World History on Film - A

Are you looking for an engaging and thought-provoking history course for your child? This course explores major civilizations and events that have shaped human history from ancient times to the turn of the 20th century. By leveraging major motion pictures, primary source materials, and resources from the OER Project, students will critically analyze key historical moments, cultural developments, social structures, and political systems that have influenced societies around the world.

This class emphasizes the importance of "usable history." By connecting the dots between people, places, and events into coherent narratives, we help students make sense of the past and prepare for the world they live in today. The power of narratives and the usability of history are concepts embedded in engaging articles and videos featuring experts and educators.

This course is designed to be inclusive and flexible, accommodating students of all abilities. Students have the option to choose whether they want to be graded. We are also happy to work with homeschool students to meet their state's requirements. By blending traditional learning with engaging multimedia and interactive discussions, we aim to provide a transformative educational experience. Enroll your child today and let them embark on this exciting journey through history!

Please Note: Any of the movies in this course may be skipped for any reason without needing to notify the teacher.

Conflicts and war are often topics that come up as they have happened so often in our history. This class contains movies, images, descriptions, and first hand accounts that are upsetting. While the goal is not to upset students but to give an accurate picture of the history of the world parents are encouraged to consider if your child is ready for this material. 

I take great care to balance covering material and not sensationalizing these difficult topics. For example we will discuss the revolutions that took place around the world. If the topic of executions comes up it will be addressed factually stating that some countries did kill their leaders but not discuss this in detail. Then I would redirect the class back to the lesson and move forward from there. 

By using major motion pictures students can be drawn into a specific time period and see what it may have been like during that time. I find that students enjoy having this piece to bring to life what we are studying. I clarify that while these movies may be based on factual events it's still a dramatization and clarify facts from fiction presented in films. Parents are encouraged to watch with students as these films can be great conversation starters.

I use primary source materials (letters, diaries, ledgers, newspapers, pamphlets, ect.) I provide multiple perspectives of the same event with these materials. We discuss how language, morals, and laws have changed over time and we can't apply today's standards to the past. We look at these materials in a historical context. 

I have included the recommendations from Common Sense Media ratings when available. The website this information was taken from is: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/, https://teachwithmovies.org, or  https://scientiamag.org/ 

Agora (2009)
Rated R 127 Min.
Not on Common Sense Media

This film has many historical inaccuracies; however, it provides a compelling visual introduction the glory of ancient Alexandria; the breakdown of the belief system of the Greco-Roman civilization in the 5th century, CE; the sectarian violence that followed the rise of Christianity in Alexandria; and Hypatia, the greatest female mathematician, philosopher, astronomer and teacher of the ancient Greco-Roman civilization. The movie is also an occasion for students to learn about the Great Library/Museum, the city’s knowledge industry, and Roman slavery. In addition to the its historical lessons, themes of the film include gender equality and the evils of intolerance and religious strife.

The Physician (2013)
Rated R 155 Min.
Not on Common Sense Media 

The Physician is a 2013 historical drama film about a young orphan boy, Rob Cole, who aspires to become a physician in the 11th century. The film provides a glimpse into the Islamic world of science during this period and how it shaped the development of modern medicine. The film is directed by Philipp Stölzl and stars Tom Payne, Stellan Skarsgard, and Emma Rigby.

The film is a sweeping epic that takes the audience on a journey through the medieval world, depicting the harsh realities of life during this period. The film is a visual feast, with stunning cinematography and production design that takes the viewer back in time. The attention to detail in the costumes and sets is awe-inspiring, adding to the sense of immersion in the film’s historical setting.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the film is its portrayal of the medieval Persian physician, Ibn-i-Sina, who is portrayed as a wise and compassionate mentor to the young protagonist. The film highlights the contributions of Ibn-i-Sina to the field of medicine and his influence on the development of modern medical practices. He was a polymath who wrote extensively on medicine, philosophy, and other sciences. His most famous work, “The Canon of Medicine,” was a medical encyclopedia used as a textbook in European medical schools for centuries.

The film also depicts the Islamic Golden Age, a period of intellectual and scientific flourishing in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries. It was a time when several  groundbreaking discoveries and innovations were made, and it played a vital role in transmitting knowledge from the ancient to the modern world.

Luther (2004)
Rated PG-13 124 Min.
Common Sense 12+, Parents 14+

Parents need to know that Luther is a historical biopic with a few gruesome images of corpses who have been hanged, burned, or dies in battle. The story of Martin Luther, the Catholic priest who stood up to the Pope and the church hierarchy in the 1500s and was nearly killed for his beliefs, is dramatized, but it does cover most of the important events in his life, and explains the impact of his ideas, which triggered the Protestant Reformation. For the most part, the film is fine for younger viewers, and explains important religious concepts.

Chevalier (2023) 
Rated PG-13 107 MIn.
Common Sense 13+, Parents 12+

Parents need to know that Chevalier is a biographical drama about the 18th century musician who was once hailed as "Black Mozart," though his music isn't well known today outside of classical music circles. Kelvin Harrison Jr. stars as Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a biracial French Creole violinist, composer, and fencing champion. The movie, which has a mostly Black crew (director, writer, producers, composers, and more), includes scenes in which characters use racist slurs ("Negro bastard," "ape," "trained monkey," and more). There's also some violence: An enslaved woman is forcefully held by White men, fencing with swords leads to bloody wounds, armed men beat a man and are on the brink of breaking his fingers, and a man is known to have killed a baby that wasn't his. Scenes show a couple in bed, with passionate kissing, implied extramarital sex, suggestive comments, partial nudity (backs, legs, a man's chest, etc.), and an unplanned pregnancy. Characters drink, sometimes to excess. Although not all of the scenes in the film are fact-based, it's mostly drawn from the Chevalier's real life.

The Mission (1986)
Rated PG 126 Min
Common Sense 14+

Parents need to know that The Mission is an Oscar-winning period drama about a church versus state conflict in 18th-century South America, and the Guarani people caught in the middle. Robert De Niro plays a mercenary and enslaver who kills his brother in a duel and finds penance in working with the church. He joins the mission of Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) and comes to defend the Guarani people against the Portuguese army. The movie has lots of violence, including a big battle scene that has adults and children killed with guns and arrows. The movie features hundreds of Guarani extras but the focus is on the White characters, who refer to the Guaranis as "Indians" and "savages." The movie also features a disturbing scene of clearly distressed Guarani babies being laid in mud in heavy rain, and crying toddlers. Non-sexualized nudity is common among the Guarani extras, which include children of all ages. During one scene, a naked couple kiss on a bed, with buttocks on show.

The Liberator (2014)
Rated R 119 MIn.
Common Sense 15+

Parents need to know that The Liberator is a biographical drama about Latin America's legendary 19th-century revolutionary, Simon Bolivar. Starring Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez as Bolivar, the movie (which is mostly in subtitled Spanish but occasionally features English dialogue) is educational but also violent, and it doesn't shy away from Bolivar's romantic relationships (there are a few partially nude love scenes). The violence includes war sequences of charging soldiers who kill one another; a group of civilians, including children, being hanged to death; slaves being mistreated and hurt; and various characters being assassinated. History buffs will learn about the revered freedom fighter and the epic struggle for Latin American independence, but some of the discoveries may be inappropriate for young viewers.


Gandhi (1982)
Rated PG 190 Min.
Common Sense 12+, Parents 10+

Parents need to know that Gandhi begins with Gandhi's assassination and shows brutal beatings and a violent depiction of a shooting massacre. That said, this movie provides a brilliant way to learn about history and about the spiritual principles of nonviolence, tolerance, and self-sacrifice. It's advisable to break the movie over two nights (there is an intermission).

King Leopold’s Ghost
Rated PG-13 107 Min.
Not listed on Common Sense 

Based on Adam Hochschild's 1998 historical novel of the same name, the film traces the brutal legacy of King Leopold II of Belgium. In the 1880s, Leopold began an underhanded campaign for the right to colonize the Congo Free State for himself, and once he succeeded, he turned the country into a slave camp, stripping out all valuable resources and slaughtering the locals. The film features interviews with Belgian scholars and Congolese survivors and is narrated by Don Cheadle.


Suffragette (2015)
Rated PG-13 106 MIn.
Common Sense 13+, Parents 14+

Parents need to know that Suffragette is a powerful drama about an important time in the history of women's rights in Great Britain. The story about a quiet laundress (Carey Mulligan) who joins a group of militant "soldier suffragettes" in 1912 London has moments of upsetting violence (possible spoiler alert): Women are kicked, hit, and beaten by police officers (with some blood shown); public and private property is vandalized and blown up; a prisoner on a hunger strike is painfully force-fed; and a character is trampled by a horse. A man assaults a 12-year-old girl (the only on-screen incident is interrupted, but others are implied), and -- in one of the film's most wrenching moments -- a young child is forcibly taken away from his mother, both of them in tears. There's a bit of smoking and drinking and one non-sexual moment of nudity when a woman is processed into prison. Minor strong language includes one use each of "damn" and "bitches." The movie's messages about equality, standing up for what you believe in, and speaking out against injustice are undeniably important, but the idea that violence is the only effective means to an end is tricky.

Princess Ka’iulani (2010)
Rated PG 130 Min.
Not listed on Common Sense

PRINCESS KA’IULANI is based on the true story of a 19th century Hawaiian Princess who fights for the freedom of her people during the U.S. annexation of the Hawaiian Islands. In the U.S., the Princess wins the hearts of both the press and the public, convincing the masses that the natives of Hawaii are not barbarians. Instead, she shows they are educated people who have been positively influenced by missionaries. Even though her quest to maintain the sovereign freedom of Hawaii fails, Ka’iulani does manage to secure voting rights for the island’s natives. Many view her life as a heroic tale of courage and hope.

The Current War (2019)
Rated PG-13 107 Min.
Common Sense 13+, Parents 13+

Parents need to know that The Current War: Director's Cut is a historical drama about Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse's fierce competition to develop the electrical system that would power the world. Casting actors associated with superheroes -- Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange), Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Michael Shannon (Superman nemesis General Zod), and Nicholas Hoult (Beast from X-Men) -- may get kids' attention. But this film focuses less on the bright minds and more on the dark sides of two great American inventors, particularly the legendary Edison. He's shown to be rude, petty, arrogant, and willing to stop at nothing -- including electrocuting animals -- to best his opponent. The creation of the electric chair also takes up a lot of screen time; there's discussion of a horrific execution, as well as an accidental death, a shooting, and someone shown covered in blood. While the movie may inspire discussion about business ethics (and characters do demonstrate both curiosity and perseverance), it's not as inspirational as parents might hope when it comes to spurring kids to make their own creations a reality. Rather, by turning a big hero into a small man, it may be a deterrent. Edison smokes cigars throughout and has a temper. Strong language includes "goddamn," and there's some kissing/affection between a married couple.