HIST 1111-025 Dr. Carol L. White Spring 2009 [email protected] TR 11:00–12:15 34 Peachtree, rm. 2023, x3-5269 General Classroom 629 Office Hours: Tues. 4:00–5:15 or by appointment Survey of World History to 1500 This course will examine major themes in world history during the ancient and medieval periods. We will pay special attention to encounters between civilizations, the development of new religions and the building of empires. The course will cover the earliest civilizations to 1500 AD. It will focus particularly on developments within Europe, China, India and West Asia (the Middle East). You will have three objectives. First, you will be expected to learn the basic historical narrative: what happened, who was in power, when, where, etc. This objective will require you to develop a sense of chronology, as well as learn a new “vocabulary” of significant people, events and concepts. Second, you will be asked to act as amateur historians, learning about historical methods, working with primary sources and evaluating historical interpretations. Third, you will be required to develop you verbal and written communication skills through class discussion and paper assignments. Course Requirements and Grading Lectures and Readings In general, you are responsible for both reading assignments and for any material covered in lectures and discussions. Most days, part of the class will be devoted to lecture while the remaining time will be used for the discussion of primary source readings from the source book (see below). Two class periods have been set aside for the discussion of lengthier primary sources, namely The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Song of Roland. Two additional classes will involve the discussion of prominent historical debates regarding the fall of the Roman Empire and the Crusades. For these days, there will be no lecture. You should read your assignments in advance and be prepared to discuss them in class. You must bring the readings (books, photocopies, etc.) to class for discussion. You cannot succeed in this class if you do not attend regularly. Your exams (see below) will cover the material from lectures and class discussions. Your textbook is not only a valuable resource for learning the historical narrative, but also an essential tool for success in this class. You will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the textbook during class discussion and on exams.Quizzes There will be three scheduled map quizzes, collectively worth 10% of your grade. The first quiz is worth 4% of your grade, while the remaining two are worth 3% each. There will also be six pop quizzes typically on the primary source readings for the day that the quiz is given. Each pop quiz will be worth 2% of your final grade. Your lowest pop quiz score will be dropped. Quizzes cannot be made up or rescheduled. Tardy students who arrive to class after the quiz for that day has been collected will not be allowed to take the quiz. Papers You will be assigned two two-page short response papers. Additional instructions for each of these papers will be given later. Papers are due in class. You may not turn them into my office or by email. Such papers will be considered late. All late papers will be penalized one letter grade per day—no exceptions. Each paper accounts for 15% of your final grade. Exams There will be a midterm and a final examination. These exams cannot be rescheduled. Make-up exams are permitted solely at the discretion of the professor, typically in cases of illness or death in the family. In such cases, documentation is required. The midterm is worth 20%, while the final accounts for 30% of your final grade. Cell phones and other similar data transmitting devices will not be allowed in the classroom on exam days. The grading system is as follows: Three Map Quizzes 10%Five Pop Quizzes (2% each) 10%Response Papers (15% each) 30%Midterm 20%Final 30%TOTAL 100% A 94-100 C+ 77-79 A- 90-93 C 74-76 B+ 87-89 C- 70-73 B 84-86 D 60-69 B- 80-83 F 0-59 23Course Readings The books below are required and available for purchase at the bookstore. You must work from the editions listed below. For your convenience, copies of The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Song of Roland are also available via library reserve. William J. Duiker, The Essential World History: To 1500, 3rd ed., Houghton Mifflin (text), ISBN 0495097675 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History, vol. I, 6th ed., Houghton Mifflin (source book), ISBN 0618751106 Herbert Mason, trans., The Epic of Gilgamesh, Mariner Books, ISBN 0618275649 Glyn Burgess, trans., The Song of Roland, Penguin Classics, ISBN 9780140445329 Several additional readings will be placed on e-reserve. You must print out online reserve reading assignments and bring them with you to class on the days that they are discussed. The e-reserve password is 5bduitqsS. Other Policies Class materials and messages from the professor will be posted to uLearn. Students should check uLearn regularly for updates. Cell phones and mp3 players should be switched off during class. Laptops are allowed, but students should use them only for taking notes. It is understood that students are expected to follow the university’s Code of Conduct, including the policy on academic honesty. Any violations will be handled according to university regulations. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the policy on academic honesty: http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfhb/sec409.html. The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. Class Schedule Weekly Reading: Text, 14-19 Tues, Jan 6 Introduction to class Thurs, Jan 7 Earliest Civilizations: The Egyptians Weekly Reading: Text, 9-14; begin Gilgamesh Tues, Jan 13 Earliest Civilizations: The Egyptians Source book: 20-21, 38-39 Map Quiz Thurs, Jan 14 Earliest Civilizations: Mesopotamia Source book: 13-17Weekly Reading: Text, 52-58; finish Gilgamesh Tues, Jan 20 Discussion: The Epic of Gilgamesh ***First Response Paper Due*** Thurs, Jan 22 Ancient Civilizations: China Source book: 24-26 Weekly Reading: Text, 58-62, 77-94 Tues, Jan 27 Ancient Civilizations: The Greeks Source book: 97-99 Thurs, Jan 29 Ancient Religion and Philosophy: The Greeks and China Source book: 85-95, 103-105 Weekly Reading: Text, 30-34, 36-38, 40-45, 97-109; begin Fall of Rome readings Tues, Feb 3 Ancient