Syllabus
Class Web Site (Cascadia.edu)
http://faculty.cascadia.edu/cma/HIST127Contact Information
My e-mail address is: CMa@cascadia.edu. Please feel free to e-mail frequently. I will certainly do my best to answer you as soon as possible and almost always on the same day or within twenty-four hours. My telephone number is: 253.335.8050 (mobile). Please feel free to ring at anytime. Leave a message and I will return your call at my earliest convenience. Office Hours: Very flexible. Please contact by e-mail or telephone to make arrangements .
Course Description
History 127 is described as a fully online course. This class is a five-credit college transfer course, which meets the AA degree requirements for Cultural Knowledge Requirements (CKR), and satisfies distribution requirements for Humanities, General Studies, and Social Sciences at Cascadia Community college.
Required Text:
Bentley, Jerry H. and Herbert F. Ziegler. Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. Vol. B. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-0-07-333065-5
; ISBN-10: 0-07-333065-5.
Please purchase your book through http://www.coursesmart.com Search by ISBN#: 0-077-25278-0
The ebook runs $48.75 and if one buys the online version, one will have a 180-day subscription and it is accessible from any computer in the world with no software downloads (e.g. Adobe Acrobat Reader). If one buys the downloadable version (Adobe Acrobat .pdf files) there is no refund (refunds given on the online version within 14 days of purchase as long as no more than 20% of the book has been accessed).
The good thing about the downloadable choice is that one can keep the digital text for as long as one wishes; the downside is that it might take a while to download the book, depending on one's connection, etc. There is a comparison chart that will help one decide which method is best. I also provide the online learning center access that works with the textbook no matter what version a student decides to purchase.
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU NEED COURSE ADAPTATIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS BECAUSE OF A DISABILITY, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU PROVIDE ME WITH FULL DOCUMENTATION NO LATER THAN THE 10TH DAY OF CLASS.
HIST&127 examines the social, economic, political, intellectual, and artistic achievements of pre-modern and early modern world civilizations from c. 700 C.E. to 1800 C.E. Students will obtain a global perspective by studying different world views and social institutions, as well as great systems of thought, religion, science, and art as they evolved through this historical period, laying the foundations of the modern world. The increasingly global interaction of cultures in both positive and enrighcing, and conversely, negative and exploitative ways will also be emphasized. Students will critically examine primary source material, such as written texts, artistic productions and archeological evidence as a complement to information gleaned from secondary sources.
N.B. Courses in the World Civilizations series, HIST&126 (formerly HIST 126), HIST&127 (formerly HIST 127), and HIST&128 (formerly HIST 128) may be taken independently and in any order.
Course Content, Topics and Themes:
- Principles and Practices of Historical Methodology.
- Historical Content
Topics to be selected from the following: - Islam and Islamic Empires
- The Byzantine Empire
- African Empires & Swahili City States
- Developments in Culture and Trade in India
- Tang and Song China & the Silk Roads
- Mongol Khanates
- Early and High Medieval Europe
- Pandemic Diseases & Their Historical Impact
- Civilizations of the Western Hemisphere
- Western Exploration and Conquest - Columbian Exchange
- Africa and the Slave Trade
- New Developments in Great Religious Traditions
- Militant Religion: The Crusades & Inquisition
- European Renaissance, Reformation, & Early Enlightenment
- Ming and Qing China
- Study of epics, religious texts, poetry, philosophy, and drama
- History of private life, art, warfare, empire, political systems, technology, cross-cultural contacts, science, race, class, and gender
Course Outcomes:
I. Learn Actively - Learning is a personal, interactive process that results in greater expertise and a more comprehensive understanding of the world.
II. Think Critically, Creatively and Reflectively - Reason and imagination are fundamental to problem solving and critical examination of ideas.
- Deepen knowledge of significant events, individuals, and philosophies as well as social, political, economic, and intellectual developments in pre-modern and early modern world.
- Analyze, interpret, and draw meaning from primary sources including documents and artistic production.
- Recognize connections between cultures, appreciating similarities and differences.
- Comprehend forces leading to blossing and decline of civilisations.
- Comprehend the interaction of different civilisations through trade, intellectual and spiritual exchange and enrichment and population exchanges; on the other hand, examine interactions including economic domination, conquest, religious intolerance, and slavery.
- Undertake research and creative projects individually and in groups to further learning.
III. Communicate with Clarity and Originality - The ability to exchange ideas and information is essential to personal growth, productive work, and societal vitality.
- Communicate global awareness through discussion, presentations, and performance and/or writing.
- View, listen to, read, and analyze literary, artistic, and cultural evidence that helps define and document the pre-modern and early modern world.
- Articulate conclusions based on competing and contradictory evidence.
IV. Interact in Diverse and Complex Environments - Successful negotiation through our increasingly complex, interdependent and global society requires knowledge and awareness of self and others, as well as enhanced interaction skills.
- Demonstrate how historical thinking and historical knowledge gleaned in this class helps you understand the world today
- Recognize your global perspective and understanding of how different cultures interrelate.
- Identify various structures of power and decision-making processes.
- Identify causes and manifestations of inequality with reference to historical experience.
Course Requirements:
Each student is required to complete the reading assignments in a timely manner. No one has the luxury of procrastination - especially during a summer term that lasts merely eight weeks. You will have four examinations, one citation exercise, three rough drafts, and one final paper.
Course Suggestions:
Supplemental materials have been made available to the class. Rather than view these as cumbersome, it will be more effective to view these readings and links as very helpful tools. In addition, to assist students in reinforcing the reading assignments, audio podcasts and/or PowerPoint presentations are available through the Internet to be accessed in a browser or downloaded into podcatchers to be heard and or viewed at one's convenience.
Submit or Email Assignments:
The writing assignments are listed within the web pages of this course as well as within the Angel environment. Submission of completed assignments through Angel is convenient because it provides a storage space for your documents and my feedback (if any). You may, however, e-mail the written assignments directly to me, if you are having problems with Angel or have questions regarding how to complete an assignment until you understand how to submit through the assignment page in Angel. Please attach the assignments as Word.doc files or even as .pdf files if you have Adobe Acrobat. Either way, your scores will be posted in Angel.
Examinations:
There will be four unit examinations each worth 100 points to be taken online through Angel. Although neither the midterm nor final examination will be comprehensive, secure knowledge of previous units will ensure greater success with the examinations. Examination questions will be comprised of matching, short answers, and free-form "essay" type answers. You will be expected to support these answers through well-supported logical arguments. The free-form answers also work in conjunction with the writing assignments in helping the student develop logical arguments that support his or her conclusions extemporaneously. There are no plans to include a multiple-choice format - in other words, you are expected to fully grasp the course content.
Writing Assignments:
The writing assignments serve two basic purposes. The first purpose is to learn the rudiments of research skills and the mechanics of documentation. The citation exercises given with the understanding that the student will continue to revise the assignment until the assignment is completely correct. The second purpose is not only to apply those skills in a paper, but to know how to develop a thesis, support the thesis with documentation, and defend one's conclusions using correct grammar, mechanics, and word usage. You will be required to submit three rough drafts. Although you may receive feedbacks, suggestions, and corrections, these rough drafts will not be graded; however, if these are not received, the omission will affect your grade. The research paper is worth 200 points.
Discussion Board:
The Discussion Board is an integral part of the class. It is strongly advised that you log in to Angel on a daily basis and attend to the Discussion Board posts. You will be graded not only on frequency, but quality of the posts. A 'me, too' or 'I agree' type of post will not meet the criterion of a good post. A mere repetition of what one has read in the textbook is not considered a good post. Good posts display attributes of deeper thinking and some outside research. The Discussion Board is worth 300 points or 30% of the total grade for this class. Please take this very seriously, as every term there are students who discover, to their great dismay, that poor participation on the DB cost them as much as one grade point or more.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is using ideas and words that originated with someone else and passing it off as one's own. This is offensive, unethical, and unacceptable. It is quite literally theft and will guarantee an automatic failing grade.