Download 7th grade eastern hemisphere TOPICS OF STUDY

Germantown Middle School
7th Grade Eastern Hemisphere Topics of Study
1st nine weeks

Uncovering the Past

What are primary and secondary sources
-pre-history (time before writing) VS. history ( time
when there is written language .. history recorded)

The Stone Age and Early Cultures
-Beginning of civilizations & agriculture
-Cave paintings
- Hunters and gatherers to farmers.
-The first migration
-The “Ice Man”

Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent
-Geography of the Fertile Crescent
-the four early river civilizations.( Why live by a river)
-The rise of Sumer and the first written language

What is a DBQ ( Document Based Question)

How to write a DBQ essay.
2nd 9 weeks

Ancient Egypt
-Geography of Egypt
-The Old, Middle and New Kingdom
-Egyptian beliefs and achievements

Ancient India
-Geography of India
-origins of Hinduism and Buddhism & how it affected
culture in India
-Indian Empires
-Indian achievements

Ancient China
-Geography and Early China
-The Zhou Dynasty
-The Qin Dynasty
-the Han Dynasty
3rd 9 weeks

Ancient Greece
-Geography and Early Greeks
-Government in Athens
-Greek Mythology & literature
-Greece & Persia
-Sparta & Athens
-Alexander the Great
-Greek Achievements

Ancient Rome
-Geography & the Rise of Rome
- Government & society
-The late republic
-Republic to Empire
-The fall of Rome
4th 9 weeks

The Middle Ages in Europe
-Geography of Europe
-Europe after the fall of Rome
- “The Dark Ages” & Medieval times
-Feudalism and Manor life
-feudal societies
-Popes and Kings
-The Crusades
-Christianity and Medieval Society
-Political and Social Chane
-Challenges to Church authority
-We will read “the Door in the Wall” by Marguerite
De Angelia as we study life in Medieval Europe/The
Middle Ages.

The Renaissance and Reformation
-The Italian Renaissance
-Marco Polo
-Humanism
-Leonardo Da Vincci & Michelangelo
-Dante Aligheri
DBQs For this Year:
1st 9 weeks
-Learn how to write a DBQ
-first DBQ draft due
2nd 9 weeks
1.) “How did the Nile Shape Egypt?”
2.)” Why is the Han Dynasty Often Referred to
as the “Golden age” of China?”
3rd 9 weeks
3.)“How does Ancient Greek influence our World Today?”
4.)“How does Ancient Rome influence Our World Today?”
4th 9 weeks
5.) “How did the Renaissance Change Man’s View of Man?”
*All DBQ essays will count as a major grade.