World History (HS)

Essential Question

How has the way that we think about and study world history changed over time?

Main Ideas

• The study of world history and our understanding of it are affected by place and time and are constantly changing.

• Fossil evidence shows that the earliest humans originated in Africa and spread across the globe.

• The development of agriculture caused an increase in population and the growth of a settled way of life.

• Early cultures that did not form advanced civilizations have contributed greatly to our understanding of the past.

Lessons

Lesson 1: The Study of World History

Lesson 2: Human Origins in Africa

Lesson 3: Humans Try to Control Nature

Lesson 4: Neolithic Cultures

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Essential Question

How did geography play a role in the development and organization of early civilizations?

Main Ideas

• Prosperous farming villages, food surpluses, and new technology led to the rise of civilization.

• The earliest civilization in Asia arose in Mesopotamia and organized into city-states.

• Using mathematical knowledge and engineering skills, Egyptians built magnificent monuments to honor dead rulers.

• The first Indian civilization built well-planned cities on the banks of the Indus River.

• The early rulers introduced ideas about government and society that shaped Chinese civilization.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Civilization

Lesson 2: City-States in Mesopotamia

Lesson 3: Pyramids on the Nile

Lesson 4: Planned Cities on the Indus

Lesson 5: River Dynasties in China

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Essential Question

What ideas and innovations did ancient cultures in India and the eastern Mediterranean develop, and how were they influential?

Main Ideas

• Indo-Europeans migrated into Europe, India, and Southwest Asia and interacted with peoples living there.

• The religion of Hinduism developed and evolved over a long time in India, giving rise to a variety of beliefs and practices as well as other religions, such as Jainism.

• Buddhism, which teaches people that they can escape the suffering of the world through the Buddha’s teachings, developed in India and spread to other parts of Asia and the world.

• Trading societies extended the development of civilizations beyond the Fertile Crescent region.

• The Israelites maintained monotheistic religious beliefs that were unique in the ancient world.

Lessons

Lesson 1:The Indo-Europeans

Lesson 2: The Origins of Hinduism

Lesson 3: The Origins of Buddhism

Lesson 4: Seafaring Traders

Lesson 5: The Origins of Judaism

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Essential Question

How effective were leaders in spreading their influence in the first large empires of Africa and Asia?

Main Ideas

• Two empires along the Nile—Egypt and Nubia—forged commercial, cultural, and political connections.

• Assyria developed a military machine and established a well-organized administration.

• By governing with tolerance and wisdom, the Persians established a well-ordered empire that lasted for 200 years.

• The social disorder of the warring states contributed to the development of three Chinese ethical systems.

Lessons

Lesson 1:The Egyptian and Nubian Empires

Lesson 2: The Assyrian Empire

Lesson 3: The Persian Empire

Lesson 4: The Unification of China

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Essential Question

Why might the modern world be interested in the history, culture, and civilizations of ancient Greece?

Main Ideas

• The roots of Greek culture are based on interaction among the Mycenaean, Minoan, and Dorian cultures.

• The growth of city-states in Greece led to the development of several political systems, including democracy.

• Democratic principles flourished during Greece’s golden age.

• Classical culture flourished during Greece’s golden age.

• Alexander the Great conquered Persia and Egypt and extended his empire to the Indus River in northwest India.

• Hellenistic culture, a blend of Greek and other influences, flourished throughout Greece, Egypt, and Asia.

Lessons

Lesson 1:Cultures of the Mountains and the Sea

Lesson 2: Warring City-States

Lesson 3: Democracy and Greece’s Golden Age

Lesson 4: Achievements of Greek Culture

Lesson 5: Alexander the Great

Lesson 6: Hellenistic Culture

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Essential Question

Why is the legacy of ancient Rome still so important today?

Main Ideas

• The early Romans established a republic, which grew powerful and spread its influence.

• The creation of the Roman Empire transformed Roman government, society, and economy.

• The Romans developed a complex society in which different classes of people lived.

• Christianity arose in Roman-occupied Judea and spread throughout the Roman Empire.

• Internal problems and invasions spurred the division and decline of the Roman Empire.

• The Romans developed many ideas and institutions that became fundamental to Western civilization.

Lessons

Lesson 1:The Roman Republic

Lesson 2: The Roman Empire

Lesson 3: Life in the Roman Empire

Lesson 4: The Origins of Christianity

Lesson 5: The Fall of the Roman Empire

Lesson 6: Rome and the Roots of Western Civilization

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Essential Question

What role did early empires in India and China play in shaping later civilizations?

Main Ideas

• The Mauryas and the Guptas established empires, but neither unified India permanently.

• Indian religions, culture, and science evolved and spread to other regions through trade.

• The Han Dynasty expanded China’s borders and developed a system of government that lasted for centuries.

Lessons

Lesson 1:India’s First Empires

Lesson 2: Trade Spreads Indian Religions and Culture

Lesson 3: Han Emperors in China

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Essential Question

In what ways did Muslim societies encourage cultural blending?

Main Ideas

• Muhammad unified the Arab people both politically and through the religion of Islam.

• In spite of internal conflicts, the Muslims created a huge empire that included lands on three continents.

• Muslims combined and preserved the traditions of many peoples and also advanced learning in a variety of areas.

• The Ottomans established a Muslim empire that combined many cultures and lasted for more than 600 years.

• The Safavid Empire produced a rich and complex blended culture in Persia.

Lessons

Lesson 1:The Rise of Islam

Lesson 2: Islam Expands

Lesson 3: Muslim Culture

Lesson 4: The Ottomans Build a Vast Empire

Lesson 5: Cultural Blending

Complete Student Guide