High School Teaching Resources
This page lists the TimeMaps resources designed for high school teachers and their students.
To access many of these resources, you will need premium teacher membership – Subscribe here!
(Click on this link if you teach the AP World History course.)
Contents:
Period 1: Ancient World, to c. 500 BCE
Premium units:
The Origins and Spread of Farming (PowerPoint unit) + Teachers Notes
A sequence of world maps shows the origins and spread of farming in world history, between c. 10000 BCE and c. 3500 BCE.
Early Civilizations: 4000 to 500 BCE + Teachers Notes
A panoramic overview of all the ancient civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere up to 500 BCE. It gives a clear idea of the geographical and chronological settings of these civilizations.
World Trade Routes at the time of the Early Civilizations, 3500 BCE to 500 BCE – (Teachers Notes coming soon)
A series of maps looking at the growth of trade routes during the early civilizations in world history.
Ancient Middle East I: The Bronze Age + Teachers Notes
The Bronze Age Middle East from 3500 to 1275 BCE, covering the Sumerian, Babylonian, Ancient Egyptian and Hittite civilizations.
Ancient Middle East II: Age of Empires + Teachers Notes
The Middle East from 1275 BCE to 500 BCE, covering the Assyrian, Babylonian and beginning of Persian empire. It also references the history of the Israelites during this period.
Teaching about Early Civilizations using the TimeMap of World History
Suggestions on how to use the TimeMap of World History with your students. They focus on using the free maps, but are equally relevant to the premium maps.
These suggestions are in addition to those offered in the teaching notes which accompany each Premium unit.
Free resources:
A sequence of maps of the world provides a broad overview of ancient world history from 3500 BCE up to 500 BCE:
World 3500 BCE – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE
The key regions of the world in this period are:
Middle East 3500 BCE – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE (For Ancient Mesopotamia – 3500 BCE – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE, and Ancient Egypt – 3500 BCE – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE)
Africa 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE (For Nubia – 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE)
India and South Asia 3500 BCE – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE
East Asia 3500 BCE – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE (and China – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE)
South America 3500 BCE – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE
North America 3500 BCE – 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE
Period 2: The Classical World, c. 500 BCE to c. 500 CE
Premium units:
World Trade Routes at the time of the Classical Civilizations, 500 BCE to 500 CE (Teachers Notes coming soon)
A sequence of maps looks at the growth of trade routes in the Classical period of world history (500 BCE to 500 CE). These include the rise of such historic trade arteries as the Silk Road and Indian Ocean routes.
Greece and Persia: 585 BCE to 100 CE + Teachers Notes
The interactions between the Persians and the Greeks in the two centuries from before the Persian Wars to after the time of Alexander the Great.
The Persian Wars, 499 BCE to 478 BCE (PowerPoint unit) + Teachers Notes
Focuses on the famous wars between the Persian empire and the Greek city-states which included the battles of Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis.
Classical India: 500 BCE to 500 CE + Teachers Notes
The history of the Indian subcontinent from the time of the Buddha to that of the Gupta Empire.
Classical China: 500 BCE to 500 CE + Teachers Notes
The history of ancient China from the time of Confucius to after the fall of the Han empire.
Imperium: The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire: 500 BCE to 500 CE + Teachers Notes
This sequence of maps follows the fortunes of Rome as it faces down threats to its very existence in its early days and goes on to dominate the Mediterranean world.
Roman Government (PowerPoint unit) + Teachers Notes
Traces the evolution of Roman government from the early days of Rome under the kings, right through the Republic and into the early Empire.
Teaching about Classical Civilizations using the TimeMap of World History
Suggestions on how to use the TimeMap of World History with your students. They focus on using the free maps, but are equally relevant to the premium maps.
These suggestions are in addition to those offered in the teaching notes which accompany each Premium unit.
Free resources:
For a broad overview of the Classical world see the following world maps:
World 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE
For the key regions of the Medieval world, see:
Europe 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE
(For a close-up on Ancient Greece, see Greece 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE – 500 BCE – 200 BCE, and on Early Rome see Italy 500 BCE – 200 BCE)
The Middle East 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE
India and South Asia 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE
East Asia – 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE (For a close-up on Ancient China, see China 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE)
South America – 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE
North America – 500 BCE – 200 BCE – 30 BCE – 200 CE – 500 CE
Period 3: The Medieval World, c. 500 CE to 1450 CE
Premium units:
World Trade Routes in the Medieval Era, 500 to 1453 (Teachers Notes coming soon)
A sequence of maps looks at the development of trade routes in the Medieval Era of world history, and their impact as conduits of trans-regional influences.
Medieval China: from Sui to Song, 500 to 1450 + Teachers Notes
This sequence includes the middle centuries of the imperial age of Chinese history, when China’s identity as a Confucian, bureaucratic state is tested, confirmed and refined.
Medieval India: from Gupta to Babur, 500 to 1450 + Teachers Notes
During this period of South Asian history, great cultural changes take place: the decline of Buddhism, the rise of mature Hinduism, and the intrusion of Islam.
Medieval Europe I: 400 to 1000 CE + Teachers Notes
The formation of Europe – the fall of the Roman empire, the rise of Frankish Europe, the Vikings, the partition of Europe and the formation of France, Germany, eastern Europe and Russia.
Medieval Europe II: 1000 to 1450 CE + Teachers Notes
The High Middle Ages – includes the Norman Conquest of England, the decline of the Byzantine Empire, the Crusades, the Black Death, the Hundred Years’ War and more.
The Islamic Caliphate: 622 to 1253 CE
Looks at the rise and spread of Islam in the centuries when, as well as being a new religion, it was one of the greatest empires of the world.
The Mongol Empire: 1200 to 1500 CE
The Mongol Empire was the largest land empire in world history. Its impact was powerfully felt across Europe, the Middle East, India, China, Japan and South East Asia.
Teaching about the Medieval World using the TimeMap of World History
Suggestions on how to use the TimeMap of World History with your students. They focus on using the free maps, but are equally relevant to the premium maps.
These suggestions are in addition to those offered in the teaching notes which accompany each Premium unit.
Free resources:
A sequence of maps of the world provides a broad overview of medieval world history from 500 CE through 1453 CE:
World – 500 CE – 750 CE – 979 CE – 1215 – 1453
For a focus on the key regions of the world, from most of which you will be able to follow links down to individual countries:
Europe – 500 CE – 750 – 979 – 1215 – 1453
Africa – 500 CE – 750 – 979 – 1215 – 1453
The Middle East 500 CE – 750 – 979 – 1215 – 1453
India and South Asia – 500 CE – 750 – 979 – 1215 – 1453
East Asia – 500 CE – 750 – 979 – 1215 – 1453
…and in the Americas:
Period 4: The Early Modern World, 1450 to 1750 CE
Premium units:
World Trade Routes in the Early Modern Era, 1453 to 1789 (Teachers Notes coming soon)
A sequence of maps looks at the development of trade routes in the Early Modern Era of world history, a time when Europeans pioneer maritime trade, linking all the oceans together.
China: the Late Dynasties: 1450 to 1760 CE + Teachers Notes
Looks at the Ming and Qing dynasties, when imperial China reached its peak. The unit leaves the Qing dynasty at its magnificent height – its decline is dealt with in the next section.
India: the Mughal era: 1450 to 1750 CE + Teachers Notes
Covers the early modern period in the history of the Indian subcontinent, dominated by the rise and fall of the glorious Mughal empire.
Early Modern Europe: 1450 to 1750 CE + Teachers Notes
Includes the periods of the Renaissance, Reformation, Counter-Reformation, Wars of religion, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment.
Teaching about the Early Modern World using the TimeMap of World History
Suggestions on how to use the TimeMap of World History with your students. They focus on using the free maps, but are equally relevant to the premium maps.
These suggestions are in addition to those offered in the teaching notes which accompany each Premium unit.
Free resources:
The early modern world sees the histories of the different regions begin to be knitted together in the wake of European expansion. A global perspective is therefore necessary for this period, and can be gained here:
World maps 1453 – 1638 – 1789.
An understanding of the expansion of Europe requires a grasp of what was actually happening IN Europe. This can be seen here:
The regions that felt European expansion most keenly in this period were North and South America, as can be seen here:
South America 1453 – 1648 – 1789
Mexico and Central America 1453 – 1648 – 1789
For North America as a whole, with an emphasis on the Native Americans and how the coming of Europeans impacted their lives, see:
North America 1453 – 1648 – 1789
The Atlantic Slave Trade was a feature of colonial America, and this had a major impact on Africa:
Asia at this time was less directly affected by European expansion, and each of the major regions saw the blossoming of major states. See
The Middle East 1453 – 1648 – 1789 (The Ottoman Empire)
India and South Asia 1453 – 1648 – 1789 (The Mughul Empire)
East Asia 1453 – 1648 – 1789 (for more close-ups, see China 1789
For other parts of the world which are not so popular in middle school curricula but are interesting in their own rights, are
Period 5: The Modern Era
Premium units:
India: the British Raj: 1750 to 1900 CE (Teachers Notes under development)
Looks at the rise of British rule in India, the nature of that rule, and its impact on Indian society.
Modern China: the Later Imperial Period: 1760-1901 CE (Teachers Notes under development)
Covers the Opium Wars, the Taiping rebellion, The Self-Strengthening Movement, the Sino-Japanese War and the Boxer rebellion.
Modern Europe: 1750-1900 CE (Teachers Notes under development)
Takes in the French Revolution and Napoleon, the Industrial Revolution, the 1848 revolutions, and the unification of Italy and Germany.
Teaching about Modern World using the TimeMap of World History
Suggestions on how to use the TimeMap of World History with your students. They focus on using the free maps, but are equally relevant to the premium maps.
These suggestions are in addition to those offered in the teaching notes which accompany each Premium unit.
Free resources:
While not aimed specifically at education as narrowly-defined, the free maps contain much information of use to studying the period.
Articles giving more in-depth details and backgrounds to all the topics covered here can be found in our Encyclopedia.
The history of the modern world has been global in scope, in a way not true of earlier times. A global perspective is therefore necessary, and can be gained here:
World maps: 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
The dominating theme in modern world history up to the 20th century is the accelerating expansion of European power.
Europe 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
Within Europe, certain countries repay special attention:
Britain 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914 (the first industrial society and the rise of the first parliamentary democracy)
France 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914 (the French Revolution, Napoleon and after)
Germany 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914 (a new, powerful European state)
Russia 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914 (a giant looming over Europe.
In this period, several offshoots became established around the world:
The United States 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
Canada 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
Australia 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
New Zealand 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
as well as:
South America 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
Mexico and Central America 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
Much of the rest of the world fell under the rule of European empires, as can be seen in:
Africa 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
India and South Asia 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
South East Asia 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
The Pacific 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
Other regions did not come under direct rule, or were ruled only briefly, but were deeply impacted by Western powers:
The Middle East 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
East Asia 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914 …especially China 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
Japan was the outstanding example of a country which successfully resisted Western encroachment – 1789 – 1837 – 1871 – 1914
