WESTERN CIVILIZATION I



HONORS WESTERN CIVILIZATION IHIS 171-05 (Fall 2019)Mon. – Wed. – Fri., 9:45 - 10:40 a.m., VAN 110Dr. Hans P. Vought, Vanderlyn 239HTEXTBOOK: There are two required books, which are available for purchase at the college bookstore. They can be purchase separately or bundled together for a discount. Readings should be done before class, as they will be discussed in class. You will be responsible for all material in the book in addition to classroom lectures. In college, you should develop the ability to read critically - that is, to determine what the author’s thesis or argument is, and evaluate the evidence which he or she uses to support it. You will probably find it useful to take notes on the reading, both for classroom discussion and in preparing for the papers and exams.Lynn Hunt, Thomas R. Martin, Barbara H. Rosenwein & Bonnie G. Smith, The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures, Value Edition (6th ed.), Volume I. ISBN: 978-1-319-10500-6. This is a basic textbook, which will give you a general overview to provide context as we examine specific topics in-depth. Katherine J, Lualdi, ed., Sources of the Making of the West (6th ed.), Volume I. ISBN: 978-1-319-15451-6. This is a collection of primary sources designed as a companion to the textbook. These sources will form the basis of our weekly discussions and short papers.CONTACT INFORMATION: My office is in Vanderlyn 239H on the Stone Ridge campus. My Office Hours are M-W-F 12:00 – 12:55 p.m., T-Th 1:05 - 2:00 p.m., and by appointment. My office telephone number is 688-1594. My e-mail address is voughth@sunyulster.edu. Website: . Please note that all e-mail communication between faculty and students should occur through Blackboard or the mysunyulster.edu portal, which complies with federal law (FERPA). COURSE OBJECTIVES: Together we will trace the beginnings of Western Civilization, starting with the first civilizations in the Middle East and continuing on through the Renaissance and Reformation era. We will examine developments in the political, social, economic and religious life of the various civilizations. The course will consist of lectures on Mondays and Wednesdays and discussions based on the readings on Fridays. You are expected to develop analytical skills as you assess historical evidence and arguments, and explain your conclusions orally or in essays.SCHEDULE:Mon. 8/26 – Fri. 8/30: The Emergence of Civilizations (Making & Sources, ch. 1)Mon. 9/2: NO CLASS – LABOR DAYWed. 9/4 – Fri. 9/6: Assyrian, Babylonian & Persian Empires; Israel; Early Greece (Making & Sources, ch. 2)Mon. 9/9 – Fri. 9/13: Classical Greece (Making & Sources, ch. 3)Mon. 9/16 – Fri. 9/20: The Hellenistic World (Making & Sources, ch. 4)Mon. 9/23: FIRST EXAM Wed. 9/25 – Fri. 9/27: The Roman Republic (Making & Sources, ch. 5)Mon. 9/30 – Fri. 10/4: The Roman Empire & Early Christianity (Making & Sources, ch. 6)Mon. 10/7 – Fri. 10/11: The Division of the Roman Empire (Making & Sources, ch. 7)Mon. 10/14: NO CLASS – COLUMBUS/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAYTues. 10/15 (Mon. sched.) – Fri. 10/18: Early Islam; Byzantium; Western Europe (Making & Sources, ch. 8)Mon. 10/21 – Fri. 10/25: Byzantine Empire; Abbasid Caliphate; Carolingian Empire (Making & Sources, ch. 9)Mon. 10/28: SECOND EXAMWed. 10/30 – Fri. 11/1: Early Medieval Society; Church Reform; the Crusades (Making & Sources, ch. 10)Mon. 11/4 – Fri. 11/8: High Middle Ages (Making & Sources, ch. 11)Mon. 11/11: NO CLASS – VETERANS DAYWed. 11/13 – Fri. 11/15: The Late Medieval World (Making & Sources, ch. 12)Mon. 11/18 – Mon. 11/25: Black Death; 100 Years War; Renaissance (Making & Sources, ch. 13)Wed. 11/27 – Fri. 11/29: NO CLASS - THANKSGIVINGMon. 12/2 – Mon. 12/9: Voyages of Discovery; the Reformation (Making & Sources, ch. 14)Tues. 12/10 - Wed. 12/11: MAKE-UP DAYS (for snow or other emergencies)T.B.A.: FINAL EXAMSTUDENT REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION OF THE COURSE: You will write 10 short papers about the historical documents in the Sources of the Making of the West. Each paper will be 2-3 pages (typed), and will be in response to one of the comparative questions at the end of each chapter in the Sources book. These questions ask you to compare several of the primary sources in that chapter. You must write on 10 of the 14 chapters we will be reading in the Sources book. The papers are due at the beginning of class on the Friday of the week we read that chapter. Late papers will lose one whole letter grade for each calendar day they are late.You will write three essay exams over the course of the semester. The three exams will include a choice of short answer and essay questions, covering material discussed in the readings as well as material discussed in class. The exams are closed-book and notes and non-cumulative. No talking is permitted during the exam, and you will not be allowed to leave the room until you have completed and turned in the exam. Your essays should articulate a clear thesis (that is, an argument supported by evidence) in response to the questions. You are free to express any opinion; however, you must present historical evidence to support it. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is mandatory and will be taken each class. You will be allowed three “personal days;” beyond that, each absence will lower your grade. Coming in late or leaving early counts as a half absence. Make-ups are allowed only for valid medical or other emergencies. If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. Please note the withdrawal deadlines set by the college.ASSESSMENT: Grades will be based upon participation in class discussions, the 10 short papers, and the 3 exams. The average of your papers will count as 25% of your grade. The 3 non-cumulative exams will count as 25% each of your grade. There will be no “extra credit;” in college, you are judged by the quality rather than the quantity of your work. Both participation in classroom discussion and improvement will be taken into consideration in determining the final course grade. The following grading scale is used:93-100 = A90-92 = A-87-89 = B+83-86 = B80-82 = B-77-79 = C+73-76 = C70-72 = C-67-69 = D+63-66 = D60-62 = D- < 59 = F Please retain all graded papers from this course until you see your final grade posted on your College transcript.If I suspect you of plagiarism or cheating, you will receive a 0 for that particular paper or exam. You will have an opportunity to meet with me and demonstrate that you are innocent. If a second offense should occur, you will receive a 0 for the course, and face possible expulsion from the college. FINAL EXAM: The final exam will be given during the regularly scheduled examination period at the end of the semester. It will not be cumulative - it will simply be the third exam.STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ACADEMIC HONESTY: Academic honesty means that students are expected to do their own work and follow the rules regarding acts such as cheating and plagiarism. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain academic honesty. That is, ignorance of the standards of academic honesty is not an acceptable excuse for breaking these standards. Academic dishonesty - breaking the standards of academic honesty - is taken very seriously by the College. Breaking the rules of academic honesty will result in immediate disciplinary consequences.Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following actions:1. Cheating on examinations or quizzes. Examples include (a) referring to materials that the instructor has not allowed to be used during the test, such as textbooks or notes or websites; (b) using devices the instructor has not allowed to be used during the test, such as cell phones, text messages, or calculators; and (c) copying from another student’s paper or asking another student for an answer.2. Plagiarism. Plagiarism means the use of words or ideas that are obtained from other sources without giving credit to those sources. Not only do quotations have to be referenced, but also any use of the ideas of others, even if expressed in the student’s own words, must be referenced. The College has a service to check for plagiarism. Any student paper can be submitted for this plagiarism check.3. Submission of work that is not entirely the student’s own work. Having another person write a paper or parts of a paper is one example of this offense; allowing another student to copy test answers is another example.4. Theft or sale of examinations, falsification of academic records, and similar offenses.5. Submitting work to more than one class without the permission of the second instructor. For example, a student who submits to a class a paper previously turned in to another class is in violation of academic honesty, unless the second instructor has given permission. 6. Unauthorized duplication of computer software or print materials. For example, turning in a term paper downloaded from a website is a violation of academic honesty.7. Influence. A student should not attempt to get an instructor to change a grade or record for any reason except achievement. For example, trying to get an instructor to change a grade because of personal hardship - or because of a bribe - is a violation of academic honesty.8. Practice of any other form of academic dishonesty not included in this list.BIBLIOGRAPHY: To learn more about any of the topics covered in this course, please see the list of recommended books at the end of each chapter in the Major Problems book.N.B.: This syllabus is not a legal contract. Assignments and policies (other than college rules) are subject to revision at any time throughout the course.DR. VOUGHT’S RULES OF CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE: The essence of courtesy is showing respect and consideration for other people around you. In the classroom, this means both the professor and your fellow students. Anything that distracts you and those around you from your mutual goal (i.e., learning) is rude and disrespectful. To further clarify this, I offer the following rules, which I expect everyone to follow:1. Class begins and ends on time. Therefore, you should be in your seat, ready to go when class begins, and stay in your seat until class ends.2. If, for some unavoidable reason, you must miss a class or leave early, please inform the professor ahead of time. Walking in late or leaving early will be counted as a half absence, and two halves make a whole.3. Never get up in the middle of class and walk around, unless it is a dire emergency. Go to the bathroom before or after class, not during it. Throw out any trash at the end of class as you’re leaving the room.4. Stay awake. If you fall asleep, I will ask you to leave, and it will be counted as a half absence.5. No personal grooming during class.6. Do not read or study for another class, or read for pleasure, during my class.7. Cell phones and other portable electronic devices should be turned off and out of sight (yours and mine). ................
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