World History

World History provides students the opportunity to examine the enduring philosophical and religious contributions of the ancient and classical eras and their impact on the modern world. The student will examine the impact of the European Renaissance and Reformation, various political, ideological, philosophical, and revolutionary movements, the Industrial Revolution, the global impact of the World Wars and the transformation of societies in the aftermath of World War Two, as well as recent contemporary events and issues. The class will be broken into six units defined by set chronological eras.

 Unit 1 - Prehistory to 1650. The first unit looks at the origins of civilization in prehistoric man, then the development of civilizations over the first three to four thousand years of human civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China, the Americas, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Medieval Europe, the rise of the Muslim World, and the Civilizations of Asia. The unit will also looks at the development of various classical religions and philosophies; including Judaism, Christian, Islam, Hinduism, and, Buddhism. The unit finishes with the European Renaissance and the Reformation, and the global impact of these events.  

Unit 2 - The Age of European Discovery and the Age of Revolutions, 1415-1850. Unit 2 covers the rise of Europe in the 15th century, its explorations and voyages to India and the discovery of the Americas, as well as the impact of these moments in history. Turning to revolutions, unit 2 focuses on the European development of absolutism and the reactionary movement of the Enlightenment, which fueled the revolutionary movements of the 18th and 19th century in the Americas and in Europe. 

Unit 3 - Industrialization and Nationalism, 1750-1914. In unit 3, students will analyze the political, economic, and social transformation brought about the events of the age of revolutions and imperialism. Students will evaluate the economic and social impact of the Industrial Revolution, and how industrialization gave rise to socialism and communism, including the ideas of Karl Marx. Unit 3 will also include analysis of the causes and impact of the Glorious Revolution, the American Revolution, the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, and the Congress of Vienna. 

Unit 4 - The Age of Imperialism and World War I, 1800-1914.  In unit 4, students will analyze the political, economic, and social transformation brought about the events of the age of revolutions and imperialism. Students will also look at the rationales and consequences of imperialism in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, such as colonization and the exploitation of natural resources nd peoples; and summarize various efforts to resist imperialism. Unit 4 ends with the evaluation of the global transformation created by World War I and a look at the complex and multiple causes of the war, including militarism, nationalism, imperialism, and the system of alliances in Europe. 

Unit 5 - The World Between the Wars and World War II, 1910-1945.  Unit 5 will cover the Interwar Years and World War II. 

Unit 6 - The Cold War and Beyond, 1945-Present. In Unit 6, students will look at the post-World War II world, the Cold War, and the post-9/11 world.