Course Title
Fall Semester | ||||
Unit Title | Early Civilizations | Classical Civilizations | Post-Classical Civilizations | Age of Exploration |
Time | 1 Week | 5 Weeks | 5 Weeks | 4 Weeks |
Understandings | Early civilizations arose as a result of organized government and innovations in agriculture (Neolithic Revolution).
Legal doctrine like Hammurabi’s Code ensured law and order in the early cities and helped civilizations to steadily evolve. | Classical civilizations (both western and eastern) were defined largely by the development of strong theological systems that were intricately woven within the political and cultural traditions of the civilization.
Classical civilizations saw significant expansion of territory and economic reach/influence during the period of 400BCE to 400CE.
| Post-classical civilizations were defined by extensive trade networks and the development of syncretic religions that were extensions of other religions (Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam).
The expansion of trade led to the development of new empires in Africa including the rise of Mali as a result of Trans-Saharan trade routes.
In Europe, the Middle Ages saw Europe develop into the Byzantine Empire in the eastern part of the Roman Empire and into smaller kingdoms throughout mainland Europe. | As Europe emerged from the Dark Ages, new technologies from the Scientific Revolution and a renewal of ideas from the Renaissance would drive Europeans to explore outside of their continental borders to establish new trade routes with Asia.
In the Americas, the rise of the Aztec and the Inca civilizations help bring unity and stability to modern-day Mexico and Peru and will serve as targets for the Spanish conquistadors.
Spanish, British, and French colonial efforts will lead to European colonial possessions in the Americas and create a new triangular trade between Europe and the Americas that will define the two regions until the 19th century. |
TEKS | Wh.1A, WH.2A, WH.2B, WH.3A, WH.15A, WH.15B, WH.15C, WH.16A, WH.18A, WH.18B, WH.19B, WH.20A, WH.21A, WH.22A, WH.22B, WH.23A, WH.25A, WH.25B, WH.26A | WH.1B, WH.2C, WH.3A, WH.3B, WH.3C, WH.15A, WH.15B, WH.15C, WH.18B, WH.19A, WH.20A, WH.20B, WH.20C, WH.21A, WH.21B, WH.22B, WH.22C, WH.23A, WH.24A, WH.24B, WH.25A, WH.25B, WH.26A, WH.26E | WH.1C, WH.3B,WH.4A, WH.4B, WH.4C, WH.4F, WH.4G, WH.4I, WH.15A, WH.15B, WH.15C, WH.18B, WH.19B, WH.19C, WH.19B,WH.19C, WH.20A, WH.20B, WH.21A, WH.22B, WH.22C, WH.23A, WH.23B, WH.24D, WH.25A, WH.25B, WH26A | WH.1C, WH.4C, WH.4D, WH.4E, WH.4F, WH.4H, WH.4I, WH.4J, WH.6A, WH.6B WH.7A, WH.7B, WH.7C, WH.7D, WH.7F, WH.7E,WH.15A, WH.15B, WH.15C, WH.22B, WH.22C, WH.23A, WH.25A, WH.26A, WH.26B |
Skills TEKS | WH.28E, WH.28F, WH.29A, WH.29B, WH.30B, WH.30C, WH.31B | |||
Spring Semester | |||||
Unit Title | Political and Philosophical Revolutions | Industrial Revolution and Imperialism | The World War Years | The Cold War | Globalized World |
Time | 3 Weeks | 3 Weeks | 4 Weeks | 4 Weeks | 3 Weeks |
Understandings | Europe’s expansion and the effects of the Reformation and Renaissance led to a new era of thinkers focused on improving the relationship between governments and the governed. These “enlightened thinkers” would bring about substantial political and social change not only in Europe, but abroad as well.
The American Revolution would trigger a series of revolutions in Europe and her territories as the ideals of the Enlightenment would give new meaning to the ideas of political freedom around the world. | Advances in technology in Europe, particularly the steam engine, led to industrial advances that would reshape the economy of Europe and the world. Steam engines would allow for faster transportation not only on land, but on the water as well, significantly reducing travel times for raw materials and finished goods.
The expansion of productivity and the need for raw materials led European nations to expand their imperial desires in Africa and the expansion of their empires to include the raw resource rich territories of Africa. | The expansion of imperial powers, the rise of large military industrial complexes, and the growing sense of nationalism throughout Europe spurred the first modern war from 1914-1919 and would leave a lasting scar on Europe physically, politically, and economically.
As Europe and the world recovered from the First World War, the economic strains of the conflict would leave to a global depression and the rise of political extremism and economic isolation setting the stage for another global war.
With Hitler’s invasion of Poland and Japan’s invasion of China, the Second World War would eventually engulf the world in conflict and see technological advancements in weapons and medicine, including nuclear energy. | Following the end of the Second World War, the world became divided between two major countries: the United States and the Soviet Union over whether democracy or communism would influence the new governments created post-World War Two.
America’s desire to prevent the expansion of Soviet influence led to several international conflicts including the Korean and Vietnam Wars that would reshape the world’s view on American and Soviet policies.
An arms race between the Soviet Union and United States would lead to the development of more powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles which led to strong diplomatic tensions but no direct confrontation earning this period the name “Cold War.” | Following the Cold War, advances in technology helped interconnect the world economically, politically, and socially in the 21st century.
The fear of terrorism created a global “war on terror” that would make the Middle East the focus of political and military action.
As nations gained their independence in Africa, centuries of tribal violence would lead to atrocities in places like Darfur and Rwanda as the imperial governments no longer had control over the region and led to a political vacuum. |
TEKS | WH.1D, WH.1E, WH.5A, WH.5B, WH.9A, WH.9B, WH.9C, WH.9D, WH.15A, WH.15B, WH.15C, WH.18B, WH.19B, WH.19C, WH.20A, WH.20B, WH.20C, WH.21B, WH.22B, WH.22C, WH.23A, WH.23B, WH.24C, WH.25A, WH.25B, WH.26C, WH.26D, WH.26E | WH.1E, WH.8A, WH.8B, WH.8C, WH.8D, WH.15A, WH.15B, WH.15C, WH.16B, WH.17A, WH.17B, WH.17C, WH,23A, WH.23B, WH.25A, WH.27A, WH.27B, WH.27E | WH.1F, WH.10A, WH.10B, WH.10C, WH.10D, WH.11A, WH.11B, WH.12A, WH.12B, WH.12C, WH.17D, WH.18B, WH.19D, WH.20A, WH.20B, WH.21D, WH.22C, WH.23A, WH.25A, WH.25B, WH.27C, WH.27E | WH.1F, WH.13A, WH.13B, WH.13C. WH.13D, WH.13E, WH.17E, WH.20A, WH.20B, WH.20C, WH.21C, WH.21E, WH.23B, WH.25A, WH.27C | WH.1F, WH.13F, WH.14A, WH.14B, WH.14C, WH.16C, WH.19D, WH.20A, WH.20C, WH.21C, WH.21D, WH.21E, WH.21F, WH.22C, WH.23A, WH.23B, WH.24D, WH.25A, WH.25B, WH.27D |
Skills TEKS | WH.28E, WH.28F, WH.29A, WH.29B, WH.30B, WH.30C, WH.31B | ||||