GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF THE WORLD WORKSHOP Syllabus Ideas and Organizational Possibilities From Dr. Clark I intended to write up two different outlines (one with a World Geography approach, one with more of a World History theme approach), but while doing the first one, it would seem that more or less my bias for the second got the best of me, and I ended up molding the two together anyway. I might have explored more historical themes in the second, but when I think about it, it likely wouldn’t look a great deal different than the first.
I. The Middle School and/or World Geography Approach What concerns me about this approach (and the course design in general) is the lack of just pure history standards—some concepts and events that are the most important. Certainly if you look at the GHW Standards, there are some that address this at the broadest level—Nations, States, Nation-States; Imperialism; Urbanization, etc. This will have to be your guide in selecting episodes to focus on that not only cover the GHW standards but that also capture the critical aspects of historical change. The chief benefit of this approach is that class is geared more toward World Geography and many of you use this standard text. Nevertheless, there are historical epochs that a traditional World Geography, regional approach simply does not address appropriately. One of these would be our contemporary era— globalization. The best approach here would be to explore the phenomenon and then to examine regional examples to explore the similarities and differences in dealing with the challenges and opportunities of globalization (and other problems related to the diffusion of ideas and innovations, like modern medicine and transportation helping to produce exploding populations). But throughout the modern period (say since 1500), the world has become a more interconnected place: European expansion and colonization (including the Columbian Exchange), the Scientific Revolution, industrialization, imperialism, postcolonialism—really the fall implications that Guns, Germs, and Steel explores. These were global phenomena. So, I think that while a traditional regional approach would work very well, you would have to insert special content units covering either some of these related GHW standards OR some of the topical themes noted above. Perhaps cover key concepts/standards BEFORE plunging in to the Regions. Or, cover each region following a rough chronology in each up until about1500. Then stop to cover the Columbian Exchange (for example) and
the rise of European industrialization and the Nation State, and then go back to a regional approach to see how these all panned out. And, I still think one would need a couple of final units covering the contemporary globalized world AND one’s own locality. How has the local community you live in been impacted by (or was/was not a part of) some of the themes of the modern era (industrialization, immigration, urbanization, demographic shifts [growth/decline], etc.) How such a class might be outlined: A. Introduction to World Geography Themes and Concepts—with a focus on the human geography/cultural geography, like population and man-land interactions. B. The Regions of the World (up to the Columbian Exchange, c. 1500 C.E.) Within each region, your standard world geography text likely will not be very helpful. It can offer some basic information as a foundation. You should let the GHW standards (at least some of them) AND a decent world history text (looking for the key themes or episodes for a focus) be your guide to what topics/unit and lessons you would want to develop. The general consensus even from the middle-school teachers was that the teacher needs to bring in supplementary world history resources. Within each region, however you would develop topics related to GHW standards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. What are the defining cultures/civilizations that develop in each region (culture hearths, religion, population growth, perhaps state development [standard 10]? You would note aspects of trade (standard 8), and any major conflicts or innovations (standards 7 and 6 respectively).
Southwest Asia South Asia East Asia Africa a) Northern Africa b) Sub-Saharan Africa 5. Asia 6. North and South America 7. Europe C. Major Shifts in World History (or in Man-Land interaction) This is the two (or so) unit interlude noted above, where you would cover (essentially) the key question animating Guns, Germs, and Steel—Why did Europeans come to dominate the world scene, what were their advantages? 1. The Rise of Europe after the Black Death (population-standard 3, the early rise of the nation state-standard 10, and [mainly] innovations in technology and thought [religion and science], and trade-standards 6 and 9)
1. 2. 3. 4.
2. European Exploration (innovations and revolutions, nation-states, exploration and conquest, Columbian exchange—standards, 6, 10, 4, and 9 and 12) 3. Industrialization and Imperialism, mainly in Europe (innovations, trade, population, urbanization, conflict and cooperation, nation-state development—many standards again). You might want to pirate some key ideas organizationally from a world history text, since big historical topics like WWI and WWII would have to be placed under broader topical headings. D. Back to Regional Ramifications (except for Europe, which was the primary focus of the last three units) Within each region, one would explore the ramifications of colonialism, imperialism, capitalism, socialism (both western concepts), etc. 1. The Americas 2. Africa (again the N. and S. split) a) Impact of slave trade b) Impact of imperial colonization and war c) Capitalism, Socialism and post-colonialism 3. South Asia a) Imperialism (trade and commerce, conflict/cooperation, and diffusion of ideas, along with a discussion of barriers) b) Post Colonial/Revolutions *pick and choose nations/episodes as guides 4. East Asia a) China and Imperialism—trade and the struggle between capitalism, socialism and traditional folkways b) SE Asia and Imperialism (Dutch in Indonesia and the power of oil; the French in Indo-China) c) Japan and playing catch up (after isolation—political and cultural barriers to change, recall the Last Samurai) 5. Southwest Asia a) Imperialism/trade networks b) Post-imperial breakout and the power of Oil (standards 8, 9, 10)—OPEC would be an example of cooperation E. Globalization Issues: here I would stick mainly to themes rather than regions or nations. One might address in no particular order: 1. Demographic Explosion—due to diffusion of knowledge/medicine etc. (standards 3 and 6). One would likely also cover urbanization here. 2. Trade Connections/internet and diffusion of ideas-homogenization of world? (and the conflicts this homogenization pose—i.e. clash of civilizations)
3. Global Change and the Environment (standards 9 and 12) 4. Sports and Recreation 5. My hometown and Global Evolutions
II. World History Hybrid A. Introduction to Geography Concepts B. Divergence of World Cultures (Ancient thru Medieval, c. 1300-1400) C. Convergence of World Cultures (world from 1500-1945) D. Globalization (Since 1945)