World History
This blog is part of a Shaped monthly series providing teachers for Grades 6–12 with downloadable world history classroom resources and discussion topics.
Who was Charlemagne? To start, he was a medieval emperor, becoming king of the Franks in AD 771 and Roman Emperor in AD 800. During his reign, he aimed to unite the Germanic people—those living in present-day Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and western Germany—into a single kingdom. According to the HISTORY channel, he wanted to convert his subjects to Christianity and used his military power to achieve this feat.
As emperor, Charlemagne prioritized giving money and land to the Christian church. He also became widely known for his encouragement of learning. He surrounded himself with scholars, had libraries built, and developed a school at his palace. In addition, Charlemagne pushed forward with economic and religious reforms and encouraged the Carolingian Renaissance, the first of three medieval periods of dramatic cultural activity.
To teach students more about Charlemagne, have them look at the timeline below (with a supplemental enrichment activity available for download as a PDF) on the history of the Early Middle Ages. Then, distribute the accompanying resources: an excerpt from The Life of Charlemagne by the historian Einhard (primary source enrichment activity) and a related writing enrichment activity.
***
Learn more about HMH Social Studies, which presents the rich, endlessly inventive story of our world, challenging students to dig deep into the past.
Read more blogs about teaching world history on topics including:
Related Reading
-
2023 State of the Union Activities and Lesson Plans
Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor -
4 World Kindness Day Activities to Teach Tolerance and SEL Skills
Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief -
8 Fall Activities & Lesson Plans for Elementary Students
Shaped Staff
CORE CURRICULUM
HMH Social Studies, 6-12
SEE ALL SOCIAL STUDIES
AP & ELECTIVES
AP Human Geography
Personal Finance
SEE ALL SOCIAL STUDIES
AP & ELECTIVES
SUPPLEMENTAL
Writable
Professional Development
Providing professional development for teachers, HMH’s professional learning courses, coaching, and leadership advisory supports educators every step of the way.
Connected Teaching and Learning
Connected Teaching and Learning from HMH brings together on-demand professional development, students' assessment data, and relevant practice and instruction.
Social Emotional Learning Curriculum
Research shows that a social-emotional learning curriculum can lead to improved academic performance. Explore high-quality SEL programs that get results.