1. World History Themes….

2. World HistoryThemes 2009-20102 World History Themes Themes help us to better focus on the key features of each society and event we read and learn about. Remember: Things don’t happen in a vacuum. Events are CAUSED by something. People are who they are because of their HISTORY!

3. World HistoryThemes 2009-20103 World History Themes 1. Continuity and Change  History is the story of CHANGE. Some changes happen quickly: a Revolution, for example. Others happen more slowly such as the spread of Democratic Ideas which may take decades.  Despite the eventuality of change there are enduring traditions and concerns linking people across time and space.

4. World HistoryThemes 2009-20104 World History Themes 2. Geography and History  Geography influences where people settle, how they live and how goods and ideas travel.  Think of environmental issues  Think of the fact that control of certain geographical features can determine the outcome of wars.

5. World HistoryThemes 2009-20105 World History Themes 3. Political and Social Systems  Monarchs, presidents, dictators, tribal councils—each society has a form of government. WHY?.....because they want to ensure order and guard against outside threats Legal systems Social classes The most basic unit of all: THE FAMILY. Why is the family so important? What purpose does the family as a unit serve?

6. World HistoryThemes 2009-20106 World History Themes 4. Religions and Value Systems  What do I mean by “Value System”?  A value system is a set of consistent ethic values (more specifically the personal and cultural values) and measures used for the purpose of ethical or ideological integrity. A well defined value system is a moral code. Continue next slide………………….

7. World HistoryThemes 2009-20107 World History Themes Religious symbols:

8. World HistoryThemes 2009-20108 World History Themes Religion exerts a powerful influence and impact on the world.  Belief in one God has guided the histories of Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike.  Buddhism and Hinduism has shaped many Asian cultures.  Nonreligious values, such as Greek ideals of beauty and individuality, have had a wide influence.

9. World HistoryThemes 2009-20109 World History Themes 5. Economics and Technology:  Who controls vital resources? What work do people do and how ae they paid? Economic questions such as these are often closely linked to technology.  From Stone Age farming tools to the printing press to the steam engine to the computer, technology has transformed the world again and again.

10. World HistoryThemes 2009-201010 World History Themes 6. Diversity:  The diversity of the world’s cultures is reflected in many ways, including language, ethnic background, customs, beliefs, and clothing.  Such diversity has enriched the human experience.  Yet, cultural and ethnic differences are often at the source of bitter conflict.

11. World HistoryThemes 2009-201011 World History Themes 7. Global interaction:  Different parts of the world interact in different ways—through migration, trade, warfare, or the exchange of ideas.  When people traveled by oxcart or sailing ship, this process was slow. Today, communications networks can link people of the world instantly.

12. World HistoryThemes 2009-201012 World History Themes 8. Art and literature:  People have created art and/or literature since time began. Think: Stone Age cave paintings……………………

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17. World HistoryThemes 2009-201017 World History Themes ….such paintings express…. ……………….the values and lives of the people who created them. In the Middle Ages, Europeans built soaring cathedrals to the glory of God. Today, novelists and filmmakers from Nigeria to Brazil vividly depict the challenges of modern life.

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19. World HistoryThemes 2009-201019 World History Themes 9. The Individual:  Everyone who has ever lived and everyone who is living is part of the human story. Yet some people have such an impact on events that we remember them long after they die. For good or ill, individuals have had and will continue to have a lasting influence on our world.