This year, we will explore early modern world history guided by the Grade 8 Social Studies Department Standards.
We will begin with the Renaissance and Reformation—a time of remarkable change and new ideas in European society. We will explore the cultural, political, and religious shifts that shaped the period and set the stage for the modern world.
Next, we will move to the Mughal Empire in India, studying its extraordinary cultural achievements and discussing the traits of great leaders. We will also examine challenges such as religious intolerance and their impact on society.
From there, we will enter An Age of Exploration and the Atlantic World, learning about European voyages of discovery, the rise of overseas empires, the transatlantic slave trade, and the exploitation of people and resources. We will investigate how the Columbian Exchange transformed global trade and make connections between these historical developments and present-day issues.
Our European Absolutism unit will introduce you to key monarchs who consolidated power during this period. We will then move into the Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution, where you will meet prominent thinkers and innovators whose ideas and discoveries continue to shape modern life.
The topics of the American Revolution and the French Revolution will encourage you to think critically about the causes that drive people to revolt against their governments and to consider alternatives to violent methods of creating social change.
In the Nationalism unit, we will discuss the concept of nationalism, exploring its positive and negative effects and the ways it can unite or divide nations.
We will then explore the Industrial Revolutions of 1700–1900s, analyzing their profound social, economic, political, and cultural impact on the Western world and beyond.
If time permits, we will conclude with the Age of Democracy and Progress, summarizing key inventions, scientific theories, and reforms of the era, while reflecting on the changes our own society might need today.
Throughout the course, we will focus heavily on skill building and higher-level thinking. You can expect substantial reading and writing assignments, engaging discussions and debates, research projects, presentations, and activities designed to develop critical thinking and awareness of global issues.
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This year, you will be using the electronic version of the MODERN WORLD HISTORY textbook --please download the PDF and save it on the DESKTOP of the electronic device you use for learning.
PLEASE NOTE that you must be logged in to your Wells email account in order to have the access.