Unit 0: Foundations-Ancient and Classical History 10,000 BCE-1200 CE
Even thought the AP College Board will only assess you on the time period ranging from 1200 CE to the present, we will first begin at the beginning (around 10,000 BCE) to gain a firm understanding of foundational elements that are crucial to truly engaging with World History as a whole. During this unit we will cover: the Neolithic Revolution and the change from hunting and gathering to a sedentary lifestyle, including the beginnings of complex societies and urbanization; the growth and expansion of Classical empires (China, Rome, India, etc.), the brith of the Axial Age and universal belief systems; the growth and expansion of international trading networks; and finally, the rise and expansion of Islam, as a religion, political system, and economic bridge.
During this unit, we we become familiar with the Historical Thinking skills and Reasoning processes i.e. contextualization, sourcing, making connections, causation, comparison, continuity and change over time...) and begin to work towards the goal of creating complex historical arguments.
Topics:
Neolithic Revolution
Birth of Civilizations and Complex Societies
Classical Empires in China, Rome, India, Persia, and Greece
The Axial Age-Beginning of World Belief Systems, and Religions (Confucianism, Daoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Greek Rationalism, Monotheism-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam)