Grade 6 History and Social Science Topics
Studying complex societies past and present
Human origins, the Neolithic and Paleolithic Eras
The Middle East and North Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Central America, the Caribbean, and South America
Literacy in History and Social Science
In studying these topics, students apply grades 6-8 reading,
writing and speaking and listening skills, and learn vocabulary
and concepts related to history and social science.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Connections to
History and Social Science in Grades 4, 5, and 7
Fourth Graders studied the physical and political geography
archaeology of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Fifth
graders learned about U.S. history from the colonial period
through the Civil War and the 20th century Civil Rights
Movement. Seventh graders will continue the study of World
Geography and Civilizations, focusing on Asia, Oceania, and Europe.
Standards for
History and Social Science
Practice, Pre-K-12*
1. Demonstrate civic
knowledge, skills, and
dispositions.
2. Develop focused questions or
problem statements and
conduct inquiries.
3. Organize information and
data from multiple primary
and secondary sources.
4. Analyze the purpose and
point of view of each source;
distinguish opinion from fact.
5. Evaluate the credibility,
accuracy, and relevance of
each source.
6. Argue or explain conclusions,
using valid reasoning and
evidence.
7. Determine next steps and
take informed action, as
appropriate.
* A statement on civic knowledge, skills, and
dispositions adopted by the Massachusetts
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
in 2016 is included in the larger explanation of
the practices, at the beginning of the
Standards section.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
66
Grade 6 Content Standards
Building on knowledge from previous years, students should be able to:
Topic 1: Studying complex societies, past and present
Supporting question: What do the social sciences contribute to our understanding of the world?
1. Explain how different academic fields in the social sciences concentrate on different means
of studying societies in the past and present.
36
2. Give examples of ways in which a current historical interpretation might build on, extend,
or reject an interpretation of the past.
3. Give examples of how archaeologists, historians, geographers, economists, and political
scientists work as teams to analyze evidence, develop hypotheses, and construct
interpretations of ancient and classical civilizations.
Clarification statement: Building on what students have learned about civics,
economics, geography, and history in previous grades, the grades 6 and 7 standards
are designed to deepen students’ understanding of how the social science disciplines
can be used systematically in the study of countries, regions, and the past.
Topic 2. Human origins, the Neolithic and Paleolithic Eras
Supporting Question: How did life on Earth begin and why did humans form complex societies?
4. Describe the great climatic and environmental changes that shaped the earth and eventually
permitted the growth of human life.
Clarification statement: The grade 6 standards for Earth and Space Science of the
Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2016) address the fossil record and
the concept of geological time.
5. Identify sites where archaeologists have found evidence of the origins of modern human
beings and explain current theories of how human groups moved from Africa over time into
the continents now known as Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. Give examples of
how ongoing archaeological research adds new data that changes interpretations of how
migrations and habitation sites are dated.37
6. Explain that the term Paleolithic Era refers to the period of earliest human history,
beginning c. 2.6 million years ago to c, 11,700 years ago, characterized by the first use of
stone tools, fire, hunting and gathering weapons, and, about 50,000 years ago, by cave
painting, sculpture, tools, and artifacts using diverse materials such as bone, shell, stone,
mineral pigments, and wood).
38
7. Explain that the term Neolithic Era refers to the period beginning about 10,000 years ago to
c. 4500 or c. 2000 BCE in different parts of the world, in which the technologies of
agriculture (growing crops and the domestication of animals) and metallurgy (mining and
working of metals) were invented and refined, and in which complex societies begin to
appear.
36 See Swan, Kathy, et. al., The College, Career, and Civic Life Framework, 66-68.
37 Students might use current archaeological research from websites such as Archaeology (the Archaeological Institute of
America).
38 Students might discuss images of rock art in Africa, rock art of Australia, or the cave paintings of Lascaux in France.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
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8. Explain how complex societies that practice agriculture may differ, some developing into
permanently settled communities, some being nomadic and moving livestock from place to
place, some cultivating land temporarily and moving to another location when a plot of land
is no longer productive.
9. Explain that scholars have attempted to define the characteristics of a complex society
(sometimes called “civilization”) since the early 20th century, and although debates are
ongoing, many cite these characteristics:
a. an economy that produces food surpluses
b. dense populations in distinct areas or cities
c. stratified social classes
d. specialized occupations
e. developed systems of government, religion, and learning
f. achievements in technology, art, and monumental architecture
g. systems of record keeping, either written or oral39
10. Explain the ways in which complex societies interact and spread from one region to another
(e.g., by trade, cultural or linguistic exchanges, migration, religious conversion, conquest, or
colonization).
11. Construct and interpret a timeline that shows some of the key periods in the development
of human societies in the Paleolithic and Neolithic Eras. Use correctly the words or
abbreviations for identifying time periods or dates in historical narratives (decade, age, era,
century, millennium, CE/AD, BCE/BC, c. and circa). Identify in BCE dates the higher number
as indicating the older year (that is, 3000 BCE is earlier than 2000 BCE).
Clarification statement: This can be the beginning of a cumulative timeline that may
be in a digital or other format. Students may add to it as they study additional
civilizations studied in grades 6 and 7. An ongoing visual timeline can heighten
understanding of the relationships among civilizations and provide a foundation for
learning about later periods of world history in high school.
Topic 3: Western Asia, the Middle East and North Africa40
Modern countries in Western Asia and the Middle East
Bahrain, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, area governed by the
Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Modern countries in North Africa
Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Western Sahara (mostly under Moroccan
Administration)
Significant ancient states and empires in Western Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, c.
3500 BCE- 700 CE
39 Brown, Cynthia Stokes. (2009). “What is a Civilization, Anyway?” World History Connected Volume 6, Number 3.
40 Note that while “the Middle East” is a commonly used term, there is no universally accepted list of countries that
compose this area; different people will create different “Middle Easts” depending on whether they are using a strategic,
historical, cultural, religious, physical geographical, or other lens. Note that Greece has been included both in this list and
in the list of European countries.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
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Mesopotamia (Sumer, Babylon, Assyria), Phoenicia, ancient Israel and Palestine, ancient Egypt and
Nubia; Carthage, the Persian Empire, the Empire of Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire, the
beginning of the Islamic Empire
Physical and political geography of modern Western Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa
12. On a physical map, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legend, and title to locate
important physical features of the region (e.g. the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea, Aegean Sea,
Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf, the Nile, Tigris, and
Euphrates Rivers, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Bosporus, and the Suez Canal). Use other kinds
of maps (e.g., landform, population, climate) to determine important characteristics of this
region.
13. On a political map of the region, demonstrate map reading skills to distinguish countries,
capitals, and other cities and to describe their absolute location (using latitude and
longitude coordinates) and relative location (relationship to other countries, cities, or
bodies of water); use knowledge of maps to complement information gained from text
about a city, country or region.
14. Explain how absolute and relative locations, major physical characteristics, climate and
natural resources in this region have influenced settlement patterns, population size, and
economies of the countries.
Western Asia, the Middle East and North Africa:
Mesopotamia, c. 3500-1200 BCE
Supporting Question: What are the best explanations for why writing developed in Mesopotamia?
15. Explain how the presence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers contributed to the
development of agriculture and ancient complex societies; explain why historians have
called the region that surrounds these rivers “the Fertile Crescent.”
16. On a map of archaeological sites in the region, and identify the locations and time periods of
the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians as successive states and empires.
17. Describe how irrigation, mining and metalsmithing, agriculture, the domestication of
animals, and inventions such as the wheel, the sail, and the plow contributed to settlement
and the growth of Mesopotamian civilizations.
18. Analyze the important characteristics and achievements of early Mesopotamia.
a. a complex society with rulers, priests, soldiers, craftspeople, farmers, and slaves
b. a religion based on polytheism (the belief in many gods)
c. monumental architecture (the ziggurat) and developed art (including large relief
sculptures, mosaics, carved cylinder seals)
d. cuneiform writing, used for record keeping tax collection, laws and literature
e. the first epic (the Epic of Gilgamesh) and the first set of written laws (the Code of
Hammurabi, for example, “If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall
be put out.” [An eye for an eye]).
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
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Ancient Egypt, c. 3000-1200 BCE
Supporting Question: How did Ancient Egypt’s rigid class structure affect its social and cultural
development?
19. Identify the locations of ancient Upper and Lower Egypt and ancient Nubia; and explain
what the terms “Upper” and “Lower” mean in this context.
20. Describe the significance of the Nile River to ancient Egyptians.
21. Analyze the kinds of evidence that have been used by archaeologists and historians to draw
conclusions about the social and economic characteristics of ancient Nubia (the Kingdom of
Kush) and their relationship to the characteristics of ancient Egypt.
22. Analyze the role of the pharaoh as god/king, and describe how pharaohs were represented
in painting and sculpture, the concept of dynasties, and significant acts of at least one
pharaoh or queen (e.g., Khufu, Akhnaten, Ramses II, Nefertiti, Cleopatra).
23. Describe the relationships among social classes (e.g., the relationship of the pharaoh to
priests, nobles, government officials, soldiers, scribes, artisans, farmers, and peasants,
laborers, and slaves).
24. Describe the polytheistic religion of ancient Egypt with respect to beliefs about death,
proper behavior, the afterlife, mummification, and the roles of deities.
25. Summarize important achievements of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms (e.g., the
agricultural system; knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, the invention of a calendar; the
invention of papyrus and hieroglyphic writing; the organization of monumental building
projects such as the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza; the centralization of government and
military power).
Ancient Phoenicia, c. 1000-300 BCE
Supporting Question: Why were traders and merchants important in ancient societies?
26. On a map of the ancient Mediterranean world, locate Greece, Asia Minor, Crete, Phoenicia,
the Aegean and the Red Sea.
27. Explain how the location of Phoenicia contributed to its domination of maritime trade in
the Mediterranean from c. 1000-300 BCE.
28. Describe how the alphabetic Phoenician writing system differed from Mesopotamian
cuneiform or Egyptian hieroglyphic writing; explain how Phoenician maritime traders
contributed to the spread of the use of the alphabetic system, which eventually evolved into
the Greek alphabet and then into letter symbols used in other languages.
Ancient Israel, Palestine, c. 2000 BCE -70 CE
Supporting question: What were the consequences of the unification of tribes for ancient Israel?
29. On a historical map of the Mediterranean, locate Asia Minor, Greece and Mesopotamia, the
kingdoms of the Hittites and ancient Israel and Palestine and ancient Egypt.
30. Trace the migrations of the ancient Israelite tribes from Mesopotamia to the land called
Canaan, and explain the role of Abraham and Moses in Hebrew history.
31. Describe the history of ancient Israel and early Christianity:
a. monotheistic religion (e.g., the belief in one God, the Ten Commandments, the
emphasis on individual worth and personal responsibility, the belief that
rulers and the ruled must adhere to the same moral obligations)
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
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b. the Hebrew Bible’s accounts of the history of early Israel: the unification of the
tribes of Israel under Saul, David, and Solomon; the founding of Jerusalem as
capital city by David (c. 1000 BCE), the building of the first temple by Solomon
(c. 900-800 BCE), the destruction of the first temple (c. 400 BCE), the
annexation of Judea by the Roman Empire and the Roman destruction of the
second temple (c. 70 CE).
c. the emergence of Christianity as a distinct religion, with roots in Judaism, but
increasingly diverse followers throughout the Roman Empire and the
relationship of early Christians to the officials of the Roman Empire.
d. the central features of Christianity (e.g., the belief in a messiah who could
redeem humans from sin, the concept of salvation, the belief in an Old and a
new Testament in the Bible, the life and teachings of Jesus.).
The ancient Arabian Peninsula (7th century CE)
Supporting question: Why is the belief in one God significant to Islam, Judaism, and Christianity?
32. On a map of the Arabian Peninsula, identify the Red Sea and the cities of Mecca and
Medina as the sites of the beginning of the Muslim religion.
33. Explain Islam’s historical relationship to Judaism and Christianity as monotheistic
religions.
34. Describe the life and teachings of Muhammad (570-c. 632 CE) and the significance of
the Qur’an as the primary source of Islamic belief.
Clarification statement: This is intended as a brief introduction to the historical
beginnings of one of the major world religions practiced today; in addition to learning
about the beginnings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in grade 6, students will learn
about Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism in grade 7.
Interactions among ancient societies in Western Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East
Supporting Question: How did ideas spread across ancient societies in this region?
35. Describe the impact of encounters through trade, cultural exchange, and conquest
among the societies and empires in the region, in particular, exchanges on land
routes of the Silk Roads linking Europe, the steppes of West Asia, East Asia, and
Africa, and the goods, languages, and cultural motifs exchanged (e.g., gold, ivory
from Africa, grain from Western Asia, produce, horses, livestock, wood, furs from the
steppes, ceramics, silk, and other luxury goods from China).
36. Use information from primary and secondary sources to research contributions of
one of the ancient Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Phoenician, Israelite, Islamic, and
Eurasian societies to the modern world.
Suggested Primary and Secondary Sources for Topic 3 in Appendix E
Mesopotamia
Excerpts from the Epic of Gilgamesh (c.2150-1400 BCE): article on Gilgamesh with
maps, photographs, and link to 10-minute video animation. Full text of the epic
illustrated with photographs of Assyrian sculpture.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
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Excerpts from The Code of Hammurabi (c. 1754 BCE): article with photograph of stele
(stone sculpture) showing Hammurabi from the Louvre Museum. Full text of the Code.
Video interpretation of the stele with the Code of Hammurabi
Ancient Egypt
Sculpture of King Menkaura (Mycerinus) and Queen (2490-2472 BCE), Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston; see also the museum’s tour s of the collections of Egyptian Art and
Nubian Art
The Egyptian Hymn to the Nile (c.2100 BCE)
Excerpts from The Egyptian Book of the Dead, Negative Confessions (c.1570-1069
BCE): text and article with illustrations. Text alone of the Negative Confessions
Ancient Israel and Early Christianity
Exodus, Chapter 20, the Ten Commandments (c.600 BCE, based on earlier oral
tradition).
Background and analysis of the Ten Commandments.
New Testament, Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 5-7: Sermon on the Mount (c. 80-110 CE)
Islam
Selections from the Qu’ran, 1, 47 (609-632 CE)
Topic 4. Sub-Saharan Africa
Modern countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte (Fr.), Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Reunion (Fr.), Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia,
South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Significant early Sub-Saharan African states and societies
Ancient Ghana, ancient Mali, Songhai, the ancient Kingdom of Axum, the Swahili city-states
Physical and political geography of Sub-Saharan Africa
37. On a map of the world, locate the continent of Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian
Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. On a map of Africa, locate the northern, eastern,
western, central, and southern regions of Africa, the Sahara Desert, Mount
Kilimanjaro, the Cape of Good Hope, the Great Rift Valley, Lake Victoria). Use other
kinds of maps (e.g., landform, population, climate) to determine important
characteristics of this region.
38. On a political map of the region, demonstrate map reading skills to distinguish
countries, capitals, and other cities and to describe their absolute location (using
latitude and longitude coordinates) and relative location (relationship to other
countries, cities, or bodies of water); use knowledge of maps to complement
information gained from text about a city, country or region.
39. Explain how absolute and relative locations, major physical characteristics, climate
(including drought and desertification), and natural resources in this region have
influenced settlement patterns, population size, and economies of the countries.
Selected Sub-Saharan African states and societies, c. 100-1000 CE
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Supporting Question: How did long-distance trade influence the development of early sub-Saharan
African states and societies?
40. Identify the location, sources of wealth, and importance of the Kingdom of Axum (c.
100-940 CE); explain the role it played in the adoption of Christianity in Ethiopia
and the role east African societies played in the spread of Islam to South Asia,
41. Explain the pivotal role Swahili coastal societies along the Indian Ocean played in
linking trade networks between interior Africa and maritime routes along the coasts
of Central and South Asia, and connecting to China; identify key goods in this trade
(e.g., gold, ivory, iron, slaves from Africa, and cloth, glass beads, and porcelain from
Asia).
42. Identify the locations, sources of wealth and importance of West African cities and
empires, including the city of Timbuktu (beginning c.5th century CE), and the empire
of ancient Ghana (beginning c. 700 CE).
Clarification statement: Students will study the later empires of ancient Mali and
Songhai in World History I.
43. Explain the pivotal role these societies played in the trans-Saharan trade, the spread
of Islam, and trade with North Africa, Europe, West Asia in gold, ivory, and slaves
and the contributions of these societies to the modern world.
Topic 5. Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America
Modern countries in Central America and the Caribbean Islands
Anguilla (U.K.), Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda (U.K.), British Virgin
Islands (U.K.), Cayman Islands (U.K.), Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Studying complex societies past and present
Human origins, the Neolithic and Paleolithic Eras
The Middle East and North Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Central America, the Caribbean, and South America
Literacy in History and Social Science
In studying these topics, students apply grades 6-8 reading,
writing and speaking and listening skills, and learn vocabulary
and concepts related to history and social science.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Connections to
History and Social Science in Grades 4, 5, and 7
Fourth Graders studied the physical and political geography
archaeology of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Fifth
graders learned about U.S. history from the colonial period
through the Civil War and the 20th century Civil Rights
Movement. Seventh graders will continue the study of World
Geography and Civilizations, focusing on Asia, Oceania, and Europe.
Standards for
History and Social Science
Practice, Pre-K-12*
1. Demonstrate civic
knowledge, skills, and
dispositions.
2. Develop focused questions or
problem statements and
conduct inquiries.
3. Organize information and
data from multiple primary
and secondary sources.
4. Analyze the purpose and
point of view of each source;
distinguish opinion from fact.
5. Evaluate the credibility,
accuracy, and relevance of
each source.
6. Argue or explain conclusions,
using valid reasoning and
evidence.
7. Determine next steps and
take informed action, as
appropriate.
* A statement on civic knowledge, skills, and
dispositions adopted by the Massachusetts
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
in 2016 is included in the larger explanation of
the practices, at the beginning of the
Standards section.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
66
Grade 6 Content Standards
Building on knowledge from previous years, students should be able to:
Topic 1: Studying complex societies, past and present
Supporting question: What do the social sciences contribute to our understanding of the world?
1. Explain how different academic fields in the social sciences concentrate on different means
of studying societies in the past and present.
36
2. Give examples of ways in which a current historical interpretation might build on, extend,
or reject an interpretation of the past.
3. Give examples of how archaeologists, historians, geographers, economists, and political
scientists work as teams to analyze evidence, develop hypotheses, and construct
interpretations of ancient and classical civilizations.
Clarification statement: Building on what students have learned about civics,
economics, geography, and history in previous grades, the grades 6 and 7 standards
are designed to deepen students’ understanding of how the social science disciplines
can be used systematically in the study of countries, regions, and the past.
Topic 2. Human origins, the Neolithic and Paleolithic Eras
Supporting Question: How did life on Earth begin and why did humans form complex societies?
4. Describe the great climatic and environmental changes that shaped the earth and eventually
permitted the growth of human life.
Clarification statement: The grade 6 standards for Earth and Space Science of the
Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2016) address the fossil record and
the concept of geological time.
5. Identify sites where archaeologists have found evidence of the origins of modern human
beings and explain current theories of how human groups moved from Africa over time into
the continents now known as Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. Give examples of
how ongoing archaeological research adds new data that changes interpretations of how
migrations and habitation sites are dated.37
6. Explain that the term Paleolithic Era refers to the period of earliest human history,
beginning c. 2.6 million years ago to c, 11,700 years ago, characterized by the first use of
stone tools, fire, hunting and gathering weapons, and, about 50,000 years ago, by cave
painting, sculpture, tools, and artifacts using diverse materials such as bone, shell, stone,
mineral pigments, and wood).
38
7. Explain that the term Neolithic Era refers to the period beginning about 10,000 years ago to
c. 4500 or c. 2000 BCE in different parts of the world, in which the technologies of
agriculture (growing crops and the domestication of animals) and metallurgy (mining and
working of metals) were invented and refined, and in which complex societies begin to
appear.
36 See Swan, Kathy, et. al., The College, Career, and Civic Life Framework, 66-68.
37 Students might use current archaeological research from websites such as Archaeology (the Archaeological Institute of
America).
38 Students might discuss images of rock art in Africa, rock art of Australia, or the cave paintings of Lascaux in France.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
67
8. Explain how complex societies that practice agriculture may differ, some developing into
permanently settled communities, some being nomadic and moving livestock from place to
place, some cultivating land temporarily and moving to another location when a plot of land
is no longer productive.
9. Explain that scholars have attempted to define the characteristics of a complex society
(sometimes called “civilization”) since the early 20th century, and although debates are
ongoing, many cite these characteristics:
a. an economy that produces food surpluses
b. dense populations in distinct areas or cities
c. stratified social classes
d. specialized occupations
e. developed systems of government, religion, and learning
f. achievements in technology, art, and monumental architecture
g. systems of record keeping, either written or oral39
10. Explain the ways in which complex societies interact and spread from one region to another
(e.g., by trade, cultural or linguistic exchanges, migration, religious conversion, conquest, or
colonization).
11. Construct and interpret a timeline that shows some of the key periods in the development
of human societies in the Paleolithic and Neolithic Eras. Use correctly the words or
abbreviations for identifying time periods or dates in historical narratives (decade, age, era,
century, millennium, CE/AD, BCE/BC, c. and circa). Identify in BCE dates the higher number
as indicating the older year (that is, 3000 BCE is earlier than 2000 BCE).
Clarification statement: This can be the beginning of a cumulative timeline that may
be in a digital or other format. Students may add to it as they study additional
civilizations studied in grades 6 and 7. An ongoing visual timeline can heighten
understanding of the relationships among civilizations and provide a foundation for
learning about later periods of world history in high school.
Topic 3: Western Asia, the Middle East and North Africa40
Modern countries in Western Asia and the Middle East
Bahrain, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, area governed by the
Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Modern countries in North Africa
Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Western Sahara (mostly under Moroccan
Administration)
Significant ancient states and empires in Western Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, c.
3500 BCE- 700 CE
39 Brown, Cynthia Stokes. (2009). “What is a Civilization, Anyway?” World History Connected Volume 6, Number 3.
40 Note that while “the Middle East” is a commonly used term, there is no universally accepted list of countries that
compose this area; different people will create different “Middle Easts” depending on whether they are using a strategic,
historical, cultural, religious, physical geographical, or other lens. Note that Greece has been included both in this list and
in the list of European countries.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
68
Mesopotamia (Sumer, Babylon, Assyria), Phoenicia, ancient Israel and Palestine, ancient Egypt and
Nubia; Carthage, the Persian Empire, the Empire of Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire, the
beginning of the Islamic Empire
Physical and political geography of modern Western Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa
12. On a physical map, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legend, and title to locate
important physical features of the region (e.g. the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea, Aegean Sea,
Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf, the Nile, Tigris, and
Euphrates Rivers, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Bosporus, and the Suez Canal). Use other kinds
of maps (e.g., landform, population, climate) to determine important characteristics of this
region.
13. On a political map of the region, demonstrate map reading skills to distinguish countries,
capitals, and other cities and to describe their absolute location (using latitude and
longitude coordinates) and relative location (relationship to other countries, cities, or
bodies of water); use knowledge of maps to complement information gained from text
about a city, country or region.
14. Explain how absolute and relative locations, major physical characteristics, climate and
natural resources in this region have influenced settlement patterns, population size, and
economies of the countries.
Western Asia, the Middle East and North Africa:
Mesopotamia, c. 3500-1200 BCE
Supporting Question: What are the best explanations for why writing developed in Mesopotamia?
15. Explain how the presence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers contributed to the
development of agriculture and ancient complex societies; explain why historians have
called the region that surrounds these rivers “the Fertile Crescent.”
16. On a map of archaeological sites in the region, and identify the locations and time periods of
the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians as successive states and empires.
17. Describe how irrigation, mining and metalsmithing, agriculture, the domestication of
animals, and inventions such as the wheel, the sail, and the plow contributed to settlement
and the growth of Mesopotamian civilizations.
18. Analyze the important characteristics and achievements of early Mesopotamia.
a. a complex society with rulers, priests, soldiers, craftspeople, farmers, and slaves
b. a religion based on polytheism (the belief in many gods)
c. monumental architecture (the ziggurat) and developed art (including large relief
sculptures, mosaics, carved cylinder seals)
d. cuneiform writing, used for record keeping tax collection, laws and literature
e. the first epic (the Epic of Gilgamesh) and the first set of written laws (the Code of
Hammurabi, for example, “If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall
be put out.” [An eye for an eye]).
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
History and Social Science Curriculum Framework – Draft, June 14, 2018
69
Ancient Egypt, c. 3000-1200 BCE
Supporting Question: How did Ancient Egypt’s rigid class structure affect its social and cultural
development?
19. Identify the locations of ancient Upper and Lower Egypt and ancient Nubia; and explain
what the terms “Upper” and “Lower” mean in this context.
20. Describe the significance of the Nile River to ancient Egyptians.
21. Analyze the kinds of evidence that have been used by archaeologists and historians to draw
conclusions about the social and economic characteristics of ancient Nubia (the Kingdom of
Kush) and their relationship to the characteristics of ancient Egypt.
22. Analyze the role of the pharaoh as god/king, and describe how pharaohs were represented
in painting and sculpture, the concept of dynasties, and significant acts of at least one
pharaoh or queen (e.g., Khufu, Akhnaten, Ramses II, Nefertiti, Cleopatra).
23. Describe the relationships among social classes (e.g., the relationship of the pharaoh to
priests, nobles, government officials, soldiers, scribes, artisans, farmers, and peasants,
laborers, and slaves).
24. Describe the polytheistic religion of ancient Egypt with respect to beliefs about death,
proper behavior, the afterlife, mummification, and the roles of deities.
25. Summarize important achievements of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms (e.g., the
agricultural system; knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, the invention of a calendar; the
invention of papyrus and hieroglyphic writing; the organization of monumental building
projects such as the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza; the centralization of government and
military power).
Ancient Phoenicia, c. 1000-300 BCE
Supporting Question: Why were traders and merchants important in ancient societies?
26. On a map of the ancient Mediterranean world, locate Greece, Asia Minor, Crete, Phoenicia,
the Aegean and the Red Sea.
27. Explain how the location of Phoenicia contributed to its domination of maritime trade in
the Mediterranean from c. 1000-300 BCE.
28. Describe how the alphabetic Phoenician writing system differed from Mesopotamian
cuneiform or Egyptian hieroglyphic writing; explain how Phoenician maritime traders
contributed to the spread of the use of the alphabetic system, which eventually evolved into
the Greek alphabet and then into letter symbols used in other languages.
Ancient Israel, Palestine, c. 2000 BCE -70 CE
Supporting question: What were the consequences of the unification of tribes for ancient Israel?
29. On a historical map of the Mediterranean, locate Asia Minor, Greece and Mesopotamia, the
kingdoms of the Hittites and ancient Israel and Palestine and ancient Egypt.
30. Trace the migrations of the ancient Israelite tribes from Mesopotamia to the land called
Canaan, and explain the role of Abraham and Moses in Hebrew history.
31. Describe the history of ancient Israel and early Christianity:
a. monotheistic religion (e.g., the belief in one God, the Ten Commandments, the
emphasis on individual worth and personal responsibility, the belief that
rulers and the ruled must adhere to the same moral obligations)
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b. the Hebrew Bible’s accounts of the history of early Israel: the unification of the
tribes of Israel under Saul, David, and Solomon; the founding of Jerusalem as
capital city by David (c. 1000 BCE), the building of the first temple by Solomon
(c. 900-800 BCE), the destruction of the first temple (c. 400 BCE), the
annexation of Judea by the Roman Empire and the Roman destruction of the
second temple (c. 70 CE).
c. the emergence of Christianity as a distinct religion, with roots in Judaism, but
increasingly diverse followers throughout the Roman Empire and the
relationship of early Christians to the officials of the Roman Empire.
d. the central features of Christianity (e.g., the belief in a messiah who could
redeem humans from sin, the concept of salvation, the belief in an Old and a
new Testament in the Bible, the life and teachings of Jesus.).
The ancient Arabian Peninsula (7th century CE)
Supporting question: Why is the belief in one God significant to Islam, Judaism, and Christianity?
32. On a map of the Arabian Peninsula, identify the Red Sea and the cities of Mecca and
Medina as the sites of the beginning of the Muslim religion.
33. Explain Islam’s historical relationship to Judaism and Christianity as monotheistic
religions.
34. Describe the life and teachings of Muhammad (570-c. 632 CE) and the significance of
the Qur’an as the primary source of Islamic belief.
Clarification statement: This is intended as a brief introduction to the historical
beginnings of one of the major world religions practiced today; in addition to learning
about the beginnings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in grade 6, students will learn
about Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism in grade 7.
Interactions among ancient societies in Western Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East
Supporting Question: How did ideas spread across ancient societies in this region?
35. Describe the impact of encounters through trade, cultural exchange, and conquest
among the societies and empires in the region, in particular, exchanges on land
routes of the Silk Roads linking Europe, the steppes of West Asia, East Asia, and
Africa, and the goods, languages, and cultural motifs exchanged (e.g., gold, ivory
from Africa, grain from Western Asia, produce, horses, livestock, wood, furs from the
steppes, ceramics, silk, and other luxury goods from China).
36. Use information from primary and secondary sources to research contributions of
one of the ancient Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Phoenician, Israelite, Islamic, and
Eurasian societies to the modern world.
Suggested Primary and Secondary Sources for Topic 3 in Appendix E
Mesopotamia
Excerpts from the Epic of Gilgamesh (c.2150-1400 BCE): article on Gilgamesh with
maps, photographs, and link to 10-minute video animation. Full text of the epic
illustrated with photographs of Assyrian sculpture.
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Excerpts from The Code of Hammurabi (c. 1754 BCE): article with photograph of stele
(stone sculpture) showing Hammurabi from the Louvre Museum. Full text of the Code.
Video interpretation of the stele with the Code of Hammurabi
Ancient Egypt
Sculpture of King Menkaura (Mycerinus) and Queen (2490-2472 BCE), Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston; see also the museum’s tour s of the collections of Egyptian Art and
Nubian Art
The Egyptian Hymn to the Nile (c.2100 BCE)
Excerpts from The Egyptian Book of the Dead, Negative Confessions (c.1570-1069
BCE): text and article with illustrations. Text alone of the Negative Confessions
Ancient Israel and Early Christianity
Exodus, Chapter 20, the Ten Commandments (c.600 BCE, based on earlier oral
tradition).
Background and analysis of the Ten Commandments.
New Testament, Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 5-7: Sermon on the Mount (c. 80-110 CE)
Islam
Selections from the Qu’ran, 1, 47 (609-632 CE)
Topic 4. Sub-Saharan Africa
Modern countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte (Fr.), Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Reunion (Fr.), Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia,
South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Significant early Sub-Saharan African states and societies
Ancient Ghana, ancient Mali, Songhai, the ancient Kingdom of Axum, the Swahili city-states
Physical and political geography of Sub-Saharan Africa
37. On a map of the world, locate the continent of Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian
Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. On a map of Africa, locate the northern, eastern,
western, central, and southern regions of Africa, the Sahara Desert, Mount
Kilimanjaro, the Cape of Good Hope, the Great Rift Valley, Lake Victoria). Use other
kinds of maps (e.g., landform, population, climate) to determine important
characteristics of this region.
38. On a political map of the region, demonstrate map reading skills to distinguish
countries, capitals, and other cities and to describe their absolute location (using
latitude and longitude coordinates) and relative location (relationship to other
countries, cities, or bodies of water); use knowledge of maps to complement
information gained from text about a city, country or region.
39. Explain how absolute and relative locations, major physical characteristics, climate
(including drought and desertification), and natural resources in this region have
influenced settlement patterns, population size, and economies of the countries.
Selected Sub-Saharan African states and societies, c. 100-1000 CE
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Supporting Question: How did long-distance trade influence the development of early sub-Saharan
African states and societies?
40. Identify the location, sources of wealth, and importance of the Kingdom of Axum (c.
100-940 CE); explain the role it played in the adoption of Christianity in Ethiopia
and the role east African societies played in the spread of Islam to South Asia,
41. Explain the pivotal role Swahili coastal societies along the Indian Ocean played in
linking trade networks between interior Africa and maritime routes along the coasts
of Central and South Asia, and connecting to China; identify key goods in this trade
(e.g., gold, ivory, iron, slaves from Africa, and cloth, glass beads, and porcelain from
Asia).
42. Identify the locations, sources of wealth and importance of West African cities and
empires, including the city of Timbuktu (beginning c.5th century CE), and the empire
of ancient Ghana (beginning c. 700 CE).
Clarification statement: Students will study the later empires of ancient Mali and
Songhai in World History I.
43. Explain the pivotal role these societies played in the trans-Saharan trade, the spread
of Islam, and trade with North Africa, Europe, West Asia in gold, ivory, and slaves
and the contributions of these societies to the modern world.
Topic 5. Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America
Modern countries in Central America and the Caribbean Islands
Anguilla (U.K.), Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda (U.K.), British Virgin
Islands (U.K.), Cayman Islands (U.K.), Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic,