HIST104 Historical Foundations of the Modern World to 1450

HIST 104.01 HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE MODERN WORLD to 1450
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Spring 2009 Dr. Linda Jones Hall MWF 12:00-1:10 Kent 213
Office 204 Kent Hall Phone 240-895-4434 or ext. 4434
Office hours: M 10:40-11:30; W 1:20-2:20 or by appointment
Email ljhall@smcm.edu
webpage http://www.smcm.edu/ljhall/ljhall.html

Course Description
A thematic and topical study of the political, social, economic, and cultural developments that established the early Western heritage and contributed to its influence on non-European peoples and cultures around the world. Representative topics will be explored within a chronological format: the emergence of civilizations; ancient cultures; the making of Europe; interactions with Asia; and the medieval world.

Course Goals
To understand the present, one must understand the past in terms of cultural constructs, religious beliefs, politi¬cal struggles, and economic forces. Learning to interpret the past analytically enhances one's comprehension of transformations throughout the world today. The deep historical roots of politi¬cal and social organization in many societies demand close study. Thus in this course we will not only discuss “events” such as wars and political revolutions, but we will look at cultural ideals and religious motivation as well.

Required books; Texts are available at the SMCM bookstore.
TEXT = John P. MacKay, Bennett D. Hill, John Buckler, Patricia Buckley Ebrey, Roger B. Beck, Clare Haru Crowston, and Merry E. Wiesner-Hanks. A History of World Societies: Vol. A: From Antiquity: To 1500. 8th ed. Boston and New York: Bedford-St. Martin’s Press, 2009. ISBN 0-312-68296-4.

READER = Peter N. Stearns, Stephen S. Gosch, Erwin P. Grieshaber. Documents in World History. Vol. 1. The Great Traditions: From Ancient Times to 1500. 5th ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. ISBN 0-205-61789-1

AENEID = Virgil. The Aeneid. Translated by Robert Fitzgerald. Vintage Books. Reissue edition, 1990. ISBN 0679729526. [any version of the Aeneid is acceptable]

MUQADDIMAH = Ibn Khaldun. Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History. Translated by Franz Rosenthal and N. J. Dowood. Princeton University Press, 1969. ISBN 0691017549.

Recommended guide to writing papers
Kate Turabian. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Revised by John Grossman and Alice Bennett. 6th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. ISBN 022816273.

Course expectations: In this course there will be a presentation of historical background, alternated with student discussion of assigned readings. As available, selected videos will be shown to acquaint students with the geographical settings and the cultural expressions of a particular society through art, material culture, literature, and religion. Read assignments before class so that you can fully understand the presentations and be prepared to discuss the topic of the day. The different methods of reading and analyzing primary sources, secondary sources and textbooks will be utilized.

Exams will give the student the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of broader themes from the course readings and lectures, and these will last about one hour. The mid-term exam and the final exam may include short answer questions and essay questions.

Two papers of 1200 words each are assigned. This is your opportunity to react intellectually to the ideas presented in this course. These papers must be the student’s own work in every respect. You must use five primary source quotations from our readings in each paper. You may wish to supplement these readings from online versions of these or related primary source texts. WHATEVER SOURCE YOU USE FOR YOUR QUOTES AND RESEARCH MUST BE CITED. For primary texts, give the author, the title of the work, and the section number. Indicate the translator, date and place of publication, page number[s], and URL (if from an online source).

Participation will be noted by 50 points for attendance, discussion, and timely completion of assignments. The College allows two absences; thereafter deductions will be made for unexcused absences. The grade for any written assignment will be reduced by 10% for every business day it is late, unless the student has an exceptional emergency, such as illness, death in the family, etc

The Writing Center
The Writing Center, located in the Library Annex, offers peer tutors trained to discuss your writing with you. No matter where you are in the writing process (brainstorming ideas, understanding assignments, or revising rough and final drafts), the tutors in the Writing Center can assist you. These tutors are your peers, and so they would not grade or proofread your paper for you, but would instead coach you in becoming a stronger writer. I encourage you to use the Writing Center as much as possible. You can make an appointment with the Center by visiting their website, www.smcm.edu/writingcenter, and clicking "Schedule an Appointment." At the same website, you can find helpful resources on many writing-related topics.

Academic dishonesty is a very serious offense.
Definition of Plagiarism from To The Point and the College Catalog:
Plagiarism is the act of appropriating and using the words, ideas, symbols, images, or other works of original expression of others as one's own without giving credit to the person who created the work. If students have any questions regarding the definition of plagiarism, they should consult their instructor for general principles regarding the use of others' work. Among sources commonly used for documenting use of others' work are the style manuals published by the American Psychological Association, the Council of Biology Editors, the Modern Language Association, and Turabian's Manual for Writers of Term Papers. The final authority concerning methods of documentation is the course instructor. Specific instances of plagiarism include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Word-for-word copying of sentences or paragraphs from one or more sources that are the work or data of other persons (including books, articles, theses, unpublished works, working papers, seminar and conference papers, lecture notes or tapes, graphs, images, charts, data, electronically based materials, etc.), without clearly identifying their origin by appropriate referencing.
b) Closely paraphrasing ideas or information (in whatever form) without appropriate acknowledgement by reference to the original work or works.
c) Presenting material obtained from the Internet as if it were the student's own work.
d) Minor alterations such as adding, subtracting, or rearranging words, or paraphrasing sections of a source without appropriate acknowledgement of the original work or works.
3. Falsification
Falsification involves misrepresentation in an academic exercise.
Misrepresentation includes, but is not limited to:
a) Falsely attributing data or judgments to scholarly sources.
b) Falsely reporting the results of calculations or the output of computer programs, or materials from other electronic sources.
c) Presenting copied, falsified, or improperly obtained data as if it were the result of laboratory work, field trips, or other investigatory work.
4. Resubmission of work
No student may turn in work for evaluation in more than one course without the permission of the instructors of both courses.
Penalties for plagiarism can include, but are not limited to, a zero on the work in question, an F in the course, and referral to the Office of the Provost. ALL sources which you use (books, articles, internet) must be cited properly.

Written exercises are responses to reading assignments and should be about one page each. They are due as stated below, usually the day the last passage has been assigned. They are worth 25 points each.

1) Response to a reading on the Ancient Near East (READER, 9-40) Due 1/28
2) Response to a reading on classical India (READER, 109-135) Due 2/2
3) Response about classical China (READER, 43-70, 136-145, 262-265) Due 2/9
4) Response to a passage in, or the purpose of, the Aeneid; Due 2/20
5) Response to reading on the Legacy of Rome (READER, 92-108, 154-162, 209-216) Due 2/27
6) Response to reading about Islam (READER 165-189, 265-268, 273-274) Due 3/6
7) Response to reading about Africa (READER 268-270, 275-290) Due 3/13
8) Response to a passage or topic in the Muqaddimah; Due 4/1
9) Response about Medieval Asia (READER, 190-208, 323-329) Due 4/17
10) Response about Medieval Europe (READER. 242-260, 270-272) Due 4/24

Evaluation points

10 written exercises worth 25 points each = 250 points
1 midterm exam and one exam at 200 points each = 400 points
2 papers at 150 points each = 300 points
Participation, attendance, and timeliness = 50 points
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1000 points

Grade scale Ultimately, the student’s grade is based on the professor’s assessment of the student’s work. 94-100 = A, 93-90 = A-, 87-89 = B+, 84-86 = B, 80-83 = B-, 77-79 = C+, 74-76 = C, 70-73 = C-, 67-69 = D+, 64-66 = D, 63-60 = D-, below 60 = F

SCHEDULE FOR HIST 104.01, SPRING 2009, PROF. LINDA JONES HALL
Week 1 THE ANCIENT FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN WORLD
Mon. Jan 19 NO CLASS; MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OBSERVED
Wed. Jan 21 Introduction: how we know about the past READER, Introduction, 1-5
Fri. Jan 23 Mesopotamia TEXT CH 1, 3-8, 26-27;
READER, 9-20, Gilgamesh, Law

Week 2 The Ancient Near East continued
Mon. Jan 26 Egypt and the Nile River Valley TEXT CH 1, 8-13; READER the Nile, 21-23
Wed. Jan 28 Hittites, Phoenicia, Israel, Assyria, Persia
TEXT, CH 1, 14-25; READER, 24-40, Bible, Persians, Zoroastrians; #1 response due
Fri. Jan 30 Classical India TEXT, CH 2, 29-51

Week 3 Classical India continued
Mon Feb 2 READER, 109-135, Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism, Ashoka, Gender; #2 response due
Wed Feb 4 Rise of China TEXT, CH 3, 53-75; TEXT CH 6, 133-148
Fri. Feb 6 Rise of China TEXT, CH 3, 53-75; TEXT CH 6, 133-148

Week 4 Classical China
Mon. Feb 9 READER, 43-70, 136-145, 262-265; Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, women, the economy, Buddhism; #3 response due
Wed. Feb 11 Classical Greece TEXT, CH 4, 77-88; READER Sparta and Athens, 73-81
Fri. Feb 13 Hellenistic Greece TEXT, CH 4, 88-101; READER Aristotle, 82-86

Week 5 Mon. Feb 16 The World of Rome to Augustus TEXT CH 5, 103-113, 130-131; READER Polybius on Roman Political Institutions, 86-91
Wed Feb 18 Imperial uses of literature AENEID, Books I and II
Fri. Feb 20 Desire and destiny AENEID, Books IV and VI; Response #4 due

Week 6 The World of Rome continued
Mon Feb 23 The Roman Empire and Christianity TEXT CH 5, 113-129; CH 7, 163-177
Wed Feb 25 Rome in the West and the East TEXT CH 7, 178-189
Fri. Feb 27 READER, 92-108, 154-162, 209-216; women and the law, Fall of Rome, Silk Road, Christianity, Byzantium; Response #5 due

Week 7 The Post-classical period
Mon Mar 2 FIRST TEST over material to date
Wed Mar 4 FIRST PAPER due--choose from readings of weeks 1-6
ISLAM, AFRICA AND ASIA- NONWESTERN TRADITIONS
The Islamic World TEXT, CH 8, 191-227
Fri. Mar 6 READER 165-189, 265-268, 273-274;
Quran, Hadith, Government, Ibn Battuta, Ibn Jubayr; Response #6 due

Week 8 ISLAM, AFRICA AND ASIA- NONWESTERN TRADITIONS
Mon. Mar 9 African societies TEXT, CH 9, 229-256
Wed Mar 11 African societies continued TEXT, CH 9, 229-256
Fri. Mar 13 Africa READER 268-270, 275-290,
Mansa Musa, Al-Bakri, Ibn Battuta, Benin, Malfante; Response #7 due;
Introduce The Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun MUQADDIMAH, vii-9

Spring break - March 14-22; Take the Muqaddimah on your journey!!!!

Week 9 The Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun
Mon. Mar 23 Excellence of history MUQADDIMAH, vii-89
Wed Mar 25 Bedouins and bureaucrats MUQADDIMAH, 91-183
Fri. Mar 27 Holding power MUQADDIMAH, 183-261

Week 10 The Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun
Mon Mar 30 Of crafts and cities MUQADDIMAH, 263-332
Wed Apr 1 Science and Instruction MUQADDIMAH, 333-459; Response #8 due
Fri. Apr 3 Reading Day, NO CLASS

Week 11 MEDIEVAL ASIA
Mon Apr 6 Central and Southern Asia (Mongols) TEXT CH 11, 293-308, 324-325
Wed Apr 8 READER, 146-153, 306-322, Mongols and other nomads
Fri. Apr 10 Central and Southern Asia (India) TEXT, CH 11, 308-323

Week 12 Mon Apr 13 East Asia (China) TEXT, CH 6, 148-154; CH 12, 327-339, 348-349
Wed Apr 15 East Asia (Korea and Japan) TEXT, CH 6, 154-159; CH 12, 339-347
Fri. Apr 17 READER, 190-208, 323-329; Peasants, Marco Polo, Calcutta; Response #9 due

Week 13 MEDIEVAL EUROPE
Mon. Apr 20 Europe in the Middle Ages TEXT, CH 13, Political Developments, 351-357; READER 221-227, 234-241; Feudalism; Christine de Pizan
Wed Apr 22 TEXT, CH 13, Revival, Reform in the Church, 357-362; READER 228-233
Fri Apr 24 TEXT, CH 13, The Crusades and global contacts, 362-371, 384-385; READER. 242-260, 270-272; Merchants, Crusaders, pilgrims Response #10 due

Week 14 Mon Apr 27 The Culture of the Middle Ages, TEXT, CH 13, 371-374
Wed Apr 29 SECOND PAPER due--choose from readings of weeks 8-13
The Crises of the Later Middle Ages, TEXT, CH 13, 374-363
Fri. May 1 Last day for all classes and final review

Weeks 15-16 Mon—Tues, May 4-5 SMP presentations ; Wed May 6 Reading Day
Exam for this class Thursday May 7, 2:00-4:15 pm in regular classroom
Emphasis on material since midterm exam