My son is starting his freshman year at the local, progressive public school. His required history course is World History.
I post this to get general discussion about whether this is the right concept of history to be taught to freshman (14-year-olds), and specific discussion about this course, and if it seems geared towards reaching a particular political viewpoint (not Dem v. Rep, but progressive v. anything else).
For me, I think the course description is designed to reach a progressive view of the world (and maybe an illiberal one, at that) and that this is too much historiography and too little actual history for 14-year-olds. Contra the course description, I actually do want my freshman to learn as much about the history of the world as you can pack into 176 days--he and his classmates haven't learned that yet, so they have nothing to "unlearn." I'm already looking for supplementation (if anyone has any they could recommend, that would be great).
Here's the description of the course from the syllabus (all emphasis in the original):
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The focus on this course is not to learn as much as we can about as much of the history of the world as we can fit into 176 school days. Rather, this course offers a narrower focus, on that synthesizes select historical periods, themes, and ideas throughout human history in an attempt to craft an argument. Because that's what history is: an argument about the past. And to engage in an earnest study of World History requires us to ask historical questions -- questions to which there are no "answers," only evidence-based arguments.
In World History A, we will explore a number of essential questions that will guide our units of study, both in what we ask you to consume as budding historians (readings, film, art, music, and other modes of expression) and in how we assess you throughout the year. These questions may include:
1. Why and for whom does history matter?
2. How do we know what we know about the world and can we trust it?
3. What are the origins of inequality?
4. To what extend did religions and empires improve human life?
5. How did religion, trade, and empire unify the Old World System?
6. How should the early American empires be remembered? What story should be told about their historical significance?
7. How important was the European Age of Exploration? How much changed as a result?
8. How "enlightening" was the Enlightenment? To what extent did the Haitian Revolution challenge the global order?
9. Is progress inherently good? What were the global impacts of industrialization, imperialism, and nationalism?
10. How and why did liberal democracy decline in Germany after World War I? How and why did the Holocaust happen? Why did war (World War II) break out in the Pacific?
11. How and why did anti-colonial movements succeed in the post-war era?
In answering these questions--and these are just the ones we've come up with; you'll be creating questions of your own!--we will challenge some of our own preconceived notions about the history of the world --to unlearn some of what we have learned in hopes of broadening our perspective, deepening our fund of knowledge, and enhancing our critical thinking skills.
COURSE OUTLINE
Semester 1
Unit 1: Introduction to World History/Perspectives in World History
Unit 2: Agricultural Revolution
Unit 3: Collective Myths: Empire in the Ancient World
Unit 4: Empires in the Old World
Unit 5: Empire in the Americas
Semester 2
Unit 6: Global System and the Rise of the West
Unit 7: Egalite for all? Enlightenment and Revolution in the Atlantic World
Untie 8: The Paradox of Progress: The Industrial Revolution, Imperialism, and World War I
Unit 9: World War II and the Holocaust
Unit 10: Decolonization Movements
I post this to get general discussion about whether this is the right concept of history to be taught to freshman (14-year-olds), and specific discussion about this course, and if it seems geared towards reaching a particular political viewpoint (not Dem v. Rep, but progressive v. anything else).
For me, I think the course description is designed to reach a progressive view of the world (and maybe an illiberal one, at that) and that this is too much historiography and too little actual history for 14-year-olds. Contra the course description, I actually do want my freshman to learn as much about the history of the world as you can pack into 176 days--he and his classmates haven't learned that yet, so they have nothing to "unlearn." I'm already looking for supplementation (if anyone has any they could recommend, that would be great).
Here's the description of the course from the syllabus (all emphasis in the original):
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The focus on this course is not to learn as much as we can about as much of the history of the world as we can fit into 176 school days. Rather, this course offers a narrower focus, on that synthesizes select historical periods, themes, and ideas throughout human history in an attempt to craft an argument. Because that's what history is: an argument about the past. And to engage in an earnest study of World History requires us to ask historical questions -- questions to which there are no "answers," only evidence-based arguments.
In World History A, we will explore a number of essential questions that will guide our units of study, both in what we ask you to consume as budding historians (readings, film, art, music, and other modes of expression) and in how we assess you throughout the year. These questions may include:
1. Why and for whom does history matter?
2. How do we know what we know about the world and can we trust it?
3. What are the origins of inequality?
4. To what extend did religions and empires improve human life?
5. How did religion, trade, and empire unify the Old World System?
6. How should the early American empires be remembered? What story should be told about their historical significance?
7. How important was the European Age of Exploration? How much changed as a result?
8. How "enlightening" was the Enlightenment? To what extent did the Haitian Revolution challenge the global order?
9. Is progress inherently good? What were the global impacts of industrialization, imperialism, and nationalism?
10. How and why did liberal democracy decline in Germany after World War I? How and why did the Holocaust happen? Why did war (World War II) break out in the Pacific?
11. How and why did anti-colonial movements succeed in the post-war era?
In answering these questions--and these are just the ones we've come up with; you'll be creating questions of your own!--we will challenge some of our own preconceived notions about the history of the world --to unlearn some of what we have learned in hopes of broadening our perspective, deepening our fund of knowledge, and enhancing our critical thinking skills.
COURSE OUTLINE
Semester 1
Unit 1: Introduction to World History/Perspectives in World History
Unit 2: Agricultural Revolution
Unit 3: Collective Myths: Empire in the Ancient World
Unit 4: Empires in the Old World
Unit 5: Empire in the Americas
Semester 2
Unit 6: Global System and the Rise of the West
Unit 7: Egalite for all? Enlightenment and Revolution in the Atlantic World
Untie 8: The Paradox of Progress: The Industrial Revolution, Imperialism, and World War I
Unit 9: World War II and the Holocaust
Unit 10: Decolonization Movements
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