Download Review of Ancient Civilizations and Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE

World History 1, Quarter 1, Unit 1 of 3
Review of Ancient Civilizations and
Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE
Overview
Overall days: 13
(1 day = 50-55 minutes)
Purpose
This unit reviews developments in world history in late ancient times and prepares students for study of
the human past from 500 BCE to 300 CE. The unit focuses on review of Classical Greek, Roman, and
Han Chinese societies, alerting students to the key historical concepts of the state, democracy, republican
government, empire, bureaucracy, and law. Students will analyze distinctions among the democratic,
republican, and imperial types of government as they applied to 5th-century BCE Athens and other Greek
city-states, the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire, and the Han Chinese Empire, which emphasized
bureaucracy and the moral and civic values of Confucianism. Students will consider the sources of
authority from which governments have historically claimed to be legitimate (rightful)—especially the
idea of the sovereignty of the citizens as compared with the idea of the sovereignty of the monarch or
emperor based on divine power.
Content to be learned
Processes to be used

Define the “state” as a type of organization and
distinguish among city-states, territorial states,
empires, monarchies, and republics as political
concepts.

Demonstrate an understanding of origins,
forms, and purposes of government by
comparing different types of states and
governments known in world history.

Describe major political and social institutions
of 5th-century BCE Athens and other Greek
city-states.


Explain the conditions under which Rome
became transformed from a republic to an
empire headed by a ruler claiming divine and
absolute authority.
Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas,
values, and institutions in relation to social
class differences in Athens, Sparta, or other
Greek city-states.

Reconstruct patterns of historical succession
and duration in which historical developments
have unfolded to analyze major changes in the
Roman Empire.

Draw upon historical maps to trace the
unification of a large part of East Asia under
the Qin and Han dynasties, and demonstrate an
understanding of origins, forms, and purposes
of government by explaining the Chinese idea
of the Mandate of Heaven.

Connect the past with the present by
identifying key ideas and concepts related to
political bureaucracy as a type of governing
institution.


Describe the unification of large areas of East
Asia under the Qin and Han dynasties in the
3rd century BCE, and explain the Mandate of
Heaven as an institution that both made the
emperor legitimate and potentially limited his
power.
Define “bureaucracy” as a specific way of
organizing government, and explain basic
features of the Han Chinese bureaucracy,
especially as it was informed by Confucianism
as an ethical and moral system.
Providence Public Schools, in collaboration with the
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin
D-1
World History 1, Quarter 1, Unit 1
Version 2
Review of Ancient Civilizations and Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE (13 days)
Essential questions students should be able to answer by end of unit

What was similar and what was different about
the character and form of the state in 5thcentury BCE Athens and the Roman and Han
empires?

How did Rome become transformed from a
republic to an empire?

How did Confucianism and the Mandate of
Heaven contribute to the formation of empire
in China?
Written Curriculum
Grade-Span Expectations
HP 1: History is an account of human activities that is interpretive in nature.
HP 1 (5-6) –1 Students act as historians, using a variety of tools (e.g., artifacts and primary and secondary
sources) by…
b. using sources to support the stories of history (How do we know what we know?)
National Standards for History (World History, Grades 5–12)
Era 3: Classical Traditions, Major Religions, and Giant Empires, 1000 BCE–300 CE
Standard 2: The emergence of Aegean civilization and how interrelations developed among peoples of the eastern
Mediterranean and Southwest Asia, 600–200 BCE.
2A The student understands the achievements and limitations of the democratic institutions that
developed in Athens and other Aegean city-states.

Explain hierarchical relationships within Greek society and analyze the civic, economic, and social tasks
that men and women of different classes performed. [Appreciate historical perspectives]

Describe changing political institutions of Athens in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE and analyze the
influence of political thought on public life. [Reconstruct patterns of historical succession and duration]

Assess the important of Greek ideas about democracy and citizenship for the development of Western
political thought and institutions. [Hypothesize the influence of the past]
Standard 3: How major religions and large-scale empires arose in the Mediterranean basin, China, and India, 500
BCE–300 CE.
3A The student understands the causes and consequences of the unification of the Mediterranean
basin under Roman rule.

Describe the political and social institutions of the Roman Republic and analyze why Rome was
transformed from republic to empire. [Analyze cause-and-effect relationships]

Evaluate the major legal, artistic, architectural, technological, and literary achievements of the Romans and
the influence of Hellenistic cultural traditions on Roman Europe. [Appreciate historical perspectives]
3C The student understands how China became unified under the early imperial dynasties.

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Analyze the political and ideological contributions of the Han to the development of the imperial
bureaucratic state and the expansion of the empire. [Analyze cause-and-effect relationships]
Providence Public Schools, in collaboration with the
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin
Review of Ancient Civilizations and Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE (13 days)
World History 1, Quarter 1, Unit 1
Version 2
Standard 5: Major global trends from 1000 BCE to 400 CE
5 The student understands major global trends from 1000 BCE to 300 CE.

Define the concept of “classical civilization” and assess the enduring importance of ideas, institutions, and
art forms that emerged in the classical periods. [Analyze the importance of ideas]

Analyze the significance of military power, state bureaucracy, legal codes, belief systems, written
language, and communications and trade networks in the development of large regional empires.
[Interrogate historical data]

Explain the significance of Greek or Hellenistic ideas and cultural styles in the history of the Mediterranean
basin, Europe, Southwest Asia, and India. [Analyze the importance of ideas]
Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies
Reading
Key Ideas and Details
RH.9-10.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources,
attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
RH.9-10.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
Writing
Production and Distribution of Writing
WHST.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
WHST.9-10.7
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry
when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
Notes, Clarifications, and Prerequisites
This unit is a review of key trends and concepts taught in grade 6 World History. This review is required
owing to the two-year gap in world history study from grade 6 to grade 9.
New to the grade span is students’ use of sources to support their knowledge of an era. Instruction should
include both primary and secondary sources for examination.
Providence Public Schools, in collaboration with the
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin
D-3
World History 1, Quarter 1, Unit 1
Version 2
Review of Ancient Civilizations and Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE (13 days)
Taught Curriculum
Learning Objectives
Resources
Students will be able to:
World History, Pearson, 2011




Define the “state” as a form of human social
organization and distinguish among city-state,
territorial state, and empire as different types of
states. (2 days)
Compare and contrast republic and monarchy
as different types of government. (1 day)
Compare and contrast the principal features of
the daily life and government of Sparta and
Athens in the 5th century BCE, highlighting
aspects of authoritarian monarchy, republican
institutions, democracy, slavery, and
citizenship. (4 days)
Teacher’s Edition (pp. 30-56)
Assessment Rubrics, Pearson, 2001
World History for Us All,
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu

Big Era 3, Panorama Teaching Unit

Big Era 3, Landscape Teaching Unit 3.3
Facing History and Ourselves
Jigsaw, http://www.facinghistory.org/resources/
strategies/jigsaw-developing-community-d

Explain how the Roman Republic was
transformed into an authoritarian empire during
the 1st century CE. (2 days)

Explain the development and territorial
expansion of the Qin and Han empires,
including the basic characteristics of the Han
Empire in the 1st century CE and the concepts
of the Mandate of Heaven and bureaucracy.
(4 days)
Instructional Considerations
Key Vocabulary
authoritarianism
Mandate of Heaven
bureaucracy
monarchy
city-state
republic
democracy
state
direct democracy
territorial state
empire
warlord
hierarchy
D-4
Providence Public Schools, in collaboration with the
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin
Review of Ancient Civilizations and Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE (13 days)
World History 1, Quarter 1, Unit 1
Version 2
Planning and Instructional Delivery Considerations
This unit is intended for review of a number of political concepts and the form of government in ancient
Athens, Rome, and Qin/Han China. As an intended outcome, it is expected that students will be able to
utilize data presented in charts and historical maps, analyze cause-and-effect relationships, engage in
comparative analysis, and identify relevant historical antecedents. The strategies listed below represent a
menu of choices and possibilities to support each learning objective. For background and extra teaching
strategies, see World History for Us All, Big Era 3 units.
The following teaching strategies are aligned to the order of the learning objectives.

To ensure that students will be able to define the “state” as a form of human social organization
and distinguish among city-state, territorial state, and empire as different types of states
(2 days):
Have students in small groups create a chart comparing city-states, territorial states, and empires by
defining each type, listing advantages and disadvantages for ordinary people, and including a visual
representation. Have a class discussion comparing the charts the different groups have made. Ask
group members to state which they would rather live in, and have them explain their choices.
Standard 4: Historical research

To ensure that students will be able to compare and contrast republic and monarchy as
different types of government (1 day):
Using a T-chart with the headings “Republic” and “Monarchy,” have students brainstorm the
advantages each form of government offers ordinary people. Perform another T-chart activity with
the same headings, but list the disadvantages. When both charts are complete, have students pick an
advantage of monarchies that is not also an advantage of republics. Have students write a journal
entry about how that advantage could be incorporated into the U.S. political system without violating
the Bill of Rights.

To ensure that students will be able to compare and contrast the principal features of the daily
life and government of Sparta and Athens in the 5th century BCE, highlighting aspects of
authoritarian monarchy, republican institutions, democracy, slavery, and citizenship (4 days):
Jigsaw Activity: This strategy asks a group of students to become experts on a specific text or body of
knowledge and then share that material with another group of students. Split the students into four
research groups: “Daily Life in Sparta,” “Daily Life in Athens,” “Government in Sparta,” and
“Government in Athens.” Have the students within each research group draw information from the
text and teacher-provided source documents about Greece in the 5th century BCE. Students should be
able to define key words and unfamiliar words and summarize what their topic is all about. Then
regroup the students into two teams, “Sparta” and “Athens,” ensuring that all of the Sparta experts are
together and all of the Athens experts are together. Each team will then synthesize their findings into
a single product (e.g., graphic organizer, outline, etc.). Teams can orally report their findings to the
class to share what they have learned. (See the Facing History website’s Jigsaw page for more
information about this strategy.) Standard 4: Historical research
Ask students in small groups to refer to the product from the Jigsaw activity. Have students create
charts comparing the lives of men, women, and children in Athens and Sparta in the 5th century BCE.
Ask students to discuss in class how and to what extent the ideal of political equality was fulfilled in
Athens and Sparta in the 5th century BCE. Would they rather have been Athenians or Spartans?
Why?
Providence Public Schools, in collaboration with the
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin
D-5
World History 1, Quarter 1, Unit 1
Version 2

Review of Ancient Civilizations and Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE (13 days)
To ensure that students will be able to explain how the Roman Republic was transformed into
an authoritarian empire during the 1st century CE (2 days):
Ask students to define the composition and purpose of the Roman Senate and explain why they think
the Senate had more power in the republic than it had in the empire beginning in the 1st century CE.
Also have students respond to the following question: “Had you been a leader in 1st-century Rome,
what strategy would you have used to try to save the republic?” Students may answer the question in
written, visual, or oral formats. Standard 5: Historical issues-analysis and decision-making

To ensure that students will be able to explain the development and territorial expansion of the
Qin and Han empires, including the basic characteristics of the Han Empire in the 1st century
CE and the concepts of the Mandate of Heaven and bureaucracy (4 days):
Using a basic physical map of Eurasia, have students locate in color the territories of the Qin/Han and
Roman empires during the 1st century CE. In a quick write, ask students to interpret and compare
how waterways may have played a role in the growth and wealth of these two empires.
In a general class discussion, ask students to look up in a dictionary and then explain, in their own
words, the meaning of “bureaucracy” as a feature of government. Ask students to give examples of
how they or families members have had experiences with government or business bureaucracies.
Referring to information in the textbook, lead a discussion with students assessing to what extent the
Han Empire was bureaucratic. How did Confucianism contribute to the nature of bureaucracy in Han
China? Standard 2: Historical comprehension
Additional Teaching Strategies
Have each student create a poster that illustrates political life in either Athens or Sparta.
Have students create Venn diagrams comparing and contrasting the composition and purpose of the
Roman Senate under the republican government and the United States Senate today. Discuss in class the
similarities and differences between the two institutions.
Assessed Curriculum
Formative Assessments
Provide feedback to students through daily monitoring of student understanding using a variety of
methods. For example, use exit cards. Have students answer questions on paper before they leave the
class. Keep the activity prompt specific and brief to check for understanding of the day’s concepts. For
instance, to check students’ comprehension of the Spartan way of life, ask students to respond to the
following prompt: “What do you think your teachers mean when they say a person leads a Spartan
existence?”
To assess the progress of understanding:

how to define the “state” as a form of human social organization and distinguish among citystate, territorial state, and empire as different types of states, have students rank republics,
monarchies, and empires from strongest to weakest. Have them explain their rankings.

how to compare and contrast republic and monarchy as different types of government, have
students create a Venn diagram with “Republic” on one side and “Monarchy” on the other, writing
words and phrases associated with each in the appropriate rings. Words and phrases associated with
both types of government should be written in the overlap between the rings. Have students write the
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Providence Public Schools, in collaboration with the
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin
Review of Ancient Civilizations and Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE (13 days)
World History 1, Quarter 1, Unit 1
Version 2
names of republics and monarchies from throughout all of human history outside the appropriate
rings of the diagram. Standard 2: Historical comprehension

how to compare and contrast principal features of the daily life and government of Sparta and
Athens in the 5th century BCE, highlighting aspects of authoritarian monarchy, republican
institutions, democracy, slavery, and citizenship, have students write a letter to the editor of a
Spartan newspaper from a male shopkeeper criticizing the absence of political equality in Sparta. In
the letter, the shopkeeper should point out how shopkeepers in Athens have more specified political
rights.

how to explain how the Roman Republic was transformed into an authoritarian empire during
the 1st century CE, have students respond to the following prompt in a journal entry or short writing
assignment: “By the 1st century BCE, the Roman Empire could no longer expand under a republic
form of government. Agree or disagree? Support your answer with historical evidence from the
textbook.”

how to explain the development and territorial expansion of the Qin and Han empires,
including the basic characteristics of the Han Empire in the 1st century CE and the concepts of
the Mandate of Heaven and bureaucracy, ask students in groups to give brief oral presentations
explaining the meaning of the Mandate of Heaven as a political concept that developed in China in
the 1st millennium BCE. As independent practice, ask each student to write a journal entry or short
written response that assesses how the Mandate of Heaven might have both strengthened and
weakened the authority of the Han emperor.
Summative Assessment
Address the Essential Question “What was similar and what was different about the character and form of
the state in 5th-century BCE Athens and the Roman and Han empires?” Have students write a fiveparagraph essay that compares and contrasts the origins and political characteristics of the Roman and
Han empires. Use the Rubric for Assessing Writing (Assessment Rubrics, p. 6) to provide a common
means for scoring the essays.
When students are working on this summative assessment, this is an opportunity to implement reading
standards RH.9-10.1 and RH.9-10.2 in preparation for addressing writing standards for literacy in
history/social studies WHST.9-10.4 and WHST.9-10.7.
Providence Public Schools, in collaboration with the
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin
D-7
World History 1, Quarter 1, Unit 1
Version 2
Review of Ancient Civilizations and Empires, 500 BCE to 300 CE (13 days)
Notes
D-8
Providence Public Schools, in collaboration with the
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin