ANCIENT HISTORY

Course Description: Students will examine the social, geographic, religious, economic, and cultural aspects of major periods of ancient history from prehistoric times to 1500 CE. Students will explore the development of river valley civilizations, the Gupta Empire, the Roman Empire, Classical Greece, Islamic civilizations, American and African civilizations, and the Middle Ages through the beginnings of the Renaissance. 

Demographic Information

Are you a current Tennessee resident?Mandatory field

Human Origins and Early Civilizations: Prehistory to 1000 BCE

AH.01: Explain the human-environment interaction on hunter-gatherer societies.


AH.02: List characteristics typical of hunter-gatherer societies, including their use of tools and fire.


AH.03: Describe how the domestication of plants and animals gave rise to stable communities.


AH.04: Explain how archaeology and new technologies (e.g., 3D imaging and dating tools) inform our understanding of the past.


AH.05: Identify and locate early civilizations (e.g., China, Egypt, Indus River Valley, Mesopotamia), and explain why civilizations arose in those places.


AH.06: Compare and contrast the rise of early civilizations (e.g., China, Egypt, Indus River Valley, Mesopotamia) in terms of social, political, and economic development.


AH.07: Describe the origins and central features of Hinduism and its religious traditions: • Key Person(s): origins in Aryan traditions • Sacred Texts: The Vedas • Basic Beliefs: dharma, karma, reincarnation, and moksha


AH.08: Describe the origins and central features of Judaism and its religious traditions: • Key Person(s): Abraham, Moses • Sacred Texts: The Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) • Basic Beliefs: monotheism, Ten Commandments, emphasis on individual worth and personal responsibility


Early Civilizations and the Rise of Religious Traditions: 1000 BCE-500 CE

AH.09: Describe the diffusion of Judaism, and analyze its religious, social, and legal contributions.


AH.10: Describe the origins and central features of Zoroastrianism: • Key Person(s): Zoroaster • Sacred Texts: the Avesta • Basic Beliefs: monotheism, dualism, and humanity


AH.11: Describe the characteristics of early civilizations in Persia, including the impact of Zoroastrianism


AH.12: Describe the characteristics of early American civilizations, with emphasis on the Mayans and Olmecs, in terms of geography, society, economy, and religion.


AH.13: Describe the origins and central features of Shintoism: • Key Person(s): No singular founder • Sacred Texts: No sacred text • Basic Beliefs: localized tradition that focuses on ritual practices that are carried out with discipline to maintain connections with ancient past; animism


AH.14: Describe the origins and central features of Buddhism: • Key Person(s): Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) • Sacred Texts: Tripitaka • Basic Beliefs: Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Nirvana


AH.15: Describe the characteristics of early civilizations in Japan, with emphasis on the impact of Shinto and Buddhist traditions and the influence of Chinese culture.


AH.16: Describe the characteristics of early civilizations in China, with emphasis on the development of an empire, the construction of the Great Wall, and the Han Dynasty.


AH.17: Compare and contrast the impact of eastern religions (e.g., Confucianism, Taoism) on cultural traditions and social relationships.


AH.18: Describe the characteristics of early civilizations in India, with emphasis on the Aryan migrations and the caste system


AH.19: Describe the geographic, social, economic, and religious characteristics of the ancient African civilization of Axum, including its replacing Kush.


The Classical Civilizations of Greece and Rome: 500 BCE - 300 AD

AH.20: Analyze the role geography played in the rise of Greek city-states, including their political and economic interactions.


AH.21: Describe early Greek society, with an emphasis on social classes, cultural traditions, and religious beliefs.


AH.22: Compare and contrast the city-states of Athens and Sparta, explaining social structures, the significance of citizenship, and rise of early democracy.


AH.23: Evaluate the significance of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.


AH.24: Explain the conquest of Greece by Macedonia and the formation and spread of Hellenistic culture by Alexander the Great


AH.25: Identify the significant developments and contributions of Greece to the following: • Architecture • Art/Drama • History • Language• Law • Literature/Poetry • Medicine• Philosophy • Religious institutions • Science • Technology


AH.26: Analyze the role and influence of geography on Roman economic, social, and political development.


AH.27: Explain the social and political structures of the Roman Republic, including: the role of slavery, significance of citizenship, and development of democratic features in the government.


AH.28: Explain the rise of the Roman military and impacts of its conquests on political affairs, the economy, social structures, and spread of Roman culture.


AH.29: Assess the roles of Julius and Augustus Caesar in the collapse of the Roman Republic and the rise of imperial monarchs.


AH.30: Explain the economic, social, and political impact of the Pax Romana.


AH.31: Describe the origins, central features, and diffusion of Christianity: • Key Person(s): Jesus, Paul • Sacred Texts: The Bible • Basic Beliefs: monotheism, sin and forgiveness, eternal life, Jesus as the Messiah


AH.32: Explain the development and significance of the Christian Church in the late Roman Empire.


AH.33: Identify the significant developments and contributions of Rome to the following: • Architecture • Art/Drama • History • Language• Law • Literature/Poetry • Medicine• Philosophy • Religious institutions • Science • Technology


AH.34: Discuss the reasons for the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire.


Post-Classical Civilizations: 300-1000 CE

AH.35: Explain the reasons for the establishment of Constantinople as the capital of the Byzantine Empire.


AH.36: Describe the contributions of Justinian (e.g., the codification of Roman law) and the economic and political expansion of the Byzantine Empire.


AH.37: Compare and contrast Byzantine art and architecture with previous Greek and Roman traditions.


AH.38: Explain disputes that led to the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.


AH.39: Analyze the Golden Age of India under the Gupta Empire.


AH.40: Describe the origins, central features, and diffusion of Islam: • Key Person(s): Mohammad • Sacred Texts: The Quran and The Sunnah • Basic Beliefs: monotheism, Five Pillars


AH.41: Analyze the role geography played in the economic, social, and political development of Islamic civilizations.


AH.42: Identify historical turning points that affected the diffusion and influence of Islam, with emphasis on the Sunni-Shi’a division and Battle of Tours.


AH.43: Describe cultural and scientific contributions and achievements of Islamic civilizations.


AH.44: Explain how the diffusion of Christianity throughout Europe influenced its development after the decline of the Roman Empire.


AH.45: Explain the structure of feudal society and its economic, social, and political effects.


AH.46: Explain the rise of Frankish kings, the Age of Charlemagne, and the revival of the idea of the Roman Empire.


AH.47: Examine the invasions, settlements, and patterns of interaction of migratory groups, including: Angles, Saxons, Magyars, and Vikings.


Regional Interactions: 1000-1500 CE

AH.48: Describe the characteristics of civilizations in the Americas, with emphasis on the Maya and Incans, in terms of geography, society, economy, and religion.


AH.49: Describe the characteristics of the continuation of civilizations in Africa, with emphasis on Axum, Ghana, and Mali, in terms of geography, society, economy/trade, and religion.


AH.50: Describe the development of monarchies (e.g., England, France, Russia, and Spain) as foundations for the later emergence of nation-states.


AH.51: Analyze the causes, experiences, and consequences of the Crusades during the medieval period.


AH.52: Explain later conflicts in the Eurasian region, with emphasis on the Mongol conquests, the Hundred Years War, and the fall of Constantinople.


AH.53: Identify patterns of crisis and recovery related to the Black Death (i.e., Bubonic Plague).


AH.54: Describe social, political, and religious developments in the later medieval period (e.g., Magna Carta, decline of feudalism, and church-state conflicts).


AH.55: Describe how preservation and integration of Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Arabic knowledge influenced developments in Western Europe (e.g., philosophy, medicine, and technology).


AH.56: Explain the rise of Italian city-states and their political development, including Niccolo Machiavelli’s theory of governing as described in The Prince.


AH.57: Examine how economic growth in the Italian city-states enabled patronage for the arts.


AH.58: Describe how Renaissance art, literature, and philosophy (e.g., Petrarch) differed from those in the medieval period.


AH.59: Compare and contrast the Italian and the Northern Renaissances, citing the contributions of writers and artists.


AH.60: Describe how economic and technological advances led to networks of trade and cultural interactions between major European civilizations.


Additional Standards