World Studies (Grades 5-8)

History Students examine the connections of their own environment with the past and develop an understanding of how people and events of the past and present influence what happens in the world.

Geography Students explore geographic relationships between physical, environmental characteristics and distinctive cultural features of their community, state, nation and world.

Civic/Government Students learn that they are citizens of their community, nation and world and the importance of the contributions they make to be a responsible, engaged citizen. Students gain understanding in how people create, interact with, and change structures of power, authority and governance that protect the rights of people.

Economic Students explore how people organized and use resources and depend on one another for the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.

Discipleship Students understand the impact of Catholic faith on all aspects of the study of interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, past and present.

Historical Thinking and Skills

Early Civilizations

Feudalism and Transitions

First Golden Age

Spatial Thinking and Skills

Human Systems

Civic Participation and Skills

Roles and Systems of Government

Economic Decision Making and Skills

Scarcity

Markets

Evangelization

Social Justice

Living the Faith

Historians and archaeologists describe historical events and issues from the perspectives of people living at the time to avoid evaluating the past in terms of today’s norms and values.

The civilizations that 4. developed in Greece and Rome had an enduring impact on later civilizations. This legacy includes governance and law, engineering and technology, art and architecture, as well as literature and history.

The Roman Empire also played an instrumental rode in the spread of Christianity.

Germanic invasions helped to break up the Roman Empire and set the stage for the development of feudal and manorial systems. Later invasions helped establish Mongol dominance in central Asia and led to the destruction of the Byzantine Empire by the Turks.

Mongol influence led to unified states in China and Korea, but the Mongol failure to conquer Japan allowed a feudal system to persist.

Achievements in medicine, science, mathematics and geography by the Islamic civilization dominated most of the Mediterranean after the decline of the Roman Empire. These achievements were introduced into Western Europe as a result of the Muslim conquests, Crusades and trade, influencing the European Renaissance.

The Renaissance in Europe introduced revolutionary ideas, leading to cultural, scientific and social changes. 

The Reformation introduced changes in religion including the emergence of Protestant faiths and a decline in the political power and social influence of the Roman Catholic Church.

Empires in Africa (Ghana, Mali and Songhay) and Asia (Byzantine, Ottoman, Mughal and China) grew as commercial and cultural centers along trade routes.

The advent of the trans- Saharan slave trade had profound effects on both West and Central Africa and the receiving societies.

European economic and cultural influence dramatically increased through explorations, conquests and colonization.

The Columbian Exchange (e.g., the exchange of fauna, flora and pathogens) among previously unconnected parts of the world reshaped societies in ways still evident today.

Maps and other geographic representations can be used to trace the development of human settlement over time.

Geographic factors promote or impede the movement of people, products and ideas.

Trade routes connecting Africa, Europe, and Asia fostered the spread of technology and major world religions.

Improvements in transportation, communication and technology have facilitated cultural diffusion among peoples around the world.

the ability to understand individual and group perspectives is essential to analyzing historic and contemporary issues.

Greek democracy and the Roman Republic were radical departures from monarchy and theocracy, influencing the structure and function of modern democratic governments. (2, 3)

with the decline of feudalism, consolidation of power resulted in the emergence of nation states.

individuals, governments and businesses must analyze costs and benefits when making economic decisions. (A cost- benefit analysis consists of determining the potential costs and benefits of an action and then balancing the costs against the benefits.)

the variability in the distribution of productive resources in the various regions of the world contributed to specialization, trade and interdependence

the growth of cities and empires fostered the growth of markets. Market exchanges encouraged specialization and the transition from barter to monetary economies.

origin of the Catholic Church and expansion within the Roman Empire.

influence of the Catholic Church during the middle ages (rise of monasticism- European exploration).

in all cultures and world regions human dignity can be protected

the contributions of various Catholic historical figures and the origins of the Catholic Church.