World History II

Introduction

Welcome to the World History II class page! Throughout the year, this page will be updated with new resources to help broaden and enhance your learning, including book recommendations, useful videos, the latest research on our subjects, and other useful information. During our historical investigation units, you will find helpful links to databases and other sources of information to get you started on your journeys. In the meantime, feel free to watch the video introduction below to get a better sense of me and the class, and take a glance at the learning objectives for the year ahead. I am looking forward to meeting you all in August!

Student Introduction Form

Please complete this Google survey before the first day of class!

Course Learning Objectives

Students will understand:

1.     That interactions among human societies can produce political, economic, and social transformations, and those transformations are rarely equally distributed or complete.

2.     That the distribution and application of power can shape institutions, relationships, and opportunities within and among human societies.

3.     That the blending of multiple causes contributes to historical change, and the consequences of these changes vary across human societies over time.

4.     That ideas, beliefs, and values influence individual and societal responses to historical circumstances.

5.     That perspectives and contexts influence the ways in which humans construct interpretations of the past, and the questions that humans pose can affect the ways in which they view history.

Students will know:

1.     Significant individuals, events, and trends that have contributed to global transformations from 1500 to present.

2.     The major systems, including colonialism, nationalism, imperialism, capitalism, socialism, and communism, that explain how societies organize power and resources.

3.     How to use disciplinary tools and procedures to effectively carry out historical inquiry.

4.     That individuals can understand historical developments from multiple perspectives, and that the choices humans make in choosing, interpreting, and weighing evidence can alter their interpretations of the past.

5.     Strategies for monitoring and improving their own historical thinking, including identifying assumptions, recognizing bias, responding to counterarguments, and acknowledging gaps.  

Students will be able to:

1.     Identify and describe the significance of individuals, events, and trends, as well as their relationships to global transformations from 1500 to present.

2.     Interpret primary and secondary sources, with specific attention to their historical context, using historical concepts and disciplinary strategies.

3.     Analyze historical developments by considering cause and consequence, continuity and change, perspectives, and context.

4.     Evaluate competing historical claims by weighing the quality, relevance, and perspectives of available evidence.

5.     Create evidence-based historical arguments that include clear claims, effective evidence, and sound reasoning.