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Ancient History & Literature Syllabus (50 Pages)...$25.00

We use The Founding of Christendom by Warren Carroll as the primary text for this course. In addition the student reads works of literature and primary historical sources that are correlated to the time period being studied in history such as Antigone by Sophocles, Parallel Lives by Plutarch, The Histories by Herodotus, Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw, The Rise of the Roman Empire by Polybius, and Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare. We also provide the student with a variety of supplemental historical fiction that can be used to complement the study of history through literature. We also include essay and paper topics to give the student practice with writing in variety of styles. The Ancient History & Geography & Literature Syllabus has a day-by-day breakdown of this course along with paper topics, detailed literature, art, and music lists, and a variety of teaching resources including Tenth Grade Subject Rubrics, Learning Objectives, and grading charts. This is a 1 year, 2 credit course.

Current Edition: © 2011.

Online versions of the MODG syllabi are provided to enrolled families free of charge. Paper copies of the syllabi are also available for purchase from the MODG office, with a 30% discount for enrolled families.

Book List

Social Studies
  • Essential 5
    • Julius Caesar
      Shakespeare, William
      Penguin Random House — 160 Pages
    • Sophocles I: Antigone, Oedipus the King, & Oedipus at Colonus
      Sophocles
      University of Chicago Press — 238 Pages
      ISBN: 0226311511
    • The Founding of Christendom
      Carroll, Warren
      Christendom Press — 605 Pages
      ISBN: 0931888212
    • The Histories
      Herodotus
      Penguin Books — 771 Pages
      ISBN: 0143107542
    • The Rise of the Roman Empire
      Polybius
      Penguin Books — 576 Pages
      ISBN: 0140443622
  • Supplemental - Required 13
    • Antony and Cleopatra
      Shakespeare, William
      Dover Publications — 128 Pages
      ISBN: 048640062X
    • Atlas of Classical History
      Talbert, Richard J.A.
      Routledge — 224 Pages
      ISBN: 0415034639
    • Crito
      Plato
      CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform — 40 Pages
      ISBN: 145636376X
    • Ignatius Bible (RSV) - Softcover
      Various
      Ignatius Press — 1096 Pages
    • Plutarch's Lives Volume 1
      Plutarch
      Modern Library — 784 Pages
      ISBN: 0375756760
    • Plutarch's Lives Volume 2
      Plutarch
      Modern Library — 752 Pages
      ISBN: 0375756779
    • Pygmalion
      Shaw, George Bernard
      Simon & Schuster — 224 Pages
      ISBN: 1416500405
    • The Harp and Laurel Wreath: Poetry and Dictation for the Classical Curriculum
      Berquist, Laura
      Ignatius Press — 500 Pages
      ISBN: 0898707161
    • The Iliad
      Homer, Robert Fagles Translation
      Penguin Classics — 683 Pages
      ISBN: 0670835102
    • The Weight of Glory
      Lewis, C.S.
      HarperCollins — 208 Pages
      ISBN: 0060653205
    • The World's Great Speeches
      Copeland and Lamb
      Dover Publications — 944 Pages
      ISBN: 0486409031
    • Student can watch either Pygmalion or My Fair Lady
    • My Fair Lady (Movie)
      Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison
      Paramount
    • Pygmalion (Movie)
      Leslie Howard, Windy Hiller
      Starry Night Studio
  • Supplemental - Optional 6
  • Alternate text that can replace an essential or required supplemental text 4
  • Mentioned in the syllabus, but not assigned 10

Sample

Week 1

Day Assignment
1

Make a timeline, if you have not previously done so. (There is a description of such a timeline in the back of this syllabus. Fill in all major dates listed in the seventh grade resource section of Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum. This will provide you with a framework for your study of ancient history and help you see the chronological relationships among various events.

Note: Please take a moment to review the resources attached to this syllabus (these are found on the Family site - Syllabi tab; please click on "Resources" at the far right for each syllabus title). The PDF files found here are taken from the printed copy of the corresponding syllabus, if there is one. Some resources are generic to the grade level or subject and others are specific to the particular course. Answer Keys or Assignment overviews for the syllabus, if applicable, are only found via the parent log-in; the student log-in may access all other syllabus resources. Some of these resources will be assigned or referenced within the syllabus assignments. Others are here for support.
2

Begin to make a map of the Mediterranean area, and extend the map to include the Holy Land. This map may be traced or it may be drawn freehand. The map of the Persian Empire on pages 18 and 19 of the Atlas of Classical History will work well for your purposes. Label the important countries.
3 Finish your map of the Mediterranean area and the Holy Land. Make sure that you have labeled the important countries. Keep this map for future reference and additions.
4

Read pp. 148-159 of The Founding of Christendom, Chapter 7. ‘The Quest and the Chosen’. Put all dates mentioned in the text on your timeline, and locate all place names on your map.