Eight Themes of World History

Power and Authority Who holds the power? How did that person or group gain power? What system of government provides order? How is power maintained or lost?

Religious and Ethical Systems What beliefs are held by a majority of the people? How do the major religions differ from one another? How do the various religions interact with one another? How do religious groups react to nonmembers?

Religious and Ethical Systems

Revolution Great Change What long-term ideas or institutions are being overthrown? What caused people to make this change? What are the results of change?

Interaction with the Environment How do humans adjust to the climate and terrain? How have changes in the natural world forced people to change? What positive and negative changes have people made to the environment?

Economics How to use scarce resources to satisfy needs. What goods and services does a society produce? Who controls the wealth and resources?

Cultural Interaction How have cultures interacted? Trade, migration, conquest What items have cultures passed on to each other? What political, economic, and religious ideas have cultures passed on to each other? What positive and negative effects have resulted from cultural interaction?

Cultural Interaction

Empire Building What motivates groups to conquer other lands and people? How is control gained? How does the dominating society control and rule its subjects?

Science and Technology What tools and methods do people use to solve problems? How do people gain and use knowledge? How do new discoveries and inventions change people’s lives?