Fifteen secondary education chemistry curricula published from 1957 until 2007 were examined based on the dimensions of rationale, goals, and subject matter. An examination of documents in the scope of qualitative research was carried out in the study. The goals included in the examined chemistry curricula were analyzed according to the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. Subject matters were analyzed by example, concept or theory/model and in terms of the statuses of object, event, property, or semiotic representation. As a result, it was determined that chemistry education in Turkey had passed through six different periods in the fifty year process. It was determined that in setting down curriculum goals, a preference had been attached to the cognitive domain rather than to the psychomotor and affective domains. The number of elements of chemistry knowledge differed in the various periods. Some chemistry curricula were based on teaching chemistry with examples while some were based on teaching chemistry with concepts.