Pharoah History 101
Western Civilizations Pre-1600
Northern Virginia
Community College		 Greek Helmet
Dr. Doug Campbell, docampbell@nvcc.edu
Office Hours in LC-320: Mondays and Wednesdays, 9-9:30 am, 12:30-1:30 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays 3-4 pm
Office Hours via Zoom Appointment: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am-2 pm,
Email me at least 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment if you need to consult during office hours.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, you are encouraged to wear a face mask if you feel unwell or it makes you feel more comfortable. You are also encouraged to take advantage of one of the several safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 which help protect both you and those around you. Thanks for your help!

Welcome
Themes
Readings
Grading and Due Dates
Expectations
Description of Course Elements
Course Schedule
NOVA Policies & Resources

Welcome to History 101

You just happen to be lucky enough to have enrolled in a class on the history of western civilization.  Seriously. History is enormously interesting, and I love teaching it.   If I do my job correctly, you will love learning about it.  And of course, not only is history fascinating, but it's also valuable in an intellectual sense.  Learning about how people lived in the past can help broaden your horizons, making your outlook less parochial and more cosmopolitan.  It's sort of like traveling to a foreign country without the discomfort of a long, uncomfortable plane ride. History, of course, can also inform your understanding of the present by showing you the deeper roots of problems and trends in the contemporary world.  And finally, a well-taught history course is chock full of practice in all sorts of useful skills that employers are interested in, such as critical thinking, analyzing documents, and crafting well-written arguments based on evidence.  So history can be interesting, can enrich your intellectual life, and make you more money.  What could be more awesome?

One thing to keep in mind with this course, however, is the fact that learning is not a spectator sport.  You can't just sit back passively and expect to get anything near the full benefit of this class.  You need to be actively engaged in your own education.  I certainly have to play my  part, and I promise to do my best to present an interesting and dynamic class which offers you all sorts of opportunities to learn cool stuff.  The actual learning is your job, though.  To put it another way, I can cook the most delicious banquet imaginable, and set the table in the most attractive way possible, piling it high with all sorts of fabulous delicacies.  But in the end, you're the one who actually has to eat the meal.  So if you're going to take this class, I'll ask you to make a conscious decision to engage in all of the opportunities available to you, and to commit to coming to all of the class sessions, to participating in an active and thoughtful manner in all of our class discussions, to completing all of the assigned readings, and to submitting all of the required assignments.  If you do, I promise it will be worth your while.  Your place at the table is set, and you are invited....

 Stuff the College makes me include:
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

Our primary goal is to investigate what it means to be human by looking at what humans were like in the past. To that end, this class is going to use several themes as "lenses" through which to examine the human past.  The themes are:

Government: What are the origins of human governments?  What are the various forms that government has taken over the centuries? Which forms work best? Which are worst?

Religion: What is religion? What role does it play in human societies? Is religion an essential part of being human?

Gender: Are different social roles for men and women essential or arbitrary? How have human opinions on gender, marriage, and sexuality changed over time?

Social Class: Are inequalities in wealth and power inherent, appropriate parts of human life or evils to be overcome? On what basis should wealth and power be allocated?

There are of course plenty of other lenses through which to look at the past, but these are a good start and should give plenty of interesting questions to examine for one class.

Readings

There are no books you need to purchase for this class. We will be making use, as much as possible, of Open Educational Resources (OER) which are available online for free.

Even though we have left the more traditional paper textbook-oriented model of a history class behind, however, this course still requires you to do a great deal of reading, writing, and, above all, thinking.  You should take the course readings seriously, and make sure to keep up with the reading assignments described below in the Class Schedule.

Course readings should be completed BEFORE you log into class session for which they are assigned. It is especially important to read the sources marked as "discussion readings" because we will be discussing them in class. Taking notes on them, marking the most important passages, and jotting down any questions you might have is highly encouraged.

Grading and Due Dates

Your overall grade for the class will consist of the following elements. Scores will be posted on Canvas, and will be accompanied by general comments about the strengths and weaknesses of your work.  If you would like a more detailed description of aspects of the assignment which could be improved, just ask me and I will be happy to provide one.

December 11 is the last day any work will be accepted for this class. See the NOVA Academic Calendar for a list of important dates and deadlines this semester.
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 20
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)

Grading Scale

Percentage
 Final Course Grade
Above 90%
 A
80-89% B
70-79% C
60-69% D
Below 60%
 F


Expectations

Guidelines for Conduct During Online Class Meetings

You are responsible for being present (logged into the appropriate Zoom session) and attentive during class. You need to be logged in and participating throughout the full class session in order to receive full credit for attending.

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!


Announcements: If there is something I need to communicate to the class, I will post an announcement to the course Canvas page. It is the your responsibility to check the course's Canvas page and your College email account in a timely manner in order to receive information on the substitute assignment and when it is due. You should adjust the settings of your Canvas account to make sure that you are promptly notified.

Abuse: Any student who seems to be under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs, or who is abusive or violent will be referred to the appropriate College authorities.

Course Content Warning: Lectures and course materials may contain disturbing content, including, but not limited to: violence, sexual assault, war crimes, genocide, mental or physical illnesses or disabilities, discrimination or persecution on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and/or sexual orientation, etc. If you have been personally impacted by one or more of these topics and suffer from PTSD, please email the professor if you would like prior notification of lectures containing discussions of the effecting topics. 

Accommodations: Students requiring special accommodations for assignments or exams should have the appropriate forms from the Disability Support Service (DSS).  Forms should be given to me no fewer than 7 days before the date the assignment or exam requiring the accommodation is due, and preferably at the very beginning of the semester.


Guidelines for Written Work

Formatting: Papers should be double spaced, using 12 point Tahoma font and one inch margins.  All papers must be word processed and submitted through Canvas as files in .doc, .odt, .pdf, or .rtf format (No .pages format submissions, please!).  E-mail submissions will not be accepted.  See this rubric for a more detailed description of how you will be graded.

Style and Grammar: All of your work for this class must present a main argument or thesis which addresses the question(s) posed by the assignment, should support that argument with evidence, and should be written in grammatical and stylistically correct English.  Make sure to proofread and use spell-check. For information on writing papers for this class, make sure to read my Tips for History Papers page.  You also might want to consult the following handy websites:

        Patrick Rael, "Avoid Common Mistakes In Your History Paper"
        Steven Kreis, "Writing the Short Essay"


Citations:  You MUST include a formal citation any time you refer to a specific passage in a text, even if you do not quote the text directly.  The required method for citing sources in this class is the Chigago Manual of Style's format, which is the standard for the discipline of history.  According to this format, at the end of any sentence or paragraph drawn from a specific part of a source, you insert superscript number which corresponds to a footnote at the bottom of the page with the appropriate bibliographic information.  Number your footnotes consecutively. Consult the previous web link for more detailed information on citations in this format.  You also might find these websites (https://libguides.nvcc.edu/ChicagoTurabian & https://www.plagiarism.org/article/what-are-footnotes) and this video on "How To Use Chicago-Style Footnotes In A History Paper"  helpful. EVERY PAPER you complete for this class should include a bibliography at the end listing all of the sources you consulted (even if the list includes only one source).  Your bibliography page does not count toward the page length of your assignment. Papers without appropriate Chicago-format footnotes will receive a 20% penalty.


Plagiarism: Plagiarized work will not be accepted for this class. Any student caught plagiarizing or cheating in this course will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, including at a minimum no credit whatsoever for the assignment or exam in question.  Procedures for disciplinary measures and appeals are outlined in the NOVA Student Handbook. Particularly flagrant instances of cheating or multiple instances of plagiarism may result in a grade of "F" for the course.

Please note that even copying a sentence or two from another source without citing it is enough to trigger a plagiarism penalty.  Likewise, changing a word here or there from content which you copy is still plagiarism.  Your work should be entirely in your own words except for the passages which you quote and appropriately cite.

For a bit more discussion on why you will probably get caught if you try to use the web to plagiarize, see "How Dumb Do They Think We Are?" by Jonathan Malesic.  All of your papers for the class will be checked for plagiarism by Turnitin software.

A.I. Writing Tools: Various tools which use artificial intelligence to generate text suggest intriguing possibilities for the future of writing. Right now, however, they are fairly crude, and do not do a good job of producing well-written papers which fulfill the specifications of course assignments. Moreover, part of what you are here to do is to get some practice in how to write and think for yourself. Therefore, assignments which make use of A.I. generated content will not be accepted, and trying to use A.I. writing tools to substitute for your own writing will likely be a waste of your time. This policy includes writing assistance tools such as Grammarly-- please don't use them.
Please see the following video for a more detailed discussion of why using A.I. on your assignments is a really bad idea: Is Using A.I. On A College Paper B.S.?
 Late Work:  Major assignments (papers and exams) may be submitted for up to one week after the specified due date with a 10% late penalty. After one week, they will no longer be accepted (No exceptions!!!).

You cannot resubmit revised work for a higher score once it has been graded.
Guidelines for E-Mail Communication

The easiest way to contact me outside of class is through e-mail.  In order to receive a response to your message, however, your e-mail must contain the following elements, which are all part of the basic etiquette for professional correspondence:
Messages sent using "text-ese" or rude or abusive language will be ignored (b/c it makes u look ignorant d00d)!

I have on average between 150-200 students a semester, so you need to provide me with as much information as possible if you want a timely answer to your message.  Please allow at least 48 hours before following up.  If you haven't received a response within a couple of days, however, feel free to nag me.

Description of Course Elements

Attendance and Participation

Attendance Policy: Given the fact that participation is part of your grade, your attendance is expected at every class meeting.  You are allowed two unexcused absence for the semester.  You will only receive credit for attending a class session if you are present when I take roll at the beginning of class.  Please note that you should definitely not come to class if you suspect you may have an infectious illness. Let me know and I can excuse the absence-- thanks!

Preparedness: You should make sure that you have completed the assigned readings and any required assignments before you walk into the class meeting that week.  You may be asked to discuss both readings and assignments, so you should have access to them during class either by bringing hard copies or through the use of any appropriate electronic device (NOTE: Smartphone screens are too small to really be useful for this purpose-- please use a laptop or a tablet).

Participation: A portion of your grade will be determined by the degree to which you participate in the class discussions on the discussion readings (see Course Schedule).  You should come to class each session having completed all the required readings and ready to discuss them.  I reserve the right to give unannounced  quizzes on any reading material for the week.  Please make sure to adhere to the guidelines for class conduct. Behavior which distracts me and your classmates will count against your participation grade.

You are expected to treat your fellow students with respect and a spirit of generosity and good-will. If you have a problem with one of the other students that you are unable to resolve on your own, please contact the professor for guidance and assistance.
Group Leadership

Discussions in smaller groups will be a frequent feature of the class.  At least 2 times over the course of the semester, each student will serve as the leader of their group for class discussions. The group leader is responsible for noting which group members are present and participating in the discussion, and should help guide the group's conversation so that the form associated with that particular discussion has been completely filled out. The group leader will also share the group's findings with the rest of the class, if applicable, for that particular class session. Finally, the group leader should also turn in the appropriate completed form through Canvas at the end of the class session.

Autocracy and Democracy Paper


Read the translation of the Cyrus Cylinder and Aristotle’s description of the Athenian Constitution, and then write a paper at least two double-spaced pages long (approximately 500 words) which answers the following questions: How did the Persian King Cyrus portray the benefits or advantages of his system of one-man rule (autocracy)? Why did the Athenians reject rule by one man, and what specific ways did their system allow citizens to participate in the management of Athenian society? How did this Athenian democracy change over time, according to Aristotle?

You should make sure to refer to or quote specific examples from the documents in order to support your arguments, and to cite them using Chicago-format footnotes.  When citing the Cyrus Cylinder, your footnotes should include the line number. When citing Aristotle on the Athenian Constitution, your footnotes should include the part number.

Please follow the guidelines for written work in this class.  See this rubric for a more detailed description of how you will be graded.
Source Criticism Paper

You should select a website dealing with the topic you are using for your Research Project and compare it to an article on the same basic subject written during the past 50 years from a history-focused scholarly journal (see below for more detailed information on how to find a scholarly journal article). Websites should contain orignal content, and cannot be primary source documents, encyclopedia/Wikipedia articles, or reprints of articles published elsewhere. These two sources must be approved by the professor before you can proceed any further with this assignment.  Your proposed sources for the Source Criticism Paper should be uploaded for approval using this form. Make sure to check the professor's feedback to see if your sources were approved, or if you need to resubmit the form.

Once your sources are approved, you should read them and then, in a paper at least two double-spaced pages long, write a comparative analysis with a main arguement which answers this major question:  "Which of these two sources would be most useful to scholar researching this topic?"  Your analysis also ought to consider the following secondary questions:

 You should mention the title of the website and the title of the article, the name of the journal, and the name of the author of the scholarly journal article in the introduction of your paper. You should also include the full bibliographic citations for each in a bibliography page.

Please follow the guidelines for written work in this class.  You do not need to include footnotes for this assignment unless you quote either of your two sources directly, or you consult some source other than the sources you are analyzing. See this rubric for a more detailed description of how you will be graded.


How To Find A Scholarly Journal Article:

This video walks you through the process of finding a scholarly journal article using the NOVA Library and JSTOR: How to Find a Scholarly Journal Article
A scholarly journal is a periodical which contains research-based articles and reviews by established scholars in a given field.  These sorts of journals are geared towards a professional or academic audience, and are intended to serve as an intellectual resource rather than to earn a profit for the publisher.  In order to have an article published in a scholarly journal, an author must submit it to the editorial board of the journal first.  The editors then will have the prospective article reviewed by other scholars in the field.  Only an article which passes through this process of evaluation by recognized experts ("peer review") can be published in a scholarly journal.  All scholarly journal articles meticulously document their sources of information and contain ample foot or endnotes.  While some scholarly journals make some or all of their content available on the web, a genuine scholarly journal is also always published in paper form so it can become part of the collections of research-oriented libraries.  Consult the NOVA Library's page on scholarly journal articles for more information on what distinguishes a scholarly journal from other sorts of periodicals.

Just a few examples of some of the most prominent scholarly journals dealing with ancient or medieval history include The American Historical Review, The Journal of Ancient History, The Journal of Roman Studies, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies, Classical Antiquity, Clio, The Medieval Review, Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies, Renaissance Quarterly, The Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, and Past and Present (This is not a complete list-- there are many, many more!).  Please note that magazines like History Today, National Geographic Magazine, and American History certainly contain interesting material, they are intended for a popular audience rather than a professional academic one, and hence do not qualify as scholarly journals.

Not too terribly long ago, the only place one could go to access a scholarly journal was an academic library.  These days, however, many journals allow readers to access their contents online. The best place to start is JSTOR, a service which provides the full text of articles from several hundred different scholarly journals.  You can use JSTOR for free by accessing it through the NVCC Library's site.  

You can access JSTOR from the NOVA library's homepage.  Log into My NOVA and then go to http://www.nvcc.edu/library/

Click on "Research Databases by Subject";
the click "History (HIS)";
then click "JSTOR"

Once in JSTOR, you should select the "advanced search" option, scroll down to "Narrow by Item Type" and click the "Articles" box, and then scroll down again to "Narrow by discipline and/or publication title:" and click the "History" box.

Then plug in your search topic and see what comes up.
Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources. It differs from a straightforward bibliography in that each reference is followed by a paragraph length annotation. The Annotated Bibliography is part of your Research Project.  You should provide annotations for the sources that will then be used in the Research Paper.  Sources should be directly related to the Research Project’s topic.  Annotations should be a brief paragraph (about 100 words) long.

Part 1 of your Annotated Bibliography should include:
 For primary sources, you might consult the following resources (some of these sites also contain secondary sources as well):

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:


For each of the Secondary Sources in Part 2 your annotation should include:

 Please follow the guidelines for written work in this class.
Research Project

The capstone assignment for this class is the Research Project. For this assignment you should select one of the following option. No matter what option you choose, you will need to produce the equivalent of 6 double spaced pages worth of text (approximately 1250 words), and to draw upon at least 5 primary source documents (text, not images) and 5 scholarly secondary sources. See below for more detailed descriptions of what each option requires:
Sources:
 In terms of evidence, you should feel free to draw from sources you have already considered for your other course work.  At a minimum, however, your paper must refer to and correctly cite:

For primary sources, you might consult the following resources (some of these sites also contain secondary sources as well):

Directory of World History Primary Sources



The relevant due dates and point worth of the various elements of the Research Project are as follows:
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


Research Paper Option:

For this option you will write a Research Paper which is 6 double spaced pages (approximately 1250 words) long, and which draws upon and correctly cites at least 5 primary source documents (text, not images) and 5 scholarly secondary sources.Your paper should attempt to answer a specific question relevant to the subject matter of the course which deals with one or more of the themes of the course (religion, government, gender, and social class) and discuss how it/they have changed over time. 

You should make sure to refer to or quote specific examples from the sources in order to support your arguments, and to cite them using Chicago-format footnotes.  Please follow the guidelines for written work in this class.  See this rubric for a more detailed description of how you will be graded.

The themes themselves are too broad to be the focus or your paper, so your topic should narrow the focus down in some way (For example, the topic, "Religion in Western Civilization" is too broad).  On the other hand, I would like you to pick a topic that allows you to examine changes over a considerable span of time. Here are some sample research questions as examples.  You are free to pick one of these, to modify one (for example to change the region on which the question focuses), or to suggest your own entirely new topic. 

“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:


Here are some suggestions for software to use when editing your videos:

Travel Log Website 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 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:
Here are some suggestions for free public web hosting for your website:
Exams

There are two unproctored exams for this course which are to be completed at home and submitted through Canvas. You can use any notes, course readers, or other resources you wish as long as you cite them (simply listing the bibliographic information or web address at the end of the question is sufficient-- no need to include footnotes). No more than half of your examples should be drawn from Western or United States history. All of your responses should be in your own words rather than quoted from other sources. If you use any additional sources without citing them, you will not receive any points for the exam.
Midterm Exam. You should submit a file through Canvas with your responses to the following questions:
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:

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:
Final Exam. You should submit a file through Canvas with your responses to the following questions:
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

Week 1 

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.

Week 2
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"

Week 3
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
 
Week 4
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

Week 5
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).
   

Week 6 

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"

Week 7

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
 		Discussion Readings: Aristotle on Slavery (c. 350 BC); Diodorus Siculus’ Account of the First Servile War (c. 135–132 BC)

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

Week 8

Monday, October 14:
 		No Class
Wednesday, October 16:

Authority in the Roman Republic		 Discussion Reading: Polybius, "An Analysis of the Roman Government (Excerpt from Histories)

Brooks, "Chapter 8: The Roman Republic"
 
Week 9

Monday, October 21:

Imperium
Discussion Reading: Introduction on Boudicca and Description by Tacitus of the Rebellion of Boudicca (60-61 CE)

 Brooks, "Chapter 9: The Roman Empire"

Wednesday, October 23:
Early Christianity: Monotheism Transformed 		Discussion Reading: Excerpts from the Gospel According to Luke; 

Watch: Was The Spread of Early Christianity B.S.?

Campbell, "Early Monotheism;"

Brooks, "Chapter 10: The Late Empire and Christianity"
Assignments to Complete: Midterm Exam, due October 20


Week 10
Monday, October 28:
 
Rome's Conversion 		Discussion Reading: Excerpts from the Letters of St. Paul;
Wednesday, October 30:

The "Fall" of Rome

 		Discussion Reading: Excerpts from the Gospel of Thomas;

Watch Was The Fall of Rome B.S.?

 Brooks, "Chapter 11: Byzantium"

Week 11
Monday, November 4:

Monotheism Transformed Again 		Discussion Reading: Excerpts from the Qu'ran (c. 7th century)

Brooks, "Chapter 12: Islam and the Caliphates"
Wednesday, November 6:

The Islamic Golden Age 		Discussion Reading: Excerpts from the poems of Abû Nuwás (757 - 815)


Week 12

Monday, November 11:

The Dark Ages?: Authority in Medieval Europe 		Discussion Reading: Excerpts from Beowulf, (c. 11th c. CE)

Brooks, "Chapter 13: Early Medieval Europe"
Wednesday, November 13:

The Medieval Church
 
Discussion Reading: Excerpts from The Rule of St. Benedict, c.530 CE

Brooks, "Chapter 1: The High Middle Ages"
Assignments to Complete: Annotated Bibliography Part 1 due November 17


Week 13

Monday, November 18:


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)
Wednesday, November 20:

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"
Assignments to Complete: Annotated Bibliography Part 2 Due November 24


Week 14

Monday, November 25:

The High Middle Ages

 Discussion Reading: Usama ibn Munqidh, Excerpts from The Book of Contemplation (12th c.)
Wednesday, November 27:
 No Class- Happy Thanksgiving!

Week 15
Monday, December 2:

The Black Death and the End of Feudalism
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"
Wednesday, December 4:

Rebirth and Reformation
Discussion Reading: Dante Alighieri, Excerpt from The Inferno (1320), Martin Luther, Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (1520)

Brooks, "Chapter 6: Reformations"
Assignments to Complete: Research Project due December 1.




Monday, December 9:


Invasion 		Discussion Reading: 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"
Assignments to Complete: Final Exam due December 11 (This assignment cannot be turned in late)

Various NOVA Policies and Resources:

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

Students are responsible for knowing and following the policies in the Student Handbook. The following are highlights of information that students should be aware of as they begin a course.


Academic Integrity Policy

Accommodations and Accessibility Services

Buy Books with Excess Financial Aid

Career Services

Closing Information

Communication

Course Drop/Withdrawal Policy

COVID-19 Updates

Financial Stability and Advocacy Centers

FREE Tutoring

Office of Wellness and Mental Health

Prerequisite Verification Statement

Remote Student Support Services

TITLE IX

Academic Integrity Policy

NOVA promotes and emphasizes the importance of honesty in academic work. It is therefore imperative for students to maintain the highest standard of honor in their scholastic work.


Academic dishonesty, as outlined in more detail in the Academic Integrity Policy (Policy Number: 224), can include, but is not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, submitting work that is not your own (plagiarism), or sharing assessments online. Consequences of academic dishonesty can include a failing grade on an assignment, a failing grade in the course, and may include additional administrative sanctions such as suspension or expulsion from the college. Procedures for disciplinary measures and appeals are outlined in the Academic Integrity Procedures. It is a student’s responsibility to become familiar with the student code of conduct. Lack of awareness is no excuse for noncompliance with NOVA’s policies and procedures.

NOVA Faculty may choose to use tools such as Turnitin to detect and flag instances of plagiarism in academic writing. These tools can also identify text written by artificial

intelligence (AI) applications such as ChatGPT and flag it as potential plagiarism.

 

The use of AI to complete assigned work may be considered a violation of the academic integrity policy. Students are urged to be cautious when using any web tools designed to assist with assignments without their instructors’ explicit permission to do so and to cite their sources in all their work.


Accommodations and Accessibility Services

NOVA is committed to ensuring all students have an opportunity to pursue a college education regardless of the presence or absence of a disability. No academically qualified student with a disability will be denied access to or participation in the services, programs, and activities of the College. Your access to and inclusion in this course is important to NOVA and me. Please request your accommodation letter (Memorandum of Accommodations) early in the semester or as soon as you become registered so that we have adequate time to arrange your approved academic accommodations. Returning students must renew their Memorandum of Accommodations (MOA) every semester; these students should submit the request 24 hours or later after enrolling in at least one class. Allow up to 7 business days for the request to be approved.

Accommodations are provided for in-person, online, and remote/synchronous (Zoom) learning. To get started, review NOVA’s Accommodation and Accessibility Services website. Following a meeting with a counselor, you will be issued a Memorandum of Accommodation (MOA). You must provide your MOA to your professors, testing proctor, and/or tutoring center in order to receive your accommodations. You may provide your MOA any time during the semester; however, accommodations are not retroactive. You may email your MOA or provide me with a printed copy. I will send you an email to acknowledge receipt. If I have any questions or if there is anything about your accommodations you wish to explain, we will schedule a meeting outside of class for that purpose. Please remind me of any special arrangements that must be made in advance of tests and assessments. If you need a sign language interpreter, or if you need live captions for your Zoom class, send an email to interpreters@nvcc.edu.

Buy Books with Excess Financial Aid

If your anticipated financial aid is more than what you owe for the semester, you may use your excess aid to purchase books, supplies, or even a laptop through the NOVA Bookstore. Book purchases must occur during the provided disbursement dates every semester. Note that this excess financial aid can only be used to purchase course books (physical and digital) and supplies at the NOVA Bookstore, not from other vendors. Two disbursement periods are available during the fall and spring semesters. Any holds on a student's account regarding a debt to the College must be resolved prior to using financial aid at the bookstore.

Career Services

The College is committed to providing career services to all students as part of the comprehensive educational journey. Career Services assists students with exploring, developing and setting goals related to each student’s unique educational and academic needs. These services include career assessments, occupational information, goal setting, planning and employment resources. You can request an appointment with a career counselor.

Closing Information

NOVA announces campus and college closings on the NOVA homepage. You can also receive notification by cell phone or email if you register for NOVA Alert. Also review NOVA’s guidance on emergency closings, delayed openings, and continuation of instruction.


If a course is canceled due to a weather event or other unforeseen situation, check the course Canvas site or NOVA email as soon as possible for instructions and assignments to avoid falling behind in coursework. You are expected to be up to date with all assignments the next time the class meets.

Communication

Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) faculty, staff, and administrators communicate with students through their official NVCC email accounts ( ______@nvcc.edu). Students are likewise required to use their VCCS email accounts (__________@email.vccs.edu) to communicate with instructors and other college personnel. Students should check their email accounts regularly.

Course Drop/Withdrawal Policy

Please note these important deadlines related to your enrollment in a course:

To identify these important dates for your courses, please visit the College Academic Calendar and scroll down to the specific session for your course. Please note that any drops or withdrawals from a course may impact financial aid, International Student status, or military benefits. Students with questions should check with the appropriate offices.

COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 information and updates can be found on the Stay Safe with Ace webpage.

Financial Stability and Advocacy Centers

The Financial Stability and Advocacy Centers provide assistance to students who are experiencing financial hardships that might prevent the students’ academic success. The personnel at the Financial Stability and Advocacy Centers work with students to identify college or community services available. For more information, please visit the Financial Stability and Advocacy Centers webpage, or contact the office by calling 703.323.3450 or emailing financialstability@nvcc.edu.


FREE Tutoring

NOVA’s Tutoring Centers offer free in-person and virtual tutoring to all NOVA Nighthawks. Students can drop by any one of campus Tutoring Centers for walk-in services, or set up an appointment for tutoring. To request an appointment for one-on-one tutoring, either in-person or via Zoom, log in to myNOVA to select EAB Navigate. For more information and for Tutoring Center locations, visit www.nvcc.edu/tutoring. In addition, Tutor.com is an online tutoring service that Northern Virginia Community College offers that is free to all students. Tutor.com provides tutoring in a variety of subjects, many of which are available 24/7. To access Tutor.com, click on the Tutor.com: 24/7 Online Tutoring link located in your course on the navigation menu.

Office of Wellness and Mental Health

During your time at NOVA, you may experience challenges including struggles with academics, finances, or your personal well-being. NOVA has support resources available. Please contact the Office of Wellness and Mental Health if you are seeking resources and support, or if you are worried about a friend or classmate.


Prerequisite Verification Statement

As noted in the Course Prerequisites Policy, some courses have prerequisite or corequisite requirements that are established to foster a student’s success in the course. Students may not enroll in a course for which they do not meet the prerequisites by the time the course begins or for which they do not simultaneously enroll in any corequisite. Students may be administratively dropped from any course for which they have not met the prerequisite. If a course has a prerequisite, it is the responsibility of the student to ensure completion of this pre-requisite course first. Any student needing assistance in determining prerequisite or corequisite requirements can reach out to their faculty member or Campus Academic Division office for support.

Remote Student Support Services

If you need academic assistance or need college services but cannot make it to campus, please review NOVA’s Remote Student Support Services to receive virtual assistance. Services provided include enrollment services, advising, tutoring, and financial aid assistance.

TITLE IX

Title IX is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs, activities, admission, and employment. Complaints of sex-based discrimination, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual or gender-based harassment are governed by the Title IX Policy. For more information or to make a report, visit the Office of Title IX.