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The Long Nineteenth Century

Driving Question: What were the engines of change that created our modern world?

The changes people experienced during the “long nineteenth century” led to the creation of our modern world. Why did the world transform during this long century? How did people respond to these monumental changes? This overview lesson gets you ready for the fast-moving origin story of modern life.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Analyze the roles sovereignty, individualism, and equality played in political revolutions.
  2. Use the course frames to evaluate how revolutions reshaped human communities in the long nineteenth century.
STEP 1

Opener: The Long Nineteenth Century

STEP 2

Looking Ahead

STEP 3

The Long Nineteenth Century

Get a big-picture view of the changes that defined the long nineteenth century. In this video and article, you'll explore how revolutions, industrialization, and empire shaped the modern world—and start to identify the major engines of change.

Unit 7 Overview External link

People have worn clothes for millennia. But changes in fashion tell us a lot about the political, economic, and social revolutions that spread during the long nineteenth century.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 4

Framing Unit 7

History is full of change, and how we understand that change depends on the frame we use. This video and activity will help us use the course frames to evaluate the causes and effects of political and national revolutions during the long nineteenth century.

Unit 7 Frames External link

The “long nineteenth century” appears revolutionary, no matter which frame you use to view the changes that occurred. But were these changes positive for everyone?

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 5

Closer: The Long Nineteenth Century

Extension Materials
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Revise a sample student essay and give suggestions for how to build a strong argument with clear organization and effective use of language—this will help build your own understanding of quality writing.
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Reviewing for Organization and Language/Style

By suggesting revisions to someone else’s writing, you’ll get much better at identifying what makes strong writing. Make suggestions for improving organization and language/style—and then keep those suggestions in mind the next time you write.