In this 15-week flex schedule class, there will be no set time for meeting.   Each week students will be given a reading assignment from the King Fisher Illustrated History of the World or Usborne Internet-linked Encyclopedia, video with multi-media presentation, discussion/ essay questions, and supplemental video/ activity links designed to enrich their study of the Ancients.   Additional enrichment activities and literature are given to accompany this study of world history for your reference and use.

Students can post answers to the discussion topics, videos, copies of their work and or photos as well as respond to each other. As each class will vary in size, discussions may vary in the amount of interaction, however students are welcome to comment at the best time for them.  Topics will be centered on cultural literacy relevant to this time period: socio/economic advances, religions, languages, individuals, stories and wars which defined each civilization.   As the teacher,  I will aim to comment within 24 hours of their posting with a typed answer and will use video for direct communication.  A course syllabus will be available upon registration.  If you have any further questions about whether a flex class will work for your learner, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Week One- What is History? Archeologists, Ice Age, Mesopotamia, Nomadic vs.  Agrarian, Nile River Delta, First People: Hunter/ Gatherers, Cave Paintings, Great Migrations, Early Farming Methods & Inventions, Arts and Crafts, Buildings & First Cities: Catal Hyuk, Jericho

Week Two- Mesopotamia and Sumer: Dictatorship, Ziggurat, Artwork of Babylon, Cuneiform, How is Time Recorded? The Bronze Age, Ancient Egypt: Pharaoh, Mummification, Canopic Jars, Pyramids, Hieroglyphs, Papyrus

Week Three- Israelite Nation- Origin of Jews: Abram, Jacob, Egypt, Moses, Exodus: Arab Nation- Ishmael; Solomon’s Temple, Hittites, Assyria, Siege on Jerusalem, Libraries of Nineveh; Babylon: Code of Hammurabi, Beginnings of Government: Natural Law vs. Rulers Law

Week Four- Indian citadel cities- Indus Valley, Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Citadel; China: Shang Dynasty- Bronze Age, Silk worm farming, Chinese Pictograms; African Civilizations on Sahara; Anansi tales

Week Five- Ancient Egypt: Middle & New Kingdoms, Hyksos Invasion; Thutmose, Hatshepsut, Amenhotep, Valley of the Kings, Tutankhamen

Week Six- Ancient Trade on Mediterranean, Phoenicians, Trade, Carthage; Destruction/ War; Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar, Hanging Gardens, Beginnings of Government: Natural Law vs. Rulers Law, Babylonian Concepts Used Today

Week Seven- AAncient Crete & Minoans- First Navy of Bronze Age; Theseus & Minotaur, Lost City of Atlantis; Myceneans, Beehive Tombs; Bronze Age: War and Weapons, Greek Alphabet; Stories of Homer- Illiad & Odyssey; Greek Olympic Beginnings 

Week Eight- PPersian Empire: Medes, Cyrus the Great; Classical World- Greek city-states: Athens, Sparta; Greek Gods, Scytale Cipher, Archimedes Inventions, Thales

Week Nine- Battles of Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis; Parthenon & Greek Architecture; Peloponnesian Wars; Alexander the Great’s Accomplishments/ Legacy & Successors; Fourth Wonder of the World: Pharos & Underwater Archeological Finds of Alexandria; Petra, Jordan; Philosophers: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

Week Ten- American Civilizations: Nazca, Olmecs, Mayas, India: Aryan Influence, Hinduism, Caste System, Mauryan Empire, Siddartha, Buddhism, Jakarta Tales, China- Qin Dynasty- Society and Government: Confucius, Great Wall of China; Terra Cotta Soldier Grave; Tomb of Shi Huangdi

Week Eleven- Founding & Rise of Rome; Tale of / Remus; Etruscans; Fasces; Forms of Government; Religion: Roman Gods/ Myths; Planets; Coliseum; Gladiators; Roman Influence & Architecture- aqueducts, roads, baths, apartments; Mt. Vesuvius: Pompeii; Punic Wars: Carthage, Hannibal

Week Twelve- Political structure of Roman Republic vs. today; rhetoric, consuls, triumvirate, Celts; Julius Caesar: First Triumvirate, Pompey, military coup; Crossing the Rubicon, Veni, Vedi, Veci; Ides of March, ‘e tu’ Brute?’ Octavian Augustus: First Citizen

Week Thirteen- Pax Romana; Roman family life; Roman Army: War and Weapons, Day in Life of Roman Soldier; Judea & Palestine: Beginnings of Christianity; Jewish Revolt; Masada; zealots; Emperors Nero; Christian persecution; catacombs

Week Fourteen- Roman Emperors; Hadrian’s wall; Celts; Roman Empire divides- Emperor Constantine becomes Christian; Constantinople; Roman aqueducts; Decline of Rome: ‘Breads and Circus’, Atilla the Hun; Visigoth/ Barbarian invasion; ‘e plurabus unum’; Roman contributions

Week Fifteen- Final Presentations