What Is World History?
Driving Question: Why is learning history important?
History comes alive when we view events from multiple perspectives and time periods. To uncover an event’s true significance, historians rely on powerful tools like claim testing and scale switching—methods that help unravel the complexities of the past and bring it into sharp focus.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn how scale switching helps historians better understand the past.
- Learn how to use claim testers to evaluate arguments.
- Identify the three frames of this course and explain their characteristics.
Vocab Terms:
- authority
- claim tester
- evidence
- frame
- logic
- scale switching
Opener: What Is World History?
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 2 of the Lesson 1.2 Teaching Guide.
Ever heard the phrase “look at the big picture”? Now, imagine what happens when you're only looking at one small piece of it. The full story can be completely different.
History of Many Shapes and Sizes
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 2 of the Lesson 1.2 Teaching Guide.
Check out this blog post to learn more about narratives and frames and how they connect to other key concepts in the course.
Overview videos break down the big themes, spotlight key data, and zoom in or out to give you fresh angles on history.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Preview the questions below, and then review the transcript.
While you watch
Look for answers to these questions:
- How can art help us understand history?
- What is world history and what’s your role in it?
- Why are there many world histories rather than one world history?
- How does your history connect with the history of people all around the world?
- What are the three frames you’ll be using in this course and what does each one mean?
- How is history different from memory?
After you watch
Respond to this question: Can you think of a fourth frame for this course that might help you understand world history better?
Key Ideas
Claim Testing
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 3 of the Lesson 1.2 Teaching Guide.
Looking for some at-a-glance guidance for claim testing? Look no further than this one-pager!
Historians love to make claims about the past. Claim testing is the best tool for evaluating those arguments and separating fact from fiction.
Reading History
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 3 of the Lesson 1.2 Teaching Guide.
Take a look at the Reading Overview for some approaches to teaching reading.
Interpreting history means diving deep into the details. Try the Three-Step Reading strategy to dig into the first article in this course.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How is history different from memory?
- What is the job of a historian?
- What are frames and how can they help us understand the past?
- What is collective learning?
- Why is it important to consider timelines and geographic scale when studying history?
After you read
Respond to this question: Can you think of any ways that history is useful to you in your daily life?
Closer: What Is World History?
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 5 of the Lesson 1.2 Teaching Guide.
What happens when we start with the big picture? How does zooming in on the smaller details change our understanding? It’s all about shifting perspectives to uncover new insights.
