7th Grade World History Sites
Ancient Civilizations through the Renaissance
Introduction to History
http://www.ology.amnh.org/archaeology/bigideas/index.html
A great explanation of what archaeology is and why it is important. You can follow the steps an archaeologist may go through when working at a site.
http://www.ology.amnh.org/archaeology/tools/index.html
This interactive game gives students a chance to see what kind of tools archaeologists use. The game looks at the excavation of a Spanish Mission on St. Catherines Island, Georgia.
http://www.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/artefacts/childrens/kidsframeset-1.htm
Young archaeologists will enjoy this site full of information and examples of historical pieces that were discovered on excavations. You'll also find descriptions of various jobs in the archeological field.
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webquests/archaeology/tindex.html
Students will assist archaeologists in identifying artifacts and determing their importance in Greek society in this intriguing webquest. After using the resources provided, students will write a summary of their findings and present their recommendations to the class.
River Valley Civilizations: Mesopotamia and Egypt
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559228/Mesopotamia.html
Encyclopedia Encarta offers a nice overview of the civilization of Mesopotamia. The various empires established there, such as the Assyrian, Chaldean, and the Persian, are discussed.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/middle_east/index.shtml
A timeline and history of Ancient Middle Eastern culture. Good information and resources for teacher to use in younger classrooms.
http://www.seekonk.k12.ma.us/WebQuests/MesopotamiaWQ.html
Go on a webquest to discover basic information about the first great civilization. Research the "major contributions this civilization gave to the world." Be cautious teacher created.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/archaeology/index.html
A fascinating site with everything you ever wanted to know about the daily life of ancient Egyptians. You'll find information about Egyptian topics from hieroglyphics to hairstyles, as well as links to other interesting facts. (5 stars)
http://www.civilization.ca/civil/egypt/egcgeo2e.html
This site from Civilization.ca provides great pictures of the Nile River and surrounding desert with some description of this unique geography. Very interesting and informative.
http://www.gatewaystobabylon.com/introduction/start.htm
A general introduction to the history and religion of the Mesopotamian valley, including Babylonia
River Valley Civilizations: India and China
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/trade/
A online exhibition that discusses the role of trade in the Ancient World, the routes, the products and more. It also examines the issue of ideas moving along trade routes.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/india/index.shtml
Geography and origins of Indus Civilization and a timeline of different cultural events. Good resources and pictures for younger students.
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/
Ethnographic site explores famous Mohenjo Daro through 103 indexed slides, some never published before, and an illustrated essay.
http://www.harappa.com/har/moen0.html
A photographic tour of the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro.
http://www.iskcon.org.uk/ies/hinduism.html
An excellent introduction to the basics of Hinduism. A great place to start.
http://www.fsmitha.com/h1/ch05.htm
Information on the Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa Civilizations, the Aryans and the Origins of the Hinduism. Hyperlinks provide locations on a map.
http://depts.washington.edu/chinaciv/contents.htm
A website that introduces different aspects of Chinese civilization with pictures, including geography, buddhism, calligraphy, military technology, paintings as well as Chinese homes, gardens etc.
http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html
This site contains pictures and information to the people of the ancient Indus Valley.
http://library.thinkquest.org/13406/sr/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0610
This site details the history of the silk road. It discusses its origins in ancient China, how it linked Europe and Asia by trade, and the reasons for its decline.
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/7/cl/7.8.html
This site provides information on the history of spices and on the history of the spice trade. It also displays useful links to find out more information on discoverers and exploration including timelines.
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/refarticle.aspx?refid=761579956
Encarta Encyclopedia discusses the Asian trade route, how the "silk road" got its name, how long it took to complete a trip on it, and when the route became obsolete. Multi-media items included.
http://www.newton.mec.edu/Angier/DimSum/Silk%20Rd.%20Maps.html
Have you ever seen a map tracing the path of the Silk Road in China? This site features four different types of maps of the Silk Road. Don't miss out.
Ancient Greece
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ancientgreece/main_menu.shtml
A comprehensive site that includes two timelines, a glossary, interactive learning games, cartoons and lesson plans. The site covers such topics as Athens, Olympia and Corinth as well as Greek theater, and sports.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/ancientgreece.htm
This EyeWitness to History site, which illuminates the past through personal narratives and other first-hand sources, provides a glimpse into the everyday life of the ancient Greeks.
http://carlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/GREECE/homepg.html
Very broad site offers tons of information about the world of the ancient Greeks. Includes sections on mythology, daily life, death & burial, writing, and people. This site shows the connections between our modern world and the ancient Greek world. Contains many pictures of artifacts found in museums. Also has a teacher resource site as well.
http://www.parstimes.com/library/brief_history_of_persian_empire.html
Read a brief overview of the history of the Persian Empire. Learn facts from where it was located to what it's economy was like to its rise and fall.
http://www.museum.upenn.edu/Greek_World/Index.html
Massive site for information on the ancient Greek world. Follow the navigation at the top of the page for detailed sections on time periods, daily life, religion and death, economy, and more. Each section includes pictures of artifacts from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Worth a look!
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/aegean/pre-greece/greekdarkages.html
This site from EMuseum of the Minnestoa State University provides a general overview of the Dark Ages in ancient Greece, discussing the causes that led to it and the culture that resulted.
Ancient Rome and the Byzantine Empire
http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/dunkle/romnlife/index.htm
A day in the life of an acient Roman
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ancient_rome_and_religion.htm
Ancient Rome and Religion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/romans/
The Romans
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_rome/rome.htm
Ancient Rome
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/rome_timeline.shtml
Timeline of Ancient Rome
http://www.roman-empire.net/tours/rome.html
Pictorial tour of Ancient Rome
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webquests/rome/
Webquest of Ancient Rome
http://crusades.boisestate.edu/Byzantium/
A good outline for the Byzantine Empire giving the main points and personalities.
http://www.emayzine.com/lectures/byzmuslm.html
Read a detailed, three part history of the Byzantine Empire. Includes sections on the beginnings of Russia, the rise and expansion of the Islamic faith, and Muhammed and Muslim expansion.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/trade/
A online exhibition that discusses the role of trade in the Ancient World, the routes, the products and more. It also examines the issue of ideas moving along trade routes.
African Empires
http://www.geocities.com/ps5kingdoms/Mali/
This site provides an overview of the dominant 13th and 14th century African Empire, Mali.
http://www.internetpuppets.org/afrtimbuktu.html
History of the Niger River Valley, covers some aspects of the Songhai Empire.
http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/CIVAFRCA/SONGHAY.HTM
Read the interesting history of African civilization in this concise description. Learn about some important discoveries that came from this time.
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/collapse/mali.html
Helps to explain why two African civilizations, Mali and Songhai, fell apart. Covers conquests and how modern scholars know what happened to these empires.
http://library.thinkquest.org/13406/sh/?tqskip1=1
This site describes how Saharan trade routes provided a link between Europe and Africa. It provides information on the gold and salt trade in the history of the two continents and how the trade route was established.
http://www.geocities.com/ps5kingdoms/Mali/
Kingdoms of Mali
Middle Ages
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/
What a fun site! Click on the picture of the town and enter the Middle Ages. Meet a knight, a nun, a peasant, and a merchant who will explain all the many facets of living in the Middle Ages.
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/
Learn what it was really like to live in the Middle Ages. Read about feudal life, religion, clothing, entertainment, and more during the middle ages.
http://members.aol.com/DonnWorld/MiddleAges.html#Top
This personal site provides lesson and unit plan ideas for teaching about the Middle Ages. Creative and innovative ideas. Rated 4 out of 5 stars…be aware teacher created site.
http://www.field-trips.org/tours/ss/darkages/_tourlaunch1.htm
Travel on a Virtual Field Trip to discover information on The Dark Ages of Medieval Europe. Through this unique WebQuest, the tour focuses on medieval times, medieval battles, castles, tournaments, medieval life, medieval architecture, and the Middle Ages in general.
http://www.themiddleages.net/
Information about life in the Middle Ages and important people of the middle ages.
http://www.camelotintl.com/village/trade.html
Provides a brief description of trade in the Middle Ages. Its primary focus is on the medieval merchant: what they dealt in, how they collected debt, and the system they used.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/trade.html
Details trade and travel in Europe during the Middle Ages.
http://muweb.millersville.edu/~columbus/papers/strass-1.html
This comprehensive essay focuses on the high demand for spice in the Middle Ages, which led to the development of exploration and trade in Europe.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/trade/
A online exhibition that discusses the role of trade in the Ancient World, the routes, the products and more. It also examines the issue of ideas moving along trade routes.
Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs
http://www.textilemuseum.ca/cloth_clay/home.html
A museum-mounted exhibition that (1) examines the culture and cultural artifacts of pre-Columbian America and (2) opens eyes to the role archaeology plays in constructing pictures of the past. Covers a range of ancient civilizations--principally the Incan and earlier cultures of Peru and the Mayan. With in-depth looks at ancient versus modern-day techniques of making ceramics and textiles and an especially rich discussion of Mayan hieroglyphs.
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CIVAMRCA/MAYAS.HTM
This excellent overview of the Ancient Mayan civilization is organized into the following sections: "The Classic Period," "The Region," "History," "Economy and Society," and "Religion."
http://www.ology.amnh.org/archaeology/inca/index.html
A great interactive game in which students can look at a map plan of an Ancient Incan city of Huanuco Pampa. On this plan they can click on spots to see what was on that spot and what artifacts were found there. Students then guess as to what that building may have been, once all six places are discovered, a book can be printed with pictures and descriptions. A great resource!!
http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/CIVAMRCA/INCAS.HTM
Washington State University provides a brief but detailed summary of the Incan empire. Includes information on language, religion, buildings, agriculture, and the social structure.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/south/cultures/inca.html
A condensed but thorough history of the Inca Empire between 1200 and 1535, the height of their reign at which time "the Spanish conquistadors took over their territory."
http://houck.salkeiz.k12.or.us/student.assignments/WB.Aztecs/aztec.htm
Covers detailed information on many aspects of Aztec culture from history to way of life. Discussion includes who the Aztecs are, their religion, calendar, and economy.
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1999/2/99.02.01.x.html
Gives a thorough account of the Aztecs from their origins to their encounter with Cortes. In addition, it also examines their culture, their religion, their legends, calendar, etc. Also provides lesson plans.
Japanese Feudalism
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/FEUJAPAN/ASHIKAGA.HTM
This site describes Japan's gradual descent into feudalism and the events that accelerated its metamorphosis.
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/EDTEC596/project2/feudalism/feudalism.html
A WEBQUEST on Feudalism, comparing feudal Japan and Europe!
Renaissance
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/renaissance/exploration.html
Detailed introduction on exploration and trade during the Renaissance. Provides an overview of the tools created during the Middle Ages that made such travels by sea possible as well as insight into the types of goods traders sought in other countries.
http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/
An engaging multidisciplinary site that allows students to make connections across centuries to understand the origin of many ideas we use today. I like this!
http://www.mrdowling.com/704renaissance.html
An excellent resource to begin a study of the Renaissance, the rebirth of Europe and the beginning of modern history. Focuses on humanism, Gutenberg, city-states in Italy, the Medicis, social levels, art, Machiavelli, exploration, and Magellan.
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/glo/renaissance/
This site from ibiblio.com explains the Renaissance, not only as a time period, but as how it changed thought, writing, and art throughout Europe. See links to Renaissance in Italy, Germany and Netherlands.
http://library.thinkquest.org/C005356/?tqskip1=1
Very cool ThinkQuest site that traces the Renaissance from the fall of Constantinople to defeat of the Spanish Armada. Includes information on all of Europe during the Renaissance. Uses Flash animations and lots of pictures to give a great chronology of this time period. Teachers should check out the "Marketplace" section for resources and extra information.
General Websites
http://www.historychannel.com/
From the historychannel…countries, timelines, etc.
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/
Documents, timelines, research, multimedia and so much more…Great site.