A-G World History
About This Course
A-G World History is a college-preparatory history course spanning roughly 3000 BCE to the end of the Cold War. Students trace the development of early ancient civilizations and empires through Greece, Rome, Medieval Europe, the Renaissance and Reformation, New World settlement, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment, continuing through the age of political and industrial revolutions, the World Wars, and into the globalized Information Age. The course takes a comparative cultures approach with an emphasis on Western history, while also examining the Far East, the New World, Africa, and the increasingly integrated world of the 19th and 20th centuries.
This course is grounded in four intellectual virtues: Intellectual Honesty, Intellectual Empathy, Intellectual Humility, and Intellectual Confidence. Rather than instilling political or ideological commitments, the course develops students' ability to examine primary sources carefully, evaluate economic, social, religious, ideological, and geographical factors, and trace lines of continuity and change across world history.
The course combines a weekly lecture with a live online discussion session on Thursdays. Students should expect to spend approximately 3.5 to 6 hours per week, depending on assignment and reading speed.
- Weekly lecture and live discussion, Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Pacific
- Recorded sessions available for students who cannot attend live
- Two graded assignments per week (quizzes and short essays)
- Two research papers over the course of the year
- Annual course, one history credit on transcript
- Trace world history from the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt through the end of the Cold War
- Analyze complex historical cause and effect by examining political, economic, social, religious, ideological, and geographical factors
- Read, locate, and cite primary sources; distinguish between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources
- Develop a focused historical thesis and support it with evidence from multiple source types
- Recognize how an author's perspective shapes historical narrative and argument
- Write a research paper and a historical analysis paper using primary and secondary sources
- Apply the intellectual virtues of honesty, empathy, humility, and confidence to historical inquiry
This course meets California A-G requirements. For complete standards documentation, visit the California A-G Standards Alignment page.
Schedule
A-G World History is an annual course. Each week includes a lecture and a live online discussion session. Discussion sessions meet on Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Pacific; recorded sessions are available for students who cannot attend live. Pricing and purchase order details are available through your school's purchasing department.
| Session | Format | Meeting Time |
|---|---|---|
| Full Year | Live, online | Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. Pacific |
Course Units
| # | Unit Title | Period Covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-Roman Ancient Empires | 3000–323 BCE |
| 2 | Rome From Republic to Empire and the Fall | 509 BCE–800 CE |
| 3 | Late Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation Era | 1000–1600 |
| 4 | Early Modern Settlement, Scientific Revolution, and Enlightenment | 1500–1800 |
| 5 | Age of Political Revolutions | 1770–1815 |
| 6 | Age of Industry, Nationalism, Imperialism, and World War | 1760–1918 |
| 7 | Ideology and Globalization | 1919–1945 |
| 8 | The Cold War and the Information Age | 1945–1991 |
Required and Suggested Texts
Students are responsible for obtaining the required textbook below. All primary sources are provided as online links within the weekly assignment pages. An atlas is suggested but not required.
| Title | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Penguin History of the World, 6th edition | Roberts & Westad | Required. Must purchase; not provided by WriteAtHome. 6th edition required. |
| History of the World Map by Map | DK | Suggested. Any atlas of world history is acceptable. |
Assignments and Assessment
WriteAtHome's Mr. Napier grades all weekly assignments and both research papers. Optional A-G assignments (oral presentations, collaborative projects, visual projects) are overseen and graded by the student's charter school teacher or educational coordinator.
| Assignment Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Assignments | Two assignments per week, alternating between quizzes based on the lecture and short essays or discussion questions that develop critical reasoning about historical events and ideas. Graded by Mr. Napier. | 2 per week |
| Historical Figure Paper | A 1,000 to 1,200 word research paper focused on a significant figure in world history. Students develop a focused thesis and support it with primary and secondary sources. Graded by Mr. Napier. | Once Semester 1 |
| Historical Analysis Paper | A 1,200 to 1,500 word research paper analyzing a historical event or topic, using the economic, social, geographical, and ideological factors studied throughout the year. Students must use at least one primary source. Graded by Mr. Napier. | Once Semester 2 |
| Optional A-G Assignments | Oral presentations, collaborative projects, and visual projects are available as optional A-G assignments. Rubrics and assignment details are provided by WriteAtHome; grading is completed by the student's charter school teacher or educational coordinator. | Optional |
Instructor
How to Enroll
Enrollment is handled through your charter school. Check with your school's purchasing department for enrollment details, purchase order procedures, and course approval specific to your school.
Questions? Contact WriteAtHome at info@writeathome.com.
Supplementary Education Center/Program:
WriteAtHome (4-12) is Fully Accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
533 Airport Blvd., Suite 200
Burlingame, CA 94010
Website: www.acswasc.org