Unit+1

1. Locating World History in the environment and time **(This isn't a major topic on the test, please only go over the basics)** 2. Developing agriculture and technology **(This isn't a major topic on the test, please only go over the basics)** 3. Basic Features of early Civilizations 4. Classical Civilizations  5. Major Belief Systems prior to 600 CE 6. Late Classical Period (200 CE to 600 CE)
 * Why is geography important to the study of history? What changes and continuities in climatic factors encouraged the development of human society?
 * What is periodization and why is it important?
 * What are “diverse interpretations”?
 * What does the study of demography tell us about the human response to environmental factors?
 * How has the environment played a part in determining history?
 * What are the most important developments in prehistory?
 * What are the various characteristics - other than intelligence - that //typify// members of //homo sapiens// ?
 * What were the positive aspects of hunting and gathering as a way of life?
 * What are the characteristics of foraging, pastoral, and agricultural societies?
 * What is the “Fertile Crescent?”
 * What was the Neolithic Revolution and why is it significant? What about it justifies the term “revolution”?
 * How did the Neolithic Revolution/ rise of agriculture/ start of civilizations impact social and gender roles?
 * How did the nature of settlements impact the environment?
 * How did technology progress?
 * Compare and contrast the key stages of metals usage and the impact of various metals on cultural structure.
 * How do we define the words //civilization// and //civilized?//
 * What are the issues involved in using “civilization” as an organizing principle in world history?
 * What were the social impacts of the transition from a hunter-gather to an agricultural mode - esp among the Aborigines of Australia and Kung San peoples of Africa?
 * Along what five rivers were the early valley civilizations located?
 * Construct a chart to compare and contrast the five early river civilizations.
 * How were the civilizations shaped by their environments and the environments altered by civilization?
 * What evidence is there of major trading patterns within and among early civilizations?
 * What are commonalities and significant differences among early civilizations?
 * What contributions did the early civilizations make to the modern world?
 * What is the most common form of change: connection/diffusion versus independent invention?
 * Make a chart that compares and contrasts the major political developments in China, India, the Mediterranean, and Mesoamerican regions
 * What are the commonalities and differences in gender and social structures?
 * Provide a map of the major trading patterns within and among the Classical civilizations.
 * What evidence is there of these contacts and contacts with adjacent regions?
 * Make a chart that compares and contrasts the basic features of the following major world belief systems: Polytheism, Hinduism, Judaism, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Christianity
 * What events lead to the collapse of the classical empires?
 * Chart a comparison and contrast of Han China with the Roman Empire.
 * Map the migration of peoples
 * Bantus,
 * Huns,
 * Germanic tribes,
 * Polynesians.
 * Describe the development of inter-regional networks by 600 CE - trade and the spread of religion.