Summer: History of World War II

Department: Social Sciences

Department: Social Science
Open to: 6th-12th grades
Period: 1 or 2
Length: 5 weeks
Tuition: $495

This class will study the causes, the course, and the implications of World War II.  It will handle most of the geographic areas involved, the major diplomatic, political and military events, and some of the key figures of the war.  The class covers the time period of 1918 to 1945, with an emphasis on the years 1939-1945. In this course, students will be able to acquire a perspective on attempts to understand the human experience and the factors that shape human activity, particularly in time of war; to develop critical thinking through the study of diverse interpretations of historical events; to gain the ability to evaluate the worth of historical analogies when applied to contemporary affairs; to apply critical thinking through historical analysis of secondary sources; that is to say, sources that interpret historical events based on study of primary (e.g., eyewitness) accounts; and to illuminate larger patterns in the human past. Students will sharpen communications skills in exams, papers, and discussions.