Download SOCIAL STUDIES Global History I/AP World History I

NEW CANAAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS SOCIAL STUDIES ­ Global History I/AP World History I CURRICULUM OVERVIEW All Social Studies classes are aligned in terms of skill development. The emphasis is on higher order thinking skills, such as close reading of primary sources and the analysis of pro­con, continuity and change over time, compare and contrast, and point of view. Students consistently learn to make connections between past and present. In addition, all students engage in research to solve problems and demonstrate life skills, such as oral presentation skills and their analysis of visual literacy, including charts, graphs, political cartoons, and art. The major difference between regular sections and advanced placement is the complexity of rubrics, readings and documents, content, materials and the rigor of scoring. Full AP course descriptions can be found at the website ​
advancedplacement.collegeboard.com​
. The curriculum is aligned with the ​
Connecticut Secondary Social Studies Frameworks​
. Course Text: Global History I: ​
World History: Connections to Today AP World History I: Howard Spodek's ​
The World's History Unit 1: Geography, Environment and Society (Paleolithic Era to Agricultural Revolution) Geography determines the development and survival of a people and their culture. A people’s ability to meet their wants and needs is shaped by geography and environment. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understanding Water determines a civilization’s development and culture. Sample Essential Questions How does geography determine who you become? How do decisions concerning the allocation and use of resources impact individuals, groups, and relationships? Topical Enduring Understanding ​
Civilizations developed political and economic systems as a result of the need to harness and maintain waterways. OR The need for water leads to the development of political and economic systems. Sample Essential Questions How do governments acquire, use and justify power? How do governments attempt to meet the needs of their citizens? Topical Enduring Understanding The drive for survival dictates the development of technology and exploration (irrigation, trade, migration, war). Sample Essential Questions Should geography be harnessed for human gain? Who owns the environment? Topical Enduring Understanding Geography inspires the development of religion, writing systems, job specialization and other characteristics of civilizations. Sample Essential Questions How do geography, climate and natural resources affect the way people live and work? How do decisions concerning the allocation and use of resources impact individuals, groups, and relationships? Unit 2: Classical Civilizations Geographic location and natural resources determine the development of a people and their culture. A civilization’s wants and needs leads to innovation and cultural diffusion. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understanding: The need to describe and understand the world around them leads to the development of belief systems. Sample Essential Questions How does environment influence the creation of religions? How do religions change as they adapt to new cultural settings? How are social and political institutions structured to address the rights and responsibilities of individuals and groups of people? How do philosophies fulfill the need for religion? Topical Enduring Understanding: ​
Access to the sea provided the impetus for a people to overcome the limited natural resources available to them. Sample Essential Questions How do the limited resources available to a people compel them to develop transportation, colonies and trade routes? (or a sea­faring civilization? How do the needs and wants of sea­faring civilizations lead to cultural diffusion? Topical Enduring Understanding:​
Geography and natural resources determine how political, economic and social systems develop. Sample Essential Questions How does the availability of water affect the development of the classical civilizations? How do geography and natural resources affect the longevity of classical civilizations? Topical Enduring Understanding: ​
Geographic location and availability of natural resources lead to patterns of development in classical civilizations. Sample Essential Questions How is land power? How is geographic location a blessing for some and a curse for others? How do the needs and wants of classical civilizations lead to cultural diffusion? Unit 3: Rise and Fall of Empires (Rome & “Collapse”) Empires are created by the political and economic aspirations of a person or people in power. The sustainability and eventual demise of an empire is dependent on both internal and external political, economic and social forces. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understanding A society’s economic philosophy and system can influence its political policies and leadership structure. Sample Essential Questions What economic conditions, motivations and factors contribute to global interdependence and/or conflict? How does a society determine the economic system that will best satisfy its people’s wants and needs? Topical Enduring Understanding In response to conflict and instability, democratic ideals often are sacrificed and absolute power established.​
Sample Essential Questions How do rulers acquire, use and justify power? Should all governments/rulers reflect the will of the people? Is land power? Topical Enduring Understanding An emperor’s inability to successfully hold back internal and external forces will lead to his/her fall. Sample Essential Questions How can one person change the course of history? Why is leadership such an important factor in empires? Is technology power? Topical Enduring Understanding All empires have an expiration date. Sample Essential Questions Is a unified identity necessary for an empire to survive? What underlying factors are prevalent in the decline and fall of empires globally? How does the interaction of science, technology and environment contribute to the decline and fall of empire? Unit 4: Age of Accelerating Connections The spread of political, economic, religious and technological ideas lead to intended and unintended consequences Societies are transformed through economic, social, political, and environmental interactions. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understanding Mongolian tolerance lead to the creation of various political and economic systems that established order and managed conflict in an effort to meet the diverse needs of Eurasian societies. Sample Essential Questions How does a small pastoral tribe create the largest land empire and a long­lasting, peaceful trading network? How is society today a direct result of the Mongols? Topical Enduring Understanding The development of regional and trans­regional trade networks significantly influenced how people organized politically, socially and economically for the production, distribution, consumption, and exchange of goods. Sample Essential Questions What comes first: trade or power? What is the connection between trans­regional trade networks and religious networks? How do you define globalization? Is trade the “Universal language?” Topical Enduring Understanding Accelerating connections between peoples from 600 to 1450CE brought about conflict and synthesis of ideas, cultures and beliefs. Sample Essential Questions How did tolerance dictate the role of religion in a society? How can religion be used to justify conflict? Are religion, economics and power connected? Topical Enduring Understanding Religions borrow from one another and integrate new forms into their own faiths. Sample Essential Questions Why do we need different religions? Why are all “Golden Rules” the same? What happens when religions collide? Unit 5: Renaissances, Reformation and Age of Exploration The merging of diverse cultural influences leads to the rise of European global predominance. The collision of old and new ideas leads to a transformation in accepted political, economic, and social practices. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understanding A decrease in population can spark an explosion of ideas, technology and exploration. Sample Essential Questions How is the Black Death the “Great Equalizer?” How can a singular event have multiple, widespread repercussions? How does a crisis challenge legitimate authority? Topical Enduring Understanding Technological innovations in Europe led to global predominance. Sample Essential Questions How did the development of printing technologies change political, economic, religious and social systems? How do new technologies result in intended and unintended social change? Topical Enduring Understanding The fusion of old and new knowledge led to a European “golden age.” Sample Essential Questions What is a Golden Age? What factors lead to a golden age? To what extent was the “new” knowledge of the Renaissance really “old” knowledge? (invention versus innovation) Topical Enduring Understanding The rise of Europe created a need for new economic resources and places of refuge. Sample Essential Questions: To what extent is geography destiny? Why did the Americas rather than Africa or Asia become the target for European domination?