In World History II, students study the rise of nation states, as well as the social, economic and political roots of the modern world. They study the origins and consequences of the Industrial Revolution, 19th century political reform in Western Europe, and European imperialism in Africa, Asia and South America. Students explore the causes and consequences of the great military and economic events of the past century, including World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, and the Russian and Chinese Revolutions. Finally, students consider the rise of nationalism and the continuing persistence of political, ethnic and religious conflict in many parts of the world.
| Units & Topics of Study |
Year-Long Essential Questions |
Rise of the West
- 18th and 19th c Industrial Revolution in Britain and India
- European Imperialism in India, Ghana, Algeria, Congo, Kenya
|
- What is history? Why and how do we study it?
- Is history a story of progress?
- Is there ever a just war?
- To what extent have nations lived up to their stated ideals?
|
The World at War
- World War I: Europe, Middle East, Africa
- Armenian Genocide
- Russian Revolution
- Weimar Republic
- World War II: Europe, Asia, and the Pacific
- The Holocaust
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Decolonization and Independence
- Case Studies: Israel, India/Pakistan, and Kenya
|
Cold War
- U.S.-Soviet Relations
- Global Cold War: Asia, Africa, and Latin America
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All ninth grade history students complete a range of Common Core-aligned writing assessments, including two Document Based Question (DBQ) essays and a research paper with multiple sources and MLA citations.