Course Description

• World History is designed to be a historical study of societies, nations, economies, events, and cultures of the many regions of the world, providing historical background for each area and details inclusive of change over time, historical impact, religion, diplomacy, culture practices and beliefs, and economic, political, and social institutions. The course is intended to examine the historical development of the world and global issues and patterns since 1200. The course also explores underlying themes of: power and authority; change and continuity; human-environment interaction; globalization; cultural diffusion; and individual and group identity. The standards for this course seek to move beyond the rote teaching of world history to the teaching of history in context to the world and global society in which students currently live and need to understand. With this in mind, it is important to note that this course is not designed to be a chronological study of history through periodization. The goal of this course is to blend the historical with the contemporary and current so that students begin to acquire an understanding of how the historical events and decisions of ancient, classical, and modern history have implications or lasting impacts that have influenced the world in which we currently live. It is important for students in today’s rapidly evolving global society to be able to understand the contemporary patterns and connections of globalization. Likewise, it is important they know that in order to do so, one must study the historical precedents and antecedents of those patterns and connections. Ultimately, students will be able to use this knowledge to understand and engage with the world as collaborative and productive global citizens who are knowledgeable of why history matters in a twenty-first-century world.