World History (1750-Present): A 26-Week Creative Journey

Unit 1: The Age of Revolutions (Weeks 1-5)

This unit explores the massive political and social shifts that reshaped the world, focusing on the ideas of the Enlightenment and the revolutions they inspired in America, France, and Haiti.

Week 1: The Enlightenment - A Spark of New Ideas

Materials Needed:

• Access to the internet (for research and YouTube)
• Notebook or digital document
• Art supplies (paper, markers, colored pencils)

Objectives:

• Bryce will be able to identify key Enlightenment thinkers (Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu) and summarize their core ideas.
• Bryce will analyze how these ideas challenged traditional power structures like absolute monarchy and the church.
• Bryce will create a visual "summit meeting" of Enlightenment thinkers.

Weekly Activities:

1. Watch & Discuss: Watch the Crash Course World History videos on The Enlightenment (#22) and The Social Contract. Take notes on the big ideas presented. What idea do you think is the most dangerous to a king? Why?
2. Philosopher Profiles: Research John Locke, Voltaire, and Montesquieu. For each, create a simple "social media" profile that lists their "big idea," a famous quote, and who they might "follow" or "be enemies with" from their time.
3. Creative Project - The Enlightenment Summit: Imagine you are hosting a talk show with these three philosophers. Create a script or a comic strip of their conversation. What would they agree on? What would they argue about? The topic of discussion is: "What is the best way to govern a country?"

Week 2: The American Revolution - A New Nation

Materials Needed:

• Access to the internet (Library of Congress online exhibits, YouTube)
• Copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence
• Poster board or large paper

Objectives:

• Bryce will connect specific Enlightenment ideas to the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence.
• Bryce will evaluate the American Revolution from multiple perspectives (Patriot, Loyalist, Enslaved Person, Native American).
• Bryce will design a persuasive recruitment poster for either the Continental or British Army.

Weekly Activities:

1. Primary Source Analysis: Read the preamble of the Declaration of Independence. Highlight phrases that sound like they came directly from John Locke and other Enlightenment thinkers. In a paragraph, explain how the document is essentially a breakup letter to King George III, using Enlightenment ideas as its justification.
2. Multiple Perspectives: Research the experience of Loyalists during the Revolution. Then, watch a documentary or read an article about the role of enslaved people or Native American tribes. Write three short "diary entries" from the perspective of a Patriot soldier, a Loyalist forced to flee their home, and a Native American leader whose land is at stake.
3. Creative Project - Propaganda Poster: Choose a side—the British or the American Patriots. Design a recruitment poster that would persuade a young person in 1776 to join your cause. Use powerful imagery and slogans. On the back, write a short explanation of the persuasive techniques you used.

Week 3: The French Revolution - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!

Materials Needed:

• Access to the internet (documentaries, primary source archives)
• Notebook
• A simple scale (or draw one) for weighing pros and cons

Objectives:

• Bryce will be able to explain the primary causes of the French Revolution (social inequality, economic crisis, Enlightenment ideas).
• Bryce will analyze the different phases of the Revolution, from the Tennis Court Oath to the Reign of Terror.
• Bryce will formulate and defend a judgment on whether Maximilien Robespierre was a hero or a villain.

Weekly Activities:

1. Causes Mind Map: Create a mind map that illustrates the causes of the French Revolution. Put "French Revolution" in the center bubble. Create main branches for "Social," "Political," and "Economic" causes, and fill them with specific details (e.g., Social -> The Three Estates).
2. Timeline of Terror: Watch the History Channel's documentary "The French Revolution" or a similar comprehensive video. As you watch, create a timeline that plots the key events: Storming of the Bastille, Declaration of the Rights of Man, Execution of Louis XVI, Reign of Terror, and the rise of Napoleon.
3. Creative Project - The Trial of Robespierre: You are the lead prosecutor (or defense attorney) in the trial of Maximilien Robespierre. Write a compelling closing argument. Use evidence from your research to argue whether his actions, which led to the Reign of Terror, were a necessary evil to protect the revolution or a tyrannical abuse of power.

Week 4: The Rise and Fall of Napoleon

Materials Needed:

• Access to the internet
• Mapping supplies (paper, colored pencils) or online mapping tool

Objectives:

• Bryce will evaluate Napoleon's legacy, balancing his domestic reforms (Napoleonic Code) with his military conquests.
• Bryce will analyze how Napoleon's actions both spread revolutionary ideals and fueled nationalism across Europe.
• Bryce will create a "Risk" style game board representing Napoleonic Europe.

Weekly Activities:

1. Hero or Tyrant? T-Chart: Create a T-chart labeled "Napoleon: Hero" and "Napoleon: Tyrant." Research his life and populate the chart with his achievements (e.g., Napoleonic Code, public education, ending feudalism) and his negative actions (e.g., crowning himself emperor, constant warfare, disastrous invasion of Russia).
2. Mapping the Empire: Draw or print a map of Europe. Trace the expansion of Napoleon's empire at its height in 1812. Then, use a different color to mark his disastrous retreat from Russia. This visual will help you understand the scale of his ambition and failure.
3. Creative Project - Napoleonic "Risk": Design a board game based on the Napoleonic Wars. Your board should be the map of Europe. Create simple rules for troop movement, battles, and alliances. Create "Event Cards" that reflect historical realities, like "The British Navy blockades your ports!" or "The Napoleonic Code inspires loyalty in a conquered territory."

Week 5: The Haitian Revolution & Latin American Independence

Materials Needed:

• Access to the internet (Crash Course, articles on Toussaint Louverture and Simón Bolívar)
• Notebook

Objectives:

• Bryce will compare and contrast the causes and outcomes of the Haitian and other Latin American revolutions.
• Bryce will analyze the unique role of race and slavery in the Haitian Revolution, making it the most radical of its time.
• Bryce will write a "Letter to the Editor" from the perspective of a key revolutionary figure.

Weekly Activities:

1. Global Revolutions: Watch the Crash Course World History videos on the Haitian Revolution (#23) and Latin American Revolutions (#25). Create a Venn Diagram comparing the Haitian Revolution with the American Revolution. What are the key similarities and, more importantly, the stark differences?
2. Leadership Study: Research Toussaint Louverture and Simón Bolívar. Write a short biography for each, focusing on their goals, strategies, and ultimate legacy. Who do you think faced the greater challenge and why?
3. Creative Project - A Revolutionary's Plea: Imagine you are Toussaint Louverture or Simón Bolívar. Write a "Letter to the Editor" to a European newspaper in the early 1800s. In your letter, justify your revolution. Argue for your people's right to freedom and self-governance, using the Enlightenment language the Europeans themselves championed.

Unit 2: Industrialization & Imperialism (Weeks 6-10)

This unit investigates the profound economic and technological changes of the Industrial Revolution and the global power dynamics that resulted from the new age of imperialism.

Week 6: The Industrial Revolution - Machines Change the World

Materials:

Internet access, notebook, art supplies.

Project:

Create a "Shark Tank" pitch for a new invention from the early Industrial Revolution (like the spinning jenny or steam engine). Your pitch must explain what problem it solves and predict its impact on society, both good and bad.

Week 7: Life in the Industrial Age - Two Sides of a Coin

Materials:

Internet access (to find primary sources like photos by Jacob Riis or passages from Charles Dickens), notebook.

Project:

Create a "day in the life" comparison. Write two parallel diary entries for the same day: one from the perspective of a wealthy factory owner and one from a child laborer in their factory.

Week 8: New "Isms" - Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism

Materials:

Internet access, large paper for a comparison chart.

Project:

Design a simple infographic or cartoon explaining the core differences between Capitalism (Adam Smith) and Communism (Karl Marx). Use symbols and simple language to show who owns the "means of production" and who benefits in each system.

Week 9: The Age of Imperialism - A Scramble for Colonies

Materials:

Internet access, world map, colored pencils.

Project:

On a world map, color the empires of the major European powers in the late 19th century (Britain, France, Belgium, Germany). Then, choose one colonized region (e.g., India, Congo, Vietnam) and create a "Case File" that details who colonized it, why, and what the impact was on the native population.

Week 10: Resistance to Imperialism

Materials:

Internet access for research.

Project:

Create a "Heroes of Resistance" presentation (as a slideshow or spoken report). Profile two non-European leaders who resisted imperialism, such as Queen Nzinga (earlier but relevant), Menelik II of Ethiopia, or the leaders of the Boxer Rebellion in China. Explain their methods and the outcome of their resistance.

Unit 3: A World at War (Weeks 11-16)

This unit covers the causes, events, and consequences of the two most destructive conflicts in human history, and the uneasy peace in between.

Week 11: The Great War Begins - WWI

Materials:

Internet access, string, index cards.

Project:

Create a "web of causes" for WWI. Write the four M.A.I.N. causes (Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism) on index cards and use string to connect them, showing how they were all tangled together. Write a short explanation for each connection.

Week 12: Life and Death in the Trenches

Materials:

Internet access (to view trench photos and read poetry by Wilfred Owen), shoebox, craft supplies (clay, small figures, paint).

Project:

Build a shoebox diorama of a WWI trench scene. Include key features like the fire step, dugout, and "no man's land." Write a descriptive paragraph that explains the scene and conveys the atmosphere of trench warfare.

Week 13: The Russian Revolution

Materials:

Internet access.

Project:

Create a propaganda poster from the perspective of Lenin and the Bolsheviks. Your poster should use powerful, simple imagery and a slogan to persuade Russian peasants and workers to join the communist revolution.

Week 14: The Interwar Years & The Rise of Fascism

Materials:

Internet access for research on the Great Depression and rise of Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo.

Project:

You are a radio journalist in the 1930s. Write and record a 3-minute radio broadcast that explains to a concerned public what "fascism" is and why it's gaining popularity in countries like Italy and Germany.

Week 15: World War II - The Theaters of War

Materials:

Internet access, world map.

Project:

Create a "strategic briefing" map for WWII. On a world map, mark the locations of 5-7 key battles or turning points (e.g., Stalingrad, D-Day, Midway, Pearl Harbor). For each point, write a small card explaining its strategic importance and outcome.

Week 16: The Holocaust and the Atomic Bomb

Materials:

Internet access (to survivor testimonies at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum website), notebook.

Project:

After researching the Holocaust and the debates surrounding the use of the atomic bomb, write a reflective journal entry. Address the ethical questions these events raise about technology, warfare, and humanity. This is not about finding a "right" answer, but about grappling with the difficult questions.

Unit 4: The Cold War & Decolonization (Weeks 17-21)

This unit examines the 50-year global standoff between the U.S. and the USSR, and the simultaneous wave of independence movements that created dozens of new nations.

Week 17: The Iron Curtain Descends - The Cold War Begins

Materials:

Internet access.

Project:

Design two propaganda posters—one from the American perspective and one from the Soviet perspective—from the early Cold War. Your posters should highlight the ideological differences (capitalism vs. communism, democracy vs. totalitarianism).

Week 18: Hot Spots in a Cold War - Korea and Vietnam

Materials:

Internet access, protest songs from the Vietnam era.

Project:

Analyze the lyrics of two protest songs about the Vietnam War (e.g., from artists like Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival). Write an analysis of how these songs reflect the public mood and critique the war. Then, find a pro-war song and compare the perspectives.

Week 19: The Space Race and the Arms Race

Materials:

Internet access, notebook.

Project:

Create a timeline of the Space Race and the Arms Race, placing key events from both on the same timeline (e.g., Sputnik, moon landing, development of H-bomb, Cuban Missile Crisis). Write a summary explaining how these two competitions were linked and fueled Cold War tensions.

Week 20: Winds of Change - Decolonization in Africa and Asia

Materials:

Internet access for research on leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Kenyatta, and Nkrumah.

Project:

Create a "Declaration of Independence" for a newly decolonized nation in the 1950s or 60s (e.g., India, Ghana, Kenya). In your declaration, state your grievances against the colonial power and lay out your vision for the new nation's future.

Week 21: The Fall of the Wall and the End of the Cold War

Materials:

Internet access (to find videos of the Berlin Wall falling).

Project:

You are a news correspondent reporting live from the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. Write the script for your 2-minute television report, capturing the emotions and historical significance of the event.

Unit 5: The Modern & Digital Age (Weeks 22-26)

This unit explores the challenges and innovations of our interconnected, globalized world, from the rise of the internet to modern-day conflicts and movements.

Week 22: Globalization - A Connected World

Materials:

Items from around your house (clothes, electronics, food).

Project:

Go on a "globalization scavenger hunt." Find 10 items in your home and research where each item (or its components) was made. Plot these locations on a world map and write a reflection on how interconnected our daily lives are with the rest of the world.

Week 23: Post-Cold War Conflicts & The Rise of Terrorism

Materials:

Internet access (news archives).

Project:

Create a "briefing file" on a post-Cold War conflict (e.g., the Bosnian War, the Rwandan Genocide). Your file should explain the background, the key groups involved, and the international response. Focus on the "why" behind the conflict.

Week 24: The Digital Revolution and Social Media

Materials:

Internet access.

Project:

Analyze the impact of the internet on a major social or political movement (e.g., the Arab Spring, Black Lives Matter). Create a short presentation (slideshow or video) explaining how social media was used to organize, spread information, and shape the narrative of the movement.

Week 25: Modern Challenges - Climate Change & Human Rights

Materials:

Internet access (U.N. websites, environmental news).

Project:

Choose one major global challenge: climate change, access to clean water, or refugee crises. Create an "Action Plan Proposal" for the United Nations. Your proposal should briefly define the problem and then propose three creative, actionable steps that nations could take to address it.

Week 26: What is History? - You as the Historian

Materials:

Notebook, all previous projects from the course.

Project:

Curate your own "Museum of the Modern World." Choose the 10 most significant events or ideas from this course (1750-present). For each "exhibit" (your chosen event), use one of your previous projects as the artifact. Write a museum-style caption for each artifact explaining why it is historically significant and what it teaches us about our world today. This project serves as a final, creative review of the entire course.