2014-2015 World History Syllabus

(Wherever) High SchoolInstructor: Katelyn Mistarka, B.S., M.Div

In World History you will develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global
processes and contacts including interactions over time. The course highlights the
nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences,
as well as comparisons among other societies. The course will give a broad
overview of World Religions and Ancient/Medieval influences over the modern world.
The course will then emphasize modern history from 1500 to the present.
Resources
a. Textbook: Ellis, Elisabeth Gaynor and Anthony Esler, Prentice Hall World History:
The Modern Era, Pearson: 2014.
b. Primary & Secondary Sources: textual (writings from the time period we are
studying), visual (works of art or artifacts from the time period being studied),
quantitative (tables and graphs from the textbook)
Course Schedule
Essay Writing Workshop: 3 days

This workshop will teach students the rubrics and methods for writing:
o Document Based Question (DBQ) Essay examining POINT OF VIEW known
as the Football Essay.

Content Standard 1WORLD RELIGIONS AND ANCIENT/MEDIEVAL SUMMARY TO

1500

Textbook Review Unit: Parts 1-3 (pages 2-43)

Topics:
o World Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Daoism,
Shinto, Christianity (in both its
o Western Catholic and Eastern Orthodox forms), and Islam with regard to
their origins and influence on
o world history.
o Impact of geography and trade networks.
o Greek philosophy and culture
o Roman Empire and Christianity
o The Crusades: Christian West vs Muslim East

Content Standard 2Renaissance, Reformation, and the Age of Exploration, 13001700

Textbook chapters 1-3

Topics:
o Renaissance politics: Machiavelli
o Renaissance artists: Michelangelo, da Vinci, etc.

o
o
o

Theological movements: The Protestant Reformation Luther, Zwingli,

Calvin, Knox, Anglicanism,
Puritanism, Anabaptist movements (Mennonites)
The Age of Exploration, Columbian Exchange, and the Atlantic Slave Trade

Content Standard 3Absolutism and Revolutions, 1500-1900

o
o
o
o
o

Textbook chapters 4-6, 8

Topics:
Absolutism in France, Prussia and Russia
Scientific Revolution and its Impact
Causes and lasting impact of major revolutions: Glorious Revolution,
American Revolution, French
Revolution, Revolutions of 1830 and 1848
Influence and impact of Latin American & Caribbean Revolutions

Content Standard 4Industrial Revolution through World War II and the beginning of
the Cold War
(The end of First Semester will fall somewhere in this unit).

Textbook chapters 7, 9-18

Topics:
o Impact of industrialization and Marxist critique
o Imperialism, colonialism, and exploitation of resources and people
o Analysis of socialism, communism, and Bolshevik Revolution
o Nationalism, militarism, system of alliances, and causes of World War I
o Causes of World War II, failure of Treaty of Versailles, rise of totalitarian
regimes in the Soviet Union,
o Germany, and Japan
o Origins and points of view about the Holocaust, and world reactions to the
Nuremburg Trials
o Effects of World War II: military, economic power shifts, United Nations and
NATO, origin and escalation
o of the Cold War

Content Standard 5Post World War II Transformations

Textbook chapters 19-20

Topics:
o Creation of the modern state of Israel, Arab-Israeli Conflict, Iran-Iraq War,
impact of significant leaders of
o that region
o Chinese Communist Revolution, Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution,
attempts at democratic reform
o and Tiananmen Square demonstrations
o India as a modern world power and independence from the U.K.,
Mohandas K. Gandhis role, hostilities
o between India and Pakistan

o
o
o
o

Collapse of Communism and breakup of the Soviet Union, fall of the Berlin
Wall, reunification of Germany,
Polands Solidarity movement, and Gorbachevs glasnost and perestroika.
African independence movements, Pan-Africanism, self-government of
Ghana, end of Apartheid in South
Africa, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu

Content Standard 6Globalism, Terrorism, and Contemporary Issues

Textbook chapters 21-22

Topics:
o Impact of interdependence on the worlds economies, impact of
multinational corporations, the EEC,
o OPEC, Pacific Rim economy, role of the World Bank.
o Changing patterns of population growth, the Green Revolution, status of
women in developing regions.
o Impact of ongoing cultural diffusion as a result of mass communication,
social media, transportation, and
o global trade
o The rise of international terrorism, causes and effects of specific terrorist
attacks like: World Trade Center
o (1993), 9/11/2001, other attacks in London, Madrid, and Mumbai
o Efforts to combat terrorism through actions in Iraq and Afghanistan

WORLD HISTORY CLASSROOM PROCEDURES

GRADING SCALE: 90+ A, 80+B, 70+C, 60+D, Below 60 F
GRADE CATEGORIES AND CALCULATION: Raw points will be used when calculating
your grade. Tests, quizzes, and projects will have more points per assignment than
daily assignments; however, lost points on daily assignments will negatively affect
your grade.
These categories make up your running grade throughout the semester. In addition
there will be a final exam. At the end of the semester your total grade up to that
point will be worth 85% of your report card grade, and the final examination will be
15% of your report card grade.
HOMEWORK SCHEDULE
This year you will be issued a textbook to take home with a schedule of readings
and assignments that will be due every TUESDAY. It is my goal/desire that you do
your main textbook reading at home leaving us class time to read other
supplemental materials and primary sources, view informative videos, and do group
work, note taking and essay writing.
Reading Quizzes ordinarily will be every Wednesday after assignments based on
the readings are turned in.
DEPARTMENTAL POLICY ON LATE WORK

 Excused absence: the student will have one day for each day absent to complete
assignments missed.
Work one day late will receive half credit. No credit will be given after the work is
one day late.
REQUIRED
1 inch view binder dedicated for this course alone (I prefer the kind you can slip a
sheet of printer paper down
the front as a cover. I will give you a handout to slip down the front.)
1 pack of 3x5 note cards (Please turn these in so that they are always in this
room for our use.)
Loose leaf paper
Pens in these colors: Black, Blue, Red
#2 pencils for use with scantron answer sheets
12 color set of colored pencils (for map coloring and shading)
highlighters: yellow, pink, green, blue, orange (to highlight and color-code
essays)
book cover for your textbook. You may also cover it with brown paper.
OPTIONAL: This is entirely voluntary out of your generosity!
1 Box of Tissues (If you have allergies, please contribute. It is only fair.)
RULES:
1. Although located at the High School, we follow Mid High rules: This means I must
enforce the dress code and mobile phone/electronic device rules of the Mid High
while you are in my classroom. Mr. Huggins in my supervisor when it comes to Mid
High students.
2. All other school rules are covered in the handbook. School discipline policies will
be enforced.
3. Academic dishonesty: Any cheating detected on tests, quizzes, or
homework/classwork will receive a ZERO, with a telephone call to the parent. A
second offence of cheating will be referred to the assistant principal for disciplinary
action. Group work where we help each other learn is not considered cheating.
You will know the difference.
4. Questions about grades: No class time will be given to discuss a problem with a
grade. The best way to discuss this with me is through e-mail or by making an
appointment with me. This policy is both to protect class time as well as maintain
confidentiality. Please dont interpret it as inapproachability on the instructors part.
I will work with you to get a better grade. We need to use time in class wisely.

5. PLEASE SIGN UP FOR REMIND (formerly Remind101). See my website, or the

handout I give you. I will try to use it faithfully to give you reminders about
assignments due.
6. NO DISRUPTIONS OR BEING OFF TASK WHEN DOING ANY INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, OR
WHOLE CLASS
WORK, INCLUDING LISTENING TO ME GIVE YOU INFORMATION.CONSEQUENCES AND
DISCIPLINE:
Classroom consequences: I will assign an extra writing assignment (usually an
essay) for both being off -task in class when you are supposed to be working, and
for classroom disruptions. Normally the assignment will be a 3-page handwritten
essay on some topic I assign you from the textbook. It may be doubled if more
severe offence occurs. It must be entirely in your own words. I will check various
sources for plagiarism. I will count it as a grade for the offender alone. If it is done
poorly, it will receive a poor grade. If it is done well, it might actually help your
grade. But it is still extra work!
Discipline referrals: More severe behavior may be (and likely will be) referred to
the assistant principal.
WORLD HISTORY NOTEBOOKS & NOTECARDS: Students will also use their 1 inch 3
ring binders to create a WORLD HISTORY NOTEBOOK in which students will
perform daily work, take notes, and create a resource for studying for tests.
These notebooks will have random checks for completion and accuracy so that
points may be awarded for creating this study tool. Students will be responsible for
doing all assignments in creating their notebooks. I will also make use of 3x5
notecards to have students write short paragraphs and answer essential questions. I
am not into collecting stacks of papers on a daily basis, but will assign shorter
writing assignments so that I can get you writing something regularly. Bring your
pack of notecards to turn in to me. I will pass them out to the class as we write on a
regular basis.
ACADEMIC EMPHASIS, NOT IDEOLOGICAL OR DEVOTIONAL: Topics covered in this
course are meant to achieve an academic understanding of world history, not to
promote or disparage a specific political ideology or religious viewpoint.
Examples of topics in this course will include, but are not limited to:
Influence of the major world religions on world history. This topic is DESCRIPTIVE,
not PRESCRIPTIVE. Please look up these words in a dictionary if you dont
understand the difference between them.
Discussion of intellectual and philosophical developments
o For the above two bullets please note the following quote from the Oklahoma
Standards for Social Studies. Content

Standard 1: The student will analyze and summarize the impact on the modern
world of the major world religions and the philosophical political principles of
ancient and classical societies. (p. 80)
Discussion of contact between various cultures that often resulted in subjugation
of peoples, imperialistic policies, and incidents of xenophobia and racism. History is
full of examples of evil actions some human beings have committed against other
human beings. Studying these things does not mean we are promoting them, nor
trying to promote hatred in retaliation. We are only trying to understand why these
things happened. My famous motto for this class is HISTORY IS NOT NICE.
Discussion of various economic and political systems and ideologies such as
feudalism, capitalism, communism, socialism, and fascism.
Discussion of the rise of terrorism in the United States and around the world, and
the causes and consequences of the U.S. led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
History is all about INTERPRETATION of historical facts, therefore the subject of
history is quite often controversial. You have the freedom to disagree or agree with
anything that is said in this class as long as you can back it up with historical
evidence. I have my opinions about things, but I may be wrong. I am constantly
learning more about history. Some of my views are strong.
Other views are quite nuanced. But I want to teach students how to weigh evidence
themselves. I seek to take a balanced approach. Collecting historical data means
that we ought to listen to a variety of voices on a subject. This is why I start with the
Football Essay.
If you have any concerns about topics discussed please feel free to contact me at
my e-mail address above.
I understand the expectations of this course as outlined in this course syllabus.
Student signature: ______________________________ Parent signature:
_________________________________
Phone number and time parent can be reached:
_________________________________________
Parent/Guardian e-mail address if available:
___________________________________________
PLACE THIS SYLLABUS AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR WORLD HISTORY NOTEBOOK. I
WILL CHECK FOR SIGNATURES FOR A GRADE.