World History: The Modern World
1900 - Present
Students in World History study major turning points that shaped the modern world, from the late eighteenth century through the present, including the cause and course of the two world wars. They trace the rise of democratic ideas and develop 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. Students consider multiple accounts of events in order to understand international relations from a variety of perspectives. -California Department of Education
Unit 1: The Road to World War I
The period of world history from 1800 to 1914 was characterized by two major developments: the growth of industrialization and Western domination of the world. The Industrial Revolution became one of the major forces for change, leading Western civilization into the industrial era that has characterized the modern world. At the same time, the Industrial Revolution created the technological means, including new weapons, by which the West achieved domination over much of the rest of the world... Militarism, feelings of nationalism and a system of alliances contributed to the start of World War I. Serbia’s determination to become a large, independent state angered Austria-Hungary and started hostilities. -Glencoe World History: Modern Times
Student Learning Objectives:
History Unplugged Article
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 100 Years Ago
Unit 2: World War I
The stalemate at the Western Front led to a widening of World War I, and governments expanded their powers to accommodate the war. The war on the Western Front turned into a stalemate as a result of trench warfare, while on the Eastern Front Germany and Austria-Hungary defeated Russia. New weapons and trench warfare made WWI far more devastating than any previous wars. With the war at a stalemate, both the Allies and the Central Powers looked for new allies to gain an advantage. The U.S. attempt at neutrality ended when the Germans refused to stop unrestricted submarine warfare. WWI became a total war with governments taking control of their economies and civilians undergoing rationing of goods. -Glencoe World History: Modern Times
Student Learning Objectives:
BBC: Life in a WWI Trench
Unit 3: The West Between the Wars
The peace settlement at the end of World War I had tried to fulfill nineteenth-century dreams of nationalism by creating new boundaries and new states. From the beginning, however, the settlement left nations unhappy. Border disputes poisoned relations in eastern Europe for years. Many Germans vowed to revise the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
Unit 4: World War II
The biggest conflict in history had lasted almost six years. Some 100 million people had been militarized, and 50 million had been killed. Of those who had died, 15 million were soldiers, 20 million were Russian civilians, six million were Jews and over four million were Poles. -BBC History
The period of world history from 1800 to 1914 was characterized by two major developments: the growth of industrialization and Western domination of the world. The Industrial Revolution became one of the major forces for change, leading Western civilization into the industrial era that has characterized the modern world. At the same time, the Industrial Revolution created the technological means, including new weapons, by which the West achieved domination over much of the rest of the world... Militarism, feelings of nationalism and a system of alliances contributed to the start of World War I. Serbia’s determination to become a large, independent state angered Austria-Hungary and started hostilities. -Glencoe World History: Modern Times
Student Learning Objectives:
- Students will summarize the causes of World War I.
- Students will recognize how nationalism and a system of alliances contributed to the start of the war.
- Students will describe events on the Western Front and the Eastern Front.
- Students will explain what is meant by “total war” and its effects on society.
- Students will discuss major turning points in the war.
History Unplugged Article
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 100 Years Ago
Unit 2: World War I
The stalemate at the Western Front led to a widening of World War I, and governments expanded their powers to accommodate the war. The war on the Western Front turned into a stalemate as a result of trench warfare, while on the Eastern Front Germany and Austria-Hungary defeated Russia. New weapons and trench warfare made WWI far more devastating than any previous wars. With the war at a stalemate, both the Allies and the Central Powers looked for new allies to gain an advantage. The U.S. attempt at neutrality ended when the Germans refused to stop unrestricted submarine warfare. WWI became a total war with governments taking control of their economies and civilians undergoing rationing of goods. -Glencoe World History: Modern Times
Student Learning Objectives:
- Students will describe how trench warfare led to a stalemate.
- Students will identify which countries belonged to the Allies and the Central Powers.
- Students will explain why the United States entered the war.
- Students will understand the far-reaching political and social consequences of the "Great War".
- Students will read and evaluate WW1 literature - "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "Storm of Steel"
- Students will discuss the psychological effect of World War I on those who survived it.
- Students will explore what the war was like for the average soldier.
BBC: Life in a WWI Trench
Unit 3: The West Between the Wars
The peace settlement at the end of World War I had tried to fulfill nineteenth-century dreams of nationalism by creating new boundaries and new states. From the beginning, however, the settlement left nations unhappy. Border disputes poisoned relations in eastern Europe for years. Many Germans vowed to revise the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
Unit 4: World War II
The biggest conflict in history had lasted almost six years. Some 100 million people had been militarized, and 50 million had been killed. Of those who had died, 15 million were soldiers, 20 million were Russian civilians, six million were Jews and over four million were Poles. -BBC History