WORLD HISTORY

FALL SEMESTER

Unit One: Introduction & Comparative World Religions

Theme: Beliefs

Case Studies: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Focus Questions: What are the foundational beliefs of the world’s major religions?

How are societies structured differently under different religious philosophies?

Concept Questions: Why travel? Why do we believe what we believe; how do our perspectives shape our interpretations understandings?

Culminating Assessments: World Travel Essay & World Religions Project

Unit Two: The Age of Revolutions

Case Studies: Revolutions in Europe: The Enlightenment, French Revolution, Agricultural Revolution and Industrial Revolution

Theme: Change

Focus Questions: What were the effects of new political and economic ideas in Europe 1700- 1890? What changes do revolutions produce? Specifically, what are the economic, technological, political, social, and geographic causes of change in human societies?

Concept Questions: What causes change and what are its effects?

Case Study Assessment: Philosophers Round Table Seminar

Culminating Assessment: The trial of Archibald Hyatt Smith, a fictional industrialist.

Unit Three: World International Conflicts 1870-present

Case Studies: WWI, WWII Japan and the Pacific, Vietnam and the Cold War

Theme: Power

Focus Questions: What economic, political, social, and geographic factors lead nations to fight with each other? How did competing national needs for power and security lead to war? Why did Nationalism overpower individualism during WWI? Was Japanese imperialism necessary to maintain Japanese sovereignty? Was the war in Vietnam a war for independence or communism?

Concept Question: Why do we fight?

Case Study Assessments: WWI evidence outline, Simulation of Japanese government deliberations regarding the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and perspective analysis of the Vietnam WarCulminating Assessment: Traditional Unit Exam, student gegnerated questions

SPRING SEMESTER

Unit Four: Emergence and Development of New Nations 1900-present

Case Studies: China & India

Theme: Development

Focus Questions: How can the study of China’s past help us to understand Chinese reactions to modern events? In order for China’s rise to continue, what does the next set of leaders have to do and what do they have to guard against? How did India resist British colonization? How do planned and market economies shape production, distribution and consumption of goods, services, and resources?

Concept Questions: What is good government? What is the most effective way to lead?Case Study Assessment: China’s Re-emergence simulation

Culminating Assessment: Comparative Essay Exam

Unit Five: Challenges to Democracy and Human Rights

Case studies: South Africa, Israel & Palestinian territories

Theme: Injustice/ Justice

Focus Questions: Has the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission effectively delivered on its mandate to find the truth and reconcile the people of South Africa to the injustices of their apartheid past? Is Israel’s control of the Palestinians an example of Apartheid?

Concept Questions: How do we deal with injustice? How is conflict an expression of unmet needs? What is the role of communication and needs in understanding conflict? What is the role of perspective in conflict?

Case Study Assessments: Formal class Socratic Seminar Discussion for South Africa,Culminating Assessment: Position debate for Israel & Palestine on unit focus question

There will be a Comprehensive Final Essay Exam during exam week in June.

SAVE all of your WH fall and spring course work to prepare for the final!!!