Developing students' abilities to question, to engage in debate, and to consider perspective are the hallmarks of a successful world history course.

Two major themes outlined in this article can help teachers determine how best to approach 10,000 years of world history in the classroom.

By leaving out many attractive events, people, and periods, world history teachers gain valuable classroom time to move beyond simple facts and help students develop a deeper understanding of history.

126In Focus

—Lee Ann Potter, Karen Needles, and Marisa WilairatThe purchase of the Louisiana territory provides teachers with a perfect launch of classroom discussion on how the government funded this acquisition.The links below are not connected to files. Articles will be made available as soon as possible.

—Awatif Elnour and Khadar Bashir-AliBy gaining an understanding of some key gender-related aspects of Islamic culture, teachers can greatly improve the educational experience of their Muslim students.

—Betty A. ReardonWomen’s international work for human rights and peace has led to landmark events such as the United Nations resolution to include women in all discussions related to peace and security.62

—Cynthia A. Tyson and KaaVonia Hinton-JohnsonLiterature about women such as African American voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer or political activist Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar provides prime materials for teaching about women's success in fighting social ills.58