World History
From the dawn of civilization to the modern era. These pages are aligned to the Utah Core Standards for World History (Course 6300), covering the full sweep of human history from the Neolithic Revolution to contemporary global issues.
Course Standards
World History addresses the human story from prehistory to the present, highlighting connections across cultures and time periods. Each strand below contains specific standards that guide classroom instruction. Click any lesson plan card to explore ready-to-use resources.
The Rise of Civilization
Prehistory — 300 BCE
The Neolithic Revolution
Analyze the Neolithic Revolution and the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities — including domestication of plants and animals, the rise of permanent settlements, and the impact on social organization.
Early River Valley Civilizations
Examine the development of early river valley civilizations — Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and Ancient China — including their governments, writing systems, legal codes, and cultural achievements.
Classical Civilizations
Analyze the political, social, and cultural characteristics of classical civilizations — including Ancient Greece, the Roman Republic and Empire, Classical China (Zhou, Qin, Han), and Classical India (Maurya, Gupta).
The Classical Age
600 BCE — 600 CE
Classical Greece & Rome
Analyze the political, social, and cultural achievements of classical Greece and Rome — including the development of democracy, philosophy, art, architecture, and the expansion of the Roman Empire.
Classical India & China
Examine the development of classical Indian and Chinese civilizations — including the caste system, the Silk Road trade networks, Confucianism, Daoism, and the Han bureaucracy.
World Religions & Belief Systems
Analyze the origins, core beliefs, and spread of major world religions and belief systems — including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Confucianism, and Daoism — and their impact on societies.
Post-Classical & Medieval World
600 — 1450
Rise & Spread of Islam
Analyze the origins and spread of Islam — including the life of Muhammad, the growth of the Islamic Caliphates, Islamic Golden Age achievements in science and culture, and the division between Sunni and Shia traditions.
Medieval Europe & Byzantium
Examine feudalism in Europe, the Byzantine Empire and the preservation of classical knowledge, the role of the Catholic Church, the Magna Carta, and the development of European kingdoms.
Africa, Asia & the Americas
Analyze the civilizations of Africa (Ghana, Mali, Songhai), Asia (Tang and Song China, Mongol Empire, feudal Japan), and the Americas (Maya, Aztec, Inca) during the post-classical period.
Cultural Exchange & Conflict
Examine cultural exchange and conflict across Eurasia — including the Crusades, the Silk Road trade network, the spread of technology and ideas, and the impact of the Mongol Empire on global connections.
The Early Modern World
1450 — 1750
Renaissance & Reformation
Analyze the Renaissance and Reformation — including the revival of classical learning, humanism, Renaissance art and literature, the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Counter-Reformation, and their lasting impacts on European society.
Exploration & Colonization
Examine the age of exploration and colonization — including the motivations for European exploration, the Columbian Exchange, the transatlantic slave trade, and the impact of colonization on indigenous peoples in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
Rise of Empires
Analyze the rise of powerful empires during this period — including the Ottoman Empire, Safavid Persia, Mughal India, and the gunpowder empires, as well as the rise of absolute monarchies in Europe (Louis XIV, Peter the Great).
The Scientific Revolution
Analyze the Scientific Revolution and its impact on world history — including the contributions of Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Bacon, the development of the scientific method, and the challenge to traditional authority.
Revolutions & Change
1750 — 1900
Enlightenment & Age of Revolution
Analyze the Enlightenment and the Age of Revolution — including the ideas of Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Voltaire, and the American, French, Haitian, and Latin American revolutions that reshaped the political world.
The Industrial Revolution
Examine the Industrial Revolution and its global impacts — including the shift from agrarian to industrial economies, urbanization, technological innovations, the rise of capitalism and socialism, and the transformation of daily life.
Nationalism, Imperialism & Colonialism
Analyze nationalism, imperialism, and colonialism in the 19th century — including the unification of Germany and Italy, the Scramble for Africa, British rule in India, and the Opium Wars in China.
Reform & Democratic Ideals
Examine reform movements and the expansion of democratic ideals — including the abolition of slavery, women's suffrage movements, labor reforms, and the spread of democratic institutions across the globe.
The Modern World
1900 — Present
World War I & Its Aftermath
Analyze the causes, course, and consequences of World War I — including militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism, trench warfare, the Russian Revolution, the Treaty of Versailles, and the League of Nations.
Interwar Period & Totalitarianism
Examine the interwar period — including the Great Depression's global impact, the rise of totalitarian regimes (Stalin's USSR, Mussolini's Italy, Hitler's Germany, Imperial Japan), and the failures of collective security.
World War II & the Holocaust
Analyze World War II and the Holocaust — including the rise of fascism, Axis and Allied strategies, the Holocaust and other genocides, the dropping of the atomic bomb, and the war's global aftermath.
Cold War, Decolonization & Global Issues
Examine the Cold War, decolonization, and contemporary global issues — including the nuclear arms race, proxy wars, the collapse of the Soviet Union, independence movements in Africa and Asia, and modern challenges like climate change and globalization.
Related Resources on This Site
Story Reader
Interactive history stories with read-aloud narration and word-by-word highlighting. Covers world history topics from Ancient Egypt to the Cold War.
Browse StoriesControversial History Directory
Explore complex figures and events in depth — from the Iraq War to the Pinochet regime, from the Cold War to the Koch Network.
Browse DirectoryEssential Documentaries
Curated documentary films for classroom use covering world history topics — including The Fog of War, Dark Money, and more.
View DocumentariesThese standards are from the Utah Core Standards — World History (Course 6300). Full standards document available from the Utah Education Network.
Need a specific world history lesson plan?
We're building these out one standard at a time. Tell us what you need.
Request a Lesson Plan