This study assesses the attitudes of preservice teachers toward the teaching of social studies/history in the elementary school. The study was conducted at a state university in southeastern Pennsylvania. Eighty-two participants in the study were enrolled in three sections of a junior block social studies methods course in the spring of 1995. All participants were enrolled in an elementary education certification program and were required to take the course. A survey of 40 statements/questions with an accompanying Likert Scale was developed for this study. Survey contents focused on the amount of college social science course work taken outside the education department, attitudes toward American history, recollections of participants' elementary school experiences in the social studies, observation of classroom social studies instruction, anticipated social studies methods to be used, and knowledge of primary source information. Findings from the survey include: (1) little visitation to historical places by preservice teachers; (2) preservice teachers reported negative elementary social studies experiences in their recollections; (3) participants lacked exposure to forms of historical literature; and (4) preservice teachers desire to use techniques consistent with positive social studies instruction in their future classrooms. The survey questions and data analysis are included in appendices. (EH)