COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND

COURSE SYLLABUS FALL 2006

Course SectionHST 1010 M/W 2-3:25 p.m. 3 credits

InstructorDr. Chretien F. Guidry, History Coordinator

OfficeRoom 208, Prince Frederick Campus

Office Hours

Office

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

Reader: Joseph R. Mitchell and Helen Buss Mitchell. Taking Sides.

Required course assignment:You will be required to select a book of at least two hundred pages in length for a book review.

Textbooks: Jackson J. Spielvogel Western Civilization Vol. A: To 1500 Sixth Edition

Course Description

This course will allow students to survey the important political, economic, and social developments in Western Civilization from primitive society to the 1300’s A.D. Students will learn these important elements through the use of lectures, group work, power point presentations, movie clips, map displays, reading assignments (supplemental reader and textbook), and course assignments (book review and examinations). The course also utilizes computerized maps, visual displays, and media that correspond to the subject matter.

Disabilities

Participants with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this course are encouraged to contact the Disability Support Services in the Student Success Center at 301.934.7614 as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course students will be expected to identify major themes, ideas, persons and events in the Western Tradition. Students will also be expected to communicate their understanding of these both orally and through written essays.

Grading Policy

Your final grade will be determined by the accumulated numerical points you earn from the following forms of evaluation:

Three examinations (100 points each)300 points

Current Events Paper (2-3 pages) 50 points

Book Review Assignment (5 to 6 pages)100 points

Total450 points

The final grade scale is as follows:

A =405 – 450C = 315 – 359F = 0 - 269

B =360 – 404D = 270 – 314

Extra Credit

  1. Attendance: Because student attendance is very important, students may earn additional points as follows

0Absences=50 points

1Absence=40 points

2Absences=25 points

3Absences=15 points

4Absences= 5 points

  1. Everyone has a bad day, and sometimes even a bad examination despite how well prepared they were. In light of this, students who missed multiple choice questions and true/false on an examination can recover ½ credit on each question missed. The students must write a 1 page paper per question missed which discusses the question missed, and why it is important to Western Civilization.

Auditing

Students who audit this course are still responsible for class readings and other assignments mentioned. Students should contact me for additional information.

Attendance:

Students are expected to be on time and to attend all scheduled class meetings. If you miss class for any reason, notify me as to the reason why a particular class was missed so that I can let you know what you missed.

Policy on Plagiarism:

Any incident of plagiarism or other form of academic dishonesty will be investigated and reported to the Director of Student Affairs. Also, honesty must be the prevailing attitude toward taking examinations and writing examinations. Please refer tot he Student Handbook sections “Student Code of Conduct” and “Student Judicial System” for more information on academic honest procedures.

Examination Format

Students will be given a choice of three types of examinations. The first type of examination will be organized as follows: (Multiple choice, true or false and identification items and one major essay section) based on the lectures, group discussions and the textbook. The second is a take home essay, which consist of three questions with the students answering two of the questions with each answer consisting of two to three pages. Students will have a week to complete this type of exam. The third involves the student preparing a 15-20 minute presentation on one of the lecture subjects done in the course.

Assignments

Paper Format:

All papers must be double spaced with one-inch margins and a font size no larger than 13 pt. Also, all papers are to include a bibliography.

Current Event Paper (2-3 pages)

Students need to find any issue that they consider historically relevant in any newspaper, journal or current text. Once done, the students need to explain what the current event is about, why is it important historically.

Book Review (5-6 pages)

Book selection requirements

-The book must be no less than two hundred pages in length

-The book must be a biographical or nonfictional account set anytime between the period of human prehistory and the early seventeenth century A.D.

-Once you have selected your book, you must let me see the name, author, copyright date and a brief description of the book. I will be able to then give you some ideas and guidance with your book review.

Book Review requirements and grading

The Book Review must be 5 to 6 pages, include a bibliography and the following:

  1. Summary of the book
  1. Who wrote the book
  2. Why did they write the book?
  3. What is the main idea expressed by the book?
  1. Describe the value of the book
  1. What are the major and minor themes of the book?
  2. How is the book organized?
  3. Is the book simple or difficult to follow?
  1. Your evaluation of the book
  1. Find two or more other authors that have written about the subject of your book, and use 2 or more quotations to explain how they interpreted the subject matter of your book.
  2. Does your author(s) point of view go with or against the other authors? Why or Why not?
  3. What is you opinion of this book? Would you recommend it to other students?

Fall 2005 Schedule (Tentative)

Aug 29Introduction/ What is history?

Spielvogel pgs. 1-3

Aug 31Mesopotamian Civilization

Spielvogel pgs. 6-11

Sept 7, 12Egyptian Civilization

Spielvogel pgs. 16-36

Sept 14The Assyrians and Persian Empires

Spielvogel pgs. 38-47

Sept 19Library Orientation

Sep 21, 26Greek Civilization

Spielvogel pgs. 51-62

Mitchell pgs. 2-20

Sep 28First Examination and Current Events Paper Due

Oct 3, 5The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars

Spielvogel pgs. 64-78

Oct 10Macedonia and the Conquests of Alexander

Spielvogel pgs. 84-102

Mitchell pgs. 22-38

Oct 12Carthage and Etruscan Civilizations

Spielvogel pgs.106-108

Oct 17, 19Roman Republic

Spielvogel pgs. 110-132

Oct 24, 26Roman Empire

Spielvogel pgs. 138-162

Mitchell pgs. 60-78

Oct 31Tricks of the Trade

Nov 2, 7The Germanic Kingdoms

Spielvogel pgs. 165-176

Nov 9Examination II

Nov 14,16Emergence of the Medieval World

Spielvogel pgs. 177-193

Nov 21, 23Early Middle Ages

Spielvogel pgs. 198-241

Nov. 28Book Review Due and Discussion

Nov. 30,-Dec. 5Growth of Church Power

Spielvogel pgs. 242-279

Mitchell pgs. 100-118

Dec 7, 12Time of Trouble

Spielvogel pgs. 284-307

Dec. 14Final Examination

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