World History curriculum

A world history course focused on global patterns, comparison, causation, exchange networks, empire, revolution, industrialization, decolonization, and modern globalization.

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High school world history / AP World History readiness

World History curriculum

A world history course focused on global patterns, comparison, causation, exchange networks, empire, revolution, industrialization, decolonization, and modern globalization.

Pacing

8 units, 24-34 weeks self-paced

Units

8 unit sequence

Practice

32 checked answers

Support

Self-paced or tutor-guided

Outcomes

Compare societies across regions without flattening them into stereotypes.
Explain causation, continuity, change, and global exchange with evidence.
Write historical arguments from primary and secondary sources.

Unit sequence

Built for independent progress first, then tutor support where the student gets stuck.

01
Historical thinking and world regions
- Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.
- Question period labels and regional boundaries.
Practice: Build a region-and-period map with one limitation noted for each label.
Unit work plan
1. 1
  Source study
  Start with Humanities textbooks and Project Gutenberg. Take notes until you can explain: Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.
2. 2
  Worked attempt
  Produce the assignment artifact: Build a region-and-period map with one limitation noted for each label.
3. 3
  Checked answers
  Complete the PeerTutor checks below and correct misses before moving on.
4. 4
  Tutor handoff
  Bring your attempted work, the exact missed check, and one question about: Question period labels and regional boundaries.
Original practice checks
Answer in PeerTutor, then use the explanation or bring the miss to a tutor.
4 checked answers
Source analysis
In Historical thinking and world regions, a firsthand document from the time being studied is a what source?
Evidence reasoning
Which explanation is strongest?
a claim supported by specific evidence and contexta claim with no sourcea list of dates onlya personal opinion with no support
Unit readiness
Which target best matches the World History unit "Historical thinking and world regions"?
Use evidence from material culture and texts.Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.Question period labels and regional boundaries.Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.
Practice artifact
Which practice artifact should you produce for "Historical thinking and world regions" before asking a tutor for help?
Skip the unit and start a new subject.Build a region-and-period map with one limitation noted for each label.Memorize vocabulary without checking any examples.Watch videos without writing or solving anything.
02
Early civilizations and belief systems
- Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.
- Use evidence from material culture and texts.
Practice: Compare two early societies using governance, economy, belief, and environment.
Unit work plan
1. 1
  Source study
  Start with Humanities textbooks and Project Gutenberg. Take notes until you can explain: Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.
2. 2
  Worked attempt
  Produce the assignment artifact: Compare two early societies using governance, economy, belief, and environment.
3. 3
  Checked answers
  Complete the PeerTutor checks below and correct misses before moving on.
4. 4
  Tutor handoff
  Bring your attempted work, the exact missed check, and one question about: Use evidence from material culture and texts.
Original practice checks
Answer in PeerTutor, then use the explanation or bring the miss to a tutor.
4 checked answers
Source analysis
In Early civilizations and belief systems, a firsthand document from the time being studied is a what source?
Evidence reasoning
Which explanation is strongest?
a claim supported by specific evidence and contexta claim with no sourcea list of dates onlya personal opinion with no support
Unit readiness
Which target best matches the World History unit "Early civilizations and belief systems"?
Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.Use evidence from material culture and texts.Question period labels and regional boundaries.Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.
Practice artifact
Which practice artifact should you produce for "Early civilizations and belief systems" before asking a tutor for help?
Memorize vocabulary without checking any examples.Watch videos without writing or solving anything.Skip the unit and start a new subject.Compare two early societies using governance, economy, belief, and environment.
03
Classical empires and exchange
- Analyze empire building, trade routes, migration, and cultural exchange.
- Explain collapse and continuity.
Practice: Trace one good, idea, or disease across an exchange network.
Unit work plan
1. 1
  Source study
  Start with Humanities textbooks and Project Gutenberg. Take notes until you can explain: Analyze empire building, trade routes, migration, and cultural exchange.
2. 2
  Worked attempt
  Produce the assignment artifact: Trace one good, idea, or disease across an exchange network.
3. 3
  Checked answers
  Complete the PeerTutor checks below and correct misses before moving on.
4. 4
  Tutor handoff
  Bring your attempted work, the exact missed check, and one question about: Explain collapse and continuity.
Original practice checks
Answer in PeerTutor, then use the explanation or bring the miss to a tutor.
4 checked answers
Source analysis
In Classical empires and exchange, a firsthand document from the time being studied is a what source?
Evidence reasoning
Which explanation is strongest?
a claim supported by specific evidence and contexta claim with no sourcea list of dates onlya personal opinion with no support
Unit readiness
Which target best matches the World History unit "Classical empires and exchange"?
Analyze empire building, trade routes, migration, and cultural exchange.Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.Question period labels and regional boundaries.Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.
Practice artifact
Which practice artifact should you produce for "Classical empires and exchange" before asking a tutor for help?
Watch videos without writing or solving anything.Memorize vocabulary without checking any examples.Trace one good, idea, or disease across an exchange network.Skip the unit and start a new subject.
04
Postclassical worlds
- Compare Islamic, African, European, American, South Asian, and East Asian developments.
- Explain trade, technology, and state formation.
Practice: Write a comparison paragraph across two postclassical regions.
Unit work plan
1. 1
  Source study
  Start with Humanities textbooks and Project Gutenberg. Take notes until you can explain: Compare Islamic, African, European, American, South Asian, and East Asian developments.
2. 2
  Worked attempt
  Produce the assignment artifact: Write a comparison paragraph across two postclassical regions.
3. 3
  Checked answers
  Complete the PeerTutor checks below and correct misses before moving on.
4. 4
  Tutor handoff
  Bring your attempted work, the exact missed check, and one question about: Explain trade, technology, and state formation.
Original practice checks
Answer in PeerTutor, then use the explanation or bring the miss to a tutor.
4 checked answers
Source analysis
In Postclassical worlds, a firsthand document from the time being studied is a what source?
Evidence reasoning
Which explanation is strongest?
a claim supported by specific evidence and contexta claim with no sourcea list of dates onlya personal opinion with no support
Unit readiness
Which target best matches the World History unit "Postclassical worlds"?
Explain trade, technology, and state formation.Question period labels and regional boundaries.Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.
Practice artifact
Which practice artifact should you produce for "Postclassical worlds" before asking a tutor for help?
Watch videos without writing or solving anything.Memorize vocabulary without checking any examples.Write a comparison paragraph across two postclassical regions.Skip the unit and start a new subject.
05
Early modern empires and encounters
- Explain exploration, colonization, slavery, mercantilism, and gunpowder empires.
- Evaluate winners, losers, and forced exchange.
Practice: Build a causation chain for Atlantic, Indian Ocean, or Pacific exchange.
Unit work plan
1. 1
  Source study
  Start with Humanities textbooks and Project Gutenberg. Take notes until you can explain: Explain exploration, colonization, slavery, mercantilism, and gunpowder empires.
2. 2
  Worked attempt
  Produce the assignment artifact: Build a causation chain for Atlantic, Indian Ocean, or Pacific exchange.
3. 3
  Checked answers
  Complete the PeerTutor checks below and correct misses before moving on.
4. 4
  Tutor handoff
  Bring your attempted work, the exact missed check, and one question about: Evaluate winners, losers, and forced exchange.
Original practice checks
Answer in PeerTutor, then use the explanation or bring the miss to a tutor.
4 checked answers
Source analysis
In Early modern empires and encounters, a firsthand document from the time being studied is a what source?
Evidence reasoning
Which explanation is strongest?
a claim supported by specific evidence and contexta claim with no sourcea list of dates onlya personal opinion with no support
Unit readiness
Which target best matches the World History unit "Early modern empires and encounters"?
Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.Explain exploration, colonization, slavery, mercantilism, and gunpowder empires.Question period labels and regional boundaries.Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.
Practice artifact
Which practice artifact should you produce for "Early modern empires and encounters" before asking a tutor for help?
Memorize vocabulary without checking any examples.Skip the unit and start a new subject.Build a causation chain for Atlantic, Indian Ocean, or Pacific exchange.Watch videos without writing or solving anything.
06
Revolutions and industrialization
- Analyze political revolutions, nationalism, industrial capitalism, labor, and imperialism.
- Connect ideology to material change.
Practice: Compare one political revolution and one industrial change using causes and effects.
Unit work plan
1. 1
  Source study
  Start with Humanities textbooks and Project Gutenberg. Take notes until you can explain: Analyze political revolutions, nationalism, industrial capitalism, labor, and imperialism.
2. 2
  Worked attempt
  Produce the assignment artifact: Compare one political revolution and one industrial change using causes and effects.
3. 3
  Checked answers
  Complete the PeerTutor checks below and correct misses before moving on.
4. 4
  Tutor handoff
  Bring your attempted work, the exact missed check, and one question about: Connect ideology to material change.
Original practice checks
Answer in PeerTutor, then use the explanation or bring the miss to a tutor.
4 checked answers
Source analysis
In Revolutions and industrialization, a firsthand document from the time being studied is a what source?
Evidence reasoning
Which explanation is strongest?
a claim supported by specific evidence and contexta claim with no sourcea list of dates onlya personal opinion with no support
Unit readiness
Which target best matches the World History unit "Revolutions and industrialization"?
Connect ideology to material change.Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.Question period labels and regional boundaries.Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.
Practice artifact
Which practice artifact should you produce for "Revolutions and industrialization" before asking a tutor for help?
Compare one political revolution and one industrial change using causes and effects.Skip the unit and start a new subject.Watch videos without writing or solving anything.Memorize vocabulary without checking any examples.
07
World wars, decolonization, and Cold War
- Explain total war, genocide, independence movements, ideology, and proxy conflict.
- Use multiple perspectives responsibly.
Practice: Analyze a decolonization case with context, actors, and consequences.
Unit work plan
1. 1
  Source study
  Start with Humanities textbooks and Project Gutenberg. Take notes until you can explain: Explain total war, genocide, independence movements, ideology, and proxy conflict.
2. 2
  Worked attempt
  Produce the assignment artifact: Analyze a decolonization case with context, actors, and consequences.
3. 3
  Checked answers
  Complete the PeerTutor checks below and correct misses before moving on.
4. 4
  Tutor handoff
  Bring your attempted work, the exact missed check, and one question about: Use multiple perspectives responsibly.
Original practice checks
Answer in PeerTutor, then use the explanation or bring the miss to a tutor.
4 checked answers
Source analysis
In World wars, decolonization, and Cold War, a firsthand document from the time being studied is a what source?
Evidence reasoning
Which explanation is strongest?
a claim supported by specific evidence and contexta claim with no sourcea list of dates onlya personal opinion with no support
Unit readiness
Which target best matches the World History unit "World wars, decolonization, and Cold War"?
Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.Explain total war, genocide, independence movements, ideology, and proxy conflict.Question period labels and regional boundaries.Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.
Practice artifact
Which practice artifact should you produce for "World wars, decolonization, and Cold War" before asking a tutor for help?
Analyze a decolonization case with context, actors, and consequences.Skip the unit and start a new subject.Watch videos without writing or solving anything.Memorize vocabulary without checking any examples.
08
Globalization and historical argument
- Explain migration, technology, environment, globalization, and inequality.
- Construct a source-based historical claim.
Practice: Write a mini document-based essay with thesis, evidence, and sourcing.
Unit work plan
1. 1
  Source study
  Start with Humanities textbooks and Project Gutenberg. Take notes until you can explain: Explain migration, technology, environment, globalization, and inequality.
2. 2
  Worked attempt
  Produce the assignment artifact: Write a mini document-based essay with thesis, evidence, and sourcing.
3. 3
  Checked answers
  Complete the PeerTutor checks below and correct misses before moving on.
4. 4
  Tutor handoff
  Bring your attempted work, the exact missed check, and one question about: Construct a source-based historical claim.
Original practice checks
Answer in PeerTutor, then use the explanation or bring the miss to a tutor.
4 checked answers
Source analysis
In Globalization and historical argument, a firsthand document from the time being studied is a what source?
Evidence reasoning
Which explanation is strongest?
a claim supported by specific evidence and contexta claim with no sourcea list of dates onlya personal opinion with no support
Unit readiness
Which target best matches the World History unit "Globalization and historical argument"?
Use chronology, geography, sourcing, and comparison.Construct a source-based historical claim.Compare river-valley societies, states, religions, and philosophies.Question period labels and regional boundaries.
Practice artifact
Which practice artifact should you produce for "Globalization and historical argument" before asking a tutor for help?
Write a mini document-based essay with thesis, evidence, and sourcing.Watch videos without writing or solving anything.Skip the unit and start a new subject.Memorize vocabulary without checking any examples.

Source library

These are source links, not scraped course copies. Licenses differ, so the label tells students how each source is used.

View the full citation index

Humanities textbooks

OpenStax

Open textbook - CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Open humanities catalog including history, government, philosophy, and writing resources.

Project Gutenberg

Public-domain literature archive

Classic literature collection focused on works no longer restricted by U.S. copyright.

OER Commons

ISKME

OER discovery library

Searchable library of open educational resources across K-12 and higher education.

World History curriculum