World History 2 - The Modern Era

 Modern World History (1790s to the Present)

11th grade Required

World History II will focus on the history of Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America over the past 225 or so years.  There will also be connections made to the United States throughout this time period as we examine world history as well as regularly examining how the past influences events in our world today. Emphasis will be placed on cultural and social developments, geography, inventions, war and politics, economic and philosophical ideas. 

 

When finished with the course, you will:

·                     Understand the skills necessary to study “History” (Periodization, Historical Causation, Contextualization, Argumentation, Analysis of Evidence, Patterns of Continuity and Change, Comparison, Interpretation, and Synthesis)

 

·                     Identify a body of factual information needed to understand modern history

 

·                     Understand geographical features and political boundaries of the modern world and the influence of geography on history.

 

·                     Understand basic economic principles.

 

·                     Understand the workings and influences of scientific and technological concepts in our world.

 

·                     Be able to conduct research involving comparison, evaluation and the use of a variety of media sources for gathering information.

 

·                     Understand the connection between studying the past and comprehending the modern world today.  (This is a big one!!! – Look above at skills - Causation and Interpretation)

 

To reach our goals for this course we will focus on some essential questions.  The following are the course-wide questions we will attempt to develop answers for during the semester:

1.         Why is the world so complicated?

2.         How did we get here?

3.         Is history a history of progress?

4.         Why does it all matter?

5.         What lessons can be learned from History?