Factors Affecting Settlement; Demography V1; Modern Population Trends; Themes - Impact of Location	Covered	44	4	12	1	Covered by 4 topics (44 questions, 4 materials, 12 cards, 1 videos).
b. Recognize the interrelationship of environmental and social policy.	S.Global Warming; S.Resource Extraction	Covered	28	2	9	0	Covered by 2 topics (28 questions, 2 materials, 9 cards, 0 videos).

How 240 Creates The CSET: Social Science Subtest II (115) Study Guide

Every 240 study guide starts with the official exam framework. From there, we organize lessons, practice, and study tools around the categories the exam uses to measure candidate knowledge.

Review the official exam framework

We begin with the standards, domains, competencies, objectives, or content categories published by the testing authority.

Map the tested categories

We map every major area the exam is designed to cover so the guide reflects the real structure of the test.

Build lessons around tested content

We create study materials to support the official blueprint, not broad filler content.

Cross-check practice against exam expectations

We review practice content against the framework and real exam patterns so preparation stays targeted.

Review and update as standards change

When official frameworks change, we review guides and update alignment as needed.

Reviewed by subject-matter experts and maintained to reflect current standards.

Why 240 Is Better Than Other Generic Study Guides

Not all study guides are built the same way. Here is what separates a test-aligned guide from a generic one — and why it matters when you are preparing for the CSET: Social Science Subtest II.

Generic prep

Covers broad subject areas without structure
No clear connection to the official exam framework
Practice questions may not reflect the real test format
May not update when official standards change

Can be helpful for quick, broad review

240 test-aligned CSET 115 prep

Every lesson maps to an official domain or competency
Built directly from the official exam framework
Practice questions aligned to what the exam actually measures
A clear study path by tested category
Study smarter and enter test day more prepared

FAQs About the CSET: Social Science Subtest II Study Guide

The questions teacher candidates ask us most often about the CSET: Social Science Subtest II study guide.

Is 240 a good study guide for CSET: Social Science Subtest II?

240 is a strong option because the guide is built around the official exam framework and shows detailed alignment by SMR and competency.

How closely does 240 align to the CSET 115 exam?

This guide is 74% aligned based on a competency-by-competency review of the official framework and the study resources included in the guide.

Does 240 cover every competency?

This page shows coverage transparently across covered, partially covered, and identified gaps so candidates can see exactly how the guide maps to the exam.

What does “partially covered” mean?

Partially covered means the guide addresses the core parts of a competency, but some depth or subtopics may still be limited.

240's CSET: Social Science Subtest II Study Guide Is 74% Test-Aligned

CSET 115

Coverage by content domain

Honest about depth

Reviewed as exams change