History 1112
Survey of World History/Civilization II
Spring Semester, 2007 T/Th: 9:30 am-10:45 am
Dr. Elaine MacKinnon
Office: 3222 TLC/678-839-6048; e-mail: emcclarn@westga.edu
Required Texts:
Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past, Volume II. Third Edition (McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2005). Abbreviated in syllabus as Text.
Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (Anchor Books, 1959)
Art Spiegelman, Maus I: A Survivor's Tale (Pantheon, 1991).
Note: You are expected to bring your assigned readings to every class.
Note: You should buy all of the books as soon as possible. Do not wait until later in the semester because the book store will return books not sold after a certain date, usually halfway through the semester.
Purpose of the Course and Learning Outcomes:
The course is designed to introduce students to the history and heritage of World Civilizations and to the profession of history. It will survey major political, economic, social, and intellectual developments in world history from 1500 to the present. Students will gain a chronological sense of major historical events and movements as well as an understanding of why and how they took place. The course will examine the histories of specific civilizations, cultures, and world regions, but also study the interactions of these peoples and societies over time, wherein lie the roots of today's global interdependence. Students will compare ways of life, cultural expression, and forms of basic institutions in separate cultures, and try to understand the factors which have produced both commonalities and differences in human societies. There will be an emphasis on the achievements and impact of Western civilization, from which our own American society is derived, but we will be examining it in a global context, seeking interconnections and exchanges between the West and the rest of the world. Due to the enormous expanse of time and events to be covered, the course represents only a selection of topics, cultures, and regions.
Class discussions and textbook readings will give you a general chronological framework. Supplemental materials--including the novels Things Fall Apart and Maus I, primary documents from your textbook and from internet sources , films and documentaries shown in class--will provide deeper insight into particular problems and periods. They will also introduce you to the process of historical study and the variety of ways in which historians attempt to understand and depict the past. You will learn to identify and distinguish between primary and secondary sources of historical knowledge and understanding. In addition to studying history, you will develop critical thinking and communication skills, and learn to effectively interpret, compare, criticize, and question important issues of both past and present. You will learn to differentiate between fact and interpretation in historical analysis and discussion. You will improve basic verbal and written skills by taking part in class discussions and by constructing essay arguments based on historical evidence. You will be learning how to read comprehensively, take notes, and derive meaning from texts. You will learn about the variety of ways in which one can study history and experience different types of historical sources, including film and novels. The idea is not just to memorize the "facts" of history, but to be able to think about them, synthesize them, and formulate your own interpretations. These are skills that will be invaluable to you in other courses as well as in your future career path.
Format: The course format is designed to be a combination of lecture and discussion, organized around specific themes. You are expected to take part in the discussion, ask questions, and contribute commentary. The purpose of class is to help you to understand the movement of history and the factors which shape it, not simply give out facts. Lectures and discussions are intended as a supplement to, not a replacement for the textbook; they will cover material contained in the readings but will also provide additional information and insight.
Grading:
Midterm Exam #1 30%
Midterm Exam #2 30%
Final Exam 30%
Quizzes/Writing Assignments/Attendance 10%
1) You will have three in-class examinations. Exams will consist of a variety of questions, including map identification, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, identification, document analysis, and short answer/discussion. The exam questions will be drawn from lectures, the textbook, the supplemental readings, assigned document readings, class discussions, and films and videos shown in class. The final will not be cumulative.
2). During the course of the semester, you will have at least eight quizzes and/or writing assignments based on your textbook readings, supplemental novels, and assigned primary documents. The quizzes will be multiple choice, matching, or short answer, and they may or may not be announced. From time to time you will do writing assignments of various types, both in class and outside of class, based on the assigned readings, particularly the document readings.
Please note that for selected class periods a discussion question is listed. This may become the basis for in-class writing assignments and discussions. You may also be asked to turn in a typed response to the question in advance.
Make-up Exams:
Under no circumstances will you be allowed to make up a missed exam without notifying me in advance and without bringing a note from a physician or an approved excuse from the Dean's office. All make-ups are essay exams and will be given at a special time at the end of the semester after the last class meeting. There will be no other make-up exams. Students missing an exam who do not have a valid excuse or who did not contact me in advance will receive a zero, no makeup allowed. There will be no make-ups given for quizzes, nor will there be a make-up for in-class writing assignments.
Study Tips:
Read! Read! READ! Expect to spend at least three hours outside of class for every hour in the classroom. Take written notes as you read the textbook and supplemental readings. Do not just highlight. Writing down information in your own words helps you to learn it better! After you have completed your assigned readings and taken written notes, do the following:
Take notes in class!!! You do not need to write down everything the instructor says, but you should note down key terms, events, and persons discussed. Then after class you can go back to the textbook and try to determine their significance and meaning for world history. Try to write in your own words what is most significant about them and how they connect to the key themes in the chapter. Class discussions help you to identify what are the most important themes, events and persons from the assigned chapter, and thereby help you to narrow down what you need to concentrate on when studying for the exams. If you need help in learning how to take notes, please speak with me. There are tutors in the Excel Center as well who can work with you to improve your notetaking abilities.
1) The syllabus on the website of the history department has links to two lists of terms and geographic locations. One covers the chapters from 23 to 29, and the other from chapters 30 to 39. The links are located just prior to the section entitled "Tentative Course Outline and Readings Assignment." You are responsible for looking up each term, and for plotting the geographic locations on the blank maps given out in class. For each term given in the list, write a paragraph in which you define what the term is, give the approximate date, the country or region in which it is situated, and then explain its significance for world history. Ask yourself, why is this term important, why has it been selected as a key term for this chapter? What impact did it have on world history? What does it show us about particular movements or developments in history? For each geographic location, you should also try to determine its significance for world history, particularly in relation to the themes being studied. Use these terms to help you identify which sections in the chapter are most important, and focus more attention on these sections. Do not just try to memorize the terms in isolation: Relate the terms to the main themes in the chapter. Be able to explain the connection of a term to the larger movement or event with which it is connected. You should look up these terms and locations as we cover each chapter in class. Do not wait until just before exams to define them.
2) The syllabus on the website of the history department contains study questions for each chapter in the textbook. Writing out thorough, paragraph-length answers will improve your reading comprehension and deepen your understanding of the main themes of the chapters. To access the questions, go to the website of the history department, http://www.westga.edu/~history. Next go to the faculty web pages, click on my name, then on syllabi, then on History 1112, Spring 2007, then go to the readings list and click on the appropriate link for each chapter.
3) Make use of the study questions and aides provided by the McGraw Hill website (www.mhhe.com/bentley2), which contains a Student Resource site with practice multiple choice and essay questions, outlines, etc. If you buy a new copy of the textbook, you should receive a CD-Rom Primary Source Investigator which also has abundant resources and aides for students.
4) Form study groups and work on the terms, geographic locations and study questions together. Meet regularly throughout the semester.
Assignments:
Students are expected to have completed the assigned readings prior to each session and be able to discuss them. Remember--Class participation not only enhances your learning experience but it counts up to 10% of your final grade. You may expect quizzes on the assigned readings. Some of the readings are lengthy, so plan ahead and budget your time accordingly. Try not to fall behind! All written assignments are due on the specified date.
Cheating Policy and Plagiarism:
I expect each student to understand and to comply with the University of West Georgia's policies on Academic Honor and Academic Dishonesty. They may be found in the Student Handbook, on the web at http://www.westga.edu/documents/catalongs.php. Anyone caught cheating or helping someone to cheat will be asked to leave the class and will receive a course grade of "F." Plagiarism, or claiming someone else's work as your own, will result in failure. This rule is in effect for all assignments, examinations, quizzes, and extra credit work.
Attendance:
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND EVERY CLASS. Make every effort to be in class and on time. You are responsible for all materials and announcements presented in class. If you must be absent, be sure to get the notes from a classmate. More than two unexcused absences will lower your final grade. For every unexcused absence beyond two, I will deduct a percentage point from your final average. More than four may lead to a W/F. Absences due to illness or school business will be excused only if you have a written note signed by a physician or a supervising coach or faculty member. Being late to class or leaving class early will also lower your grade. Two tardies will count as one unexcused absence, and the same for leaving early. You are counted as tardy if you come into class after roll has been taken. If you are tardy, it is your responsibility to inform me of your presence at the end of class. Students who need to leave early must provide an excuse before the class begins. Anyone who leaves class without providing an excuse will be marked absent and will receive a grade of zero on any assignment given that day, even if the student completed that assignment. Be aware: besides helping you to learn more, regular attendance and punctuality can work in your favor in borderline grading situations and conversely, poor records in either can work against you.
Class attendance is vital if you wish to do well in the course. DOCUMENTARIES AND FILMS SHOWN IN CLASS AS WELL AS QUIZZES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE MADE UP. Exams come from both the textbook and from lectures, so you must be able to study both the text and your classroom notes.
Note: Please show courtesy to your fellow students. Disruptive behavior (read: eating and drinking, smoking, carrying on conversations, reading the newspaper, etc.) will not be tolerated and will count as an unexcused absence. Cell phones, pagers, headphones, and all other electronic devices must be turned off during class. I will confiscate any that I hear going off. During exams, if you have an electronic device that goes off or that you bring out for any reason, you will receive an automatic failure for the exam and you will be asked to leave.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME DURING THE COURSE OF THE TERM, PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE COURSE READINGS, ASSIGNMENT, AND EXAM SCHEDULES. IF I NEED TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES THEN I WILL ISSUE A NEW OR REVISED SYLLABUS.
Office Hours:
My office is Room 3222 in the Technology Learning Center. I will hold office hours Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, or by appointment. My office phone number is 678-839-6048; my e-mail address is emcclarn@westga.edu. If my office hours are not convenient for you, then make an appointment with me for a different time.
Extra Credit Policy
I do offer limited extra credit options. Follow the directions given above to access the syllabus on the website of the history department. Scroll down to the section entitled Tentative Course Outline and Readings Assignments, and just before this, click on the link "Extra Credit Options" for an explanation of the possible extra credit projects. The extra points accrued through such assignments, as well as through extra credit options announced in class, are applied to your class participation grade. Extra Credit points do not get applied to exams or to final grades, only to the class participation grade.
Term and Geographic Location List for Chapters 23-29
Term and Geographic Location List for Chapters 30-39
Maps:
Map Link Download Instructions
Study Guide for Exam 1 in PDF Format
Study Guide for Exam 1 as a Word .doc file
Study Guide for Exam 2 in PDF Format
Study Guide for Exam 2 as a Word .doc file
Study Guide for Exam 3 in PDF Format
Study Guide for Exam 3 as a Word .doc file
Tentative Course Outline and Readings Assignments
Jan 9: Introduction: What is Global History?/The World in 1500
Text, Preface, pp. xvi - xxiv
Jan 11: Transoceanic Encounters: People on the Move
Text, Ch. 23, pp. 597-620
Document Assignment: "Privileges and Prerogatives Granted by Their Catholic Majesties to Christopher Columbus: 1492"; access this document through The Avalon Project at Yale Law School: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/colum.htm
Study Questions for Chapter 23
Jan 16: Global Exchanges
Text, Ch. 23, pp. 620-627
***Discussion: Was the Columbian Exchange positive or negative for world history? Were the European explorers heros or destroyers?
Jan 18: Transformation of Europe: The Reformation/Revolution in Science and Culture
Text, Ch. 24, pp. 631-636 and 655-661
***Discussion: How did the Reformation transform Europe politically, religiously, and socially? Can modern science and religion be reconciled?
Study Questions for Chapter 24
Jan 23: Transformation of Europe: Absolutism and Constitutionalism/The Rise of Capitalism
Text, Ch. 24, pp. 637-655
Document Assignment:
"Louis XIV, Letter to the Town Officers and People of Marseilles (August 26, 1664)," access this document through the Internet Modern History Sourcebook: http://history.hanover.edu/texts/louis.htm
"Duc de Saint-Simon: The Court of Louis XIV," access this document through the Internet Modern History Sourcebook: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/17stsimon.html
***Discussion: What do your documents reveal about the nature and practice of absolute rule in Europe? What were its advantages and disadvantages?
Jan 25: Africa and the Atlantic World
Text, Ch. 26, pp. 695-705
Study Questions for Chapter 26
Jan 30: The Atlantic Slave Trade and its Impact upon Africa, Europe, the Americas
Text, Ch. 26, pp. 706-719
Document Assignment: "Alexander Falconbridge's account of the slave trade"; access this document through the website Africans in America: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1h281t.html
***Discussion: What differentiated the Atlantic Slave Trade from other slave trading networks in Africa? What was the impact of the slave trade on Africa and Africans?
Feb 1: Tradition and Change in East Asia: Confucian China
Text, Ch. 27, 723-741
Document Assignment: "The Chinese Rites Controversy, 1715"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1715chineserites.html
***Discussion: How did Confucianism influence Chinese society, government, and relations with the West? What led to the banning of Christianity by Emperor Kangxi in 1721?
Study Questions for Chapter 27
Feb 6: Tokugawa Japan
Text, Ch. 27, pp. 741-749
Feb 8: Islamic Empires
Text, Ch. 28, all
***Discussion: What were the basic similarities and differences among the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires? What factors contributed to their strength? To their decline?
Study Questions for Chapter 28
FEBRUARY 13: FIRST MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Feb 15: Revolutions in the Atlantic World
Text, Ch. 29, pp. 781-793
Document Assignments: 1) "Cahiers of 1789, The Third Estate of Carcassonne"; access this through the Hanover Historical Texts Project, http://history.hanover.edu/texts/cahier.htm
2) "A Conqueror of the Bastille Speaks"; access this through the website Liberty. Equality. Fraternity., http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/382
***Discussion: What do these documents suggest were the main causes of the French Revolution? What do they show us about the dynamics, or movement of the French Revolution?
Study Questions for Chapter 29
Feb 20: Impact of the Atlantic Revolutions
Text, Ch. 29, pp. 793-805
Document Assignments: 1) "Discontent Spreads. From an Historical Account of the Black Empire of Hayti"; access this document through the website Liberty. Equality. Fraternity., http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/603/
2) "A Left-Wing Newspaper Links the Revolution to the Abolition of Slavery (September 1790)"; access this through the website Liberty. Equality. Fraternity., http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/342/
***Discussion: What is the significance of the French Revolution for world history?
Feb 22: Nationalism and Nation-States
Text, Ch. 29, pp. 805-813
Feb 27: Industrialization and the Making of Industrial Society
Text, Ch. 30, pp. 815-825
Document Assignment: "Richard Guest. The Steam Loom, 1823"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1823cotton.html
***Discussion: Why is the introduction of machines into production considered to be a "revolution"?
Study Questions for Chapter 30
Mar 1: Industrialization, Social Problems, and the Socialist Challenge
Text, Ch. 30, pp. 825- 843
Document Assignment: 1) "Women Miners in the English Coal Pits"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1842womenminers.html
2) "Charles Fourier. From Theory of Social Organization, 1820"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1820fourier.html
***Discussion: Did industrialization have a positive or a negative effect on the quality of human life?
Mar 6: Traditional Societies at Crossroads: Ottoman Empire, Russia, China, and Japan
Text, Ch. 32, all
***Discussion: Why did attempts at modernization fail in the Ottoman Empire, Russia, and China, but succeed in Japan?
Study Questions for Chapter 32
Mar 8: Imperialism and Colonialism
Text, Ch. 33
Document Assignments: 1) "Jules Ferry (1832-1893): On French Colonial Expansion"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1884ferry.html
2) "The Earl of Cromer: Why Britain Acquired Egypt in 1882"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1908cromer.html
***Discussion: What were the main motives for imperialism and colonialism in the late nineteenth century?
Study Questions for Chapter 33
Mar 13: Impact of Imperialism
Text, Ch. 33; Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, all
***Be prepared for a Quiz/writing assignment based on the book and the study questions, the link to which can be found on the syllabus posted on my page on the history department website
Study Questions for Things Fall Apart
March 15: SECOND EXAM
MARCH 19 - MARCH 23: SPRING BREAK, NO CLASSES!
Mar 27: The Great War
Text, Ch. 34, pp. 945-961
Document Assignments: 1) "The Dual Alliance Between Austria-Hungary and Germany, October 7, 1879"; access this document through The Avalon Project at Yale Law School: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/dualalli.htm
2) "Siegfried Sassoon: Attack"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/sassoon-attack.html
***Discussion: What were the origins of World War I? What was the nature of warfare during WWI?
Study Questions for Chapter 34
Mar 29: Revolutions in Russia/The Failed Peace
Text, Ch. 34, pp. 961-975
***Discussion: What is the significance of Lenin for the Russian Revolutions of 1917 and the subsequent history of the Soviet Union?
April 3: Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin
Text, Ch. 35, pp. 990-994
Document Assignment: "Joseph Stalin (1879-1953): Industrialization of the Country, 1928"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1928stalin.html
***Discussion: What were the major characteristics of Stalinist society in the USSR?
Study Questions for Chapter 35
April 5: Age of Anxiety and the Rise of Fascism
Text, Ch. 35, pp. 977-990; 994-1001
Document Assignment: "The 25 Points 1920: An Early Nazi Program"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/25points.html
***Discussion: What accounts for the success of Hitler and other fascist dictators between the world wars?
April 10: Asia and Africa Between the Wars
Text, Ch. 36, pp. 1005-1020
***Discussion: What impact did World War I have upon colonial Asia and Africa and upon the rise of nationalist movements in these regions?
Study Questions for Chapter 36
April 12: World War II and the Horrors of Total War
Text, Ch. 37, pp. 1031-1055
Document Assignment: "Wannsee Protocol, January 20, 1942"; access through The Avalon Project at Yale Law School: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/wannsee.htm
***Discussion: What impact did World War II have upon civilians?
Study Questions for Chapter 37
April 17: Maus I and the Holocaust
Maus I, all
***Be prepared for a Quiz/writing assignment based on the book and the study questions, the link to which can be found on the syllabus posted on my page on the history department website
April 19: Cold War: Origins and Evolution
Text, Ch. 37, pp. 1055-1060 and Ch. 38, pp. 1063-1084
Document Assignments: Winston S. Churchill: "Iron Curtain Speech, March 5, 1946"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/churchill-iron.html
2) "Joseph Stalin: "Reply to Churchill, 1946"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1946stalin.html
***Discussion: Who is to blame for the Cold War, the United States or the Soviet Union?
Study Questions for Chapter 38
April 24: Collapse of the Soviet Union/Decolonization
Text, Ch. 38, pp. 1084-1090
Text, Ch. 39, 1095-1113
Document Assignment: "All-African People's Conference: Resolution on Imperialism and Colonialism, Accra, December 5-13, 1958"; access through the Modern History Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1958-aapc-res1.html
Study Questions for Chapter 39
April 26: THIRD EXAM