World History

Semester A

Course Description

World History begins with a focus on the skills needed to read, understand, and analyze history, also demonstrating how historians and social scientists arrive at their conclusions about human history.  Semester A covers the history of civilization from hunter-gatherer societies through the characteristics of the earliest civilizations to the Enlightenment period in Western Europe. The second half of Semester A explores early intellectual, spiritual, and political movements and their impact on interactions among world cultures.

Major Concepts

• Reading and analyzing history
• Early civilizations
• The first cities and empires
• Roots of the world's religions
• The Middle Ages
• The Age of Exploration
• The Reformation
• The Renaissance
• The Age of Reason
• The Enlightenment

Semester B

Course Description

Semester B applies the reading and analytical strategies introduced in Semester A to the events and movements that created the modern world. In the second semester, World History emphasizes the effects of the Industrial Revolution and changing attitudes about science and religion as well as the impact of European colonization. Students are encouraged to make connections between World War I and II and events related to the Cold War and between 19th-century imperialism and modern independence movements.

Major Concepts

• The Scientific Revolution
• The Industrial Revolution
• Colonization and Imperialism
• 20th century political and social movements
• World Wars I and II
• The Cold War
• Modern independence movements
• Contemporary global conflicts
• Globalization

Requirements

Grade Level
9

Materials
None

Duration
2 Semesters

Prerequisites
None

Technology

• Use of multimedia presentation software
• Internet searches for research purposes