HISTORY 105: EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION TO 1648
GREAT BASIN COLLEGE- FALL, 2008
SECTION: EO1 – 3 CREDITS
MON/WED 9:30-10:45
ROOM: GTA 130
Dr. Peter Klem
Office: 122 Electrical and Industrial Tech (the new building!)
Office Phone: 753-2128
Email:
Office Hours:11-12PM Monday through Thursday; 2:30-3:30 Monday through Friday or by appointment.
Course Description: prerequisite – ENG 101 reading level
This is a basic survey course tracing the development of Western civilization from early Mesopotamia to 1648. What that means is that, as a 100-level survey course, it is designed to be accessible to non-history majors seeking an introduction to, and having an interest in, the field of European, or “Western” Civilization. We will be looking at the major social, political, religious, and cultural developments that helped shape the Western world in the hopes that we may shed some light on how our world came to be as it is today.
Content-Specific Student Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the student will:
Ö demonstrate a knowledge of the important dates, events and movements of the history of Western civilization up to 1648, and understand some of the differing interpretations of those facts, as measured in exams and papers;o Measurement: exams and papers (Change the measurement as appropriate.)
Ö demonstrate an understanding of the work of historians and the writing of history;
o Measurement: exams, in assignments, and in class discussions
(Change the measurement as appropriate.)
Ö write a term paper based on the historical content of a novel, Euripides, Medea.
o Measurement: through a term paper.
(Change the measurement as appropriate.)
Ö participate knowledgeably in discussions of European history.
o Measurement: classroom participation (Change the measurement as appropriate.)
o
Method of Instruction: Lecture, discussion, visuals, and reading assignments.
Course Structure:
Although primarily a lecture course handouts, videos, and class discussions/assignments will be used to reinforce and compliment the lectures. To receive full credit for the class the following must be completed.
1. Attend lectures on a regular basis. Students will be allowed TWO absences for any reason, but after that only excused absences are allowed. Beyond this point students will be withdrawn from the class. However, keep in mind that whether an absence is excused or not ANY absence will result in the loss of participation points. Thus if you miss a discussion, or activity, you are hurting your final grade when you miss class! I DO NOT ASSIGN EXTRA CREDIT!
2. KEEP UP WITH THE READING! It is so easy to fall behind in these survey courses; the information comes at you in large amounts. Don’t let it “snowball” until you’re overwhelmed come exam time. This class will use the following books:
Western Civilization: A Brief History – Volume I 4th Edition by Jackson Spielvogel ISBN # 0-495-09974-0 .
Medea by Euripides {Dover Thrift Editions ISBN # 0-486-27548-5}
3. STUDENT ASSESSMENT: Students will be assessed points, in keeping with the General Education Objectives (see adjoining text “General Education Objectives with Measurement of Learner Outcomes” on following pages), according to their proficiency on the following tasks.
EXAMS: (100 points each) There will be two mid-terms and one final exam. Each of these will consist of one essay and a mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions. Each exam covers roughly one third of the course material (including readings, discussion, and lectures). The final is not comprehensive. NOTE: MISS EXAMS = LOSE POINTS!
4. Writing/discussion assignments. During the course of the semester you will be assigned brief writing assignments revolving around the readings for a specific class (from the Spielvogel book). We will discuss these and they will be collected and graded. Depending on our progress, the precise number, and thus point total, will vary. More on this later. LATE WORK WILL LOSE POINTS!
5. PAPER: (100 points) Due October 8th. One formal paper is required. Like all writing assignments it will be typed, double spaced, have one inch margins, and use a 12 point font. The length will be 3 to 5 pages and it will be based on Euripides’, Medea. You will be graded upon creative/critical thinking, your construction of a logical argument, and, of course your writing abilities. You will lose points for poor grammar and spelling. PROOFREAD! Late papers will be docked one letter grade immediately and one more each day thereafter. PLAGIARISM is the attempt to pass off someone else’s work as your own and is strictly prohibited. Feel free to get together outside of class and kick around ideas, but no cheating – do your own work! Failure to do so not only gets you an F, but could get you reported to the school for further disciplinary action.
6. CLASSROOM CONDUCT: You will please conduct yourself with consideration of your fellow classmates. Comments, thoughtful criticisms (of me or the material), and questions, are more than welcome, but no picking on your classmates. Most people have anxieties about public speaking, but if you do the reading, attend the classes, and make an effort to participate in the discussions you may just find yourself actually ENJOYING this class (imagine that!) NOTE: questions not related to topics under discussion should be directed to me prior to or after class [or simply stop by my office in Lundberg Hall].
7. REASONABLE ACCOMODATION POLICY: Any Student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunities. ADA STATEMENT: GBC supports providing equal access for students with disabilities. An advisor is available to discuss appropriate accommodations with students. Please contact the ADA Officer (Julie Byrnes) inElkoat 775.753.2271 at your earliest convenience to request timely and appropriate accommodations.
NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus as necessitated by circumstances. Please turn off your cell phones/pagers [unless emergency worker]. Laptops may be used by serious, note-taking students only! No fooling around on those stupid time-wasters! Please leave them home on exam days. No sleeping in class. THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT. If you disrupt our learning community you will be dropped from class!
Withdrawals: Students who wish to withdraw from the course must do so officially by the end of the thirteenth week of the semester. Withdrawal information is available through Student Services. Simply not attending will not guarantee a W; students who do not officially withdraw will receive an F.
Incompletes: The Incomplete (I) is assigned in special circumstances (serious illness, death in the family) when a student who is in good standing cannot complete the course. It must be arranged in advance with the instructor.
Grade Appeals: GBC has a standard procedure for grade appeals which is given in detail on page 52 of the GBC General Catalog 2008-2009. (Update this information as the catalog is updated) Note that the first step is to meet with the instructor.
GRADES: The final grades for this class will be decided on a 450 point scale.
First Midterm 100 points
Second Midterm 100 points
Final 100 points
Paper 100 points
In class assignments 50 points [tentative]
At the end of the semester: 450-426 points will be an A
425-406 points will be an A-
405-391 points will be a B+
390-375 points will be a B
374-360 points will be a B-
359-346 points will be a C+
345-328 points will be a C
327–315 points will be a C-
314-301 points will be a D+
300-297 points will be a D
296-270 points will be a D-
Below 270 is an F
CLASS SCHEDULE:
(Note: these readings will be done by the time you come to class on the specific dates).
NOTE: “S” = Spielvogel text.
Week 1
August 25 INTRODUCTION: GREETINGS! Syllabus, etc.
27 THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST; Spielvogel, Pgs1-12
Week 2
September 1 NO CLASS; LABOR DAY
3 EGYPT: Spielvogel, 12-21
Week 3
September 8 THE ANCIENT HEBREWS; S, chapter 2
10 GREEK POLITICAL STRUCTURES: S, Chp.3
Week 4
September 15 GREEK CULTURE; Euripides’ Medea discussion
17 ALEXANDER THE GREAT: S, Chp.4.
Week 5
September 22 HELLINISTIC CULTURE
24 FIRST EXAM
Week 6
Sept/Oct 29 & 1 ROMAN REPUBLIC; S, Chapter 5.
Week 7
October 6 & 8 ROMAN EMPIRE: S, chapter 6. Medea papers due!
Week 8
October 13& 15 LATE ANTIQUITY:S, Chapter 7.
Week 9
October 20 & 22 EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION: EARLY MIDDLE AGES
S, Chapter 8.
Week 10
October 27 RECOVERY AND GROWTH S, Chapter 9.
October 29 SECOND EXAM
Week 11
November 3 & 5 THE RISE OF KINGDOMS/CHURCH; S, Chapter 10
Week 12
November 10 & 12 THE TERRIBLE TIMES: THE 14TH CENTURY;
S, Chapter 11.
Week 13
November 17 & 19 THE RENAISSANCE : S, Chapter 12.
Week 14
November 24 & 26 THE REFORMATION: S, Chapter 13.
Week 15
December 1 EURO & THE WORLD: S, Chapter 14.
3 STATE BUILDING…17TH CENTURY: S, chapter 15
NOTE: FINAL EXAM ON MONDAY DEC. 8TH 9:30-10:45 AM.
SEE GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND MEASUREMENT OF LEARNER OUTCOMES BELOW.
General Education Objectives and Measurement of Learner Outcomes
Objective 1: Communication Skills-Strong
Communication skills are of critical importance in History 105 and the class strongly meets this objective through a variety of methods. First, students develop acute listening and oral communication skills. Not only do students have to assimilate a great deal of information from the historical narrative presented by the instructor (lecture is the basic format of the class) but also listen effectively to each other as questions are raised and discussions stimulated by their peers. In these discussions students hone their oral communication skills as they grapple with new ideas. Second, students sharpen their reading and analytical skills through the required texts and short supplemental readings left to the instructor's discretion. Historical textbooks are not easy reading and require a college level reading ability to digest the vast amounts of information and distill it into a usable form. Third, students will learn writing and analytical skills. While my assignments vary, this element is always present in various forms: short free writes (5 per semester, two pages each), short answer questions that require the ability to know not only the facts but also the significance of an event or person, large essay questions on the examinations that require the ability to synthesize vast amounts of material and present it in a concise essay format, and a formal paper (3 to 5 pages in length).
Learner Outcomes / Dr. Klem’s Measurements(1) Students will demonstrate oral communication skills, listening and speaking during lectures and class discussions. / Monitored by instructor.
(2) Students will comprehend historical texts. / Performance on exams and in written assignments.
(3) Students will synthesize information from lectures, texts, and media. / Measured by exams and writing assignments.
(4) Students will use appropriate academic formats and standard English. / Measured in writing assignments.
Objective 2: Critical Thinking-Moderate
Critical thinking is a vital process that students must develop in this class. Reasoning and independent thought are significant parts of this class because students are required to examine this era of European history and interpret it. In class discussions, examinations [3 per semester], and papers [5 brief, one formal 5 page paper] students are asked to analyze and critically examine historical actors and their actions. Many of these events are ambiguous and have different interpretations, so students must come to some sort of awareness that for some issues there are no simple answers and that all interpretations are not of equal merit. This is what historians do. Quantitative ability and scientific understanding are dealt with to some degree, though scientific understanding is the stronger of the two. Scientific discovery and development play a vital role in the historical process and the history of science and the theoretical underpinnings of the scientific method are dealt within the narrative of the course, especially as applying to the ancient Greek philosophers and thinkers . Quantitative ability is addressed to some degree through the broad use of statistics as historical evidence. Students are made aware of the strengths and weaknesses of statistics through the examination of historical examples such as troop movements, migration, settlement, and economic growth patterns. These are all measured through exams, discussions and written assignments [see above for specific totals].
Learner Outcomes / Measurements (Change as appropriate)(1) Students will examine various interpretations of events in European history to learn that, for some events and historical actors, opinions of historians differ. / Measured by exam essay questions.
(2) Students will apply inductive reasoning, also known as the scientific method, to historical interpretation. / Measured by students’ ability to write essay answers in which conclusions are based on and drawn from factual information and statistics.
Objective 3: Personal and Cultural Awareness-Strong
History 105 deals with all four elements in this objective to a significant degree. This forces students to develop a strong sense of the individual in society. This entire class is about the development of European civilization and the historical roots of modern democratic nations. Students are also urged to see history from different perspectives (such as race, class, and gender) and to understand that different groups of people can interpret historical events very differently because of their different experiences and values. This course obviously engenders a sense of the past, but it also produces a sense of accountability. We explore the ramifications of past actions, such as the effect of exploration and warfare, and evaluate the outcomes. Finally, this course strongly develops an appreciation of fine arts by stressing human creativity in high as well as popular culture. Art, architecture, music, and literature from the monumental to the personal all are emblematic of cultural development and play a significant role in history. These will be measured through in class discussions and exams.
Learner Outcomes / Measurements (Change as appropriate)(1) Students will recognize the need for multiple perspectives in the study of EuropeanHistory and the various cultures and groups that have contributed to that history. / Measured through relevant essay exam questions and monitored class discussion.
(2) Students will identify the special role of diversity in the national experience of the past. / Measured through relevant essay exam questions and monitored class discussion.
(3) Students will recognize the role of the fine arts in developing a distinctly “western” culture. / Measured in exams and student discussion.
Objective 4: Personal Wellness-some degree