ELA: The Story of the World Book 3 - Friday

This course explores the major events, civilizations, and historical figures that shaped the Early Modern World from approximately 1600 to 1850 through The Story of the World, Volume III: Early Modern Times. Students will examine the rise and decline of powerful empires, including the Ming and Qing Dynasties of China, Tokugawa Japan, the Mughal Empire, the Ottoman Empire, Imperial Russia, and the French and British monarchies. The course follows the growth of global trade and European exploration, the Scientific Revolution and the discoveries of Galileo, Isaac Newton, and other pioneering scientists, and the Enlightenment ideas of John Locke, Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau that transformed political thought.

Students will also investigate the causes, major events, and lasting impact of the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the Latin American Wars of Independence, as well as the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and his influence on Europe. Additional topics include the Industrial Revolution, the expansion of European colonialism, the transatlantic slave trade, reform movements to abolish slavery and improve working conditions, and the social and economic changes that reshaped societies around the world. Through assigned readings, guided class discussions, reading comprehension activities, and short written responses, students will develop critical thinking skills while making connections between historical events and their lasting influence on the modern world.