Stories From Long Ago: What World History Means
Have you ever looked at an old photograph and asked, "What was life like back then?" Maybe your grandparent told you a story about growing up in a different place. Those stories are part of history! History means all the things that happened before right now — and world history means the stories of ALL people, everywhere on Earth.
What You'll Learn
• What the word history means • Why world history includes people from every country • How we find out about things that happened long ago • Why learning history helps us understand today
What Is History?
History is the story of everything that has already happened. It can be about big things — like kings, inventions, and discoveries — or small everyday things, like how kids played games 1,000 years ago. People who study history are called historians. They work like detectives! They look for clues and piece the story together. Even YOU are making history right now. Someday people might want to know what life was like today.
World History = Everyone's Stories
World history means we look at people from all over the planet — not just your town or your country. People have been living all over Earth for thousands and thousands of years, and every place has its own amazing story. Ancient Egypt was a kingdom in Africa that lasted about 3,000 years! China had emperors and great inventions. The Inca people built magnificent cities high in the mountains of South America. The Maya of Central America built huge stone pyramids and invented a detailed calendar. Every corner of the world has a story worth knowing.
The ancient Egyptians built the Great Pyramid around 2560 BCE. It was the tallest structure on Earth for almost 4,000 years! Ancient Egypt lasted about 3,000 years — longer than the time from the birth of Jesus all the way to today.
How Do We Know About Long Ago?
If nobody alive was there to see it, how do we know what happened? Historians use clues called sources: Artifacts: old objects that people left behind — pottery, coins, jewelry, and tools dug up from the ground. Writings: old books, letters, stone carvings, and scrolls that people wrote long ago. Pictures: cave paintings, carvings, and old drawings that show what life looked like. Stories passed down: grandparents tell parents, who tell children — some stories travel for hundreds of years before anyone writes them down.
Match each clue to what it can tell us about people from long ago.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
What does a historian do?
Why do we call it WORLD history instead of just history?
My Family History Timeline
Every family has its own mini world history! 1. Get a long piece of paper and draw a horizontal line across it. This is your timeline. 2. On the far right end, write TODAY and this year. 3. Ask a parent or grandparent to help you add 3 events from your family's past — for example, when a grandparent was born, when your family moved to a new home, or when a parent started school. Write each event and the approximate year. 4. Draw a small picture next to each event. 5. At the bottom of the page, write one sentence starting with: I am learning about history because... Deliverable: A completed family timeline with at least 3 events, small drawings, and your own sentence about why history matters.
Want to keep learning?
Sign up for free to access the full curriculum — all subjects, all ages.
Start Learning Free