History 101 Western Civilizations Pre-1600 Northern Virginia Community College |
Welcome |
Themes |
Readings |
Grading and Due Dates |
Expectations |
Description of Course Elements |
Course Schedule |
NOVA
Policies & Resources |
Welcome to History 101 |
Course Description: Examines the development of western civilization from ancient times to the present. Part I of II. Lecture 3 hours per week.
General Course Purpose: HIS 101 surveys the general history of Western civilization from about 3000 BCE to 1600 CE and allows students to reach a basic understanding of the characteristic features of Western civilization's early historical development in that span of time. Students will learn about some of the important political, economic, social, intellectual, cultural and religious changes that shaped the development of the West.
Course Prerequisite/Corequisite: None
Course Objectives. Upon completion the course, the student will be able to:
Communication
• Explain using written and oral communication the changing structures and development of Western civilization up until 1600 CE.
• Describe key people, periods, and events of Western civilization through 1600 CE using written and oral communication.
Critical Thinking
• Identify and evaluate the social, economic and political forces at work in the evolution of Western civilization from approximately 3000 BCE to 1600CE.
• Understand the general chronology and geography of Western history
• Evaluate the main forces or factors at work in the historical development of the West
• Analyze the cultural achievements of ancient and medieval Western civilization.
• Analyze and evaluate complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of primary and secondary resources.
The Near East: Suggested Context The Neolithic Revolution, Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Anatolia, Ancient Persia and Iran, Ancient Levant (i.e., the Hebrews)
• Identify and/or explain the origins of complex Near Eastern societies.
• Compare and contrast Near Eastern societies and civilizations
• Analyze the development and impact of culture, economics, politics, society, technology, and religious and philosophical ideas
• Analyze and evaluate complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of primary and secondary resources.
Ancient Greece: Suggested Context Minoans, Mycenaeans, The Archaic Age (Age of Homer), Creation of the Polis, Persian Wars, Classical Philosophy, Classical Art and Architecture, Democracy, Athens vs. Sparta, Peloponnesian War, Alexander the Great and Hellenization, Hellentistic Philosophy, Hellenistic Art and Architecture
• Identify and/or explain the origins of complex Greek societies.
• Compare and contrast Greek city-states
• Analyze the development and impact of culture, economics, politics, society, technology, and religious and philosophical ideas
• Analyze and evaluate complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of primary and secondary resources.
Ancient Rome: Suggested Context Etruscans, Early Roman civilization, Establishment of the Republic, Punic Wars, Conquest and Expansion, Fall of Republic, Pax Romana, Roman Art, Literature, and Philosophy, Roman Emperors, Christianity, Third-Century Crisis, Fall of the Roman Empire
• Identify and/or explain the origins of Roman society • Compare and contrast the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
• Analyze the development and impact of culture, economics, politics, society, technology, and religious and philosophical ideas
• Examine connections between Rome society and the rest of the world
• Analyze and evaluate complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of primary and secondary resources.
Western European Kingdoms, the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Europe, and Islamic Caliphates: Suggested Context The Franks, The Anglo-Saxons, The Bungundians, The Reign of Justinian, Iconoclasm Controversy, Islam as a Religion, The Umayyad Caliphate, The Abbasid Caliphate
• Identify and/or explain the origins of complex societies after the fall of Rome.
• Compare and contrast the development of kingdoms in the Early Middle Ages
• Analyze the development and impact of culture, economics, politics, society, technology, and religious and philosophical ideas
• Analyze and evaluate complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of primary and secondary resources.
Medieval Europe: Suggested Context France, England, Holy Roman Empire, The Papal States and the Catholic Church, The Ottoman Empire, The Crusades, Feudalism, Monasticism, Agricultural Revolution, Black Death, Hundred Years’ War
• Analyze the development and impact of culture, economics, politics, society, technology, and religious and philosophical ideas
• Examine connections between the East and the West
• Analyze and evaluate complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of primary and secondary resources.
Renaissance, Reformation and Explorations: Suggested Context The Italian Renaissance, The Northern Renaissance, Humanism, The Printing Press, The Lutheran Reformation, The Calvinist Reformation, The Anglican Reformation, The Anabaptist Reformation, The Catholic Reformation, The Age of Exploration, Encounter, Invasion, and Expansion
• Identify and/or explain the origins of the Renaissance, Reformation and Age of Exploration
• Analyze the development and impact of culture, economics, politics, society, technology, and religious and philosophical ideas
• Examine connections between European societies and the rest of the world.
• Analyze and evaluate complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of primary and secondary resources.
Major Topics to be Included
• The Near East
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Western European Kingdoms, the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Europe, and Islamic caliphates
• Medieval Europe
• Renaissance, Reformation and Explorations
Themes |
Readings |
Grading and Due Dates |
Course Element | Percentage of Course Grade | Due Date |
Attendance and Participation | 15% | Every Class Session |
Discussion Group
Leadership |
5% |
At least 2 times during the semester |
Source Criticism Paper (2 pages) | 10% | Source Proposal due September 22 Finished Paper due September 29 |
Autocracy and Democracy Paper (2 pages) | 10% | October 13 |
Midterm Exam | 10% |
October 27 |
Annotated Bibliography Part 1 | 10% | November 17 |
Annotated Bibliography
Part 2 |
10% | November 24 |
Research Project |
20% | Topic Proposal Due September 15 Finished Project Due December 1 |
Final Exam | 10% | December 11 (This assignment cannot be turned in late) |
Percentage |
Final Course Grade |
Above 90% |
A |
80-89% | B |
70-79% | C |
60-69% | D |
Below 60% |
F |
Expectations |
Disruptive Behavior: Please be
considerate of the other people involved in this class. Private
conversations during lecture or class discussions all distract
and disturb your professor and your classmates, and might
therefore against your participation grade. If you have a
question or a comment on the course material, please raise your
hand.
Electronic Devices: Laptops and tablets should only be used for purposes directly related class. Mobile phones are generally a distraction to both yourself, the other students, and your professor. Therefore the only reason you should be consulting your phone during class is in the case of a legitimate emergency. In general, your phone should be kept silent and out of sight during class. If you can't stay off your phone during class time, you may be asked to leave in order to eliminate the distractions you are causing to others in the room. Thanks for your help!
Description of Course Elements |
Directory of World History Primary Sources
For each of the Primary Sources in Part 1
your annotation should include:
Part 2 of your Annotated Bibliography should include:
Sources:
- Do Your Own Thing (If You Can Convince Me): You can also propose your own format for a Research Project, but you will need to explain why you think this particular format is interesting and a good way to discuss your particular topic. If I agree, I will approve the proposal; if not, you will need to pick one of the other Research Project formats. The format also will need to meet the same requirements as the others in terms of both page length/word count and number and types of sources used. Power Point or other slide-based presentations are extremely boring, and definitely will not be approved.
Directory of World History Primary Sources
Research Project Element | Description | Due Date |
Proposal | You should
submit a Research Project Proposal using the relevant link
in Canvas which describes the option and topic. You may
not turn in an Annotated Bibliography or a finished Research Project without
getting your Topic Proposal approved in advance. |
Sept. 15 |
Annotated
Bibliography, Parts 1 and 2 |
You should submit a
bibliography of the sources which you intend to use for
your Research Project.
The bibliography should include at least 5 primary sources
(historical documents from the past) and 5 scholarly
secondary sources (including at least one scholarly
journal article and one scholar monarch). Each source
should be accompanied by a brief paragraph of analysis
(See the Annotated Bibliography
assignment description for more detailed information). |
Part 1: Nov. 17 Part 2: Nov. 24 |
Finished Research Project |
You should submit a Research Project using the
appropriate link on the course Canvas page. See below
for complete descriptions of the various Research Project Options. |
Dec. 1 |
“Day In The Life” Video Option:
For this version of the Research Project you will need to choose a time period and region relevant to some aspect of the subject matter of this class. Then select three different people to portray. They can be either specific individuals from history, or different types of people (ie, from different social classes, professions, nationalities, ethnicities, genders, etc.).
Once your characters have been approved, you should craft a video of approximately 5 minutes (so 15 minutes total), where each character introduces themselves and discusses what their daily life is like. Consider discussing topics such as the character’s work, living conditions, family relationships, food, political and social opinions, etc. The idea is to provide as vivid, interesting, and historically accurate portrayal as possible. Feel free to use appropriate accents or slang if you like. You can use friends or family members in your videos if you like, as long as you are the one who writes the script.
Important stuff that you shouldn’t forget:
- Your video should advance a clear, specific argument or thesis about what the lives of the three people portrayed reveal about the particular era in which they lived.
- You also should include a list of all of your sources at the end of the video.
- All project videos must be posted on YouTube or Vimeo. You must upload the link for the instructor to grade. Do not set your video to “private” or select any other access restrictions. It must be public for the instructor to grade.
- In order to receive a grade for the Research Project, you must submit your written script and a link to the video using the appropriate link in Canvas.
Here are some suggestions for software to use when editing your videos:
- iMovie
- Movie Maker
- Final Cut Express
- Camtasia
- WeVideo
For this version of the Research Project you will need to choose a time period and region relevant to some aspect of the subject matter of this class. Then select at least five specific geographic sites or events to discuss. These can be specific buildings or monuments, neighborhoods, dwellings, shops, taverns, battles, revolutions, speeches, spectacles, festivals, ceremonies, etc.
Once your choice has been approved, you should craft a written narrative in which you visit each of the sites in turn, describing what you witness at stop along your journey. Make sure to mention what you see, hear, small, taste, do, etc. The idea is to provide as vivid, interesting, and historically accurate portrayal as possible. It is up to you whether you adopt the persona of a traveler from the time period in question, or travel back in time in some manner. You’ve got a lot of leeway here-- be creative!
Your finished product should be in the form of a website which is posted online, and which is viewable by anyone. The website should be a visually interesting as possible, and should include a variety of (correctly sourced and cited) images and/or maps.
Important stuff that you shouldn’t forget:
- Your Travel Log website should advance a clear, specific argument or thesis about what the sites visited and/or events witnessed reveal about the nature of life at that particular place and time in history.
- You also should include a list of all of your sources somewhere in the website.
- The website should be publicly viewable, and should not require a password to access.
- In order to receive a grade for the Research Project, you must submit the weblink for your Travel Log website as well as a .pdf, .doc, or .rtf file containing the text of your Travel Log (so it can be checked for plagiarism) using the appropriate link in Canvas.
Here are some suggestions for free public web hosting for your website:
- Google sites
- Blogger
- Wix
- Weebly
- WordPress
- TravelDiaries
Part 1) Time Line (5 Paragraphs): Provide a Time Line which lists in chronological order what you think are the five most important events up to the 1st century CE. ALL OF YOUR EXAMPLES MUST BE EVENTS OR DEVELOPMENTS WE DISCUSSED IN CLASS! Each item on your Time Line should be a paragraph long and should contain the following information:
- What happened.
- When it happened (approximate dates are okay).
- Why it happened.
- The major Consequences of the event.
- How is this event significant or important?
Part 2) Primary Source Analyses: You will be given the titles of two primary sources which you have read during the first half of the semester, and asked to briefly discuss the following elements:
- The identity and point of view of the author.
- The historical context of the document (what circumstances influenced the author?).
- The basic contents of the document.
- What does the document tell us about the specific time and place it was written?
Part 1) Time Line: Provide a Time Line which lists in chronological order what you think are the five most important events in the history of the West after the 1st century CE. ALL OF YOUR EXAMPLES MUST BE EVENTS OR DEVELOPMENTS WE DISCUSSED IN CLASS! Each item on your Time Line should be a paragraph long and should contain the following information:
- What happened.
- When it happened (approximate dates are okay).
- Why it happened.
- The major Consequences of the event.
- How is this event significant or important?
Part 2) Primary Source Analyses: You will be given the titles of two primary sources which you have read during the second half of the semester, and asked to briefly discuss the following elements:
- The identity and point of view of the author.
- The historical context of the document (what circumstances influenced the author?).
- The basic contents of the document.
- What does the document tell us about the specific time and place it was written?
Course Schedule |
Monday, August 26 : Course Introduction |
Read
through the Course Syllabus Watch "Is History B.S.?" |
Wednesday, August 28: Sources, "Civilization," and Narratives |
Discussion
Readings: Neolithic
Monuments from Britain and Ireland, c.
3000-2500 BCE Watch Is Western Civilization B.S.? Watch What's The Difference Between Primary & Secondary Sources? Brooks, "Introduction" |
Assignments to Complete: | Read through the entire
syllabus, and submit the Introduction Assignment by 11:59 pm on Sunday using the
appropriate link under "Assignments" in the class Canvas
page. Make sure to check the feedback you received to see
if you need to resubmit it. |
Monday, September 2: Paleolithic Peoples |
No Class- Labor Day |
Wednesday, September 4: A
Neolithic Revolution? |
Discussion
Reading: Gilgameš
and Aga (c. 2600 BC) Watch Was the Invention of Agriculture B.S.? Brooks, "Chapter 1: The Origins of Civilization" |
Monday, September 9: Authority and Hierarchy in the Bronze Age |
Discussion
Reading: ; Excerpts
from the Code of Hammurabi (c. 1780 BC) Watch Is The History of Great Men B.S.? |
Wednesday, September 11: Gender, Sexuality, and Family Life in the Bronze Age |
Discussion Reading: Enki and Ninmah (early 2nd millennium BC) Read Brown, "Third Gender Figures in the Ancient Near East;" Brustman, "The Third Gender in Ancient Egypt" Brooks, "Chapter 2: Egypt" |
Assignments to Complete: | Research Project Proposal Due September 15 |
Monday, September 16: Ancient Paganism |
Discussion
Readings: Enheduanna,
"The Exaltation
of Innana"
(c.2300 BC);
Penitential
Prayer
to Every God;
Gilgamesh Flood
Narrative Watch Was Ancient Paganism B.S.? |
Wednesday, September 18: Empire and Religion |
Discussion
Reading: Excerpts
from the Annals of
Ashurnasirpal II
(9th c. BC) Brooks, "Chapter 3: The Bronze Age and The Iron Age" Watch How Can You Tell If A Website Is B.S. Or Not? |
Assignments to Complete: | Source
Proposal for Source Criticism Paper due
September 22. Make sure to read the directions for the Source Criticism Paper in the syllabus CAREFULLY before filling out the form. Also, you might want to watch this video: How to Find a Scholarly Journal Article |
Monday, September 23: Yahwism and the Origins of Monotheism |
Discussion
Readings: Excerpts
from
The Book of Genesis (1-3, 6-8, 22). Campbell, "Ancient Religion," "Evolution Toward Monotheism, "Israelite Religion;" |
Wednesday, September 25:
Jewish Monotheism |
Discussion Readings: Excerpts from the Book of Deuteronomy (5, 9, 12-13, 21-22). |
Assignments to Complete: | Source Criticism Paper due September 29 (Your sources MUST be approved by the professor before you turn this in). |
Monday, September 30: Greek Democracy |
Discussion
Readings: Aristotle
on the Athenian Constitution (c. 320s
BC) Watch Was The Iliad B.S.? Brooks, "Chapter 4: The Archaic Age of Greece" |
Wednesday, October 2: Classical Culture |
Discussion
Reading: Excerpts from the poetry of Sappho
of Lesbos, c. 630 BCE; Aristotle
on
the Good Wife BCE Watch Is Democracy B.S.? Brooks, "Chapter 5: Persia and the Greek Wars" |
Monday, October 7: Polis to Cosmopolis |
Discussion
Reading: The
Cyrus Cylinder Brooks, "Chapter 6: The Classical Age of Greece" |
Wednesday, October 9: Social Class & Slavery in the Classical Mediterranean |
Watch Was Ancient Slavery B.S.? Watch Evidence, Citations, and Plagiarism: Who Cares? Brooks, "Chapter 7: The Hellenistic Age" |
Assignments to Complete: | Autocracy
and Democracy Paper due
October 13 |
Monday, October 14: |
No Class |
Wednesday, October 16: Authority in the Roman Republic |
Brooks, " |
Monday, October
21: Imperium |
Discussion
Reading: Introduction
on Boudicca and Description
by Tacitus of the Rebellion of
Boudicca (60-61 CE) |
Wednesday, October 23: The Pax Romana |
Brooks, "Chapter 9: The Roman Empire" |
Assignments to Complete: | Midterm Exam, due October 27 |
Monday, October 28: First Century Judea |
Discussion
Reading: Excerpts from
the Gospel
According to Luke; |
Wednesday, October 30: Early Christianity: Monotheism Transformed |
Watch: Was The Spread of Early Christianity B.S.? Campbell, "Early Monotheism;" Brooks, "Chapter 10: The Late Empire and Christianity" |
Monday, November 4: Rome's Conversion |
Discussion
Reading: Excerpts
from the Letters of St.
Paul; |
Wednesday, November 6: The "Fall" of Rome |
Discussion Reading: Excerpts from the Gospel of Thomas; Watch Was The Fall of Rome B.S.? Brooks, "Chapter 11: Byzantium" |
Monday, November 11: Monotheism Transformed Again |
Discussion
Reading: Excerpts
from
the Qu'ran
(c. 7th century);
Excerpts
from the poems
of Abû Nuwás (757 - 815)
Brooks, "Chapter 12: Islam and the Caliphates" |
Wednesday, November 13: The Dark Ages?: Authority in Medieval Europe |
Discussion Reading: Excerpts
from
Beowulf,
(c. 11th c. CE) Brooks, "Chapter 13: Early Medieval Europe" |
Assignments to Complete: | Annotated Bibliography Part 1 due November 17 |
Monday, November 18: The Medieval Church |
Discussion Reading: Excerpts from The Rule of St. Benedict, c.530 CE Brooks, "Chapter 1: The High Middle Ages" |
Wednesday, November 20: Culture during the Middle Ages |
Discussion Reading: Excerpts from The Book of Margery Kempe (15th c.): The Birth of Her First Child and Her First Vision; Her Pride and Attempts to Start a Business; Margery and Her Husband Reach a Settlement; Self-Government in Medieval Ipswich (1200); The Questioning of Eleanor (John) Rykener, (1395) |
Assignments to Complete: | Annotated
Bibliography Part 2 Due November 24 |
Monday, November 25: Holy War |
Discussion
Reading: Urban
II Call the First Crusade at
Council of Clermont, as
reported by Fucher of Chartres
(1095); Brooks, "Chapter 2: The Crises of the Middle Ages" |
Wednesday, November 27: |
No Class- Happy Thanksgiving! |
Monday, December 2: The High Middle Ages |
Discussion
Reading: Usama ibn Munqidh, Excerpts
from The Book of Contemplation
(12th c.) |
Wednesday, December 4: |
Discussion Reading: Boccaccio's Decameron on the Black Death in Florence, 1348; The Statute of Laborers; 1351 Watch Was The Black Death B.S.? Brooks, "Chapter 3: The Renaissance" "Chapter 4: Politics in the Renaissance Era" |
Assignments to Complete: | Research Project due December 1. |
Monday, December 9: New Worlds |
Discussion
Reading: Dante
Alighieri, Excerpt
from The Inferno (1320); Bartolemé
de Las Casas, Excerpt from A Brief
Account of the Devastation of the Indies
(1542) Watch Was Columbus B.S.? Brooks, "Chapter 5: European Exploration" "Chapter 6: Reformations" |
Assignments to Complete: | Final
Exam due December 11 (This
assignment cannot be turned in late) |
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