This thesis analyses social studies curriculum guidelines prepared by state education departments for use in primary schools. Curriculum guidelines from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, in the period from 1952 to 1984 are examined. The review of these curriculum guidelines was designed to be a textual analysis focusing on five aspects of the materials which have been published: the way in which social studies has been defined; aims and rationale; teaching strategies; content; and evaluation. Features of recent curriculum guidelines, published after 1980, on which further research and development might be undertaken are also identified. These include: the strategies which could be used to develop children's understandings of concepts and generalisations about society; clarifying whether or not particular values should be promoted in social studies programs; alternative approaches to structuring the content of programs to ensure that content matches intended aims; and alternative strategies to enable teachers to deal more easily with the difficulties involved in the evaluation of children's progress.