COURSE TITLE: Western Civilization (2005-2006)

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Western Civilization is a comparative study of the growth and development of the major civilizations of the Western world from the earliest times to the present. The primary objective is to provide an understanding of the historical development of humanity within the context of the various interrelating civilizations. The secondary objective is to develop basic history and social studies skills such as note taking, outlining, map reading, and library research.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS/REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  1. Textbook: World History: Patterns of Interaction, Beck, Black, Naylor, and Shabaka, Evanston, McDougal Little, 1999
  1. One and one half inch or two inch loose-leaf binder, with five dividers
  1. School issued agenda
  1. Pen, pencil, with college ruled loose-leaf paper (These required materials are expected to be brought to class every day- No exceptions).

COURSE OBJECTIVES/STUDENT OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course the student should be able to:

  1. Describe the way in which early civilizations develop.
  2. Identify the characteristics common to all civilizations.
  3. Identify the major political, social, cultural, and economic contributions made by the ancient peoples of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Mideast.
  4. Identify major Greek and Roman contributions to civilization.
  5. Describe how people lived and were governed under feudalism.
  6. Explain the growth and role of the Catholic Church in feudal society.
  7. Identify the impact that the Middle Ages had on European society.
  8. Describe the factors that led to the Age of Exploration.
  9. Define the terms Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment and list their important characteristics and people.
  10. Explain how the French Revolution and Napoleon changed Europe.
  11. Define Imperialism and describe its causes and results.
  12. Identify the major causes and results of WWI.
  13. Identify the important people and events that were involved in the Russian Revolution.
  14. Compare Communism and Fascism with other governmental and economic systems.
  15. Describe the causes and results of WWII.
  16. Describe the changes that have taken place in the world since the end of WWII.

COURSE OUTLINE:

First Quarter

  1. Introduction
  1. Journal Skills
  2. Note Taking Skills
  3. Study Skills
  4. Test Taking
  5. Map and Geography Skills
  1. Early Civilizations
  1. Paleolithic and Neolithic
  2. Civilizations and Cultures
  3. Contributions of Early Civilizations
  4. Code of Hammurabi
  5. Religions and Writings
  1. The Greeks
  1. Geography of Greece
  2. Religious Beliefs
  3. Greek City-States
  4. Wars and Cultures
  5. Architecture and Literature
  1. The Romans
  1. The Roman Republic
  2. Punic Wars and Roman Conquest
  3. The Rise of Roman the Roman Empire
  4. Roman Society and Culture
  5. The fall of the Roman Empire
  6. The spread of Christianity

Second Quarter

  1. The Middle Ages
  1. The Church During the Middle Ages
  2. Feudalism
  3. Manorialism
  4. Economic, Political, Educational, and Social Changes
  5. English Law and Magna Carta
  6. Growth of the Church
  7. The Crusades
  1. The Renaissance and Reformation
  1. Literature and Art
  2. Protestant Reform
  3. Luther and Calvin
  4. Counter Reformation
  1. Age of Exploration
  1. Map Skills
  2. Economic and Political Motives
  3. Important Voyages
  4. Results of Exploration
  5. Economic Revolutions
  6. Mercantilism and Capitalism

Third Quarter

  1. The Growth of European States
  1. Rise and Decline of Spain
  2. Religious Wars
  3. Absolute Monarchy in France
  4. Parliament Gains Power in England
  5. Evolution of the English Parliament
  6. Eastern Europe
  1. Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment
  1. Modern Age
  2. Political Ideas and Reform
  3. Locke and Rousseau
  1. The French Revolution and Napoleon
  1. Crisis and Revolt
  2. Major Reforms
  3. Radical Stages
  4. Napoleons Conquest of Europe
  1. Reaction and Revolution in Europe
  1. Conservatism, Liberalism, and Nationalism
  2. Congress of Vienna
  3. Metternich System
  4. Romantic Movement
  5. Revolutions of 1848
  1. The Industrial Revolution
  1. Problems Caused by Industrialization and Urbanization
  2. New Economic Theories
  3. Marxism
  4. Social Reforms
  1. Nationalism in Europe
  1. Unification of Italy
  2. Unification of Germany
  1. Europe in the Late 19th Century
  1. New Trends in Science and the Arts
  2. Worldwide Developments
  3. Imperialism

Fourth Quarter

  1. World War I
  1. Causes of WWI
  2. Course of the War
  3. Role of the U.S.
  4. Peace Treaties/Treaty of Versailles
  1. The World Between Wars
  1. Russian Revolution
  2. Economic Depression
  3. Stalin’s Soviet Union
  4. Fascism
  5. Nazism
  6. Spanish Civil War
  1. World War II
  1. Causes of WWII
  2. War in Europe and North Africa
  3. War in Asia
  4. The War’s Aftermath
  1. Europe During and After the Cold War
  1. United Nations
  2. Arms Race and Space Race
  3. Soviet Block and Its Collapse
  4. Post Cold War problems