HISTORY 0872
GENED: TURNING POINTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE MODERN WORLD
Spring 2017 MWF 10-10:50 Anderson 26 Prof. Spodek
Prof. Spodek: 857 Gladfelter; ; home 215-848-7716
Office hours: MW 11:30-12:30 and by appointment.
T.A. Joseph Humnicky: Office 953 Gladfelter; Office Hours MW 1-2;
email:
This course, the second in a two-course sequence, examines five turning points in the modern world, approximately 1200 C.E. to the present
GOALS: This survey of human history from approximately 1200 C.E. to the present has three major goals for student learning:
*Students should learn “What We Know.” They should gain an information base on key
events, people, places, movements, transformations, and continuities in human history.
They should learn to ask why particular events involve particular people at particular
times. Students will focus on five turning points as key issues of “what we know.”
*They should learn “How We Know.” They should learn the tools of the historian: the
role of evidence; various types of evidence including art and artifacts; evaluating
evidence; primary documents and secondary documents; the use of geography,
cartography, and maps, the importance of chronology.
*They should learn “What Difference It Makes.” Students should learn the importance of
perspective and of multiple perspectives, to evaluate the consequences and significance
of events, to understand the importance of values in the study of history – the values of
the historical actors, the values of the historians who have studied them, (the values of
the professor), and their own values.
COURSE FRAMEWORK: An analysis of 5 critical transitions in the modern world and how they prepared the way to the world we now inhabit. In this analysis, we will stress two of the historian’s most important resources:
- Primary “documents” for a discussion of our sources of information. These documents will be mostly readings, but they will include visual representations, artifacts, films, music, museum collections, etc. These will enable students to understand how historians learn what happened in the past, and give them some training in how they might pursue research themselves.
- Secondary documents, interpretations by historians and others. These will enable students to see how historians and others discover and create new paths to understanding what happened in the past, and to recognize that the interpretation of the past is subject to often intense debate, because the interpretation of the past determines our perspective on understanding who we are in the present.
REQUIREMENTS AND GRADES:
1. Each day, during class, students will have about ten to fifteen minutes to
discuss one of the key issues of the class subject. About half of that time will
be spent writing a paragraph or two on what they have learned, and perhaps
on what remains unclear. The paragraphs will serve as a record of attendance.
The will be graded only as turned in – or not – but the quality of the better
ones will be noted. This exercise will count for 20% of the total grade.
2. A 3-5 page paper showing the student’s ability to use primary sources based on
Turning point 6, INTEGRATION OF WORLD TRADE NETWORKS, the
materials in Part 5, chapters 12-15, pp. 378-511. (FEB 13) –10% of final grade.
3. A 3-5 page paper showing the student’s ability to use secondary sources based
on Turning Point 7, POLITICAL REVOLUTION, the materials in Part 6,
chapter 16, pp. 512-557 (MARCH 6) – 10% of final grade.
4. Midterm exam based on Turning Point 8, INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION,
chapters 17-18, pp. 558-643. (March 20) – 20% of final grade
5. A 5 page paper relating events in the past as represented in the text with their
representation by an individual in an INTERVIEW. The issues are those of
Turning Point 9, GLOBAL WARFARE, chapters 19-20, pp. 644-725 (April 17)
– 20% of final grade.
6. In-class final exam on Turning Point 10, CHANGING IDENTITIES, Chapters
21-24, pp. 26-881.– May 5, 8-10 AM. – 20% of final grade.
Three unexcused absences are permitted; for each additional absence, 1/3 letter
grade will be deducted. –
EXTRA CREDIT VISIT TO THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART:
Sometime in March (date to be decided in agreement with students), on a Saturday or Sunday, we will make a field trip to the Art Museum and visit several galleries that are directly relevant to the class. Students who attend the museum and write up their observations, in accordance with a format to be discussed in class, may earn up to 5 points of extra credit.
MATERIALS:
Materials for the course will include:
A. Howard Spodek. The World’s History, 5th ed. Prentice-Hall, 2015. Copies are available in the bookstore.
B. Various visuals, accessible through ArtStor and Google Images
C. Music available through Smithsonian Global Sound, through Temple Library
D. On-line course: “Bridging World History.”
PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is the use of the words and ideas of others without attribution, that is, without the use of quotation marks or indentations in the text, in the case of direct quotes, and footnotes. In compliance with Temple’s student code of conduct, a paper with plagiarized materials receives a failing grade. In more severe cases, plagiarism may result in failure of a course or even expulsion from the University.
Statement on Academic Freedom:Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link: .
DISABILITY STATEMENT: Any student who has a need for special accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at 1-1280 at 100 Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
ACADEMIC ADVISING: Academic Advising is available on the first floor of Sullivan Hall. For appointments, call 1-4729, but advising is also available on a drop-in basis.
PERSONAL COUNSELING: Personal Counseling is available at the Tuttleman Counseling Services, 1810 Liacouras Walk, 5th floor. For appointments, call 1-7276, but counseling is also available on a drop-in basis.
WRITING ASSISTANCE: Help with writing is available at the Writing Center, 201 Tuttleman Hall. Assistance is available on a drop-in basis.
SCHEDULE OF SUBJECTS AND CLASSES
TURNING POINTS IN WORLD HISTORY:
MODERN WORLD, SPRING SEMESTER
INTRODUCTION to the course, the instructor, the class: January 18: What is “history”? What is “the study of history”? What is “historiography”? What are the uses of history? What are primary documents? What are secondary documents? Spodek: I-10—I-17
VI. Turning Point VI: The Integration of World Trade Networks, January 18-Februrary
13, WH pp. 378-511.
- The pre-Columbian world of Trade: The networks connecting Afro-Eurasia. The networks of the Americas. Geographical systems. Methods of operation.
January 18-27, WH 378-413.
- The “industrious revolution” in Europe. New forces leading Europeans into new world trade networks. Religion (the reconquista). Economics. Politics. The nation state. January 30- February 3. WH, 414-441.
Rebecca Lloyd, the liaison between the Temple University library and the History Department will lead the class in one session to discuss library resources.
- New Philosophies of Trade and New Empires of Trade, February 6-10. WH, 442-477.
FIRST PAPER DUE, FEB. 13: PRIMARY DOCUMENTS: Analyze any three of the primary documents in the text, chapters 12-15, to find the reasons stated explicitly and implicitly for engaging in explorations for trade. To what extent are the reasons similar in each document? To what extent do they differ? Why? Three to five pages, double-spaced.
VII. Turning Point VII: Political Revolutions and their Origins. February 24-March 3 WH, 516-559.
A. Demography – Migration of peoples, free and slave. February 13-17. WH.
478-511.
B. Economic, intellectual, scientific, and cultural changes that preceded the
political revolutions, February 20-24. WH, 512-27.
C. The major political revolutions: British 1640s & 1688; American; French;
Latin American; Haitian; Anti-Slavery movement, February 27- March 3. WH,
527-557.
SECOND PAPER DUE, MARCH 6: SECONDARY DOCUMENTS: On p. 550, our text cites several historians and discusses briefly their analyses of the reasons for abolishing slavery. Choose three of them, go on line, and find out more about what each has said. Use the on-line materials to further elaborate their views and show the degree to which they agree or disagree on the reasons for abolition. Three to five pages, double-spaced.
VIII. Turning point VIII: The industrial revolution, March 6-March 10, WH. 558-643.
- The science, technology, and economics of the industrial revolution. March 6. WH, 558-571.
- The social impact of the revolution in countries that were promoting it. March 8. WH, 571-593.
- The economic and social impact of the revolution on countries which were not promoting their own industrial revolution and were experiencing it as a result of European intervention. March 10 WH, 596-643.
MIDTERM EXAM – March 20 – based on Turning Point VIII.
IX. Turning point IX: International Competition, World War, and New Nations, March 22-April 12. WH, 644-769.
- Mass Production and Destruction, Making Choices, March 22-29. WH, 644-85.
- World War II: Restructuring the World Systems, March 31-April 5. WH. 686-725.
- Cold War and New Nations, April 7-14, WH, 726-769.
THIRD PAPER DUE, April 17: War and Personal Experience. INTERVIEW. Choose a person whom you know whose life has been significantly affected by war. The person may have been an active-duty soldier, a worker in a defense industry, a spouse left at home as his/her mate went off to war, a child whose parent went to war, an owner of an industrial factory, a refugee/migrant displaced by warfare, someone who lost a relative or friend because of war. Prepare a set of questions, based on your reading of the text, and interview the person based on the issues you think important and the questions you have prepared. We will spend time in class discussing the questions you are preparing. Write up the interview in about 5 pages, indicating what you learned about warfare through the individual experience of the person you have interviewed.
X. Turning Point X: The search for identity definition. . April 17-May 1. WH, 770-881.
A. Giants in the New World Order, China and India, April 17-19, WH. 770-805.
B. Evolution and early settlement patterns revisited, April 21, WH. 806-818
C. Empires and Religion stage comebacks, April 24-26, WH, 819-843.
D. Globalization and social revolution persist and expand. Politics of identity
race, gender, immigration and nation, April 28-May 1, WH 844-76.
E. Can Ecological concerns bring a new world perspective? May 1, WH, 876-879.
FINAL EXAM: May 5: 8-10AM: Based on Turning Point 10
GENERAL POLICY ON GRADING ESSAYS
Prof. Howard Spodek, History and GUS
A = Excellent:
Answer is well conceived and clearly presented with strong supporting documentation. Demonstrates an insight of some originality that goes beyond the more-or-less obvious and the interpretations already given in class. (This does NOT mean extra research. It means clearer, deeper, more rigorous and original thought.) Any errors are minor.
B = Good:
Answer is well conceived and clearly presented with strong supporting documentation. Indicates good familiarity with the materials of reading, lecture, and other class presentation and section discussions. Few original additions to the basic materials. Few errors, none serious.
C = Fair:
Answer is generally relevant to the question, includes some important key ideas, shows general familiarity with the materials, but does not demonstrate mastery. Has significant errors of fact, interpretation, or omission.
D = Poor:
Indicates some knowledge about some of the materials, but misses the point of the question or omits key issues. Has major errors.
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