Western Civilization to 1715
History 101, Section 1
I.Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to trace the social, economic, cultural, and political development of European Civilization from the ancient Greeks to the beginning of the Enlightenment. I shall divide the course into three roughly-equal sections: Ancient, Mediæval, and Early Modern.
There will be two hour-examinations and an hour-long final during the course of the semester. Essay questions worth 75 of the 100 points will be given out one full week in advance of the test. On the day of the test, you will give me your essays. They should be no more than four, double-spaced pages in 12-point type and with 1-inch margins. The objective portion of the examination will consist of 5 (of 6) identifications. Id questions will come from lists given out to you periodically. The objective parts of the tests .
All writing should be your own, unless clearly indicated by quotation marks and references. I encourage you to study together and to share ideas, but the sharing should stop when it comes to the actual expression of your ideas on paper. The penalty for plagiarism is an "F" for the course and a letter to the Dean of Students.
Jackson J. Spielvogel: Western Civilization, Volume I: To 1715.
IV. Final Examination:
Friday, May 8, 13:00
Syllabus
Week of January 12
Mon. Introduction
Wed. The Ancient Empires of the Middle East
Fri. The Early Greeks
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 2; Chapter 3 through p. 62.
Week of January 19
Mon. Holiday
Wed. Sparta and Athens
Fri. Greek Culture: Literature and Art
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 3 from p. 62
Week of January 26
Mon. Greek Culture: Philosophy and Science
Wed. Alexander the Great and His Successors [Video Presentation]
Fri. The Hellenistic World
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 4
Week of February 2
Mon. Roman Republic
Wed. Roman Expansion
Fri. Fall of the Roman Republic
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 5
Week of February 9
Mon. Roman Life and Culture
Wed. The Roman Empire
Fri. Romans, Christians, and Barbarians
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 6
Week of February 16
Mon. Holiday
Wed. First Examination
Fri. Islam, Byzantium, and the German Kingdoms
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 7
Week of February 23
Mon. The Mediæval Church
Wed. The Northern Frontier
Fri. Agriculture, Feudalism, and Germanic Law The Crusades
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 8
Week of March 2
Mon. Mediæval Cities
Wed. Vitality of City Life: Clocks, Cathedrals, Universities
Fri. The High Mediæval Church
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 9
Week of March 9
Mon. Crusades and Heretics
Wed. Feudal Kingdoms of the North
Fri. [Video: Black Death]
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 10
Week of March 23
Mon. Crises of the Fourteenth Century
Wed. Responses to the Crises of the Fourteenth Century
Fri. Mediæval Commerce
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 11
Week of March 30
Mon. Second Examination Printing and its Impact
Wed. Renaissance I [Kenneth Clark]
Fri. Renaissance II
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 12
Week of April 6
Mon. Renaissance III
Wed. The Reformation I
Fri. The Reformation II
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 13
Week of April 13
Mon. The Reformation III
Wed. European Expansion I
Fri. European Expansion II
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 14
Week of April 20
Mon. The Thirty Years’ War
Wed. The English Civil War
Fri. Absolutism
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 15
Week of April 27
Mon. Absolutism and Constitutionalism
Wed. The Scientific Revolution I
Fri. The Scientific Revolution II
Read: Spielvogel: Chapter 16