Grade 7 Content Standards

 

Topic I:  Central and South Asia

 

a. Physical and Political Geography of Central and South Asia

 

1. On a physical map of the world, locate Central and South Asia.  On a topographical map of Central and South Asia, locate important physical features of the region.

 

• Map of Central and South Asia

 

2. On a political map of the region, locate current countries, capitals and major cities and describe their absolute and relative location.

 

• Countries and Cities of Central and South Asia

 

3. Explain how absolute and relative location, major physical characteristics, climate and natural resources in this region have influenced settlement, population size, and the economies of the countries.

 

• Countries and Cities of Central and South Asia

 

b. Early Indian and Central Asian Civilizations, Religions and Cultures

 

• Supporting Question:  What was the significant contribution of early societies in India and Central Asia to mathematics, science, the arts, and technology in the modern world?

 

1. Explain the ways in which early Indian and Central Asian societies interacted with other regions of Asia (e.g., conquest, trade, colonization, religion, language and culture).

 

• Indus Valley Civilization

 

• Trade Along the Silk Routes

 

Alexander the Great and the Spread of Greek Culture

 

•  Zhang Qian and the Beginnings of the Silk Road

  

2. Describe important economic, political, and religious developments in Indian and Central Asian history and evaluate the ways in which they conform to or differ from civilizations in other regions of the world.

 

• India's Medieval Economy

 

• Indian History to 1700

 

• Islamic Expansion into India in 13th through 17th Centuries

 

• Hinduism

 

 

Topic 2:  East Asia

 

a. Physical and Political Geography of North and East Asia

 

1. On a physical map of the world, locate East Asia.

 

• Map of North and East Asia

 

2. On a political map of the region, distinguish countries, capitals and other cities and describe their absolute and relative location.

 

• Countries and Cities of North and East Asia

 

3. Explain how absolute and relative location, major physical characteristics, climate and natural resources in this region have influenced settlement, population size, and the economies of the countries.

 

b. Early East Asian Civilizations, Religions and Cultures:  Ancient China, c. 1600 BCE - 500 CE

 

• Supporting Question:  To what degree have Chinese societies over time been shaped by geography?

 

1. Describe the climate and topography of eastern Asia, including the importance of mountain ranges and deserts, and explain how geography influenced the growth of Chinese civilization.

 

• Topography and Climate of China and Eastern Asia

 

2. Describe the important economic, political and religious developments in early Chinese history and evaluate the ways in which they are similar to or different from the characteristics of civilizations in other regions of the world.

 

• The Great Wall and the Grand Canal

 

• Chinese Ideographic Writing System

 

• Technologies and Inventions of Ancient China

 

• Confucius and His Teachings

 

• The First Emperor of China
  

 

• Buddhism

 

c. Ancient Japan and Korea, c. 300 BCE - 1300 CE

 

• Supporting Question:  How has Korea served as both a cultural bridge and a battleground between China and Japan?

 

1. Trace the spread of Buddhism from India in the 4th century BCE to China and Korea and then to Japan, c. 538 CE.

 

• Buddhism

 

2. Describe the impact of encounters, such as through trade, religion, and conquest among the ancient civilizations of China, Japan and Korea.

 

• Developments and Feudalism in Japanese History

 

• Korea and Its Relationship to China and Japan 

 

 

Topic 3:  Southeast Asia and Oceania

 

a. Physical and Political Geography of Southeast Asia and Oceania

 

1. On a physical map of the world, locate Southeast Asia and Oceania.

 

• Map of Southeast Asia and Oceania

 

• Zealandi, A Newly Discovered, Mostly Underwater Continent

 

2. On a political map of the region, distinguish current countries,capitals and other cities of Southeast Asia, Australia, and the major Pacific Islands and describe their absolute and relative location.

 

• Countries and Cities of Southeast Asia and Oceania

 

3. Explain how absolute and relative location, major physical characteristics, climate and natural resources in this region have influenced settlement, population size, and the economies of the countries.

 

• Small Island Nations and Rising Sea Levels

 

b. First People of Australia and New Zealand

 

1. Identify and describe the major social features of the indigenous peoples in Australia (the Aborigines) and New Zealand (the Maoris).

 

• Indigenous Peoples of Australia and New Zealand

 

 

Topic 4:  Europe

 

a. Physical and Political Geography of Europe

 

1. On a physical map of the world, locate Europe.

 

• Map of Europe

 

2. On a political map of the world, distinguish current countries, capitals and other cities of the region and describe their absolute and relative location.

 

• Countries and Cities of Europe

 

3. Explain how major absolute and relative location, physical characteristics, climate and natural resources in this region have influenced settlement, population size, and the economies of the countries.

 

4. Identify what time zones are, when and how the precise measurement of longitude was scientifically and historically determined, the function and location of the International Date Line, and the function of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, and give examples of differences in time in countries in different parts of the world.

 

• Latitude, Longitude and Time Zones
  

 

b. Ancient and Classical Greece, c. 1200 - 300 BCE

 

• Supporting Question:  How does the democracy of Athens compare with the democracies of today?
  

 

1. On a historical map of the Mediterranean area, locate Greece and trace the extent of its influence to 300 BC/BCE.

 

• Geography of ancient Greece

 

2. Explain how the geographical location of ancient Athens and other city-states such as Corinth and Sparta contributed to their role in maritime trade, colonies in the Mediterranean, and expansion of their cultural influence.

 

• Ancient Athens and Greek Maritime Trade

 

3. Explain the democratic political concepts developed in ancient Greece:  a) the "polis" or city state; b) civic participation and voting rights, c) legislative bodies, d) constitution writing, d) rule of law.

 

• Government of Ancient Athens

 

4. Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta.

 

• Athens and Sparta

 

• Women and Slaves in ancient Athens.

 

5. Analyze the causes, course, and consequences of the Persian Wars, including the origins of marathons.

 

• The Persian Wars

 

• The Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta

 

• Alexander the Great and the Spread of Greek culture

 

6. Give examples of Greek gods and goddesses, heroes and events; explain the persistence of terms from Greek and Roman mythology in modern English and other European languages.

 

• Myths and Stories of Ancient Greece

 

• The Iliad and The Odyssey

 

• Antigone by Sophocles

 

7.  Identify the major accomplishments of the ancient Greeks

 

• Accomplishments of the Ancient Greeks
  

 

• The Ancient Olympics

 

• Herodotus and the Beginning of History Writing 

TEACHER DESIGNED LEARNING PLAN: The Ancient and Modern Olympics

 

c. Ancient and Classical Rome, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, c. 500 BCE - 500 CE

 

• Supporting Question:  What was the influence and legacy of the Roman Empire on the conquered peoples in the territory it controlled?
  

 

1. Locate Rome on a map, trace the extent of the Roman Empire to 500 CE and explain how Rome's location contributed to its political power in the Mediterranean and beyond.

 

• Map of ancient Rome and the Roman Empire to 500 CE

 

• Geography of ancient Rome

 

• Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum

 

2. Explain the rise of the Roman Republic and the role of mythical and historical figures in Roman history.

 

• Rise of the Roman Republic

 

• Government of the Roman Republic

 

3. Describe the influence of Julius Caesar and Augustus in Rome's transition from a republic to an empire and explain the reasons for the growth and long life of the Roman Empire.

 

• From Roman Republic to Roman Empire

 

• Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

 

4. Describe the characteristics of the system of classes and slavery under the Romans.

 

• Social Classes and Slavery in ancient Rome

 

• Women in Ancient Rome 

 

5. Explain how inner forces (including the rise of autonomous military powers, political corruption, and economic and political instability) and external forces (shrinking trade, attacks and invasions) led to the disintegration of the Roman Empire.

 

• Disintegration of the Roman Empire

 

• The Weakening and Transformation of the Roman Empire

 

• The Plague of Justinian

 

6. Describe the contributions of Roman civilization to architecture, engineering, and technology (e.g., roads, bridges, arenas, baths, aqueducts, central heating, plumbing, and sanitation).

 

• Contributions of Roman Civilization

 

• The Appian Way (Via Appia)

 

•  Cicero, Roman Philosopher and Politician

 

• AP Art History:  Ancient Mediterranean 

 

7. Explain the spread and influence of the Roman alphabet and the Latin language, and the role of Latin and Greek in scientific and academic vocabulary.

 

• The Roman Alphabet and Latin Language

 

• The Chinese Writing System

 

• The Phoenician Writing System
  

 

8. Describe how scientific, philosophical, and aesthetic ideas diffused throughout Europe, Asia and Africa as a result of trade, migration, conquest and colonization.