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Middle School Middle School World History

Description

Somebody discovered the wheel. Somebody discovered written communication. Somebody even figured out how to count to ten. From the ancient river civilizations to China and its ancient dynasties, different civilizations left their mark on history. They also left their mark on how we live today. In this course, students join travel agent Mr. Lightfoot to travel back in time digging out the past of these ancient civilizations.In ancient Egypt students visit the pyramids and find out the secrets of preserving mummies. They see how the Mayans developed astronomy to a precise science. They even investigate the difference between the Athenians and the Spartans. Students will journey through India discovering their contributions to medicine, moving on to Africa to follow the rise and fall of the ancient east African kingdoms of Kush and Axum. Throughout the centuries, and still today, our world is made up of dozens of different cultures. They all are different, and they all have made big contributions to what we know and who we are.

Module One: Ancient Origins

-Understanding timelines and locations

-Six Essential Elements of Geography

-Methods and tools historians use

-Early human societies and migrations

-Characteristics of civilization

-Influences of location and resources on civilizations 


Module Two: Ancient River Civilizations

-Achievements and key figures of Mesopotamian civilization

-Ancient Egypt River Civilizations

-Traditional and command economies 

-Ancient Indus Valley Civilizations

-The Near Eastern River Civilizations

-Mediums of exchange and international trade


Module Three: Ancient America

-The Maya

-The Aztecs

-Factors that increase economic growth

-The Incas

-Uses of various types of maps

-Native Americans

-Ancient maps vs. current political maps


Module Four: Ancient Greece

-The rise of Greece

-Democratic Government in Athens

-Roots of the American political process

-Culture and geography of Sparta and Athens

-The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars

-Achievements and contributions of the Hellenistic Age

-Contributions of ancient Greek civilization

-Culture and Greek gods


Module Five: Ancient Rome

-Origins of Rome

-Impacts of the Punic Wars

-The Roman Republic

-Development of democratic principles

-Beginnings of Roman culture

-The Roman Empire

-Decline of the Western Roman Empire

-The contributions of Rome


Module Six: Ancient India

-The Vedic Age of India

-Development and spread of Hinduism

-Major beliefs and practices associated with Hinduism

-Teachings of Buddha and spread of Buddhism 

-Achievements of the Mauryan Empire

-Achievements of the Gupta Empire


Module Seven: Ancient China

-Geography of the Huang River

-Contributions of classical Chinese civilization

-The Chinese Dynasties

-The Mandate of Heaven and the Dynastic Cycle

-Beliefs of Ancient China

-Key figures from Ancient China

-Contributions of classical and post-classical China

-Importance of the silk road and sea routes 


Module Eight: Ancient Asia & Africa

-Contributions and figures of Post-Classical China

-Causes and effects of Chinese isolation

-Rise and expansion of the Mongol Empire

-Impacts of the Mongol Empire

-The East African kingdoms of Kush and Axum

-The rise of a merchant class and trade

-Human and physical geography of West Africa

-Contributions of ancient African kingdoms to history