World History and World Geography: A Dialogue

1. World History and World Geography:  A Dialogue Jonathan Lee, Department of History Dean Lambert, Department of Earth Sciences San Antonio College

2. Why do we need a dialogue?Geographical Illiteracy Ask young people to pick out Iraq on a map of the Middle East, and only 13% can locate it — despite a barrage of headlines and broadcast reports about a possible war against Saddam Hussein. Same goes for Israel or Iran, according to a National Geographic study that finds there has been little to no improvement in students' knowledge of geography since 1988. From USA Today November 20, 2002 http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-11- 20-geography-quiz_x.htm

3. Why do we need a dialogue?Historical Illiteracy Only 44% of 12th graders could answer the following question correctly. The voyages of Columbus changed life in Europe by A) introducing new foods and spices to Europe B) showing Europeans a shorter route to Asia C) introducing the horse to Spain D) proving that the Earth was flat Source: National Center for Education Statistics, History Results http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/ushistory/results/

4. TEKS to TAKS Beginning in 2003, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) has begun assessing social studies students in grades 8,10,and 11 (exit level). World Geography Studies and World History Studies TEKS provides the basis for three of the five social studies objectives assessed at grades 10 and 11. However, students enrolled in the minimum graduation plan are not required to take both of these courses. From World Geography Studies and World History Studies TAKS Correlations Guide with Clarifying Strategies

5. What is World History? • The study of large transregional forces and how they have affected various areas and societies • migration, trade regimes, expansion of religion, environmental change, military conquest and/or conflict, diffusion of technology

6. Migration World Migration, 1918 - 1998 http://www.wwnorton.com/worlds/ch12/maps.htm

7. Trade Regimes http://www.dalton.org/groups/rome/RMap2.html

8. Expansion of Religion Gandhara Art The Buddha as Apollo (3rd Century BCE) http://www.silk-road.com/artl/buddhism.shtml

9. Environmental Change

10. Military Conquest and/or Conflict

11. Diffusion of Technology On the Bandarawela Extension - entering mountain tunnel near Ohiya, Sri Lanka. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?wtc:1:./temp/~ammem_5wjJ::

12. New Directions in World History • The study of how large transregional forces have created a global framework of analysis over time • A Study of Globalization • Global History versus Civilizations • Units of Analysis? • Transcending the Nation State

13. “Do’s and Don’ts” Do’s • Dare to Omit • Focus on the Big Picture • Meaning over Memory • Make connections across regions and societies Don’ts • Eurocentrism • Lose the Forest for the Trees • Triumph the West

14. Examples The Unification of Germany vs. the Growth of Nationalism in Europe and the Americas in the 19th Century The Cold War v. Decolonization and Third World Nationalism Marco Polo v. Zheng He or Ibn Battuta

16. The Importance of Geography The crux of world history is the study of cross cultural exchanges. Students have to place these exchanges in a geographical and historical context. Concepts of time and placechange over time. Geographical conceptualization is embedded throughout the course

17. National Geographic Society’s Geography Standards An understanding of geography can inform an understanding of history in two important ways. First, the events of history take place within geographic contexts. Second, those events are motivated by people's perceptions, correct or otherwise, of geographic contexts. By exploring what the world was like and how it was perceived at a given place at a given time, the geographically informed person is able to interpret major historical issues. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/17/index.html

18. The Goal The study of change over time and space. Lessons from 911