Our Curriculum › History & Social Studies › 9th Grade
World History
A high school survey of world history from the first river-valley civilizations to today, taught as analysis rather than storytelling: comparing governments, weighing causes, reading primary sources and judging competing interpretations. The final third is mostly review, application and projects.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
10 units
Each opens to its lessons
1 capstone project
Research a modern global challenge
Standards
Standard high school social studies
What's taught, unit by unit
The historian's toolkitDays 1–10
How to think like a historian, comparing six kinds of government (monarchy, theocracy, democracy, republic, oligarchy, totalitarianism) and economic systems from free enterprise to communism and fascism, and reading the Code of Hammurabi.
- 1 · Welcome to World History: Thinking Like a Historian
- 2 · Comparing Government Systems: Monarchy and Theocracy
- 3 · Comparing Government Systems: Democracy and Republic
- 4 · Comparing Government Systems: Oligarchy and Totalitarianism
- 6 · Analyzing River Valley Civilizations: Why There?
- 7 · Comparing Economic Systems: Free Enterprise and Socialism
- 8 · Comparing Economic Systems: Communism and Fascism
- 9 · Analyzing a Primary Source: The Code of Hammurabi
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Classical and medieval worldsDays 11–30
Rome versus Han China, Augustus's own account, why Rome fell, the Silk Road, classical religions and philosophies, the rise of Islam, feudalism in Europe and Japan, the Mongols, the Black Death, Mali and Mansa Musa, Chinese dynasties and Marco Polo.
- 11 · Analyzing the Classical Era: Rome vs. Han China
- 12 · Primary Source Analysis: Augustus's Own Account of His Reign
- 13 · Competing Interpretations: Why Did Rome Fall?
- 14 · Analyzing Trade Networks: The Silk Road
- 16 · Comparing Religious and Philosophical Systems
- 17 · Analyzing Causation: Why Empires Expand
- 18 · Evaluating Primary vs. Secondary Sources
- 19 · Analyzing the Legacy of Classical Civilizations
- 21 · Analyzing the Rise of Islam and Its Trade Networks
- 22 · Comparing Feudalism in Europe and Japan
- 23 · Analyzing the Mongol Empire's Impact
- 24 · Analyzing the Bubonic Plague's Historical Impact
- 26 · Analyzing West African Empires' Trade Wealth
- 27 · Comparing Chinese Dynastic Cycles
- 28 · Analyzing Technology Diffusion Along Trade Routes
- 29 · Primary Source Analysis: A Medieval Traveler's Account
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Exploration, empires and revolutionsDays 31–45
Why Europeans explored, the Columbian Exchange and the devastation of Native peoples, Spanish, French and English colonies, the Atlantic slave trade, mercantilism, Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires, the Enlightenment, and the American, French, Haitian and Latin American revolutions.
- 31 · Analyzing the Causes of European Exploration
- 32 · Analyzing the Columbian Exchange
- 33 · Analyzing the Devastation of Native American Populations
- 34 · Comparing Spanish, French, and English Colonial Models
- 36 · Analyzing the Atlantic Slave Trade's Economic System
- 37 · Analyzing the Rise of Mercantilism
- 38 · Comparing the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Gunpowder Empires
- 39 · Primary Source Analysis: A Colonial-Era Document
- 41 · Analyzing Enlightenment Philosophy's Political Impact
- 42 · Comparing the American and French Revolutions
- 43 · Analyzing the Haitian Revolution's Significance
- 44 · Analyzing Latin American Independence Movements
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Industry and imperialismDays 46–55
Why the Industrial Revolution began in Britain and what it cost workers, capitalism versus socialism, 19th-century nationalism, then the New Imperialism: its causes, the Scramble for Africa, resistance, and the justifications empires gave.
- 46 · Analyzing the Causes of the Industrial Revolution
- 47 · Analyzing the Social Costs of Industrialization
- 48 · Comparing Responses to Industrialization: Capitalism and Socialism
- 49 · Analyzing Nationalism's Role in 19th-Century Europe
- 51 · Analyzing the Causes of New Imperialism
- 52 · Analyzing the Scramble for Africa
- 53 · Analyzing Resistance to Imperialism
- 54 · Comparing Justifications for Imperialism
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
World War I and its aftermathDays 56–70
The alliance system, militarism and the main causes of 1914, a soldier's letter, trench warfare and new weapons, total war, America's entry, the Treaty of Versailles, the Russian Revolution and the League of Nations.
- 56 · Analyzing the Alliance System Before WWI
- 57 · Analyzing Militarism and the Arms Race
- 58 · Analyzing the MAIN Causes of WWI
- 59 · Primary Source Analysis: A WWI Soldier's Letter
- 61 · Analyzing Trench Warfare as a Military Strategy
- 62 · Analyzing New Military Technology in WWI
- 63 · Analyzing 'Total War'
- 64 · Analyzing the US Entry Into WWI
- 66 · Analyzing the Treaty of Versailles' Terms
- 67 · Analyzing the Treaty's Link to WWII's Causes
- 68 · Analyzing the Russian Revolution's Causes
- 69 · Analyzing the League of Nations' Successes and Failures
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Dictators and World War IIDays 71–90
The Great Depression, fascism in Italy, Nazism in Germany, Japanese militarism, appeasement, the causes of the war, the Holocaust, turning points in Europe and the Pacific, the home front, the atomic bomb, Yalta, Potsdam, the United Nations and the Cold War's ideas.
- 71 · Analyzing the Causes of the Great Depression
- 72 · Analyzing the Rise of Fascism in Italy
- 73 · Analyzing the Rise of Nazism in Germany
- 74 · Analyzing Japanese Militarism in the 1930s
- 76 · Analyzing the Policy of Appeasement
- 77 · Analyzing the Causes of WWII in Europe
- 78 · Analyzing the Holocaust's Historical Significance
- 79 · Comparing the European and Pacific Theaters of WWII
- 81 · Analyzing Turning Points of WWII in Europe
- 82 · Analyzing Turning Points of WWII in the Pacific
- 83 · Analyzing the Home Front During WWII
- 84 · Analyzing the Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb
- 86 · Analyzing the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences
- 87 · Analyzing the Ideological Origins of the Cold War
- 88 · Analyzing the Iron Curtain and Containment
- 89 · Analyzing the Founding of the United Nations
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
The Cold WarDays 91–110
The Korean and Vietnam wars as proxy wars, the nuclear arms race and Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race, decolonization, propaganda, rights movements in the US, Northern Ireland and South Africa, detente, Reagan, the Soviet collapse and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
- 91 · Analyzing the Causes of the Korean War
- 92 · Analyzing the Concept of Proxy War
- 93 · Analyzing the Nuclear Arms Race
- 94 · Analyzing the Cuban Missile Crisis
- 96 · Analyzing the Vietnam War as a Proxy Conflict
- 97 · Analyzing the Space Race
- 98 · Analyzing Decolonization During the Cold War
- 99 · Comparing US and Soviet Propaganda Strategies
- 101 · The US Civil Rights Movement in Global Perspective
- 102 · Comparing Rights Movements: Northern Ireland
- 103 · Comparing Rights Movements: Apartheid South Africa
- 104 · Analyzing Global Social Movements of the 1960s-70s
- 106 · Analyzing Detente and Its Limits
- 107 · Analyzing the Reagan-Era Cold War Escalation
- 108 · Analyzing the Causes of the Soviet Union's Collapse
- 109 · Analyzing the Fall of the Berlin Wall's Significance
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Today's world and a global-challenges capstoneDays 111–130
Globalization, the European Union, the internet, September 11, post-Soviet Russia, China's rise, terrorism, climate change, inequality and international institutions, ending with a short capstone project on a global challenge, plus a cumulative review.
- 111 · Analyzing Economic Globalization
- 112 · Analyzing the European Union's Formation
- 113 · Analyzing the Internet's Global Impact
- 114 · Analyzing the Causes and Significance of 9/11
- 116 · Analyzing Post-Soviet Russia's Transformation
- 117 · Analyzing Modern China's Economic Rise
- 118 · Analyzing the Rise of Regional and Global Terrorism
- 119 · Cumulative Review: A Year of World History
- 121 · Analyzing Climate Change as a Geopolitical Issue
- 122 · Analyzing Global Economic Inequality
- 123 · Analyzing International Cooperation Institutions
- 124 · Comparing Approaches to Global Challenges
- 126 · Beginning the Capstone: Choosing a Global Challenge
- 127 · Researching the Capstone's Historical Roots
- 128 · Analyzing Competing Perspectives on the Capstone Topic
- 129 · Completing the Global Challenges Capstone Project
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Applying the frameworks and reviewing the yearDays 131–160
Mostly review and practice: reusing the year's government, economic, source and interpretation frameworks on new cases, then cumulative reviews of each era, historiography, whose voices are missing, test-taking practice and a final reflection.
- 131 · Applying Government Systems Analysis to a New Case
- 132 · Applying Economic Systems Analysis to a New Case
- 133 · Applying Primary Source Analysis to a New Document
- 134 · Applying Competing Interpretations Analysis to a New Question
- 136 · Cumulative Review: Ancient to Classical Era
- 137 · Cumulative Review: Post-Classical to Age of Revolutions
- 138 · Cumulative Review: World Wars to the Cold War
- 139 · Reflecting on a Year of Historical Analysis
- 141 · Analyzing Historiography: How History Itself Changes
- 142 · Analyzing Whose Voices Are Missing From the Historical Record
- 143 · Analyzing How Geography Shapes History
- 144 · Analyzing Historical Cause-and-Effect Chains
- 146 · Preparing for Year-End History Assessments
- 147 · Reflecting on a Year of Analytical History
- 148 · Looking Ahead: World History to US History
- 149 · Synthesizing the Year's Big Ideas
- 151 · Cumulative Review: Ancient and Classical Civilizations
- 152 · Cumulative Review: Post-Classical Connections
- 153 · Cumulative Review: Exploration to Revolutions
- 154 · Cumulative Review: World Wars to Globalization
- 156 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed History Review Set
- 157 · Timed Practice History Assessment
- 158 · Reviewing Common Historical Misconceptions
- 159 · Final Reflection on a Year of Historical Analysis
Plus 6 review days, not listed.
Final projects, review and celebrationDays 161–180
Explainer and applied projects (teaching the causes of WWI, a family timeline, an op-ed, a news story, a glossary, a project of choice), two final reviews, a year-end presentation, and several celebration and reflection days.
- 161 · Explainer Project: Teaching the MAIN Causes of WWI
- 162 · Explainer Project: Teaching Primary Source Analysis
- 163 · Applied Project: Creating a Family History Timeline
- 164 · Applied Project: Writing an Op-Ed on a Historical Debate
- 166 · Explainer Project: Teaching Government Systems Comparison
- 167 · Applied Project: Evaluating a Modern News Story Historically
- 168 · Applied Project: Creating a History Terms Glossary
- 169 · Completing a Final Applied Project of Your Choice
- 171 · Final Review: Ancient Civilizations to the Age of Revolutions
- 172 · Final Review: World Wars to Modern Globalization
- 173 · Preparing Your Year-End History Presentation
- 174 · Delivering Your Year-End History Presentation
- 175 · Celebration Day: Reflecting on a Year of World History!
- 176 · Celebration Day: A Favorite Historical Era Revisit
- 177 · Celebration Day: History Around You
- 178 · Looking Ahead: US History Next Year
- 179 · Final Reflection: My Year in World History
- 180 · Congratulations! You Completed World History!
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
By the end of the year, your child can
- Compare monarchy, republic, oligarchy and other systems of government
- Analyze a primary source by asking who wrote it, why and for whom
- Explain the main causes of World War I and World War II
- Compare how different countries responded to industrialization and imperialism
- Explain how the Cold War shaped events around the world
- Research a modern global challenge and trace its historical roots in a short project
Other 9th Grade subjects: Algebra I · English 9: Literature · English 9: Composition & Grammar · Biology