10th Grade World History Study Guide

World history encompasses the beginnings of western civilization in Mesopotamia through current events.

Teaching world history in 10th grade presents a number of challenges. Even if the course duration lasts the entire year, the teacher must decide on an approach to the curriculum to limit the class' scope. One 10th grade world history class might provide a summary overview beginning with the earliest recorded cities in Mesopotamia and ending with current topics in world news, while another may study the effects of empire and colonialism in the developing world, and yet another might focus on American involvement of foreign war. Even in classes that have specialized scopes, you can benefit from knowing key points from all ages by being able to put the focus of the class in context with the rest of history.

Origins of Western Civilization

The earliest recorded cities appeared in Mesopotamia between 4,300 and 3,100 BC, in the region between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in modern day Iraq. Cities developed in the Indus River Valley in modern day India around 2,600 BC. The earliest form of Chinese pictographic writing appeared at approximately 1,600 BC during the Shang Dynasty. Rome, founded in 753 BC, grows to conquer most of Europe and remains a political presence in Western Europe until 476 AD. Its political and linguistic influence creates the conception of a unified, Western civilization.

Medieval Europe, Middle East and Asia

Traditionally considered as the time between the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD and the beginning of the Reformation in 1517 AD when Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses, the Middle Ages was dominated politically, intellectually and religiously by the Roman Catholic Church. In 610 AD, Mohammed began preaching in Mecca. Islamic forces under the control of the Caliphate make excursions into the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, India and Indonesia by 710 AD. Also during the 8th Century, Ono Yasumara wrote the first history of Japan and Dandin furthered the Sanskrit literary tradition in South Asia. Founded in 1088 AD, the University of Bologna is generally regarded as the first university in the Western world. In 1095 AD, Pope Urban II proclaims the First Crusade against Muslim forces in Jerusalem. Trade between the East and West begins after Marco Polo's voyage to China in the late 13th Century.

Renaissance and Colonialism

In the 16th Century, European powers such as Spain, Portugal, England and France begin sending explorers to far parts of the world such as China and the Americas. Cortes conquers the Aztec Empire for Spain in 1521. The English first attempt to colonize North America in 1584 at a location called Roanoke Island, but by the following year the colony failed. Christian missionaries reach as far east as Japan by the end of the 16th Century. Kepler, Galileo, Newton revolutionize Western conceptions of science in the 17th Century. English rule over India was firmly established by 1764. The American Revolution begins in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence. Some 13 years later, the French Revolution begins on July 14, 1789. Other European colonies, such as Haiti, begin revolutions for independence as early as 1804.

Wars and Post-Colonialism

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th Century and 19th Century changed the living conditions of many in the Western world. Factories concentrated the need for labor in cities, resulting in densely populated industrial towns, such as Birmingham in England. Living and working conditions during the Industrial Revolution inspired several great thinkers and writers such as Karl Marx, who wrote "The Communist Manifesto" in 1848, and Charles Dickens, who wrote novels like "Coketown" and "Oliver Twist." During the 20th Century, Western nations mobilized into two World Wars within 15 years of each other, resulting in the decimation of young men in European countries. The United States becomes a political and economic superpower following the end of World War II. The Qing dynasty ends in China after the revolution of 1911, which established the People's Republic of China. America becomes militarily involved in several foreign conflicts (the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Soviet-Afghan War and the Iranian Revolution) as part of the Cold War between the capitalist U.S. and the communist Soviet States. Many former colonies, such as Algeria, Kenya and Bahrain declare independence from European powers.

References

• Ione School District: Course Syllabus
• Charlotte County School District: 10th Grade World History
• Julian Charter School: 10th Grade World History, Culture, and Geography
• Ohio State University: eHistory at OSU: Timelines
• BBC: Long History of Troubled Ties Between Haiti and the US
• Universita di Bologna: Our History