World History (A) begins by examining the structure and systems of power within the Ottoman empire as it expanded across vast swaths of territory. Students will evaluate the extent of the Ottoman Empire’s tolerance and inclusion of the diverse peoples under its control in the first half of its rule. Then, students will examine the changes made under increasing pressure in the 19th century, as Ottoman rulers and residents adapted their society, with varying amounts of success. Students will debate the most influential people and moments of this Era of Transformation. We then study the outbreak of World War I, the genocide of Armenian peoples, and the outcomes of the war. Students will chart the impact of post-war treaties which culminated in the empire's dissolution when borders were drawn hastily, nationalist and independence struggles ensued, and modern Turkey was created. (9th graders only) (1/2 credit)
History
At the core of our History Department is a commitment to developing intellectually curious, critically engaged citizens who understand the complexities of the past and its profound implications for our present and future. Our program cultivates students who approach historical inquiry with rigor and nuance, equipping them with the analytical tools to evaluate diverse sources and perspectives. Students learn to craft well-reasoned historical arguments through close reading of primary and secondary texts, developing sophisticated understandings of causation, continuity, and change over time. Beyond analytical skills, we emphasize the human dimension of history by fostering empathy and perspective-taking that allows students to meaningfully connect with different historical contexts while recognizing the distinctiveness of past societies.
Our department fosters collaborative learning environments where students engage in thoughtful discourse about challenging historical topics, practice active listening, and develop their unique historical voices through various forms of expression. Through independent research projects, debates, and creative presentations, students learn to communicate complex ideas effectively while synthesizing evidence from diverse sources. We believe that learning history prepares our graduates to apply historical thinking to contemporary issues, recognize patterns across time, and participate meaningfully in civic life with an informed understanding of how our shared past shapes our collective future.
DEPARTMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Urban students must take two years of history for graduation. Ninth graders take World History A and B. The US history requirement is fulfilled in the 10th or 11th grade by taking both UAS Making America and UAS Remaking America. All other history classes are electives, which deepen and enrich the student's understanding of particular societies and topics. The University of California system requires two semesters of non-US history in addition to the US history requirement. Many selective colleges expect that students take the equivalent of three years of history; many out-of-state public universities require three years.
UAS IN HISTORY
Urban Advanced Studies (UAS) history classes tackle complex topics that require a significant level of independent intellectual investigation on the part of the students. The readings may be more challenging in complexity, whether lengthy primary sources or college-level secondary works. Students are expected to read for an argument, as well for the factual information, and make considerable progress in unpacking analysis on their own. Writing assignments prioritize developing original analysis thoroughly supported by evidence, and students are expected to have experience and skill in presenting such arguments. Students should be able to apply themes and ideas to new material, making connections independently in reading, writing and discussion. Expectations around research, when a major component of a course, emphasize independent and original work.
HISTORY COURSES 2026-27
Required
World History (B) shifts its focus to the Asian-Pacific region and the modern Japanese empire. We begin with foundational belief systems from the pre-modern era and then examine Japan’s unification under its last feudal military government, which led to two and a half centuries of peace during the Tokugawa Era. The flourishing of arts and culture, as well as the structure of government, guide our study in this period. We then examine Japan's conflicted relationship with the West that led to the modern era, including the Meiji restoration, an embrace of certain Western ideals, and the rise of Japan as a world power throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. The course culminates with an independent research project about an aspect of Japanese culture in the post-World War II era. (9th graders only) (1/2 credit)
UAS Making America explores the foundational events and dynamics that shaped early American history. We begin by exploring the intercultural alliances and challenges that emerged from British expropriation of indigenous lands and the resistance of regional Native nations. The course then examines the economic development of North America, which developed through an increasing dependence on the enslaved labor of African peoples. Resistance to enslavement and protests against British governance then serve as the foundation for analyzing the nation's founding, its new government, and the escalating conflict between peoples and states over the expansion of slavery. Required to fulfill US history requirements. (1/2 credit) (10th and 11th Graders)
UAS Remaking America challenges students to understand and interpret the evolution of the nation – politically, economically, socially – in the 20th century. This course begins by covering the changing relationship between the federal government and the American public during the Great Depression and the New Deal. Students then examine WWII and the Cold War as creating the conditions for the Civil Rights movement and attendant social movements in America’s cities, campuses and households, setting the stage for the conservative counter-revolution that crystallized around Ronald Reagan and the rise of the New Right. Students complete an independent research paper in this course. Required to fulfill US history requirements. (1/2 credit) (10th and 11th Graders)
Electives
Birth of Modern China closely examines three distinct periods of Chinese history: the end of Imperial China (1842–1911), Republican China (1911–1949), and Chairman Mao's China (1949–1976). In 100 years, China transformed from an isolated and independent empire to a key player on the world stage. Students in this course gain a clear understanding of how Western imperialism brought 2,000 years of dynastic rule to an abrupt end. Students also explore China's vibrant and contested political landscape in the first half of the 20th century, which culminated in the largest civil war in history. The course concludes with an investigation of the turbulent rise of the communist state, in which students have the opportunity to pursue an independent research project on the challenges it faces today. This course features an array of remarkable primary resource materials, such as political speeches, propaganda art, literature and film. (1/2 credit) (10th Graders Only)
Civics and Society is an introduction to democracy and the political, economic and social systems that support it. With a focus on systems and power, students will develop an understanding of government structures and consider how effective change makers assess, plan and carry out actions to make a lasting impact. Key topics include: the purposes and functions of government, the evolution of democracy in the USA, and this nation’s history of voting rights. Students will create a culminating research project on a topic of their choosing. This course pays particular attention to reading, writing and research skills, providing multiple opportunities for students to practice summarizing, synthesizing the information and ideas they encounter. (1/2 credit) (10th graders only)
French Revolution explores the birth of the modern era as the people of France catapulted their country from absolute monarchy to a revolutionary republic, taking hundreds of thousands of lives along the way. This tumultuous upheaval that reshaped Europe in the late 18th century started with the Enlightenment and ended with an uncertain future. The transformation of ideals into action during the French Revolution took many forms: an assertion of human rights that challenged ancient tradition; the mobilization of heretofore voiceless masses; the violent toppling of king and nobility; and many heads being chopped off, all in the name of liberty. The course focuses on a variety of primary and secondary sources and asks students to develop their critical thinking and writing skills. (10th graders only)
South African History introduces students to different approaches and methodologies of the study of history through the lens of South Africa.a continent rich in culture, religion, music and art through a focused study of South Africa. The course begins with a close study of historiography of Mapungubwe, exploring the challenges of studying a time and place without written records. The course moves on to investigate the colonial period and the emergence of new racial, ethnic, and linguistic identities through migration, land and labor. Students will then examine the era of apartheid through a historiographic lens to determine how different stories of oppression and resistance reveal divergent messages for their audience. The class will end with an opportunity for students to conduct their own research about the challenges South Africa is facing today and the corresponding solutions South Africans are developing. The focus will be on studying South Africa on its own terms rather than merely placing it into Eurocentric context of colonialism. (1/2 credit) (10th Graders only)
UAS Asian American History introduces students to the diverse narratives of Asian diasporic communities in America. The course opens with an exploration of the local history of student protest that led to the development of the political identity of “Asian American,” and concludes with a documentary research project that uses oral histories to explore the relationship between history and current issues facing Asian American communities. Students will explore themes related to individual and community action, immigration and exclusion, race and resistance, citizenship and the law. When possible, we take advantage of San Francisco’s local history with off-site field trips and independent projects to better see the multicultural roots of our city and society. This course includes independent research. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th Graders only)
California History examines both the events and stories that created contemporary California. Students will start by visiting museums that tell various parts of California’s story to discover what is revealed and concealed in different narratives. In conjunction with the museum visits, students will examine the contested contributions of archaeologists and the continuing controversy over Native American artifacts. Students will then create their own museum exhibits that re-examine narratives about California’s economy, environment, laborers and communities in the nineteenth century. Next, the class will turn toward an analysis of historical and contemporary maps that narrate the evolution of land and labor in twentieth century California. Students will use GIS mapping systems to research the intersection of topics such as marketing, migration, music and money in the twentieth century. Finally, students will end the course with a research project informed by their own collection of oral histories and primary sources to produce a map that tells a story about California in the twenty-first century. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th Graders only)
UAS Constitutional Law examines how the Constitution has been interpreted and applied to major issues including the powers of Congress and the President, equal protection cases including school desegregation and sex discrimination, and privacy rights and substantive due process cases involving reproductive rights and marriage equality. Students primarily rely on The Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court judicial opinions as the core texts for the course. The course emphasizes concise and organized writing as well as developing public speaking skills. When possible students also visit courts and meet with lawyers. The goals of the course are for students to develop constitutional literacy, gain a deeper understanding of how the U.S. government works, and consider how Courts and the Constitution shape important issues they care about. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th Graders only)
Economics balances a study of theory and concepts in micro- and macroeconomics by covering essential vocabulary along with an array of team projects in which students apply their understanding to real geopolitical contexts. The course starts by examining key economic concepts such as tradeoffs, opportunity costs, marginal analysis, and externalities before applying a cost-benefit analysis to a proposed plan to build a dam in central Africa. Next, we study microeconomics, supply and demand and equilibrium price before applying these concepts through an analysis of the history of oil and other commodity prices. We then compare economic systems and examine macroeconomic indicators like GDP, unemployment, inflation, and HDI before partnering up to compare a variety of national economies. Diving deeper into macroeconomics, we gain an appreciation for the role of central banks in steering a nation’s economy by looking at their critical role in targeting interest rates. We end the term by studying four broad topics in personal finance through a student-teaching unit: saving and investing, insurance, taxes, and credit. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th Graders only)
History of US Foreign Policy will examine the evolution of the nation's role in the world. From young upstart to global police force, the United States underwent a massive transformation in the scope and scale of its participation in international politics in the 20th century. Who and what drove foreign policy decisions? The course begins by tracking the expansion of the United States across the continent and relationships with sovereign Native nations. Students will explore the continuity and change in policy in the late 19th century as the US reaches its influence beyond the continental United States. After assessing the shifting geopolitical realities brought about by two world wars, students will then examine both the rationale behind and the effects of the decades-long conflict with the Soviet Union known as the Cold War. After identifying the major policies since the fall of the Berlin Wall, students will also explore current and future choices for US foreign policy.
Prerequisite: US History Sequence (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th Graders only)
UAS Modern Middle East takes up the stories of three places -Israel/Palestine, Iran and Egypt - as students investigate a number of themes and issues: tyranny and aspirations for democracy, religion and secularism, civil rights and the status of women, western intervention, and nationalism and the nation state. Students gain fluency in the conflict over Israel/Palestine, the 1979 revolution in Iran and subsequent seizing of the American embassy, and the events leading to the Arab Spring in Egypt. Throughout the course, students will be challenged to recognize and wrestle with the preconceptions they bring to the study of this region. Our studies of all three countries begin in the late 1800s but will also include significant reading of contemporary news. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th graders only)
UAS Race in Latin American History examines the significance of race in the region from the colonial era through the 20th century. We’ll begin with a theoretical exploration of the concept of race before moving on to efforts by the Spanish and Portuguese crowns to establish a specific racial regime to accompany colonialism and the response of the popular classes to those efforts. We’ll move on to the wars for independence and the 19th century, when Latin Americans generated new ideologies in association with attempts to forge new national identities. We then move on to the 1920s and 1930s, when a sea change in thinking about race resulted in the emergence of the ideologies that are prevalent in the region today. Students will then pursue independent research projects examining the current significance of race in the region. Major themes to be explored include: the importance of race in the Spanish colonial project, the impact of the wars of independence on race relations, the influence of international currents of thought, and the relationship between ideology and actual conditions. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th Graders only)
UAS History of South Asia introduces students to the history of modern South Asia (including the formation of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh). It begins with the history of ancient India, with a focus on the rise of Hinduism, the caste system, and ascetic traditions such as Buddhism. Coming to the modern period, students investigate the coming of Western colonialism while considering the challenges posed by the study of other cultures and identities (gender, caste, and religion) in culturally sensitive ways. For example, were the British justified in outlawing the ritual self-immolation of widows? Students also confront the complex historiography of South Asian Islam — namely, how and why historians have diverged so dramatically in their accounts of it. We conclude by tracking the ways in which different nationalist factions under leaders like M. K. Gandhi — divided by caste and religion — agitated for and finally won independence. Our work culminates in a reflection on the tragic Partition of 1947 and an intensive exploration of a topic of contemporary significance, such as the fate of Kashmir or the rise of Hindu nationalism (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th Graders only)
UAS Women’s United States History examines the history of the United States with women’s lives at the center of the story. Rather than present a single, cohesive narrative of women in the United States, the course situates women’s history as inseparable from histories of class, age, race, sexuality and place. Students will grapple with the writing of history and how we understand women as active agents rather than passive witnesses of history. This course will explore city life at the turn of the 20th century: the rise of new industries and communities; changing definitions of gender; expressions of sexuality and desire; societal opportunities and obstructions; relations of power between women; and spaces for mutual recognition and liberation. Students will choose their own readings and design their own course for our final project. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th Graders only)
Courses Offered in Alternate Years
UAS America Transformed: 1865-1929 is a thematically (rather than chronologically) organized course, which examines social, cultural and economic changes from the perspective of the "common" man and woman rather than that of the national political leadership. Through the lenses of race, class and gender, students explore the following topics: construction of racial identity and race hierarchies; the rise of big business and the ensuing battles between capital and labor for control of the industrial economy; urbanization; immigration and its impact on American culture; marriage and family; and the development of a consumer-driven, leisure-oriented culture. The ultimate aim of the class is for students to construct rich connections between each of the above topics. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th graders only)
Comparative Religion: Our Search for Meaning considers the question: what is the meaning of life? We explore some of the answers offered by Native American religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Specifically, we focus on the following topics: creation, the nature of God and man, self-discovery, community, scriptures and rituals. We visit places of worship and invite spokespersons of various faiths to come speak to us. In addition, each student conducts a research project on a particular Bay Area religious community. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th graders only)
UAS Environmental History examines the settlement of North America and the expansion of the United States through the lens of the interactions between people and the land. Moving forward in chronology and as we sweep east to west across North America, students will examine the relations between Native Americans and settlers, the motivations behind westward expansion and the rise of industrialization. We will also examine environmental racism and the environmental justice movement. Students are encouraged to consider questions of land and resource use and the role of the market economy as they arise from an ethical perspective, as well as an historical one. Readings include Encounters with the Archdruid by John McPhee, Changes in the Land by William Cronon, and writings by Wendell Berry and Carolyn Merchant. (1/2 credit) (11th and 12th graders only)
Globalization asks students to ponder three central questions to shape our efforts: What is globalization? How has it affected people’s lives and shaped the way people live? How have people influenced the process of globalization? In attempting to answer these questions, we will define globalization and its broad features, and then examine pre-industrial, industrial and post industrial globalization in its economic, social, cultural, and now geologic manifestations. The course then ask students to apply the thematic lens of migrations – of people, ideas, commodities, and power which culminates in an independent research project. (1/2 credit) (10th graders only)
Screening History uses popular Hollywood films as vehicles to analyze US society through the 20th century. Students will study clips of films, research relevant historical context, and analyze how films reflect economic realities, social movements or geopolitical maneuverings of a particular time period. We begin with the rise of the medium. We bookend our historical study of the film industry with analysis of its approach to representations of war and its consequences. First, we look at early 20th century depictions of the Civil War and Reconstruction; we conclude in the 1970s by examining how filmmakers engaged with the American role in Vietnam. The course includes an independent research project. (1/2 credit) (10th Graders Only)