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Prerequisite

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

World History, Part 1 introduces students to global historical events and ideas, focusing on ancient philosophies, major revolutions, wars, colonialism, economic development, and technological advances. Students will engage with primary sources, analyze cause and effect, and explore ethical and political concepts, laying a foundation for Part 2 of the course.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Compare different ways of organizing the world, analyze how historians study the past, and why studying history is important

  • Describe the lifestyle of hunter-gatherers and pastoralists, explain the changes that came with the Neolithic Revolution , and identify ways early humans established civilizations by examining Mesopotamia and Egypt.

  • Identify ways governments were formed, social lives and culture formed, how people used the agriculture to build economies and make money, and the role religion played in these civilizations.

  • Compare and contrast the rise of classic civilization.

  • Examine ways governments were formed, social lives and culture formed, how people used the agriculture to build economies and make money and the role religion played in the rise of classic civilizations

  • Compare and contrast Western Europe and the Byzantine Empire during the Medieval period

  • Describe the major beliefs of Islam, compare and contrast the three Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), and analyze the economic activity throughout the Islamic World

  • Analyze the impact of China on other countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia

  • Describe the size and diversity of Africa, explain the different kingdoms that existed in Africa, analyze the ways that Christianity and Islam adapted to an African audience

  • Analyze the effects of Mongol expansion in the 1200s, explain the achievements of the Ming dynasty, describe the voyages of Zheng He in the 1300s, and compare and contrast the voyages of Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta from 1000-1450 CE.

  • Describe the different regional kingdoms in Europe during the late Medieval period

  • Explain the concept of Humanism during the Renaissance, and explain the artistic style of Renaissance Art

  • Explain the reasons for the Aztec Empire’s success, how the Inca established their imperial power, the different groups of North Americans, and the different regions of Oceania

Course Materials

All the materials you need are included in the course. You do not have to buy any additional textbooks.

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Assignments

The due dates in the course are only suggestions to help the students pace themselves. You do not need to complete assignments, quizzes, and exams by the due date set in the course.

Discussion Boards

There is only ONE discussion board for this course to give you the opportunity to communicate your ideas about certain topics, to collaborate, connect with, and learn from others, and provide meaningful and respectful feedback. Remember to follow the discussion board rules. Failure to follow the rules can put you in jeopardy of failing the assignment, and your teacher make take further action to solve the issue. Please remember to be a good digital citizen and use technology to engage in meaningful ways with others.

Assignments & Note-Taking Guides

You will have different teacher-graded assignments in this course. Take the opportunity to apply what you have learned, and demonstrate your understanding of the lessons by analyzing and making comparisons. A rubric is included to help you review the requirements so that you include all the details in your assignment.

You will need to take notes as you move through each lesson. You will submit your work at the end of each world history era.

Module Quizzes

At the end of each module, you will submit a computer-graded quiz that will test your knowledge of the content for that module. These are open-note quizzes. You may take notes in each module on major course concepts that will help you with quizzes and exams. The note taking guides are found in the module overview pages or in the Course Resources page. You can use your notes in quizzes and throughout the course.

Midterm Exam

You will have a midterm exam that is NOT proctored. Try to take it without looking at your notes in preparation for the Final exam that is proctored.

Final Exam

The final exam consists of around 50 questions and is comprehensive, meaning it will include content from the entire course. In Module 16, you will have the opportunity to take a practice exam in preparation for the final. The final exam is found in Module 16.

Grading

Your grade in this course will be based on these assignments and exams:

Assignment or Exam Grading Percent of Total Grade
Note Taking Guides Teacher Graded 20%
Assignments Teacher Graded 25%
Discussions Teacher Graded 10%
Quizzes Computer Graded 20%
1 Midterm Exam Computer Graded 10%
1 Final Exam Computer Graded 15%

* You must pass the final exam with at least a 60% to earn credit for the course.

Grade Scale

Your letter grade is calculated according to these percentages.

A 93% - 100%
A- 90% - 92%
B+ 87% – 89%
B 83% - 86%
B- 80% - 82%
C+ 77% - 79%
C 73% - 76%
C- 70% - 72%
D+ 67% - 69%
D 63% - 66%
D- 60% - 62%
F (fail) 0% - 59%

Getting Help

Please use the help menu in this course to contact Academy of America or your instructor. You can find information about tutoring available to Academy of America students on the Tutoring website.

The Resources page offers a wide variety of services to support you:

  • Academic success skills coaching such as time management, study skills, test preparation, motivation, and more.

  • Course-specific support that includes live tutoring and on-demand resources.

Come find out how we can help you achieve your goals.

Course Policies

For information about how long you have to complete the course, resubmitting assignments, retaking exams, and other questions, please see Academy of America’s Policies.

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