In seventh grade World History, students learn about the time period from the Fall of Rome to the beginnings of the Age of Exploration (500 to 1500). This survey includes the Byzantine Empire, the Islamic Civilization, African Kingdoms, Medieval Europe, Dynastic China, Feudal Japan, and the Maya Civilization in the Americas. In addition to identifying the important achievements of these cultures, students examine the impact that the movement of people and goods had on civilizations. This contact between cultures led to various forms of conflict and cooperation that continue to influence our world. In order to understand the complexities of the world today, students need to understand how various cultures developed and interacted throughout history. This knowledge and understanding of world cultures is becoming more important as nations and people become increasingly interdependent.