World History & Geography: Medieval and Early Modern Times

This class will cover the social, cultural, and technological changes that occurred in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Mesoamerica in the years 300 C.E. to 1750. Picking up where 6th grade left off, our units (tentative) will include:

The World in 300 CE (Interconnections in Afroeurasia and Americas)Rome and Christendom, 300 CE to 1200 (Roman Empire, Development and Spread of Christianity, Medieval Europe, Sicily)

Southwestern Asia, 300 to 1200; World of Islam (Persia, Umayyad & Abbasid Caliphates, Development and Spread of Islam, Sicily, Cairo)

South Asia, 300 to 1200 (Gupta Empire, Spread of Hinduism and Buddhism, Srivijaya)

East Asia, 300 to 1300 (China during Tang & Song, spread of Buddhism, Korea & Japan, Quanzhou)

West Africa, 900-1600 (Ghana, Mali)

Americas, 300 to 1490 (Maya, Aztec, Inca)

Sites of Encounter in Medieval World, 1200-1490 (Mongols, Majorca, Calicut)

Global Convergence, 1450-1750 (Voyages, Columbian Exchange, Trade Networks, Gunpowder Empires; Colonialism in Americas & Southeast Asia, Atlantic World)

Impact of Ideas, 1500-1750 (Spread of Religions; Reformation; Renaissance, Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment)

(source: CA History/ Social Studies Framework, adopted July 2016)

In addition, we will study the ways in which archaeologists and historians uncover the past, by analyzing primary and secondary sources, with particular attention to identifying author's point of view/ bias and separating facts from opinions.

This class will cover the Common Core State Literacy Standards for History/ Social Science as well as the California Social Science Standards and the recently adopted History/Social Studies Framework.