HIST A161H: World History 1 Honors

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	10/29/2025
Top Code	220500 - History
Units	3 Total Units
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	108
Total Student Learning Hours	162
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S), Pass/No Pass (B)
Associate Arts Local General Education (GE)	Area 3 Arts and Humanities 3B Active Participation (OC2) Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences 4B Social and Economic Institutions (OD2) Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences 4C Behavioral Science (OD3)
Associate Science Local General Education (GE)	Area 3B Humanities (OSC2) Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences (OSD)
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)	Cal-GETC 3B Humanities (3B) Cal-GETC 4 Social & Behavioral Sciences (4)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)	IGETC 3B Humanities (3B)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)	CSU C2 Humanities (C2) CSU D3 Ethnic Studies (D3) CSU D6 History (D6)

Course Description

This course covers world history from prehistoric humans to 1600. There is a comparative approach to the study of specific themes including political, social, and economic change. There will also be a focus on the role of race, gender, and ethnicity in the shaping of world history. Emphasis is given to the rise of civilizations, the emergence of global economies, innovations in science and technology in addition to cultural, intellectual and religious traditions. Enrollment Limitation: HIST A161; students who complete HIST A161H may not enroll in or receive credit for HIST A161. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: HIST 150.C-ID: HIST 150.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Students will display the ability to develop and persuasively argue a historical thesis in a written assignment that identifies and explains major social, economic, political and/or cultural historical themes or patterns that are relevant to the course geographic area and timeline of study.
Students will evaluate thematic change over time between human origins through 1600CE involving the formation, expansion and contraction of human societies throughout world history.
Students will analyze the impact of peoples and their political ideologies, religions and technology from one geographic region and its peoples upon other peoples of other geographic regions over time, from human origins through 1600CE.

Course Objectives

1. Demonstrate the ability to interpret primary and secondary sources and to compose an argument which uses them, as appropriate, for support.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of civilization through multiple analytical categories such as race, class, gender and ethnicity.
3. Explain ways in which the world's physical and natural environment has affected and been affected by developments in human history.
4. Analyze ways in which human groups have interacted with one another, including trade, migration, warfare, cultural exchange, and biological exchange.
5. Compare distinctive forms of political, social, and economic organization in the world and explain their historical significance.
6. Identify major discoveries, inventions, and scientific achievements and explain their historical significance.
7. Explain the historical significance of cultural developments such as art, music, architecture, literature and religion.
8. Analyze broad patterns of cultural, economic, and political change on both interregional scales and within complex societies.
9. Identify the Asian, African and American contributions to world civilization and explain their importance.
10. Explain significant historical phenomena using both quantitative and qualitative sources.
11. Analyze how the history of laws and institutions have affected the distribution of power, privilege, and access for various groups throughout the world to 1500.

Lecture Content

A. Prehistoric humans and their migrations

B. Emergence of agrarian societies

C. Early complex societies 3500--500 BCE

1. Mesopotamia

2. Nile River

3. Indus Valley

4. China

5. Niger River

6. Nubia

7. Mesoamerica

8. South America

D. Formation of classical societies 500 BCE--500 CE

1. Rise and fall of empires

a. Persia

b. Greece/Rome

c. India

d. China

e. Askum

2. Increased interaction

a. Silk Road - economic and cultural exchange

b. Between empires

c. Between nomadic peoples and people in settled societies

E. Classical Societies in the Americas

1. The Mayas and Teotihuacan

2. The Moche and the Nazca

F. Development of major belief systems

1. West Asia

a. Zoroastrianism

b. Judaism

c. Christianity

d. Islam

2. India

a. Upanishadic tradition

b. Jainism

c. Buddhism

d. Hinduism

3. China

a. Confucianism

b. Daoism

4. The Mediterranean

a. Greek Socratic philosophy

b. Hellenistic philosophies

G. The post classical era 500--1000 BCE

1. Expansion of imperial power

a. Byzantine Empire and Russia

b. Islamic Empires in Asia, Africa, and Europe

c. Indian states/empires and Southeast Asia

d. China and Central Asia, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan

e. Medieval Europe

2. Spread of religions

a. Christianity

b. Islam

c. Hinduism

d. Buddhism

H. Increased economic and cultural interaction 1000--1600

1. Spread of nomadic empires

a. Turkic

b. Mongol

2. Recovery in China--the Ming dynasty

3. Interactions between Christendom and the Islamic world

4. Rise of the Swahili African city-states and the Indian Ocean economy

5. Rise of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires and the trans-Saharan trade

6. Renewal of the state, economy and culture in Europe

7. Aztec and Inca empires and contact with Europe

8. The global economic system

9. Societies of the Pacific

I. Development and interrelations between major states and empires.

J. Relationship between human and the environment

1. Rise and fall of civilizations

2. Spread of Disease

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

This course is classified as a lecture course, but instructors will use a variety of techniques to help students achieve instructional objectives and student learning outcomes. These may include: Lecture enhanced with Power point, overhead, white board, and/or handouts to highlight concepts Audiovisual materials to establish historical context Presentation of artwork and quantitative data to illustrate key concepts Discussion with full class and in small groups Role playing Group activities Guest speakers Field trips

Reading Assignments

Students will read 1-2 textbook chapters and related primary/secondary source material per week. (54 hours total)

Writing Assignments

Students will write essays in which they apply appropriate historical information in answering questions related to the course objectives/student learning outcomes. Students will write an essay/report in which they interpret primary and secondary sources and compose a written argument which uses them, as appropriate, for support. These primary and secondary sources provide both quantitative and qualitative information including but not limited to graphs, charts, maps and artwork. (27 hours total)

Out-of-class Assignments

Students may be assigned homework to help them develop and/or assess their ability to Derive pertinent information from assigned readings Prepare for class discussion Find appropriate primary/secondary sources through library research Interpret primary/secondary sources correctly Manage the steps of a research project (27 hours total)

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

108

Methods of Student Evaluation

Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Short Quizzes
Written Assignments
Essay Examinations
Objective Examinations
Projects (Individual/Group)
Oral Presentations
Skills Demonstration

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students will write essays in which they apply appropriate historical information in answering questions related to the course objectives/student learning outcomes. Students will demonstrate ability to interpret primary and secondary sources and to compose an argument which uses them, as appropriate, for support. These primary and secondary sources provide both quantitative and qualitative information including but not limited to graphs, charts, maps and artwork.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration