Western Civilizations
HIS 121-IN2
Spring 2017
Professor: Laurie R. Bell, MA
Email: [email protected]
Check Campus Cruiser at least once a day. Assignments will be due on
most Thursdays.
Note: This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the
instructor and the needs of the class
Required Material
Text: Western Civilizations: Their History and their Culture, Volume 1, 18th
Edition, 2014, Joshua Cole and Carol Symes
ISBN: 978-0-393-92214-1 (pbk)
Course Supplies:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Working internet (Campus Cruiser)
Textbook
Pen/Pencil
Notebook
Please DONT ever hesitate to e-mail me if you have any questions!
Im here to help!
If you need accommodations due to a disability, contact Disability Services in
Edison Hall Room 100, 732.906-2546.
Department: History and Social Sciences
Course Description:
The historical development of Western civilization from ancient times to
approximately
1715 A.D. Emphasis is on the social, economic, political and cultural forces
that helped to shape the West, beginning with the early Mediterranean
civilizations and following through to the subsequent rise of European
civilization.
Learning Outcomes:
1
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
o Discuss the historical development of Western Civilization from ancient
times to
1715 AD, including the key political, social and economic forces that
shaped the
West.
o Discuss varying interpretations of institutions, people, practices
and events throughout this period, including ethics and
motivations.
o Identify and analyze problems throughout this period, such as factors
leading to the rise of civilizations in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Israel,
Greece and Rome, the Renaissance the Reformation, the English Civil
war and Louis XIV.
o Relate the events, ideas and people throughout this period with
present societal conditions.
Course Content Areas:
o A survey of the complexities & contradictions inherent in the political,
economic, social, intellectual, religious & cultural aspects of
Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Judaic, Christian, Islamic, Greek, Roman, &
Medieval forces which led into the Italian Renaissance, Protestant
Reformation, English Civil War & the reign of Louis IV in France.
o Architectural vocabularies Greek (Post & Beam) derived from Egypt;
Roman (Arch & Vault) from Mesopotamia combination in Santa
Sophia Romanesque, Norman, Gothic Renaissance architects also
sculptors & artists.
o The background & heritage of Western Society.
o Varying interpretations of historical events & persons.
o Relationship among past events, ideas & peoples and present societal
conditions
in the Western World.
o General patterns in the rise, development & decline of various
civilizations studied.
o How the creative spirit makes its imprint on civilization in ways
that may be negative, positive, or both by through the Golden
Age of Athens and Renaissance Florence & Elizabethan England.
SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
Introduce yourself on the Message Board (please include whether you
are full-time or part-time student and if you work and your major)
Initial Assignment: Name 5 things from the Ancient world we use
today post in Assignments by Feb 2nd. This will be a theme of the
class.
Week 1
Jan. 23rd
Read Chapter 1 and do assignment above & Homework (please see the
homework info below due January 26th)
Week 2
Jan. 30th
Read Chapter 2 and do Homework (due Feb. 2nd)
Week 3
Feb. 6th
Read Chapters 3 and do Homework (due Feb. 9th)
Week 4
Feb. 13th
Read Chapters 4 and do Homework (due Feb 16th)
Week 5
Feb 20th
Read Chapter 5 and do Homework (due Feb 23rd)
Week 6
Feb 27th
Read Chapters 6 and do Homework (due Mar. 2nd)
Week 7 Mar. 6th
Spring Break, Study for Midterm
Week 8 Mar. 13th
Midterm Review (Chapter 1-6)- Tues. (Mar. 14th)
Midterm Thurs. (Mar. 16th)
(You are allowed to use the internet on exams but you must provide
cites with where you got your information!)
Paper /Presentation topic due Fri, (Mar 17 th)
Week 9 Mar 20th
Read Chapter 7 & 8 and do Homework (due Mar. 23rd)
Week 10
Mar 27th
Read Chapters 9 & 10 and do Homework (due Mar. 30th)
Week 11 Apr. 3rd
Read Chapter 11 and do Homework (due Apr. 6th)
Week 12 Apr. 10th
Read Chapter 12 and do Homework (due Apr. 13th)
Week 13 Apr. 17th
Tuesday, Apr. 18th - Paper/Presentation due
Week 14 Apr. 24th
Read Chapter 13 do Homework (due Apr. 27th)
Week 15 May 1st
Read Chapter 14 do Homework (due May 4th)
Final Review, Wrap up (questions/ concerns)
Week 16
Sun. May 7th Final
You are allowed to use the internet on exams but you must provide
cites with where you got your information!
Detailed Assignment Guidelines for Weekly Homework:
Each week you must outline 10 important points about the week's
assigned reading. You are expected to write five important points
the authors have written you agree with, five important points you
disagree with and why.
As well as what
interested you about
each chapter. You
also need to list a take
away (what you
learned). Please post
by the due date.
Otherwise you can not
post. All homework
is due by 11:55pm. (Check below for due dates.)
Message Board is where you will post discussions on homework, and
presentations and other important things you want to comment about
for this class.
Five times during the semester please provide a short post
with feedback of
others homework.
Please choose five
presentations and
comment on them on
the Message
Board.
Shared Files has Power Points, Midterms, Finals and others things that
I feel that are important to make the class a success. I may even put
study guides for the exams on there.
This is where I may remind you for upcoming important dates such as
a reminder for a midterm, paper, or final coming up and important
things about the class
Grade Criteria:
Class Participation (Message Board and Homework 25%
Presentation (Power Point or Executive Summary)/Paper 25%
Midterm 25%
Final Exam 25%
Total 100%
Grading System
A
94 to 100
A-
90 to 93
B+
87 to 89
83 to 86
B-
80 to 82
C+
76 to 79
70 to 75
60 to 69
under 60
If a student fails to take the midterm or final exam, he or she will
receive a grade of zero for that exam. A make-up exam will be
allowed only in cases of documented serious personal illness, religious
observance or serious family emergency occurring on the day of the
exam. You must inform me, in advance, if you will be unable to take
the Midterm or Final exam.
Class Participation and Homework:
You must check Campus Cruiser daily! It is extremely important.
Students are expected to read the assigned chapters and the Power
Point slides. Class participation, message boards, and homework
assignments will make up 25% of each students final grade. Also
since this is an online class, assignments have set due dates and
missing them will affect your grade. Be sure to check message board.
There will be an assignments listed biweekly that have deadlines so
make sure you keep this in mind.
Every Thursday an assignment will be due on Campus Cruiser in
Assignments (please don't email it). Five times during the
semester please provide a short post with feedback of others
homework. Please choose five presentations and comment
on them on the Message Board.
Campus Cruiser:
Campus Cruiser is a wonderful website and tool for this class. As I
wrote earlier, please check it daily. Here is where you will find some
things that are very important for this class. You must use it to
succeed in this class!!
