WORLD HISTORY AND CIVILIZATION
CURRICULUM
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This two-semester course emphasizes key events and developments in the past that influenced people
and places in subsequent eras. Students are expected to practice skills and processes of historical
thinking and inquiry that involve chronological thinking, comprehension, analysis and interpretation,
research, issues-analysis, and decision-making. They examine the key concepts of continuity and
change, universality and particularity, and unity and diversity among various peoples and cultures from
the past to the present.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
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Develop skills and processes of historical thinking and inquiry that involve chronological
thinking, comprehension, analysis, interpretation, research, issues-analysis, and decisionmaking
Analyze key events and developments that happened in the past and the influence those events
and developments have today
Examine the key concepts of continuity and change, universality and particularity, and unity
and diversity among various peoples and cultures from the past to the present
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
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Why is it important to study history?
How did human society begin?
How did the earliest civilizations develop and why are they important?
What is the legacy of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome?
Where did the major empires of the world develop? What is the impact of these empires?
What is the relationship between the development of Europe and the rise of Western
Civilization?
7. Why is Western Civilization important to us at the present time?
8. Why were the Renaissance and Reformation in Europe important to the legacy of Western
Civilization?
9. What led to European exploration, conquest and colonization?
10. How did the scientific, political, and industrial revolutions influence the world?
11. What were / are the pros and cons of worldwide imperialism?
12. What is currently going on in our world? What can we learn from the history of our world and
our present situations that can prepare us for the future?
INDIANA STATE STANDARDS
DESIRED RESULTS
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Students will examine the lives of the hunting and gathering people of the ancient world during
the beginnings of human society.
Students will examine the characteristics of early civilizations, including those of Egypt,
Mesopotamia, the Indus River Valley, and China from 4000 to 1000 B.C.E.
Students will examine the antecedents, origins, development, and achievements of the classical
civilizations of Greece and Rome from 2000 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.
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Students will trace the development of major civilizations, states, and empires in different
regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas from 1000 B.C.E. to 1500 C.E.
Students will examine the political, economic, social, and cultural development of Europe,
which influenced the rise of Western Civilization from 500 to 1500.
Students will examine the antecedents, events, outcomes, and legacies for Western Civilization
of the Renaissance and Reformation from 1250 to 1650.
Students will examine the antecedents, events, outcomes, and legacies for Western Civilization
of the Renaissance and Reformation from 1250 to 1650.
Students will examine the causes, events, and global consequences of the scientific, political,
and industrial revolutions that originated in Western Europe and profoundly influenced the
world from 1500 to 1900.
Students will examine the origins, major events, and consequences of worldwide imperialism
from 1750 to 1900.
Students will analyze and explain twentieth-century trends and events of global significance,
such as world wars, international controversies and challenges, and cross-cultural changes that
have connected once-separated regions into an incipient global community.
Students will conduct historical research that includes forming research questions, developing a
thesis, investigating a variety of primary and secondary sources and presenting their findings
with documentation.
KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS
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Key terms from each chapter focusing on government, culture, and regional vocabulary
Understand the concepts of continuity and change
Understand the concepts of universality and particularity
Understand the concepts of unity and diversity among various peoples and cultures from the
past to the present
APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY
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Power Point Projects
Web Quests
Historical / Educational Web Sites
Virtual Field Trips
Safari Montage
World Music
UNITS OF INSTRUCTION (STATE STANDARDS)
1. Standard 1 — Beginnings of Human Society
2. Standard 2 — Early Civilizations: 4000 to 1000 B.C.E.
3. Standard 3 — Classical Civilizations of Greece and Rome: 2000 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.
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4. Standard 4 — Major Civilizations, States, and Empires in Asia, Africa, and the Americas: 1000
B.C.E. to 1500 C.E
5. Standard 5 — Medieval Europe and the Rise of Western Civilization: 500 to 1500
6. Standard 6 — The Renaissance and Reformation in Europe and the Development of Western
Civilization: 1250 to 1650
7. Standard 7 — Worldwide Exploration, Conquest, and Colonization: 1450 to 1750
8. Standard 8 — Scientific, Political, and Industrial Revolutions: 1500 to 1900
9. Standard 9 — Global Imperialism: 1750 to 1900
10. Standard 10 — An Era of Global Conflicts, Challenges, Controversies, and Changes: 1900 to
the Present
11. Standard 11 — Historical Research
COURSE ASSESSMENTS
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Chapter Test
Section Quiz
Notebook Organization
Class / Individual Projects
Class / Individual Presentations
Discussion / Cooperative Learning Groups
Reflection Journals
TIMELINE
Week 1- World History Introduction. 1st Grading Period Focus: Civilizations. Begin Chapter 1.
WH.1.1-4
Week 2- Complete Chapter 1 WH.1-4. Application of Standards: Archeological Dig
Week 3- Chapter 2: Early River Valley Civilizations Standard WH.2.1-5. Focus: Mesopotamia
Week 4- Chapter 2: Early River Valley Civilizations Standard WH.2.1-5. Focus: Nile and Indus
Week 5- Chapter 2: Early River Valley Civilizations Standard WH.2.1-5. Focus: China (Test)
Week 6- Chapter 5: Classical Greece Standard WH.3.1-6 Activities across the curriculum: Greek
Sculpture
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Week 7- Chapter 5: Classical Greece Standard WH.3.1-6 Test
Week 8- Begin Civilization Project: Assessing Standards WH.1,2,3
Week 9- Present Civilization Project: Assessing Standards WH.1,2,3
Week 10- 2nd Grading Period Focus: The Age of Empires. Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early
Christianity WH.3.7-12
Week 11- Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity WH.3.7-12 Test
Week 12- Unit: Empires of the Eastern World. WH.4.1-10. Chapter 3 Section 2 Roots of Hinduism
and Buddhism and Chapter 7 India and China Establish an Empire Focus: India (Quiz)
Week 13 -Chapter 7 India and China Establish an Empire /Chapter 12 Section 1 Empires in the East
Focus: China (Quiz)
Week 14 -Chapter 12 Empires of the East Focus: Mongol, Japan, Korea (Quiz)
Week 15 - Chapter 10 The Muslim World (Quiz)
Week 16 –Complete Eastern Empire Unit and Test
Week 17 – Chapter 8 African Civilizations and Empires WH.4.11-14 (Test)
Week 18 – Review and take Finals. Assessing Standards WH.1-WH.4
Week 19 – 3rd Grading Period Focus: European Encounters. Chapter 13 European Middle Ages
WH.5.1-7 (Test) Explanation of Research Paper WH.11
Week 20 – Chapter 14 The Formation of Western Europe WH.5.8-11 (Test)
Week 21 – Chapter 17 European Renaissance and Reformation WH.6.1-10 (Test)
Week 22 – Chapter 19 An Age of Exploration and Isolation and Chapter 20 The Atlantic World
WH.7.1-8
Week 23 – Chapter 19 An Age of Exploration and Isolation and Chapter 20 The Atlantic World
WH.7.1-8 (Test) Midterm Research Paper Check
Week 24 – Chapter 22 Enlightenment and Revolution WH.8.1-5 (Test)
Week 25 – Chapter 23 The French Revolution and Napoleon WH.8.5-6 (Test)
Week 26 – Chapter 25 The Industrial Revolution WH.8.8-10 (Test)
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Week 27 – Paper Presentation over Standards WH.5 – WH.8
Week 28 – 4th Grading Period Focus: Global Conflicts. Chapter 27 The Age of Imperialism WH.9.1-8
Week 29 – Chapter 28 Transformations Around the Globe WH.9.1-8 (Test)
Week 30 – Chapter 29 The Great War WH.10.1 (Test)
Week 31 – Chapter 30 Revolution and Nationalism and Chapter 31 Years of Crises WH.10.2-4
(Case Study Project)
Week 32 – Chapter 32 World War II WH.10.4-5 (Test)
Week 33 – Chapter 33 Reconstructing the Postwar World WH.10.6-7 (Test)
Week 34 – Chapter 34 The Colonies Become New Nations and Chapter 35 Struggles for Democracy
WH.10.8-12 (Case Study Project)
Week 35 – Chapter 36 Global Interdependence (Current Event Topic Activity)
Week 36 – Review and Take Final. Assessing Standards WH.5- WH.10
COURSE MATERIALS: MAJOR TEXTS, PRINCIPAL MATERIALS AND FILMS
KEY TEXTS:
Semester One
WORLD HISTORY: PATTERNS OF INTERACTION
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS:
Semester One
The Odyssey
The Iliad
Hammurabi’s Code
Semester Two
World History: Patterns of Interaction
Semester Two
The Plague
The Canterbury Tales
Seven Theories of Human Nature
All Quiet on the Western Front
* Parents should contact the teacher or department chair to discuss concerns with texts. If required, the teacher will
provide a substitute text of comparable length that approximates the stated academic purpose. Selected essays, short
stories, poems and articles will be used to teachers to augment major units.
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COMMERCIAL FILMS/VIDEOS:*
Teachers may select from the following:
Semester One
Safari Montage Video
Clips from the movie Gladiator
History Channel: King Tut
History Channel: The Great Wall
Semester Two
Safari Montage Video
History Channel: Curse of the Black Death
Clips from History Channel: Kingdoms of Europe
Clips from the movie Gandhi
Episodes from The Remarkable 20th Century
OTHER FILMS/VIDEOS *
Semester One
*A parent may excuse his/her child from the viewing of a commercial film/video. The parent should contact the teacher or
Department Chair to discuss his/her concerns. The teacher will provide any excused student an alternative assignment
of comparable length that is relevant to the stated academic purpose.
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