Course Descriptions
World History
World History is a college preparatory course designed to provide a survey of the major historical events that have shaped Western Civilization and the modern world. In this course, students analyze and interpret the development of Western political thought from the Enlightenment to the rise of Nationalism; the industrial, national and social developments of Western society; Western Imperialism; periods of crisis in the Western and modern world such as the rise of totalitarian states, WWI, WWII, genocides, and the Cold War; the creation of the global capitalist system; and the rise of non-Western states in the 19th and 20th centuries. The student will learn specific historical thinking skills such as identifying change of time, cause and effect, making historical generalizations, compare and contrast and and periodization. In addition, students will analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources, perform both individual and group activities, and be assessed using a variety methods that include periodic written and verbal quizzes and/or presentations, major unit exams and historical essays.
US History
This course briefly reviews the major themes and events in United States history during the 18th and 18th centuries. Major emphasis will be on the identification and analysis of social, political, economic, and cultural issues in the 20th century. Students will examine such topics as Industrialism, the Age of Progressivism and Reform, the 1920s, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights era, the 1960s, America's modern wars, and current issues and problems. The course incorporates primary source materials, historical literature, and research skills to develop critical thinking.
