ee HIST 4A ~ Western Civilization to 1715 (Fall 2013) MW 12.30-1.50 (C 005) T Th 9.30-10.50(C 007) Instructor. Dr. Matthew Kapell ‘mkapell@sierracollege.edu (Put course name and days as subject for ll emails) Mobil: 916.521.0016 (Texts ok, as are calls, but it shouldbe the [as thing you us.) Office Hours: Before or after each class period, and by appointment; Viral ofice hours any time via email, Skype, or phone. Course Outline: ‘When asked what he thought about modern Western civilization the non-violent Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi replied, “I think it would be a good idea.” In this course we will work do discover if that is indeed the case. To begin, we must define our terms ~ what do we mean by both “the West” and “Civilization”? Both terms are difficult, but important. Then we will trace the development of “Western Civilization” from the earliest city-states of Mesopotamia to the beginning of the European Enlightenment of the 1700s. This is an enormous period, so in large part we will be flying over the period from a great height, but occasionally swooping down to look more specifically at important events, ideas, and cultural shifts. Most importantly will be the major ideas the changed history: definitions of what it means to be a human, how societies are to be organized, what constitutes fairness and justice. ‘As a general outline this course will cover the following: 1 Ancient Middle Eastern Civilizations (Mesopotamia, Eeypt, Hebrews, etc.) Classical Greece TM Hellenistic Bra IV Roman Republic & Empire (including development of Christianity) V_ Late Antiquity (including Byzantine Empire and Islam) VI Medieval Era Vil Early Modern Era (including Renaissance, Reformation, Coloni Scientific Revolution) ion, Absolutism, and the Required Texts: Kishlansky, Geary and O"Brien, Civilisation in the West, 7 edition, Vol 1. Pearson Longman, 2008. (Cheap used on Amazon, but you'll have to order it immediately.) Requirements: Bring your brain and use it, Keep up on all readings. Attendance is required as it is necessary to understand all the information, A large percentage of your grade will be determined by your ability to write 1 well-organized and thoughtful essay ~ be prepared to work on your skill as a writer. Should you have any special needs due to a learning difficulty, let me know within the first two weeks of the term. I will do anything in my power to help you deal with any learning difficulties ~ but you have to let me know. ‘There are two MIDTERM EXAMS and one FINAL EXAM. Details on each of these will be found below. NOTE: All make-up exams will be, at my discretion, wholly essay. Further, if you must miss an exam for any reason other than a severe emergency you must contact me before the exam date ot I will not allow a make-up. So, “sorry I missed last week's exam, I had a wedding to go to” just wont cut it Plagiarism: The representation of another person's work as your own (plagiarism and cheating on exams) will result in, at minimum, the failure of the assignment, In extreme cases I reserve the right to refer the offender to the College for disciplinary action that may lead to expulsion. You have all been informed of the Student Code of Conduet when you originally went through orientation, Please adhere to itHistorical Writing is an essential part of understanding history. History, after all, isthe writing about the past. As such, we will pay particular attention to how to write~ and thus how to think — about history. Each of the assignments/exams of this course are designed specifically to make you write, and to write effectively. To do this we will expend some amount of time early in the semester, and during the course of the semester, discussing the organization and style of a “five-paragraph essay.” You should consider looking up that term online as soon as possible if itis unfamiliar to you. At the end of this course you should be able to meet each of the following “student performance outcomes”: 1. Demonstrate the ability to interpret primary and secondary sources and to compose an argument that uses them, as appropriate, for support. Analyze the concept of the West. Analyze changes in politcal, social, and economic organization in the Western world and explain their historical significance. |. Explain the historical significance of major discoveries, inventions, and scientific achievements. Analyze the influence of geography on the culture and economy of the West, Explain the historical significance of cultural developments such as art, music, architecture, literature, and religion, MIDTERM EXAMS: ‘There are two midterm exams and you will require an 8.5 x 11 blue book for both. Midterm Exam I will ‘be wholly in class. It will consist of short answers (a single paragraph) and one essay. In each section you will be presented with a number of options to choose from. For example, there may be ten short answers of, which you will pick four to answer, and three essay topics of which you will pick one. Midterm Exam IT will include a take-home essay topic (handed out the week before) and short answer questions that will be done in class. The take home essay will need to be typed, 12-point font. As with the first exam you will have a range of options to choose from. FINAL EXAM: The Final will consist of material since the second Midterm, and follow a similar format, though the essay will be in-class. You will answer both short answer questions as well as produce an in. class essay on a topic selected from a lst of three or four. You will need a bluebook. Students planning on a ‘degree in history can diseuss with me the possibility of writing an 8-15 page research paper in lieu of taking the final, Grades: (The first date listed is for MW class, the second for T'TH) Midterm Exam 1 25% (2 & 3 Oct) Midterm Exam Il 25% (6 & 7 Nov; Take-Home Essay Topics Handed Out 31 Oct & 1 Nov) Attendance/Participation 15% Final Exam 35% (Last day of class, 11 & 12 Dec) Important notes: As the term progresses the weight given to the essays will increase. On exam one the exam will be worth 4096 of the grade, 50% on exam two and 60% on the final exam. Prepare to work on your ability to write well! Your education is your responsibility. So, an email to me five weeks after the end of the term that says “I stopped coming, why didn’t you drop me?” will get a reply that says, “That's your responsibility, not mine.” A statement to me that says, “I didn’t do well on the exam because I didn’t understand the material” will be replied to with, “Why didn’t you talk to me about your understanding of the material before the ‘exam, then?” In short, I'm here to help you learn but in the final analysis it is your job to do your best to learn =I can’t hold your hand through the process. But I will help you in any way possible, if you talk to ‘me about it.