Human history is long, but the last 300 years or so have been particularly impactful. A comparison of the world in 1750 to the world today shows massive changes. There are technologies that fit in your pocket that would have been inconceivable in 1750; some of the wealthiest and most powerful nations in the world today did not even exist in 1750. How did all of these changes take place?

Social Studies 9 asks the question, “What are the forces that shape the world?” The course digs into human history between 1750 and 1919 — from the start of the Industrial Revolution to the end of World War 1. This was a revolutionary time period in every way. The way people thought changed; the way people made money changed; the way empires and kingdoms were run changed; telephones and radios and automobiles and airplanes were all invented, revolutionizing the way people communicate and travel. There were also literal revolutions in the United States, France, Haiti, China, Russia, and many other places, causing millions of people to die, but transforming power structures and completely changing the way people thought about how governments, countries and empires should be run. What were the forces that caused these events?

At the same time as all of these changes were happening in the world, life was transforming in Canada as well. Major events like the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, the War of 1812, Confederation, the signing of the Indian Act, and the Battle of Vimy Ridge all shaped the birth and growth of a nation. This course will give students an opportunity to hear stories about Canada and the world so they can see that the forces that shaped the world for the last 300 years continue to impact their lives today.

The StudyForge Difference

StudyForge Social Studies 9 can be taught in an online asynchronous, online synchronous, hybrid, or face-to-face format. Most readings include multiple pedagogical layers to enhance student learning, including an audio file for readings, fill-in-the-blank note-packages with key words highlighted in the text, and regular formative quizzes. Students can also retake every quiz, which are randomized, to encourage them to strive towards mastery. Challenging vocabulary words are tagged with hover-over definitions so students can develop their vocabulary without needing to go to external sources. Assessments and activities are thought-provoking and engaging, including ones that give students a chance to examine primary source documents. A timeline at the top of every relevant lesson helps orient the students to the lesson’s time period, also indicating the eras that are happening concurrently elsewhere in the world.