Course Description: World History is a required course for Sophomore (10th grade) students. The course is a graduation requirement for a high school diploma in the State of California. The State standards provide both the framework and pace of this class. The course is designed to provide students the knowledge and understanding of major turning points that shaped the modern world, from the late eighteenth century through the present, including the cause and effects of the two world wars.
The course traces the rise of democratic ideas and develops an understanding of the historical roots of current world issues, especially as they pertain to international relations. Students develop an understanding of current world issues and relate them to their historical, geographic, political, economic, and cultural contexts.