Advanced World History

Advanced World History: 

World History is impossible to define. The importance of different events varies between cultures and geographical location, making it difficult to narrow down the content of the class. At times the sheer amount of information spread across centuries can feel completely overwhelming, but after finishing my year in World History I realized that I had gained a completely new perspective and understanding of different cultures. Although knowing the continuity of the Silk Road is important, World History gave me an awareness of the beauty and innovation of other civilizations. Growing up in the United States provided me with a very narrow outlook of the outside world. World History challenged ideas I now know to be deeply naive and a result of a Western perspective. I had been taught a version of history through a Western lens, but if you step back and attempt to understand other perspectives it allows you to better contextualize the core of our conflicts and social turmoil. My own opinions were challenged, causing me to question how I approach my learning of history. For the first time in my life I understood the value in ideas you disagree with. I understood why it is important to compromise and work with peers in the midst of opposition. The process of questioning my own beliefs further solidified new ideas and gave me a greater awareness of our world. 

World History also gave me the opportunity to learn about my heritage. The history of the Jewish people, their displacement, pograms, The Holocaust, and the current conflict in Israel – this history allowed me insight into my identity. Through my studies in World History I began to understand who I am and where I fit in the larger picture of humanity.