COURSE TITLE: HIST 1111 (CRN______)INSTRUCTOR: Rhonda Webb

EMAIL: HONE #: 678-494-7863

Office: 25 Park Place (20th Floor)OFFICE HOURS: Tues/Thurs 4:00-5:00 and by appt.

LEARNING GOALS:(as delineated by the University System of Georgia):

Students have the ability to describe how historical, economic, political, social, and spatial relationships develop, persist, and change.

Students have the ability to articulate the complexity of human behavior as a function of the commonality and diversity within groups.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

World History 1111 is designed to engage students in the analysis of global processes, cultural tenets, and political organizations as they emerged across space and time. Specifically, human societal interaction will be a focus of study throughout the course. The course spans a broad swath of time from the earliest human encounters through the civilizations of the late fifteenth century. Themes will be developed in this course, which will help students relate social, political, cultural, and economic contexts from a particular time period or society to foster a “big picture” of history. These themes will also provide a basis for further comparison and analysis of changes in the complex historical relationships of the pre-modern world.

This course is arranged using an integration of chronological, thematic, and regional frameworks. Students will be required to develop a base of historical knowledge from which to think and write critically about the development of global interaction.

Extensive use of the Strayer textbook will develop a base of knowledge from which students can then examine events more analytically through the parallel readings of primary sources and key historiographic works from the field.

TEXTS/READINGS:

Primary Texts:

J.R. McNeill and William H McNeill, The Human Web: A Bird’s-Eye View of World History (New York, NY: W.W.
Norton, 2003). ISBN# 0-393-92568-4

Robert W. Strayer, Ways of the World: A Global History With Sources, Second Edition (Boston, MA: Bedford/St.
Martins, 2013). ISBN# 978-0-312-58350-7

Primary Documents:

All primary documents for this class are located within the Strayer text. Any others will be supplied to you in class.

Parallel Readings:

Robert Brenner, “The Origins of Capitalist Development: A Critique of Neo-Smithian Marxism,” New Left Review 104: 25-92.

  • Available for download through GSU Library Online Portal

Edward Said, Orientalism (New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1977), 1-28

  • (Introduction of book – posted on D2L)

Peter Stearns, Gender in World History, Second Edition (New York, NY: Routledge, 2000), 1-42.

  • (Chapters 1-3)

Immanuel Wallerstein, “The Rise and Future Demise of the World Capitalist System: Concepts for Comparative
Analysis,” Comparative Studies in Society and History 16, no. 4 (1974): 387-415.

  • Available for download through GSU Library Online Portal

GRADE COMPONENTS AND WEIGHTS:

3 Unit Tests…………………………………………(30% total… or 10%each)

3 Unit Essays ………………………………………(30% total… or 10% each)

Final Research Paper Topic / Research Plan...... (5%)

Final Research Paper Annotated Bibliography….(5%)

Final Research Paper – Final Draft ………………(20%)

Participation / Attendance…………………………(10%)

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS:

Unit Exams (30%) –3 exams, each weighted at 10% of final course grade.

  • Each exam will draw from text readings, document readings, parallel readings, and class discussion.
  • Format will include concept identification with categorization, multiple choice, & short answer questions.
  • ID with Categorization Question Format (Example):

Identify each of the following and give an explanation of their relationship to one another.

~ Code of Hammurabi – you should thoroughly explain the term

~ Caste System- you should thoroughly explain the term

~ Ban Zhao – you should thoroughly explain the term

Relationship: You should then think deeply about the three terms to determine a unifying relationship between them. In the case of the above example, each represents an example of hierarchical divisions based on social class and gender.

  • Modified Multiple Choice Question Format (Example):

This question format requires the student to not only select the correct answer choice, but to also provide commentary about why the other answer choices are incorrect. For example:

Which of the following occurred as a result of the development of agriculture in societies that previously relied on hunting and gathering?

A. conditions for women improved NO- Mesopotamia & other Neolithic civ. patriarchal

B. the incidence of disease declined NO-increased with closer human interactions

✓C. population density increased YES- groups located centrally in the river valleys

D. the environment was less degraded NO- resource use was more concentrated

Unit Analysis Essays (30%) – 3 essays weighted at 10% of final course grade for each essay.

  • Each essay
  • emphasizes analysis across time periods, regions, and sources of information.
  • 2-3 pages double spaced
  • Includes a clear thesis (argument) that 1) takes a position, 2) fully addresses the question, 3)
    identifies the categories of evidence to be used in the body of the paper to prove the thesis
  • Includes well developed –specific- evidence within the body paragraphs to support the thesis
  • Includes correctly formatted footnotes (Chicago Style of Citation)
  • Bring a hard copy of the essay to physically turn in with your unit exam on the listed due date/exam date.

Final Research Paper (30%) – Due dates for each stage of the Research Paper process are listed in schedule.

  • Stage 1: Thesis Statement (due September 15th)
  • The paper must have a thesis statement (or argument) that 1) takes a position, 2) fully addresses
    the question, 3) identifies the categories of evidence to be used in the body of the paper
  • The topic of your paper should address a broad theme of history and be comparative across time
    periods or cultural regions. (Sample research paper topics are listed at the end of the syllabus.)
  • Stage 2: Annotated Bibliography (due October 20th)
  • Your paper should include at least 5 sources other than the textbooks for this course. Your
    sources should include a variety of books and scholarly articles.
  • The Annotated Bibliography is a list of sources you plan to use. This list could grow as your paper
    is fleshed out. Sources on the list might also be eliminated when the final draft of the paper is
    complete. This is a working document.
  • The format for the Annotated Bibliography should include for each source: 1) proper Chicago style
    citation and 2) a few sentences explaining the source’s key points and an explanation of how
    the source will help support the thesis of your paper.
  • Stage 3: Final Draft (due December 8th)
  • Polished Research Papers have been revised and edited to ensure clear communication of ideas
    in an organized format.
  • 8-10 pages…double spaced…Times New Roman…12 font
  • Traditional Bibliography and Footnotes. Bibliography is not counted in the page count

LETTER GRADE / NUMBER GRADE CONVERSIONS:

100-98 97-93 92-90 89-88 87-83 82-80 79-78 77-73 72-70 69-60 59-0

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D F

ATTENDANCE, MAKE-UP, and LATE WORK POLICY:

Your class time is extremely valuable! A student who is present and actively participates is more likely to be successful. However, sometimes life happens. You will be allowed 2 unexplained absences from this class. Any further absences will require legitimate documentation of your emergency (severe injury, illness, or death in the family). Without this documentation, your participation grade for this course will be impacted. An absence will be noted for arriving to class more than 15 minutes late or leaving class early.

Arrangements must be made with the instructor prior to missing an exam or assignment due date. Again, you must have legitimate documentation of your emergency in order to be eligible for the make-up exam. Late assignments will be penalized 1 full letter grade per day late.

ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY:

Cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off and stowed during class. Laptops and tablets may be used for note-taking purposes only. If you are using these devices for alternative purposes, you will no longer be allowed to use them in class.

DISABILITY SERVICES:

Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Office of Disability services. Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signed Accommodation Plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought.

COURSE EVALUATION:

Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State. Upon completing the course, please take time to fill out the online course evaluation.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

Maintaining the academic integrity of this course is essential. You must also be familiar with the Georgia State University policy on Academic Honesty, which is located in the GSU Student Handbook (

The Georgia State University History Department defines plagiarism and academic honesty as follows:

GSU Department of History Statement on Academic Honesty

The Department of History supports the University’s Policy on Academic Honesty, refers its faculty and students to the full text of this policy (published as section 409 of the Faculty Handbook and as part 4.0 of the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook; and reaffirms parts 1 and 2 of this policy below:

“I. Introduction. As members of the academic community, students are expected to recognize and uphold standards of intellectual and academic integrity. The university assumes as a basic and minimum standard of conduct in academic matters that students be honest and that they submit for credit only the products of their own efforts. Both the ideals of scholarship and the need for fairness require that all dishonest work be rejected as a basis for academic credit. They also require that students refrain from any and all forms of dishonorable or unethical conduct related to their academic work ....The policy represents a core value of the university and all members of the university community are responsible for abiding by its tenets. Lack of knowledge of this policy is not an acceptable defense to any charge of academic dishonesty....

II. Definitions and Examples. The examples and definitions given below are intended to clarify the standards by which academic honesty and academically honorable conduct are to be judged. The list is merely illustrative of the kinds of infractions that may occur, and it is not intended to be exhaustive. Moreover, the definitions and examples suggest conditions under which unacceptable behavior of the indicated types normally occurs; however, there may be unusual cases that fall outside these conditions which also will be judged unacceptable by the academic community.

A. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is presenting another person’s work as one’s own. Plagiarism includes any paraphrasing or summarizing of the works of another person without acknowledgment, including the submitting of another student’s work as one’s own. Plagiarism frequently involves a failure to acknowledge in the text, notes, or footnotes the quotation of the paragraphs, sentences, or even a few phrases written or spoken by someone else. The submission of research or completed papers or projects by someone else is plagiarism, as is the unacknowledged use of research sources gathered by someone else when that use is specifically forbidden by the faculty member. Failure to indicate the extent and nature of one’s reliance on other sources is also a form of plagiarism. Any work, in whole or in part, taken from the Internet or other computer-based resource without properly referencing the source (for example, the URL) is considered plagiarism. A complete reference is required in order that all parties may locate and view the original source. Finally, there may be forms of plagiarism that are unique to an individual discipline or course, examples of which should be provided in advance by the faculty member. The student is responsible for understanding the legitimate use of sources, the appropriate ways of acknowledging academic, scholarly or creative indebtedness, and the consequences of violating this responsibility.

B. Cheating on Examinations: Cheating on examinations involves giving or receiving unauthorized help before, during, or after an examination. Examples of unauthorized help include the use of notes, computer- based resources, texts, or crib sheets during an examination (unless specifically approved by the faculty member), or sharing information with another student during an examination (unless specifically approved by the faculty member). Other examples include intentionally allowing another student to view one’s own examination and collaboration before or after an examination if such collaboration is specifically forbidden by the faculty member.

C. Unauthorized Collaboration: Submission for academic credit of a work product, or a part thereof, represented as its being one’s own effort, which has been developed in substantial collaboration with another person or source, or computer-based resource, is a violation of academic honesty. It is also a violation of academic honesty knowingly to provide such assistance. Collaborative work specifically authorized by a faculty member is allowed.

D. Falsification: It is a violation of academic honesty to misrepresent material or fabricate information in an academic exercise, assignment or proceeding (e.g., false or misleading citation of sources the falsification of the results of experiments or of computer data, false or misleading information in an academic context in order to gain an unfair advantage).

E. Multiple Submissions: It is a violation of academic honesty to submit substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once without the explicit consent of the faculty member(s) to whom the material is submitted for additional credit. In cases in which there is a natural development of research or knowledge in a sequence of courses ...the student is responsible for indicating in writing ...that the current work submitted for credit is cumulative in nature.”.”

It is the general policy of the Department of History that any course assignment involving plagiarism will receive the grade of “F.” At the discretion of the instructor, the student may also be subject to further academic penalties, including, but not limited to, failure of the course. The student may also be subject to further disciplinary sanctions, including, but not limited to, transcript annotation.

EXAMPLES OF PLAGIARISM

The following are examples of common types of plagiarism. The same rules apply to material drawn from other media, including the Internet.

Original Text: “Although no social revolution occurred in America in the 1770s, the American Revolution could not have unfolded when or as it did without the self-conscious action of urban laboring people from the bottom and middle strata who became convinced that they must either create power where none had existed before or watch their position deteriorate, in both absolute and relative terms.”.” (from Gary B. Nash, The Urban Crucible: The Northern Seaports and the Origins of the American Revolution, abridged edition, p. 247)

(a) Repeat an author’s words without quotation marks and a footnote.

Plagiarism: The American Revolution could not have happened without the self-conscious action of urban laboring people.

Not plagiarism: According to Gary B. Nash, the American Revolution could not have happened “without the self-conscious action of urban laboring people.”.”1

(b) Repeat an author’s words with a footnote but still without quotation marks.

Plagiarism: The American Revolution could not have happened without the self-conscious action of urban laboring people.2

Not plagiarism: According to one historian, the American Revolution could not have happened “without the self-conscious action of urban laboring people.”.”3

(c) Closely paraphrase an author’s words without a footnote.

Plagiarism: No social revolution happened in America in the 1770s, but the Revolution could not have taken place when or as it did without the actions of urban laboring people from the bottom and middle classes who became convinced that they either had to create new power or watch their situations get worse.

Not plagiarism: Quote the original passage directly, using quotation marks and a footnote, or use the attribution style given below in example (d).

(d) Use an idea or interpretation originated by the author without giving him or her credit. Examples of ideas and interpretations include but are not limited to: statements and explanations of cause and effect, opinions about importance of events, opinions about the motives of people or groups of people, and comparative statements.

Plagiarism: The American Revolution was not a social revolution, but it couldn’t have happened when it did without the self-conscious actions of urban working people trying to gain new power for themselves to protect their economic positions. (Even though you’ve summarized the point in your own words, this is Nash’s idea about cause and effect so you need to credit him.)

Not Plagiarism: According to Gary B. Nash, the American Revolution was not a social revolution, but it couldn’t have happened when it did without the “self-conscious action” of urban working people trying to gain new power for themselves to protect their economic positions.4

(e) Organize your paper in an outline that replicates the order of topics covered over successive paragraphs or pages of an author’s work.

If you are unsure about what constitutes plagiarism in your own work, talk to your instructor before you turn in the assignment.

1Gary B. Nash, The Urban Crucible: The Northern Seaports and the Origins of the American Revolution, abridged ed. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1979, 1986), 247.

2Nash, 247. 3Nash, 247. 4Nash, 247.

HIST 1111 – Fall Semester 2015

The World to 1500

Course Schedule
*** Please note, this syllabus provides an anticipated plan for the course; deviations may become necessary.

UNIT I: Technological and Environmental Transformations (… to 500 BCE)