Grade 9 History Syllabus 2010-2011
Topics in European History ca1000-1914
Mr Mercante
Goals: This course will focus on the interactions between different countries and peoples from
Europe and surrounding regions such as North Africa and Southwest Asia beginning with
Medieval period in Europe (ca 1000) and concluding just prior to the outbreak of WWI (1914).
Particular emphasis will be placed on the events and ideas that have shaped and continue to
shape world history up to this very day, including: feudalism, the origins of Islam, the
Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the
emergence of ideas such as capitalism, liberalism, nationalism, socialism, and communism, and
European contact (for better and worse) with the rest of the world through colonialism and
imperialism. By studying these events and ideas students will come to see how the people,
events, and ideas of far away places and past years have shaped and continue to shape the lives
they lead today.
Content: Each unit will focus around several main points or essential questions. In addition for
each section students will be asked to question, why this episode in history is important. What
does each particular section of history tell us about the world that we live in today or about
ourselves?
Semester I:
Unit 1 (September): The Origins of Islam
-Chpt 6
>What do the experiences of the Islamic Empires of the 8th through 13th centuries teach us about
the value of a diverse and tolerant society?
>How did the experiences of the Islamic world shape and influence Europe and the World we
live in today?
Unit 2 (Septemeber/October): Europe during the Middle Ages
-Chpts 9 and 10
>How did European experiences during the middle ages shape the structure of our society today?
Unit 3 (October/November): Renaissance and Reformation in Europe
-Chpt 12
>How did the experiences of the Renaissance and the Reformation fundamentally alter European
History after the Middle Ages?
Unit 4 (December/January): Crisis, Absolutism, and the Enlightenment in Europe
-Chpts 14, 15(excerpts), 17
>Which form of government is stronger, an absolute monarch or a constitutional monarch?
>How can and have ideas impacted history?
Semester II:
Unit 5 (February/March): The French Revolution
-Chpt 18
>Why is the French Revolution considered one of the major turning points in European and
world history?
Unit 6 (April): The Industrial Revolution and the birth of Radical Ideas
-Chpts 19 and 20
>How can economics shape the culture, society, and government of a civilization?
Unit 7 (May): European Imperialism around the World
-Chpt 21
>What about human nature helps explain European Imperialism during the late 19th and early
20th centuries?
Skills:
-Critical thinking skills, especially the ability to understand and analyze abstract ideas
-Critical reading and comprehension of secondary and primary source texts
-Analysis of visual sources including artwork, photographs, charts, and maps
-Persuasive writing, including using historical facts as evidence to support normative judgments
-Persuasive speaking
Text: Spielvogel, Jackson J. World History. Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. 2008.
Binder:
Throughout the year you will be taking lots of notes both on your own at home, and in class. In
addition there will be dozens of quizzes and tests that you will want to/need to keep track of to
help you study for future tests and exams, as well as numerous handouts and graded homework
assignments that you need to hold on to. For all these reasons it is essential that each student
have a three ring binder dedicated solely to history. Each binder should include the following
sections:
-Section 1: Notes
>loose leaf paper in order to take notes at home and during class
-Section 2: Quizzes/Tests
>You should three-hole punch all your quizzes and tests and keep them here. You’ll find them
very useful when it comes time to study for future tests/exams
-Section 3: Class Handouts
>Any graphic organizers, maps, or other handouts that I give you in class should go here.
-Section 4: Returned Homework
>Any homework assignments that you turn in to me will go in this section.
Good organization of your material is essential for learning, not only in history but in every class
you take from here all the way through college. In order to reinforce this important habit there
will be periodic binder checks throughout the year, which will count as a graded assignment (5
points). So maintain your binders!