Prof. James
Baer
Office Hours for Summer
2008: TR 12:30-1:00 pm and 6:30-7:00 pm or
by appointment
Office Telephone: (703) 933-3978 Secretary (703) 845-6214
Email: jbaer@nvcc.edu
Web Page: www.nvcc.edu/home/jbaer
Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to show how constant interaction among peoples has produced changes, which have led to the development of Western Civilization from prehistory through the seventeenth century. The objectives of this course are as follows:
1. To learn how human societies have changed over time.
2. To learn the meaning and origins of civilization.
3. To understand the role of religion.
4. To trace the development of political organization
The required text for this course is WESTERN CIVILIZATIONS, Vol. I. by Coffin and Stacey. Copies are in the bookstore. There will be information on the internet and Blackboard. Students are expected to do their own work, attend class, and participate in class activities and discussions. Students must be careful not to plagiarize when using internet sources, and any assignments with material taken directly from the internet will be given an grade of F. All assignments must be turned in on time and will be graded down if late. Attendance will be taken and will count as ten percent of the grade.
Grading will be as follows:
1. Two in-class writing
assignments: 10% each (20%)
2. One quiz: 10%
3. Two internet assignments
10% each (20%) (Greece)
and (Crusades)
3. Midterm: 20%
4. Final Exam: 20%
5. Attendance: 10%
I have placed Study Guides,
assignments and the syllabus on the class Blackboard site for your convenience.
Information about the class will be linked to the online syllabus, so go to the
web page first if you have any questions. If you need to contact me, it will be
easier by email than telephone. You may also come by to chat or get help during
office hours and call me on the telephone during office hours. Special Needs
and Accommodations: Please speak to the instructor at the beginning of the
semester about any special problems or needs. If you are asking for special
accommodations based on a disability you should provide a disability data
sheet, which you can get from a counselor for special needs, who is located in
Room 148 of the Bisdorf Building, telephone number
845-6301.
CLASSES
AND ASSIGNMENTS
5/20 Topic: Intro & prehistory, agricultural revolution. How do we know about these early people? Mesopotamian Civilization. What were the characteristics of this first civilization? Hammurabi and his Law Code.
In class writing assignment on Hammurabi (10% of grade). Assignment for next class: Read text: (Western Civilization ) Ch. 1 and 2 (click here for study guide).5/22 Topic: Ancient Egyptian,
other Middle Eastern and ancient Mediterranean civilizations. Class discussion:
How did Egypt compare with Mesopotamia? Assignment for next class: Read Ch.3 & 4 in text. And study for quiz on Ch 1 and 2.
5/27 QUIZ: Ch. 1 & 2 (10% of grade) Topic:
Early Greeks; Sparta and Athens; How did different Greek cities compare? (click
here for study guide) Who were the thinkers and writers of the “Golden
Age”? Hellenistic World.. How did Alexander
change Greek civilization? Internet assignment on Ancient Greece instead of last hour of
class. (Click here
for assignment) Assignment for next class: Read Ch. 5 in text and write up
internet assignment.
5/29 Internet Assignment on Greece Due (10%
of grade) Topic: Rome: from Republic to Empire. Why was it so
successful? What happened to end the Republic? Assignment for next class: .Read
Ch. 6 in text (click here
for study guide) Read: text: Ch. 6
6/3 Topic: The Roman Empire.
What was the role of the Emperor? The Pax Romana and the Crisis of the 3rd Century.
Assignment for next class: and study and prepare for midterm exam. (click
here for practice questions for Midterm Exam) Read Ch. 7 in text.
Use Study Guides 1-6 to prepare for the midterm exam.
6/5 MIDTERM EXAM: CHAPTERS 1-6 (20% OF GRADE) Midterm will take first hour
and 15 minutes. Topic after break:
The Mediterranean World after Rome. How did the Christian church help to create
European civilization? Internet Assignment on Crusades instead of last hour
of class (click
here for internet assignment) Assignment for next class: Read text,
Ch 8 and write up internet assignment.
6/10 Internet
assignment on Crusades due (10% OF GRADE). Topic: How did Islam challenge
Europe? The Barbarian West. How did the Germanic peoples
affect European civilization? Assignment for next class: Read Ch. 9 the Medieval church and feudalism (click here for study guide)
6/15 Topic: Feudalism and the
expansion of Europe. Growth of strong monarchies.
Church and State in the Middle Ages. Read: text: Ch 10
and pages on England and Spain in Ch 11(click here for study guide).
6/17 Topic: Topic: War and
Plague in the Late Middle Ages. How did the Black
Death and the Hundred Years’ War change Europe? Crisis of the
Papacy. Why were there two Popes? (click
here for study guide) Assignment for next class: Read Ch. 12 in text.
6/19 Topic: The
Renaissance. Who were the
famous thinkers and how did their ideas bring an end to the Middle
Ages? How did these ideas influence concepts of power and the state? Machiavelli and the state. Look up at least three web pages
on Machiavelli and his book “The Prince” and identify them. Choose one of
Machiavelli’s statements or ideas about power, religion, the state or the
masses to discuss in the next class. In-class writing assignment on Machiavelli (10% of grade). Ideas
of Machiavelli Assignment for next class: read Ch 13 in text.
6/24 Topic: The Protestant Reformation
in Germany and Martin Luther. How did Luther begin the Reformation? The Protestant Reformation in England and Henry VIII. What
was the role of the English monarchy in the Protestant Reformation in England? The Reformation and wars of religion. Assignment for next
class: prepare for final exam.
6/26 FINAL EXAM: (20%)
Ch. 7-14
Links to history sites:
1987
NUBIAN EXHIBITION: BROCHURE
Women
and Gender in the Ancient World
Greece
Battle of
Marathon
Daily Life in Rome
The Carthaginian
Empire and Rome in the Third Century BC
The
Middle Ages -- Town Life
Sex in the
Middle Ages
Animation of the Battle of Hastings
Web sites on Greece and the
Olympics:
Olympics: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/
Hercules: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/labors.html