HIS 111
History of World Civilization I

Fall 2000
MR 0930-1045 (room 144)

Professor Charles Evans

Office hours (room 308): MR (8:30-9:30 AM, 11:00 AM-12:15 PM) and by appointment
Office phone: 703.450.2520
Division phone: 703.450.2505
Division fax: 703.404.7368
Phone mailbox at NOVA Online: 703.323.3713#0846
NOVA Online fax: 703.323.3392
E-mail: cevans@nvcc.edu
Home page: novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/default.htm

OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES: This course reviews the history of the world from about 3000 BCE to 1600 CE and allows students to reach a basic understanding of the historical development of the world's major civilizations and their main characteristics. The course also helps students to develop an understanding of the academic discipline of history and supports the general educational goals of the college. Grading in the course is based on written assignments and on class work that demonstrates critical thinking. It is expected that students possess college-level writing skills. It is recommended that students should have already taken (or be taking) English composition.

BOOKS: The text for the course is Duiker/Spielvogel, World History to 1500 (Volume III). There are a number of short paperbacks required: Gilgamesh; Confucius, Analects; Ramayana; Bartolomé De Las Casas, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies (Any editions are acceptable).

ONLINE ITEMS: The website for this course is novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/campus/HIS111/syllabus.html. All of the class materials, assignments and some of the very short readings are linked at that site.

ACCOMMODATION: If there is any student in this class who has the need for some form of classroom accommodation, please feel free to discuss this with me or one of the college's counselors.

PLAGIARISM: Any student caught plagiarizing or cheating in this course will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

24 August, Thursday: Introduction
Assignment for class: Read the Textbook Introduction

Week 2
28 August, Monday: The Geography of the Modern World; What is History?

Assignment for class: Read the Guizot excerpt on civilization. Please note that many of these links are to assignments/readings from various NOVA Online courses. Use the "BACK" button on your browser to return to this syllabus. You may print out whatever information you feel is necessary.

31 August, Thursday: Document Analysis

Assignment: read the sample document and Hammurabi analyses.

Week 3
4 September, Monday: NO CLASS
7 September, Thursday: Electronic History
Assignment: Browse the web.

Week 4
11 September, Monday: Near East Origins
Assignment for class: read the textbook chapter 1
14 September, Thursday: Gilgamesh
Assignment for class: Review the short background information on Gilgamesh; read Gilgamesh and answer the study questions.

Week 5
18 September, Monday: Classical Mediterranean
Assignment for class: read the textbook chapters 4 and 5; read the Pericles Funeral Oration and be prepared to write the required paragraph; review the general comments on papers in this course; submit the Gilgamesh paper. The Gilgamesh paper is due by the start of class. If you are not in class, you may e-mail me the paper before the start of class.
18 September, Monday: Discussion of first papers

Week 6
25 September, Monday: Classical South Asia
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapter 2; Review the general comments on papers in this course; submit the Ramayana paper; read the Textbook chapter 30.
28 September, Thursday: Ramayana discussion

Week 7
2 October, Monday: Mesoamerica
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapter 6; Review the general comments on papers in this course; submit the Casas paper 5 October, Thursday: video: Popol Vuh

Week 8
9 October, Monday: NO CLASS
12 October, Thursday: Classical China
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapter 3; view the general comments on papers in this course; submit the Confucius paper

Week 9
16 October, Monday: Confucius discussion
19 October, Thursday: Byzantium and Eastern Europe
Assignment for class: Read the appropriate textbook pages on Russia, Eastern Europe and the Byzantine Empire in chapter 12

Week 10
23 October, Monday: Midterm exam
26 October, Thursday: Discussion of midterm exams

Week 11
30 October, Monday: Islam and Empire
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapter 7.
2 November, Thursday: African Society
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapter 8; submit the article abstract.

Week 12
6 November, Monday: South and East Asia
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapters 9 and 10.
9 November, Thursday: Japan
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapter 11; submit the website evaluation.

Week 13
13 November, Monday: Charlemagne
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapter 12.
16 November, Thursday: Renaissance and Reformation
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapters 13 and 15.

Week 14
20 November, Monday: Renaissance: video: Art of the Western World
23 November, Thursday: NO CLASS

Week 15
27 November, Monday: Exploration
Assignment for class: Read the textbook chapter 14
30 November, Thursday: De Las Casas discussion

Week 16
4 December, Monday: Final Review
Assignment for class: Extra credit presentations

Week 17
Final exam (8:30 a.m., Thursday, 14 December)
Assignment for class: Course Evaluation

ATTENDANCE: Attendance is expected. It is also expected that students are prepared for class. Absences beyond two (2) will result in a reduced grade for class discussion (five points deducted from class discussion grade for each absence in excess of two). Excessive late arrival will also affect class grade (every three late arrivals will be counted as one class absence).

GRADES:

NOTE THAT PROPER GRAMMAR, SPELLING AND STYLE ARE AN INHERENT, AND NECESSARY, PART OF EACH ASSIGNMENT IN THIS COURSE.

NOTE THAT ANY ASSIGNMENT NOT HANDED IN ON TIME WILL BE REDUCED BY FIVE POINTS PER CALENDAR DAY.