The 10 Most Tyrannical Rulers in History (Ongoing)

Drop in and join us in this ongoing class and learn about some of the most tyrannical rulers in history. Students will learn in great detail about the life, reign, and the political/societal impact each ruler had on their country and the world. Specifically, students will learn about the childhood, early life, rise to power, and interesting (lesser known) details of the personal lives of each leader. 

No background knowledge needed in this class.

The following questions will be explored:

1. How did this ruler come to power?
2. What makes these rulers tyrannical?
3. How do they compare/contrast to other rulers we will look at in this course?

Course Overview/10 Lessons:


November 10- Ivan IV of Russia
November 13- Vlad Tepes
November 17- Adolf Hitler
November 20- Joseph Stalin
November 24- Peter the Great
November 27- Mao Zedong
November 30- Leopold II of Belgium
December 4- Attila The Hun
December 8- Genghis Khan
December 11- Maximilien Robespierre

Class format:

-Students will learn about the early life of each leader.
-Students will then learn in detail about how these figures rose to power.
-Students will learn details on the reign of each figure. (accomplishments, tyrannical acts, and more)
-Students will learn what makes each leader to be considered tyrannical.
-Students will be asked about their view on each figure and how this figure compares to past figures we looked at in the course.

My classes are a mix of lecture and discussion. I like to create a class environment which is a place of dialogue and discussion. A place where students can share their thoughts on the reign and impact of each ruler as well as share what they already know!

Each class will consist of a powerpoint presentation pdf, which is posted at the end of each class. I also will post sources (interesting books, films) as recommendations for students to read if they would like to further their knowledge on these important historical figures outside of class.

I encourage participation on the classroom dashboard as well, where a discussion question will be posted on each ruler after each class.