10th Grade Social Institutions

Unit 1: Study of Virtue in The Ancient Greek Culture

Specific Topics

  • The Geography of Greece
  • The rise of democracy in Greece
  • The Persian Wars
  • The Athenian System of Education
  • The Peloponnesian War

Essential Questions

  • How did the harsh geography of Greece help mold the traditional virtues of the Greeks?
  • How and why did philosophy and democracy rise during the Archaic Age?
  • To what extent did Themistocles and Leonidas embody the Aristotelian concept of the Golden Mean during the Persian Wars?
  • How does Plato want to reestablish virtue in Athens after the Peloponnesian War?

Student Understandings

Student will:

  • explain how the geography of Greece led to the rise of warlike qualities such as bravery, strength and obedience in order to survive
  • explain why being rational and logical became as important as being strong during the Archaic Age as the Athenians were not only warriors but also became citizens and politicians
  • understand how the role of military tactics and intelligence in defeating the massive Persian army
  • familiarize themselves with Plato’s utopia

Readings & Materials

  • The Republic by Plato
  • Readings: :”Virtue, Product of Greek geography”
  • “The Rise of Trade and colonization” (Archaic)
  • “The Rise of the Polis” (Archaic)
  • “Athenian Democracy” (Classical)
  • “Athenian Education: School of Reason” (Classical)
  • “The Persian Wars” (Archaic)
  • “Plato’s Republic” (Classical)

 

Unit 2: The Rise of Christianity

Specific Topics

  • The creation and expansion of Rome
  • The transformation of the Republic into an Empire
  • The historical Jesus
  • The Emperors Augustus, Nero & Constantine
  • The role of Paul in spreading Christianity

Essential Questions

  • How did Augustus’ Pax Romana allow the spread of Christianity westward?
  • How did Nero’s rule of decadence lead to the embrace of Christian ethics by an increasing number of Roman citizens?
  • Why did Constantine make Christianity the religion of the Empire?

Student Understandings

  • Students’ will understand how Augustus, Nero and Constantine each contributed (intentionally or not) to the rise of Christianity in the West.

Readings & Materials

  • Reading handouts
  • The Old and New Testament
  • PBS DVD: “The Roman Empire in the 1st century”
  • BBC Documentary: “The Most Evil Men in History: Nero”
  • A&E: “Christianity: the 1st 2000 years” (segment on Constantine)

 

Unit 3: The Bloody History of the Catholic Church

Specific Topics

  • The Power of the Church
  • The Rise of Islam and the reintroduction of classical learning in the West
  • The Reformation and the decline of the Church
  • Exploration and its impact on the Church
  • The Crusades and their impact on the West

Essential Questions

How did:

  • the Church establish itself as the main institution of the Middle Ages?
  • the Europeans lost and rediscover classical learning in Spain?
  • Exploration strengthen and weaken the Church?
  • the Reformation split the Church?

Student Understandings

  • The Rise and Fall of the Church
  • The rise of science vs. the Church
  • Why a religious government is not desirable

Readings & Materials

  • “The Power of the Church”
  • “The Rise of Islam”
  • “The Age of Exploration”
  • “The Great Wars of Religion”

 

Unit 4: The Romantics & The Victorians

Specific Topics

  • The French Revolution
  • The Industrial Revolution
  • The Rise of capitalism and the Bourgeoisie in Europe
  • The historical context that led to the growing influence of marxism
  • Social Darwinism, nationalism and colonization

Essential Questions

How did:

  • the Enlightenment lead to popular movements of rebellion such as in France in 1789?
  • the French Revolution positively and negatively change the social and political fabric of Europe?
  • the Industrial Revolution positively and negatively change the social and political fabric of Europe and America?
  • both the French and Industrial Revolutions trigger the great modern conflicts of the 20th century?

Student Understandings

Students will be able to:

  • analyze the factors that led to the beginning of the French and Industrial Revolutions
  • show how these 2 events followed different paths but ended up with the same result: the rise of the Bourgeoisie in Europe
  • show how WWI and WWII are rooted in the nationalism created by the French Revolution and the industrialization created by the Industrial Revolution

Readings & Materials

  • Reading handouts
  • History Channel DVD: “The French Revolution”
  • A&E on Napoleon
  • Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times

10th Grade Quick Links