Class I: Foundations of Ancient Civilizations

This course will encompass the study of a variety of ancient civilizations. In particular, we will examine the roles of geography, government, religion, art, economy, and social structure in the emergence of ancient civilizations. The course will explore the rise and fall of civilizations and investigate their impact on history. Students learn that culture consists of the shared beliefs, customs, and values of a group of people and that the unique achievements of cultures shape today’s world. Using a comparative approach, students will identify similarities between cultures and the distinctive qualities and contributions of individual societies. An equally important aim of this course is to teach Class I students to think and read like a historian. As students grow as active learners and critical thinkers, they will develop skills to analyze historical events, conduct historical research, and craft cohesive and persuasive arguments in class discussions and writing assignments.

Class II: Ancient Civilizations and Encounters

This course will focus on some of the ancient world’s largest and arguably most impactful civilizations: Greece, Rome, and China, and some of the connections that were made between these societies. While students will explore key historical events and figures, the primary emphasis will be on understanding the broader forces that shaped these civilizations—how and why they rose to power, the challenges they faced, and the factors that ultimately led to their decline. Students will consider the impact geography had on their development, and the networks of trade that connected them to distant civilizations. Though these ancient societies may seem remote, students will critically examine how their legacies persist and how their dynamics parallel those of major world powers today. Students will consider how networks of trade facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, technologies, religions, and artistic styles, creating a truly interconnected world long before globalization became a modern concept. By examining Greece and Rome alongside ancient China, students will gain a deeper appreciation of how ancient civilizations were not isolated entities but part of a broader, dynamic world.

Class III: Cultural Traditions and Encounters

Class III students will study the Silk Road, a network of land and sea trade routes that connected East Asia to the Mediterranean. The Silk Road linked different cultures and facilitated the movement of ideas, technologies, goods, art styles, music, religions, and people. This network brought diverse peoples together across great distances, and it allowed for a global sharing. For example, Roman scribes used paper made in China, Indian musicians played instruments made in Persia, and Samarkand mathematicians studied the theories of Arabian scholars. Using the Silk Road as our focal point, we will explore this cultural exchange and examine its effects on the various cultures. We will study several locations and regions along the Silk Road, concluding with an examination of the birth of Western Europe.

Class IV: The Birth of Modern Europe

In Class IV, History students continue with the theme of cultural encounters and cultural exchanges developed in Class III History. This course explores how European states emerged as dominant world powers by the 1500s despite their lack of unity and financial strength at the conclusion of the Crusades in the 1200s. In particular, we consider how European ways of thinking shifted as its citizens entered the modern age. Significant time is spent examining the Black Death, the development of capitalism, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the advent of strong monarchs. Students will also consider how these events shaped the way Europeans saw themselves as well as those around them. Finally, we will examine how Europeans used their new knowledge and power to conquer and subjugate the citizens of the New World.