Thinking Like a Historian helps seventh graders build on what they learned in sixth grade and get ready to study modern world history. Students will review primary and secondary sources, geography, timelines, and why history matters. These skills will support their success throughout the course.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 1- Thinking Like a Historian

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 1- Thinking Like a Historian Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 1- Thinking Like a Historian Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- How do sources help us understand the past and its impact on the future?

• Link- How do timelines help us study history?

• Link- What is geography and how do we use its tools?

• Link- What are the Five Themes of Geography and how do they help us learn about civilizations?

• Link- How does the GRAPES framework help us compare civilizations?

• Link- How does financial decision-making affect quality of life?

• Link- Why do we study the past?

Age of Exploration & Exchange helps students understand the importance of the Age of Exploration and its role in shaping globalization. They will learn how exploration began, what motivated it, and how it led to cultural exchange and global competition. Key explorers, trade routes, and innovations will be explored to show how this era shaped the modern world.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 2 Age of Exploration 

• Vocabulary Sheet -   Unit 2-  Age of Exploration Vocabulary

• Excell Model-  Unit 2- Age of Exploration Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- Who were the major explorers and what is their impact today?

• Link- What motivated Europeans to explore?

• Link- What tools helped Europeans cross the oceans?

• Link- How did competition for resources shape exploration?

• Link- What barriers led to the search for new trade routes?

• Link- How did exploration increase global connections and cultural exchange?

• Link- How does the larger historical context lead to the Age of Exploration being successful?

Colonization & Empires explores how the Age of Exploration led to global empires and imperialism. Students will study the Columbian Exchange, Atlantic Slave Trade, Middle Passage, and Dutch East India Company to understand their impact on world history. They will examine how colonization affected both indigenous peoples and colonizing powers—socially, economically, politically, and militarily. 

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 3- Colonization 

• Vocabulary Sheet -  Unit 3- Colonization Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 3- Colonization Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link-  What was the Columbian Exchange and how did it change the world?

• Link-  How did colonization affect indigenous and colonizing countries?

• Link-  Why was the Dutch East India Company important?

• Link-  How did disease shape the New World's economy and society?

• Link-  What motivated European colonization?

• Link-  What were the Atlantic Slave Trade and Middle Passage, and how do their effects still shape society today?

Absolutism & Enlightenment explores how societies shifted from monarchies to more democratic ideas between the 1400s and 1700s. Students will learn how the Scientific Revolution, Reformation, and Enlightenment challenged old beliefs about power and knowledge. They’ll examine how these changes impacted everyday people and sparked movements for independence and human rights.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 4- Absolutism and Enlightenment

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 4- Absolutism and Enlightenment Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 4- Absolutism and Enlightenment Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link-  How did the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of the Rights of Man change society?

• Link-  What was life like from the 1400s to 1700s?

• Link-  Why did democracy and human rights ideas grow during this time?

• Link-  What did new governments expect from citizens?

• Link-  Why was the Enlightenment a turning point in history?

• Link-  How did ideas about knowledge and power change?

Age of Revolutions focuses on a time of major political change and civil unrest. Inspired by Enlightenment ideas, people across Europe and the Americas challenged absolute monarchies and pushed for democracy and new forms of government. Students will explore key revolutions and how they reshaped societies and political systems. They will analyze the causes, major events, and lasting effects of revolutions such as the American, French, Haitian, and Latin American independence movements. By comparing these revolutions, students will gain a deeper understanding of how ideas and actions can lead to lasting global change. Through this study, students will also consider how revolutionary ideals continue to influence modern movements for justice and equality around the world.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 5- Revolutions

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 5- Revolutions Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 5- Revolutions Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- How did the Declaration of Independence influence modern democracy?

• Link- How did the American, French, Haitian, and Latin American Revolutions change society and politics?

• Link- What do modern revolutions have in common?

• Link- How did the Declaration of the Rights of Man shape European democracies?

• Link- What ideas sparked major revolutions?

• Link- How did societies change after revolutions?

• Link- Why did democracy gain popularity during this period?

• Link- How did Enlightenment ideas lead to revolution?

Industrial Revolution explores how new technology transformed daily life, work, and global economies. Students will learn how inventions like the steam engine and trains reshaped transportation, communication, and where people lived. This era marked a shift from farming to manufacturing, creating modern cities, new social classes, and changing how goods were made and shared worldwide. The rise of factories led to new jobs but also harsh working conditions. Child labor, long hours, and poor wages were common issues faced by workers. Over time, labor unions and reform movements emerged to improve conditions. The Industrial Revolution also sparked major advances in science, medicine, and education that continue to affect us today.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 6- Industrial Revolution 

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 6- Industrial Revolution Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 6- Industrial Revolution Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- How did the Industrial Revolution expand technology?

• Link- How did it change where people live?

• Link- How did industrialism reshape the global economy?

• Link- How did the Industrial Revolution affect international relationships?

• Link- How did personal economic choices during the Industrial Revolution impact daily life?

• Link- What social changes were caused by industrialization?

• Link- How did industrialization influence environmental change?

• Link – How did industrialization influence workers' rights and labor movements?

World War I focuses on the causes, key events, and lasting effects of one of the most significant global conflicts in history. Students will explore the M.A.I.N. causes—militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism—along with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. They’ll examine how new technology led to industrialized warfare and changed the nature of combat. The war reshaped political borders, led to the collapse of empires, and had a lasting impact on global politics. The Treaty of Versailles ended the war but set the stage for future conflict. Students will also learn how the war affected soldiers, civilians, and nations around the world.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 7- Rise of World Powers

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 7- Rise of World Powers  Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 7- Rise of World Powers Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- How did conflict in World War I inspire technological innovation?

• Link- What caused World War I to begin?

• Link- How did imperialism and nationalism contribute?

• Link- What distinguished World War I from other global conflicts?

• Link- What were the effects of World War I?

• Link- How did European empires change because of World War I?

• Link- How did the Treaty of Versailles shape the postwar world?

Interwar Period explores the years between World War I and World War II, when political and economic instability reshaped the world. Students will examine how the Treaty of Versailles and the global depression left countries like Germany in crisis, creating the conditions for dictators to gain power in Italy, Japan, the Soviet Union, and Germany. This period saw the rise of fascism, communism, and militarism, often supported through the use of propaganda. New borders, failed peace efforts, and economic collapse all contributed to growing tensions. These factors ultimately pushed the world closer to another global conflict. Understanding this period helps explain how fragile peace can be when economic and political problems are left unresolved. 

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 8- Interwar

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 8- Interwar Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 8- Interwar Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- What makes a leader effective?

• Link- Are the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations examples of effective cooperation among nations?

• Link- What were the implications of economic hardships during the 1930s?

• Link- How did politics change under the pressures of war and economic crisis?

• Link- Why is propaganda successful in shaping public opinion?

• Link- How did the rise of dictatorships set the stage for World War II?

World War II focuses on the causes, major events, and global impacts of the deadliest conflict in modern history. Students will explore how unresolved issues from World War I and the rise of dictators led to renewed war. The conflict involved the Axis Powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—facing off against the Allied Powers, including the U.S., Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. Key topics include the use of propaganda, advances in technology and warfare, and the devastating effects on soldiers and civilians. Students will also study the Holocaust and how genocide shaped human rights conversations after the war.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 9- World War II 

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 9- World War II Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 9- World War II Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- How did propaganda influence global civilians during World War II?

• Link- What were the global consequences of World War II?

• Link- How did technological advancements impact World War II?

• Link- How did World War II end, and what were the impacts of the atomic bomb?

• Link- How did powerful dictators rise to power during World War II, and what were the goals of those dictators?

• Link- How did economic turmoil and the Great Depression contribute to the start of World War II?

• Link- What were the causes and implications of the Holocaust and other genocides?

Cold War Era explores the global tensions and shifting power dynamics after World War II, as the United States and USSR rose as rival superpowers. Students will learn how the U.S. aimed to stop the spread of communism, especially in Asia, through alliances and involvement in proxy wars like Korea and Vietnam. The Cold War, while never involving direct conflict between the superpowers, shaped foreign policy, military strategy, and international relations for decades. This period also saw the birth of many new nations, triggering both migration and conflict rooted in religion, politics, and culture.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 10- The Cold War 

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 10- The Cold War Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 10- The Cold War Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- What is the United Nations, and why was it formed?

• Link- Is the United Nations an effective cooperative effort among nations? Does it effectively build consensus?

• Link- How did the Space Race reflect Cold War rivalry?

• Link- How did the emergence of new nations lead to peace or conflict?

• Link- What were the causes of the Cold War?

• Link- What were the global impacts of the Cold War?

• Link- How did proxy wars shape Cold War tensions?

Modern Global Issues highlights major contemporary challenges and their impact on people and societies around the world. Students will examine how human rights violations have led to conflicts, refugee crises, and genocides in recent history. The unit explores how disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and technological changes affect communities and global interactions. Students will also take part in a personal finance simulation to see how economic choices influence everyday life and long-term well-being.

Vocabulary

• Quizlet- Unit 11- Global Society

• Vocabulary Sheet - Unit 11- Global Society Vocabulary

• Excell Model- Unit 11- Global Society Vocabulary

Key Questions:

• Link- How does technology impact global interactions today?

• Link- How do we find peace in a world with increasing cultural divisions?

• Link- What are the causes and impacts of genocide and mass refugee migration?

• Link- What is the impact of natural disasters and disease on modern societies?

• Link- How do personal financial decisions impact quality of life?

• Link- How can individuals and nations respond to modern global challenges?