A Survey of Western Civilization II
CCRI, Spring Semester
Instructor: Dr. Jon Q. Lu
Course Outline:
This is essentially a survey of Western cultural, political and social developments from the early modern period (1600), through the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, the two World Wars, the Cold War, and to the 1980s. For a survey course of this magnitude, reading is crucial if you want to move beyond the generalizations. On average, you should spend at least 5 hours on the reading assignment per week. The lectures are given under the assumption that you have read the weekly assignment before class. Therefore, not all basic historical facts are covered in class. The lectures primarily serve to highlight, supplement or substantiate certain points outlined in our textbook.
Required Reading:
McKay, John P. and et al., A History of Western Society
Additional readings will be handed out in class irregularly.
Some video materials will be used to help visualize the period/topic we are studying.
There will be three group discussions* during the semester.
Course Requirements:
Requirements: There are five tests during the semester. The final grade will be the average of four grades (three best out of the first four AND the last). No make-up exams will be given under any circumstances and no request for extra credit will be granted, unless it is an honors project. Tests 2 and 4 will be open-book tests. The tests are not cumulative.
Options: As an alternative, you are encouraged to write a six-page book review in exchange of any test, not more than two during the semester. The book review is due on the day of the test. For specific requirements, please refer to the guide for the book review attached.
Penalties: If you manage to take only three tests during the semester, the final grade would be the average of the three tests and a mandatory deduction of 20 points off the average. There is also a 5-point penalty for late book reviews, unless with permission.
Incentives: A perfect attendance (2 out of 3 meetings per week) will earn you 5 points on top of the final grade average. Those who earn an “A” average in the first four tests will be excused from the last test.
Weekly Class Schedule:Section 153---10-10:50 a.m. M. W. Thur.
Section 150---11-11:50 a.m. T. W. Thur.
Section 151---12-12:50 p.m. M. W. Thur.
Section 152---2:30-5:00 p.m. Thur.
Office:
Room 1236 in the Faculty Lounge. I am also available by telephone: 401-333-7357 (O) or by e-mail:
Weekly Reading Schedule:
Time / Themes / Required ReadingWeek-1, Jan. 22 / Absolutism/Constitutionalism / Chapter 17 p564-585
Week-2, Jan. 28 / Science and Enlightenment / Chapter 18 p607-623
Week-3, Feb. 4 / Agricultral Revolution / Chapter 19 p640-656
Test 1 on Feb. 7 => / 50 minutes
Week-4, Feb. 11 / European Society/Family* / Chapter 20 p665-679 + (discussion)
Week-5, Feb. 18 / French Revolution / Chapter 21 p704-720
Week-6, Feb. 25 / Towards Democracy / Chapter 23 p761-784
Test 2 on Feb. 28 => / Open-book Test / 50 minutes
Week-7, Mar. 4 / Industrial Revolution* / Chapter 22 p740-749 + (discussion)
Week-8, Mar. 11 /
SPRING BREAK
Week-9, Mar. 18 / A New Urban Society / Chapter 24 p797-817Week-10, Mar. 25 / European Expansion / Chapters 25/26 p841-51;871-81
Test 3 on Mar. 28 => / 50 minutes
Week-11, Apr. 1 / World War One / Chapter 27 p904-908; 916-922
Week-12, Apr. 8 / Russian Rev. and the 1920s / Chapters 27/28 p908-16;927-44
Week-13, Apr. 15 / Hitler and World War Two / Chapter 29 p968-987; 990-1
Test 4 on April 18 => / Open-book Test / 50 minutes
Week-14, Apr. 22 / Cold War/Eco. Recovery / Chapter 30 p993-1009
Week-15, Apr. 29 / Welfare States/New Challenges* / Chapters 30/31 p1009-25;1037-46; 1059
(discussion)
May 6 / Test 5
* = Extra reading and group discussion
Book Report Requirements
Which book to use?
The book or an article from a professional history journal selected for this review must be relevant or supplementary to the content of this survey course. Chronologically, it must be within the time period that this course covers (1600s-1980s). In terms of content, the book/article must deal with a specific topic/period (i.e. WWI, WWII, Hitler) in European/American history. Please avoid reading another survey type of book like our textbook.
What is the length?
6 pages (8.5 x 11)
Page one: the title page
Your name, course number and instructor's name
Title of the book/article
Author of the book/article
Publisher/journal of publication
Publishing date/issue number
Pages two-five: the content pages
-Summarize the book/article's content: who? when? what? where? why?
-Compare it with the content covered in our textbook or certain points this course has discussed (including the differences, similarities between the two authors.)
-Comment on, critique, and evaluate these differences in content, style, approach between the two and how this new material complements our course.
Page six: bibliography/notes
A Bibliography and Endnotes/Footnotes
(Please see me and ask for a sample, if you don’t know how to do this.)
Note:
Standard textbooks and articles from encyclopedia or other reference sources are not considered proper materials for this book review assignment.
All papers are expected to be either type-written or machine-processed. If the papers are computer-generated, they should be double-spaced, and justified on both sides. They should use font 13 only and leave a margin of 1" on four sides.