World History I Dr. Christopher Craun
HIST 1310 416 Irby Hall,
Spring2008 Office Hrs: MWF: 11-12 am; 1-2:30 pm
TTH: by appointment.
Textbook: Traditions and Encounters; a Brief Global History, Jerry Bentley, Herbert Ziegler and Heather Streets, eds. McGraw-Hill publishing, New York, 2008
Referred to as Traditions and Encounters
Reader: Voices that Shaped the Ancient and Medieval Worlds; a Sourcebook to 1500, Roger Pauly, ed. Kendal-Hunt Publishing, Dubuque, 2006.
Referred to as Voices
Class Objectives:
World History I is a component of the World Cultural Traditions segment within UCA’s General Education
Program. As a general education course, this class will help students:
1) Better understand significant social, economic, political, intellectual and cultural developments in World history from prehistoric times to 1600 AD.
2) Increase their awareness of the origins and characteristic differences of cultures throughout the world.
3) Develop good study skills and the ability to communicate effectively through writing.
4) Hone critical thinking abilities and become aware of the complex relationships between world cultures.
Grading System:
3 exams 450 points (150 points each)
Final (part-essay) 200 points
Quizzes 100 points (20 points each)
Total Possible Points: 750
General Rules and FYI:
1) Attendance is important to your grade! While a very small portion of you may be able to pass this class on the reading alone, the vast majority will suffer without the extra support of lectures and classroom discussion. Coming to class is the single best way to positively affect your grade. I will not treat you as children and take roll every class period. If you miss a lecture however, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed.
2) Quizzes are a measure of attendance and may not be made up. Make-up exams and essays may only be arranged with me before an absence or afterwards in unavoidable emergencies. The definition of an unavoidable emergency is up to my discretion, i.e.–your excuse had better be very compelling and should probably involve such things as a sudden appendectomy or automobile accident.
3) Dates for exams and essays will be announced in advance during class. Reserve a specific area in your notebook to keep track of these dates in order to be prepared.
4) Academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade. See statement in the UCA Student Handbook.
5) UCA adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need an accommodation under this Act due to a disability, please contact the UCA Office of Disability Services at 450-3135.
6) UCA adheres to the uniform Sexual Harassment Policy for state universities. Please refer to the UCA Student Handbook for more information.
7) Disruption of class and disrespectful conduct will not be tolerated. Period. Repeat offenders will be asked to leave class. Orderly discussion, however, will make the class more enjoyable and stimulating for everyone. A key goal of World History I is the analysis of earlier world cultures which have shaped later civilizations, including our own, a great deal. Feel free to ask questions in an open and supportive atmosphere.
8) On-line Resource Center: There is an on-line resource page produced by the publishers of Traditions and Encounters. It has A LOT of great study materials including synopses of chapters, sample questions, maps and games. Please utilize this great resource. Just type in this URL: http://www.mhhe.com/bentleybrief
You should see Online Learning Center. Select Student Edition, and begin exploring. The site is easy to use, but you are free to e-mail me with questions.
9) How to answer questions in this class:
Short answer identification questions should provide the definition and significance of the term in 3-5 sentences.
Example:
Theocracy: Rule of a society by a priestly order. Usually, the justification of rule was firmly based upon the favor of God or the Gods. Ancient Egypt and the Sumerian city-states were ruled by priest-kings but not every ancient civilization had such a close identification between the government and the religion of the society.
Answers to specific questions or essays should always be focused on the question itself. The expected length of each answer has been specified, but this is only meaningful if your writing is about the required topic. Be focused! Secondly, think through your answer before committing it to paper. Ask yourself the who, what, and why concerning the topic and gather this information. If this is difficult for you, then write out your information somewhere else and then construct a good paragraph from this base. Remember, paragraphs have topic sentences that identify the main point (in this case, the answer to the question). Supporting sentences then provide the specifics and support for the topic sentence.
Here is an example of a brief essay question (the sort of essay question that will appear on regular tests):
What was the nature of the early Jewish religion?
The ancient Hebrews were a nomadic tribe who believed that Yahweh was their one and only God. Yahweh had made a convenant, or an agreement, with the Hebrews that if they would worship only him, he would protect them from their enemies and would consider them to be his chosen people. According to the Hebrew traditions and scriptures, Yahweh had led the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt, gave them the Ten Commandments to guide their ethical behavior, and provided them with the Promised Land of Palestine. The religion of the Hebrews was a monotheistic religion that came to be the religion of the entire people. The covenant bound the Hebrews to Yahweh and with each other. Yahweh had given the Ten Commandments to the Hebrew leader Moses. These rules were expanded into the Mosiac law or Torah which was initially a harsh code. It was moderated by the later prophets of the Hebrews who taught that Yahweh expected his people to behave righteously and treat the poor and unfortunate with fairness and compassion. The laws taught the Hebrews what Yahweh expected of them. They also showed that Yahweh took an interest in the welfare of his people. Yahweh expected the Hebrews to live righteously. He was a much more personal God than the gods of the Mesopotamians. The Jewish religion contributed a lasting concept of monotheism in contrast to the stillborn monotheism of Akhenaten in Egypt.