What Will I Learn About in Humanities?
Humanities traces the development of Western civilization from pre-history through the twentieth century through examining the stories, music, ideas, and art, as well as the events that shaped them all. While our study emphasizes European culture, this culture was influenced by, and in turn has influenced, a variety of cultures. Thus, we start our study with an examination of key elements of the earliest human civilizations that arose in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Throughout the year we will examine the exchange of ideas and encounters between cultures to enrich our understanding of Western civilization. Near the end of our studies, we will turn our attention to the global interplay between the West and Africa and Asia.
In Humanities, we almost exclusively study the actual cultural artifacts (the literature, documents, art, and music) of the time periods we study. Watching how expressions of a culture evolve over our Humanities "journey" is one of the most exciting things about the course!
In Humanities, we almost exclusively study the actual cultural artifacts (the literature, documents, art, and music) of the time periods we study. Watching how expressions of a culture evolve over our Humanities "journey" is one of the most exciting things about the course!
What do you mean by "interdisciplinary"?
Your Humanities teachers believe that, to truly understand a culture, you must hear its music, look at its works of art, read its stories, examine its system of government, and consider the ideas of its philosophers. While many classes examine these so-called "disciplines" in isolation, Humanities integrates them into one interdisciplinary class. You will be amazed to learn the ways in which all of these disciplines talk to and inform each other, and are shaped by the time periods from which they come. We guarantee you will come to see not only history, but also your own culture in a new and vibrant way!