World History Syllabi: Ancient History and Literature and Medieval History and Literature

by Laura Berquist

Mother of Divine Grace School

Laura Berquist, author of Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum, has created syllabi to make implementation of classical methodology much easier. Based upon recommendations she makes in that book, she has fleshed out complete courses for high school level. Two of these come under the heading of world history.

The Ancient History and Literature Syllabus uses Walter Carroll’s The Founding of Christendom as the primary text. Among other resources are the Bible, Plutarch’s Lives, Antigone, Pygmalion, Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, and The Histories by Herodotus. (Suggested for tenth grade.)

The second syllabus, Medieval History and Literature, combines two focused areas with English and Spanish history. English History, which studies the Reformation period, uses Churchill’s History of the English Speaking Peoples as the primary source book. Antonia Fraser’s Lives of the Kings and Queens of England is also used along with other supplementary readings such as Beowulf, The Life of Sir Thomas More, The Harp and Laurel Wreath, and The Gunpowder Plot.

This same syllabus also studies Spanish history focusing on the Inquisition. A History of Medieval Spain by Joseph O’Callaghan is the primary book with others such as Isabella of Spain and Columbus and Cortez used as supplements. (Suggested for eleventh grade.)