Themes in World History

Questions to ask about a civilization.

Honors World History• This course will examine a variety of cultures throughout history, paying particular

attention to seven important themes; geography, social systems, humanities, belief systems, government, economics, and science.

• The legacy and influence of each culture will be examined through these themes, with connections being drawn between historical cultures and the world we inhabit today.

• The same seven themes will be explored next year in United States History, resulting in an integrated grade 9/10 history program.

Geography• Where in the world

was the culture located?

• What was the land like? The climate?

• Were there natural boundaries?

• How did people respond to their environment?

• How did the land affect their way of life?

Social Systems• How were families

organized?• Were there designated

gender roles?• What were the most

important customs, traditions and values?

• What was the social hierarchy? Was there social mobility?

• How did social taboos affect daily life?

Humanities• What were the most

important forms of art, music and entertainment.

• How were the values and symbols of the culture illustrated in various forms of art?

• What legacy have they left us?

• What language did they use? What was their alphabet like?

• What role did education play?

Religion & Beliefs• How did religion and

philosophy affect the culture?• What were the most

important religious practices?• What values were stressed in

the culture?• What relationship did religion

have to government, the economy, the environment, art, etc.

• How were religious beliefs passed on?

Politics & Government• What type of government did they

have? Who or what ruled?• How was power transferred?• What rights and freedoms did

people have?• In what ways was government

related to societal structure and religious beliefs?

• What was the role of the military?

Economics• What was the economy based

on? What were the main products or services?

• Who controlled the resources?• How were goods distributed

across society?• In what ways were goods

exchanged or traded?

Science & Technology• What were the major

technological innovations and how did they affect society?

• How did technology spread?• Which scientific theories

were widely held?• What can we learn when we

examine specific technological areas such as communication, transportation, agriculture, building, machines, etc?