HIS 101 – Western Civilization I

Course Document

Instructor:  David H. McGee             Office:  Amherst 2105                Office Phone:  832-7782

Office Hours:  MWF 8-30 – 9;00, 10-11:00        MW   12:00 – 2:00

                          TTH 12:30-1:30 and other times by appointment (or I am in the office)

E-Mail Address:  mcgeed@cvcc.vccs.edu (office) or dhmcgee@adelphia.net (home)

Webpage for the course:  http://courses.cvcc.vccs.edu/history_mcgee/

PURPOSE:  HIS 101 introduces students to the development of the Western World from prehistory through the early 17^th century.  The course will cover the development of early civilizations in the Near East, Greek and Roman civilizations, the medieval period, and the rise of early modern Europe.  During the semester the class will focus on:  1) how civilizations were created and the role of urbanization in that process, 2) the daily lives of different groups, 3) the role of religion in shaping Western culture, and 4) the ideas that helped shape our world today.

In addition, this course seeks to help students develop skills that will help you better understand history and that will also be useful to you throughout college and in the "real" world.  These skills include:  1) learning to interpret historical evidence from a variety of forms, 2) evaluating different, and sometimes conflicting, interpretations of the past and using them to form judgments on your own, and 3) effectively conveying your own understanding of the past in writing and orally.

READINGS:

            Required Texts:

            Noble, et al.  Western Civilization:  The Continuing Experiment, brief combined edition

            Adams, Mont Saint-Michel and Chartres

            Machiavelli, The Prince

            Course document set available on reserve in the library or online

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:                    2 tests                                                 40%

Final Exam (comprehensive)                   30%

Map Quizzes                                        10%

Discussion                                            10%

Thought Piece Essay on book                 10%

GRADING SCALE:                          A            90-100              Excellent

                                                            B            80-89                Very good/Above average

                                                            C            70-79                Average

                                                            D            60-69                Below Average

                                                            F            Below 60         Failing

CLASS PARTICIPATION:  Students are expected to participate in class discussion on a regular basis.  You may expect to be called upon to answer questions relevant to the lecture or discussion.  To fully participate in class discussion, you must complete the reading assignments in a timely manner.  Your informed discussions will count as 10% of your grade.

ATTENDANCE:  Class attendance is expected of all students.  The college policy on attendance is in effect in this class.   

EXAMS:  There will be two tests and a cumulative final exam in this course.  These exams will consist of a combination of short answer and essay questions.  The exams will cover both material discussed in the classroom and the assigned readings.  You may make up a missed exam, but only if you notify me before the scheduled time for the exam that you will be absent.  All makeup tests will be given on the same day at the same time, which will be announced about two weeks ahead of time.

QUIZZES:  You will have four short map quizzes during the semester.  Each quiz will consist of matching questions.  The questions will be drawn from maps in the textbook.  You must take a quiz at the time it is scheduled (or before).  No makeup quizzes will be given.

PAPER:  You will write a 3-5 page paper on one of the four books that we will cover this semester.  The paper topics and detailed instructions for the paper will be given out at a later date.

EXTRA CREDIT:  There will be two opportunities for extra credit given this semester, one before each of the first two tests.  If completed properly, you can earn up to 5 points extra for each test.  There will be no extra credit given on an individual basis.

SOME BASIC CLASS RULES:

1)       No cell phones/pagers to be on during class.  If you must have one (potential emergency, etc.—let me know about it), you need to set it to vibrate/buzz and leave the classroom to answer a call.

2)       No food in the classroom.  Drinks are okay, just don’t spill them.

3)       Keep the private conversations outside the classroom

4)       Stay seated during the class unless you absolutely have to leave.

Course Outline

 1.       Introduction/Prehistory

            Textbook,  pp. 2-6

-          Hunter-Gatherers

-          Switch to Agriculture

-          First signs of urbanization

Online lecture outline # 1

 2.       Ancient Near East

             Textbook, pp. 7 to end of Chapter 1

            Articles on Reserve, 1 - 4

-          Ancient Sumeria

-          The Kingdoms of Egypt

-          Hebrew Religious Developments

Online lecture topics # 2 & 3  

Map Quiz # 1

 3.       Rise of Greece

            Textbook, pp. 32-53

            Articles on Reserve, 5 - 9

-          Minoa and Mycenae

-          The Dark Ages

-          Rise of the Polis

-          The Golden Age of Greece

Online lecture topic # 4

 Map Quiz # 2

 4.  Hellenistic Period

            Textbook, 54 to end of Chapter 2

            Article on Reserve, 10

-          Alexander the Great

-          Hellenistic Culture and Society

            Online lecture topic # 5

 Test # 1

  5.  From Republic to Empire—The Rise of Rome

            Textbook, chapter 3

            Articles on Reserve, 11 - 12

-          Italy before Rome

-          The Republic

-          Roman Expansion

-          Caesar and the Age of Empire

            Online lecture topic # 6

 6.  The Transformation of the Roman World

            Textbook, chapter 4

            Articles on Reserve, 13 - 17

-          The Trials of Imperialism

-          Christ and the Rise of Christianity

-          The Fall of the Western Empire

Online lecture topic # 7

 Map Quiz # 3

 7.  The Successors to Rome

            Textbook, chapters 5 & 6

            Articles on Reserve, 18 - 22

-          Byzantium

-          Muhammad and the Spread of Islam

-          The Western World in the Early Middle Ages

            Online lecture topic # 8

 8.  The High Middle Ages

            Textbook, chapters 7 & 8

            Adams, Mont Saint-Michel and Chartres

            Websites:         Mont Saint-Michel -- http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menufrance/msmmain.html

                                    Chartres -- http://www.beloit.edu/~arthist/historyofart/gothic/chartrescath.htm#artifact5

-          The Agrarian Economy

-          The Manorial Society

-          The Rise of the City

-          Modern Monarchs Arise

-          Crusades

-          High Medieval Culture

            Online lecture topic # 9

 Test # 2

 9.  The Late Middle Ages

            Textbook, chapter 9

            Articles on Reserve, 23 - 25

-          Social and Economic Upheavals

-          The Plague

-          Trouble in the Church

-          A New Direction in Thought

            Online lecture topic # 10

 10.  A New Birth for Europe

            Textbook, chapter 10

            Machiavelli, The Prince

            Article on Reserve, 26

-          The Birth of the Italian Renaissance

-          Florence as a Renaissance Case Study

-          The Northern Renaissance

-          From Christendom to Europe

Online lecture topic # 11

 Map Quiz # 4

 11.  Europe’s New Worlds

            Textbook, chapters 11 & 12

            Articles on Reserve, 27 - 31

-          Europe Looks Outward

-          Luther and the Birth of Protestantism

-          Catholic Reformation

-          Readjustments of the 17^th century

            Online lecture topic # 12 & 13

 Final Exam

Section             Date and Time

8:00                  Thursday, December 16, 8:00 a.m.

9:30                  Tuesday, December 14, 8:00 a.m.

11:00                Tuesday, December 14, 11:00 a.m.