HIS 111 History of Western Civilization I

Spring 2022, HIS 111-041L, MW 2:20-4:05 PM

Professor Charles Evans
Class: LW 104

Office: LC 228
If you have questions about your course/assignments/materials, or if you want to talk history, or if it is time for student advising, my office hours for spring 2022 are: Mondays and Wednesdays in my office (LC 228 or the LW lounge) from about 10:00 to 11:00 AM and 12:30 to 2:00 PM.
Office Phone: 703.948.7701
Email: cevans@nvcc.edu also charles.t.evans@gmail.com
Division phone: 703.450.2505

Review my academic credentials on my professional CV.
Most of my web-based history projects are linked on my history projects page.
My online and campus courses and some teaching resources are located on my college page.

Required Books

All NOVA Barnes & Noble stores are now open for customers and faculty. Textbooks can be ordered online and shipped to your home or held for in-store pickup. Please see www.nvcc.edu/bookstore/ for hours and the the most up-to-date information.

blue bar

Tentative Schedule 13 Week Course

Week 1
31 January, Monday, NO CLASS
2 February, Wednesday, Introduction and attendance

Week 2
before class: Read my notes on pre-history and chapter 1 in the textbook (Patterns of World History). Watch my short video on pre-history.
7 February, Monday, my short comments on pre-history, individual presentations on prehistorical sites
9 February, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on prehistory in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)

Week 3
before class: Read my notes on the Ancient Near East and chapter 2 in the textbook. Watch my short video.
14 February, Monday, my short comments on the Ancient Near East, presentations on the Ancient Near East
16 February, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on Hammurabi's law code (See Canvas for information.) in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)
18 February, Friday, complete your Gilgamesh one-page paper by midnight. Submit in Canvas. (100 points)

Week 4
before class: Read my notes on Classical China and chapters 4 and 9 and the section on China in chapter 12 in the textbook. Watch my short video.
21 February, Monday, my short comments on Classical China, presentations on Classical China
23 February, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on the Mandate of Heaven (See Canvas for information.) in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)

Week 5
before class: Read my notes on Classical South Asia and chapters 3 and 8 and the section on India in chapter 12 in the textbook. Have a look at my short video.
28 February, Monday, my short comments on Classical South Asia, presentations on Classical South Asia
2 March, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on Classical South Asia (See Canvas for information.) in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)

SPRING BREAK: NO CLASS Monday, 7 March, and Tuesday, 9 March

Week 6
14 March, Monday, complete the special project on history (See Canvas for information.) in class and submit in Canvas (25 points)
16 March, Wednesday, midterm quiz in Canvas (50 points) You do not have to be in class to take the quiz.

Week 7
before class: Read my notes on Ancient Greece and Rome and chapter 7 in the textbook. Watch my short, not great but OK, video on the Classical Mediterranean.
21 March, Monday, my short comments on the Classical Mediterranean, presentations on the Classical Mediterranean
23 March, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on Pericles in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)

Week 8
before class: Read my notes on Classical Islam and chapter 10 in the textbook. Watch my very short video. I also have an older video available that I did in about 1995.
28 March, Monday, my short comments on Classical Islam, presentations on Classical Islam
30 March, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on Hadith in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)

Week 9
before class: Read my remarks on the early Kievan state and the short section on Byzantium in chapter 10 in the textbook. Watch my short video on Kievan Rus'.
4 April, Monday, my short comments on Rus’, individual presentations on Rus
6 April, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on the Primary Chronicle in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)

Week 10
before class: Read my notes on the Mongols and check out the Wikipedia entry on the Mongol Empire. Watch the short video.
11 April, Monday, my short comments on the Mongols, individual presentations on the Mongols
13 April, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on the Mongols in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)
15 April, Friday, approval of the your proposed topic and type of digital project by midnight.

Week 11
before class: Read my notes on Africa and chapter 14 and the section on Africa in chapter 6 in the textbook. Watch my short video.
18 April, Monday, my short comments on Africa, individual presentations on Africa
20 April, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on Africa, Accounts of Meröe, Kush, and Axum, (See Canvas for information.) in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)
22 April, Friday, complete the digital project by midnight. (150 points)

Week 12
before class: Read my notes on Mesoamerica and chapters 5 and 15 and the sections on Mesoamerica and the Andes in Chapter 6 in the textbook. Watch my short video.
25 April, Monday, my short comments on Mesoamerica, individual presentations on Mesoamerica
27 April, Wednesday, review of presentations, answer questions, complete the group paragraph on the Popol Vuh in class and submit in Canvas (50 points)
29 April, Friday, complete the optional De Las Casas one-page paper for extra credit by midnight. Submit in Canvas. (50 points)

Week 13
2 May, Monday, NO CLASS (Study Day)
3 May, Tuesday, complete the Reflective paragraph by midnight. (25 points)
4 May, Wednesday, 2:00-3:40 PM, final quiz (50 points)

blue bar

Course grading

Course grades are based on the following point scale:

Required Assignments

Gilgamesh one-page paper = 100 points
Digital project = 150 points
Group paragraph assignments (done in class), 10 @ 50 = 500 points
Midterm and Final Quizzes, 2 @ 50 = 100 points
Presentation = 100 points
Reflective paragraph = 25 points
Special group project on history = 25 points

There is some extra credit available generally every Friday in the course. You can find more detail linked in Canvas.
Extra-credit De Las Casas one-page paper = 50 points

Course Grading Requirements

IMPORTANT: To earn a grade of A, B, C or D, you

Extra Credit Opportunities

Assignment Drafts and Rewrites/Resubmits

Submitting Assignments

Late Work

General course purpose

Surveys the general history of the world from about 3000 BCE to 1600 CE and allows students to reach a basic understanding of the characteristic features of the world's early historical development. Students will learn about some of the important political, economic, social, intellectual, cultural and religious changes that shaped the development of the world’s civilizations in this period of time.

Course objectives

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

  1. Establish a chronology of historical events in the world before 1600 CE.
  2. Explain the changing geopolitical structures of world civilizations up until 1600 CE.
  3. Define the importance of key individuals and developments in world civilizations before 1600 CE.
  4. Identify the social, economic and political forces at work in the evolution of the world’s early civilizations.
  5. Recognize and describe the significance of some of the cultural achievements of world civilizations before 1600 CE.
  6. Analyze complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of those materials.

Course prerequisites

Although there are no formal prerequisites for this course, please consider:

Technology

NOVA is committed to preparing students for today’s workforce and recognizes computers to be an extension of the learning tools needed to be globally competitive. To attend NOVA, students are expected to have a laptop (or a desktop with webcam and microphone) that meets the minimum requirements for their major and Internet access at home or through a mobile device hot spot.

Here is information on using financial aid for the college's laptop purchase information.

Using Zoom

Here are some instructions for using zoom: Zoom Instructions for Students.