What are primitive, ancient, medieval, early modern and modern periods according to the General Education Program in Vietnam?

What are primitive, ancient, medieval, early modern and modern periods according to the General Education Program in Vietnam?

Based on Item 8, General Education Program for History and Geography (Secondary Level) issued together with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT, primitive, ancient, medieval, early modern and modern periods are explained as follows:

- Primitive Period: This is the first period of society, starting from the emergence of humans and society until the division of society into classes and the establishment of the state.

Characteristics of the Primitive Period include communal ownership of production materials, collective labor and benefits, low production levels, no surplus wealth, no classes, no exploitative policies, no state, etc.

- Ancient Period: This term refers to the historical period before the medieval period.

The starting point of the ancient period varies based on different understandings of historical concepts: it can be from the emergence of humans (if considering history from that point) or from the invention of writing (if considering prehistory and proto-history before that).

Many view the end of the ancient period worldwide as the fall of the Roman Empire (around 476).

Today, the ancient period is often considered more flexibly.

It is the era of the first states (according to ancient despotic policies or slave ownership) in various regions of the world, or the era of humanity's first civilizations.

In individual countries, the time frames for the ancient period may differ.

In Vietnam, many view the ancient period as the era of the first states on present-day Vietnamese territory (Van Lang - Au Lac, Funan, and Champa), from the 1st millennium BCE to the 1st millennium CE.

- Medieval Period: This is the historical period between the ancient and modern periods, meaning "middle age" in English or "moyen age" in French.

Western Europeans understood "middle" to be between ancient and their own "modern" times ("Temps moderne").

Regarding specific dates, some consider it from the fall of the Roman Empire (476) to the first geographical discoveries (1488).

The "Larousse" dictionary explains: the medieval period spans from 395 (when the Roman Empire was divided into Eastern and Western Roman Empires) to 1453 (when the Turks captured Constantinople, hindering Europe's contact with the East).

If based on the term's origin, the meaning and dates of the medieval period only align with Western European history.

Subsequently, many historians linked the medieval period with an economic-social development phase characterized mainly by feudal policies.

Thus, the starting and ending years for feudal policies vary by country.

In Europe, the end may be the 16th century (Netherlands) or 17th century (England) or 18th century (France), while in Asia generally it's the 19th century. Therefore, for national history, the term "general historical periodization" is often used cautiously.

- Early modern Period: This term refers to the historical period following the medieval period, relating to the contemporary period.

There are various interpretations of the time frame of modern world history, based on political and civilization criteria: either from the Ottoman Empire's capture of Constantinople (1453) to the French bourgeois revolution (1789), or from the English bourgeois revolution (1640) to the October Russian Revolution (1917), or from the end of geographical discoveries (late 15th century) to before the contemporary scientific-technical revolution (mid-20th century).

Basic historical content often linked with the modern period includes the development of global capitalism, the industrial - mechanical revolution, the emergence and consolidation of democratic state institutions, and the conflict and interaction between Eastern and Western civilizations.

In Eastern countries, the modern period is often viewed as beginning with the encroachment of Euro-American colonialism, with major content such as the invasion and anti-invasion struggle, economic-social transformation towards capitalism, and political power structure reforms and revolutions.

For Vietnam, many recognize the modern history timeframe from the beginning of the French invasion (1858) to the August Revolution in 1945.

In Vietnamese, this term narrowly corresponds to the "late modern period" starting in the mid-18th century; in a broader sense, it also includes the "early modern period" beginning around the year 1500 or a few decades earlier, encompassing events like the widespread Renaissance in Europe, the Byzantine Empire's fall, and the Enlightenment.

The modern period is closely associated with the development of capitalism, technological advancements, and revolutions.

- Modern Period: This term refers to the historical period after the modern period. The concept of the contemporary period in world history remains inconsistent.

Many countries often mark the beginning of contemporary history with a political event signalling a significant national historical turning point.

In France, it is the 1789 bourgeois revolution. Marxist historians view the 1917 October Russian Revolution as the starting point for contemporary world history.

In Vietnam, the contemporary historical period is consistently recognized as beginning with the August Revolution in 1945.

>> View the General Education Program for History and Geography (Secondary Level) issued together with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT: Download

What are primitive, ancient, medieval, early modern and modern periods according to the General Education Program in Vietnam? (Internet image) 

What are the outcomes regarding main qualities and general abilities for lower lower secondary students in Vietnam when learning History and Geography?

Based on Item 4, General Education Program for History and Geography (Secondary Level) issued together with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT, the primary qualities and general competencies required of lower secondary students in History and Geography are as follows:

The History and Geography course at the secondary level contributes to the formation and development of students' primary qualities and general competencies according to the levels appropriate for the subject and grade level as stipulated in the overall program.

Duration of History and Geography Education for lower secondary students

Based on Item 4, General Education Program for History and Geography (lower secondary Level) issued together with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT stipulates the duration of History and Geography education for lower secondary students as follows:

>> View the Appendix issued together with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT: Download (Note: Some contents in this file are amended by Articles 1 and 2 of Circular 13/2022/TT-BGDĐT)