Syllabus

SUMNER SPRING 2003 HISTORY 1112

The purpose of this course is to give students an awareness of human achievement throughout history, thereby enabling them to place the American civilization in its global context. The central premise of this course is that cultural interaction is the fundamental motive force for historical change. By emphasizing those interactions, both constructive and destructive, that have been most crucial in history, it is expected that students will gain a broader vision of those elements that have been brought together to form the modern world.

My personal objectives in these classes are as follows:

1. To create an appreciation and enjoyment of the discipline of history. To achieve this, I will make every effort to develop stimulating lectures. I firmly believe that the root of historical study is research, research, and more research, but the flower is narrative. Those entrusted with passing on the traditions of the past MUST be competent storytellers. In reciprocation, I EXPECT my students to come to class prepared. Reading assignments (posted on the website) should be done in advance. Disruptive behavior of any type in class will be actively discouraged. Should there be any question as to exactly what is meant by "actively discouraged" please feel free to contact me outside of class.

2. To create cultural literacy within my students. In the course of this semester, you will increase your vocabulary by approximately 200-300 new terms. By following the Study Strategies, this will be (believe it or not) a relatively painless, yet immensely profitable exercise. By stressing concepts, ideas, and individuals, the student will develop a sense of the continuity of history, as well as establish their own location within that continuum. Such a perspective will cultivate an appreciation for our own heritage, as well as an admiration for the accomplishments and traditions of others.

The text that will be used is William J. Duiker and Jackson J. Spielvogel, The Essential World History, Volume 2. Reading assignments are meant to complement the lectures, and both will be essential to success in this class.

In addition to the lectures and the text, a substantial third resource for the class can be found at the following website: www.ssumner.homestead.com. There you will find a copy of this syllabus, a complete set of supplementary notes to the lectures, as well as the reading assignments. There is a chat-room function, which will allow you and your fellow students to conduct online study sessions (or simply get together outside of class and talk. Keep it clean, please!!!), and a guestbook where you may post feedback on the class, website, etc (Again, Keep it clean, PLEASE!!!). You may also email me directly from the site. Hopefully, though the magic of cyberspace, we will be able to overcome the impersonal environment that inescapably develops in large lecture hall classes and make this semester a pleasant and profitable experience for everyone. Visit the site frequently, and use it in anyway that you feel will facilitate your learning experience.

Attendance policy in this class is simple: BE HERE!!! Attendance will be taken at every class period. Three cuts will be permitted with no questions asked. Beyond that I need to see some legitimate paperwork. If you anticipate being absent, please email me. Any unexcused absences beyond 5 will result in a deduction of two points off the final grade per absence. Absence on test day is seriously discouraged, and any makeup work must be completed within a week or a zero will be recorded. Also, it is YOUR responsibility to see that this is done. You will not be reminded. Make-up work is to be done during my office hours (see below).

The tests will consist of fifty objective questions. All tests will be weighted equally. Alist of study terms will be posted every couple of weeks, and the list should be finalized a week or so before the exam. I am committed to your success in this class, but to insure that success there must be a corresponding commitment on your part. Any student failing the first exam must contact me via e-mail and set up an office visit.

Test Schedule:

1st exam 7 February 2003

2nd exam 21 March 2003

Final exam schedule: NOTE: ALL FINAL EXAMS ARE TO BE TAKEN WITH YOUR CLASS . NO EXCEPTIONS

9:00-9:50 Class Final on Wednesday, 30 April 2003 8-10 AM.

11:00-11:50 Class Final on Monday, 5 May 2003, 11-1 PM

If you are experiencing difficulties in this class, please contact me EARLY!!! Don't wait until the week before the exam.

If you need, or simply desire to bring a recorder to class, I encourage you to do so.

My office is 3204 of the TELC Building (Third floor, past the elevator and through the double doors, turn to the right, next to the last office on the right). My office hours are MWF 8:00-9:00 and 12:00-2:30. My office telephone number is 770-836-4562. E-mail is by far the best way for you to stay in touch, and I can be reached at ssumner@westga.edu. I do check my inbox several times a day, seven days a week, so I should be able to respond quickly to any queries. Please include "From a Student" in the subject line.