World History I: Ancient Civilizations and Classical Empires (Flexible Schedule)

In the first half of this course students will examine how we define civilization, the conditions needed to start one, and the reasons hunter-gatherer societies created permanent settlements. By studying ancient civilizations we will learn the purpose and systems that form all societies, including our modern day nations. We will begin with the hunter-gatherer societies of the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. Then we will cover the founding of civilizations in Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, China, and the Americas.

After covering the ancient civilizations period the course will move on to the classical empires period. We will study the rise and fall of the classical era empires of Persia, Greece, China, and Rome. We will study the different ways each empire spread throughout their region, the factors that made them successful, and the circumstances that eventually led to their downfall. By comparing and contrasting these different empires students will gain insight into the forces that strengthen or weaken a society whether it be ancient or modern.

Unit 1: Prehistory and Hunter-Gatherer Societies (Weeks 1 and 2)
• Paleolithic Era
• Neolithic Era
• Archaeology and Early Settlements

Unit 2: Mesopotamia and Ancient Israel (Weeks 3 and 4)
• Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys
• Development of Written Language
• History of the Mesopotamian Civilizations
• Polytheistic and Monotheistic Religions

Unit 3:Ancient Egypt (Weeks 5 and 6)
• Civilization of the Nile River Valley
• Age of the Pyramid Builders
• Trade in the Eastern Mediterranean 
• The Bronze Age Collapse

Unit 4: Ancient India (Weeks 7 and 8)
• The Indus River Valley Civilization
• The Vedic Period
• Hinduism and Buddhism

Unit 5: Ancient China (Weeks 9 and 10)
• The Yellow and Yangtze Rivers
• Shang and Zhou Dynasty China
• The Hundred Schools of Thought

Unit 6: The Persian Empire (Weeks 11 and 12)
• Cyrus the Great and the Founding of the Persian Empire
• Achaemenid Persia
• The Greco-Persian Wars

Unit 7: Classical Greece and the Empire of Alexander (Weeks 13, 14, and 15)
• Classical Greece and the Golden Age
• The Peloponnesian War
• Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Period

Unit 8: Imperial China (Weeks 16 and 17)
• The Warring States Period
• The Qin, and Han Dynasties
• The Founding of the Silk Road

Unit 9: The Rise of Rome (Weeks 18, 19 and 20)
• The Republic of Rome
• The Punic Wars
• Julius Caesar, Augustus, and The Pax Romana
• Christianity in the Roman Empire
• The Fall of Rome


As a flexible schedule class students will be guided through the course by instructor presentations, videos, and activities. There will be opportunities for the class to interact with the instructor and each other via our review activities and weekly discussions. Throughout the course the instructor will be available to answer questions and will provide video responses as needed. All activities and assignments can be completed on a flexible schedule. Students are provided with guided notes to assist them in organizing the material covered. Units will conclude with a formal assessment for students to practice their historical knowledge and skills. These assessments are given to check for student understanding, and will be used to asses student progress as part of a growth mindset. Grades are available upon parent request.

**This class is the first of a two part series that will cover World History 1: Prehistory to 1450 CE. The full series is made up of "Ancient Civilizations and Classical Empires" and "Medieval Europe, The Islamic Golden Age, and World Conflict". Completion of both parts of this course is designed to fulfill the requirements for 2 credits of World History at the Middle School level, or 1 credit at the High School level. Students do not need prior knowledge of world history to take this class. These courses can be taken individually, and in any order students prefer.**