WORLD CIVILIZATIONS II
History 1320
Course Description
Dr. Randall L. Pouwels Hours: MWF 10:00-11:00;
106 Irby Hall TTh 10:40-12:15
Phone: 450-5625
GOALS. This World Civilizations course is meant to give you a broad window on the world, both in time and space. To accomplish this you will be involved in a cooperative learning exercise which includes you, me, and to a lesser extent, your classmates. As you instructor, it is my role to guide you through the information materials available to us, to act as a source of information supplementary to these materials, and to assess your performance as you progress. Your responsibilities essentially amount to fulfilling activities assigned to you within the time provided for their completion, and participating to a limited extent in sharing your understanding of the materials with your classmates when called upon to do so in class.
CONSULTATIONS AND OFFICE HOURS. Though, unfortunately, there is a certain amount of impersonality in teaching and grading three sections of World History, I feel it is important that I get to know you. Therefore, I urge you to complete and turn in the Personal Information sheets I have given you. More importantly, I maintain at least ten office hours a week to allow you and me the chance to get to know each other. I encourage you to discuss your work by visiting me during office hours whenever you are concerned about your performance in World History, or feel that there are external circumstances affecting your work that I should know about. Feel free to visit whenever you wish.
READINGS. Required reading assignments will be from your text, Adler and Pouwels, World Civilizations, 5th edition, (You may purchase a copy of either the hardcover, comprehensive edition or the softcover Vol. 2.] NOTE WELL: It is very important for you to do these readings on the days they are assigned. Half of you grade will depend on how well you master the material in your textbook. (Note that we have included a short, self-administered quiz at the end of each chapter for you to test how well you learned the material.)
LECTURES. As a rule, lectures will provide information relating to and complementary to the material assigned for reading in a given week. Lectures are not meant simply to repeat information provided in the assigned readings. Additionally, lectures will not cover all topics covered in your readings, but will be selective in nature. You must take notes and you will be held responsible for the content of lectures on quizzes and exams. AGAIN, NOTE WELL: It is very important for you to be diligent about attending class and taking thorough notes. The other half of your grade will depend on your class notes.
TERMS. The syllabus includes a list of study terms for each week from the weekly reading assignment. I urge you to keep a separate notebook in which you should write a short definition of each term as you encounter it in your reading. The second list is not given since these terms will be provided at the beginning of each lecture. You should write these lists in your workbook at the beginning of each class in the space that has been provided. On exams, you will be held responsible for know the terms from the reading assignments, as well as from the lectures.
ATTENDANCE. N.B. Attendance of all lectures, film screenings, quizzes and exams is strongly urged. Though attendance is not required for all lectures, it is important that you miss as few classes as possible to do your best in this course.
However, please note that the only excuse, which will be accepted for an absence from a quiz or examination, will be a written medical one. Missing a quiz or exam without a legitimate excuse (i.e. a written one from your doctor) will result in a failing grade for that exam or quiz.
QUIZZES AND EXAMS. You will be given six “quizzes” and one final exam this semester. Normally, quizzes and exams will test you on the content of all readings, lectures, and films of material/subject matter covered over the week. These will be tests of your objective knowledge of the material over the previous two or three weeks. Typically, they will consist of matching and multiple-choice questions, with occasional short identification questions.
Again, please note that the only excuse, which will be accepted for an absence from a quiz or examination, will be a written medical one. Missing a quiz or exam without a legitimate excuse (i.e. a written one from your doctor) will result in a failing grade for that exam or quiz.
DEVELOPING GOOD STUDY HABITS. Conscientious attendance, listening, and careful note taking are essential to success in any university course. World Civilizations, as a general education course specifically for Freshmen will devote some effort towards teaching essential study skills like careful listening and note taking. Ideally, notes should be taken in outline form since it fosters the development of good listening skills and organizes notes in a logical, easily read format.
To do well in this course, you must do the following: (1) READ YOUR TEXTBOOK ASSIGNMENTS CAREFULLY AND ON TIME; (2) ATTEND ALL CLASSES AND EXAMS; (3) LISTEN CAREFULLY (especially for the main ideas) to the lecture material, and (4) TAKE CLASS NOTES.
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE. As the course instructor, I assume that you, as a college student, should be treated as an adult. However, to deserve such treatment, I expect you to behave as an adult. Generally, this means I expect three things of you: your attention in class; behavior that is courteous and respectful of me and other students; and using common sense in your behavior. More specifically, you must observe the following rules of classroom etiquette. Please observe them to save both you and me the embarrassment of a reprimand before the entire class.
(1) Please make an effort to be on time for class. If you are late, please take a seat as near as possible to the door of entry to avoid disrupting the class. On days videotapes are shown, the door might have to be locked to avoid the disruptions caused by egregiously late students.
(2) NEVER disrupt the class by leaving unannounced before our meeting time is over. I interpret such behavior as disrespectful and rude. As adults, you should be able to attend to your personal needs before or after class.
However, if for some reason you think you might have to leave early, please inform me at the beginning of class, and do sit in the row nearest the door to minimize the disruption from your leaving the room. If a personal emergency does arise during class, please have the courtesy of raising your hand to be excused before leaving.
(3) Do not sleep in class. Should this occur, you will be asked to leave -- no exceptions. If you are too tired on any given day to give your attention, please remain at home to sleep.
(4) Do not bring food or tobacco products to class. Beverages, however, will be allowed. If you spill, you must clean it up at the end of the class time.
(5) No cell phones in class. The frequent use of phones on campus for socializing has become a classroom distraction. Therefore, if you have a cell phone, please leave it at home. If I find you using a phone in class, you will be told to leave and to take it home.
CHEATING. Plagiarizing written work in any form is strictly forbidden in this course. If I have sufficient evidence of cheating, the guilty parties will be expelled from the class and punished appropriately, including possible issuance of a WF (withdrawal with failure) grade.
EARNING EXTRA CREDIT. I do not give extra assignments or work to get “extra credit.” Your grade will reflect what you have actually learned in this course, something which is entirely up to you. However, I do a limited amount of curving of student’s exams. (Limited means: I curve only those whose scores that are at or above a certain cutoff – usually 50%.)
HANDICAPPED INDIVIDUALS. Students who have a handicap or disability, which impairs their performance in the classroom or on tests, should request the Office of Disability Services to notify me so reasonable accommodations can be made for them.
GRADING. Numerical grades will be compiled on the basis of the following percentage system.
quizzes -- 600 points (six @ 100 points each)
final_exam_____________ -- 200 points
TOTAL -- 800 points
Quality grades will be assessed on the following scale. Note: I do not round up final grades (example: a 79.99 is a C grade, not a B).
90-100% = A; 70-79.99% = C; 0-59.99% = F
80-89.99% = B; 60-69.99% = D
SYLLABUS
Week 1 Review: The World c.1500
January 14-18
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapter 21 (Tue.) and 22 (Thur.)
Week 2 The Age of European Expansion and Reformation
January 21-25
Thursday and Friday: Bi-weekly Quiz 1 covering Weeks 1-2
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapter 22 (Tue.) and 23 (Thur.)
Week 3 Royal Absolutism and the Dawn of the Scientific Age
January 28-February 1
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapters 25 (Tue.) and 29 (Thur.)
Week 4 Enlightenment and Liberal Revolutions
February 4-8
Thursday and Friday: Bi-weekly Quiz 2 covering Weeks 3-4
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels, Chapters 30 and 31
Week 5 The Industrial Revolution and Mass Society
February 11-15
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapters 32 and 34
Week 6 The Age of Imperialism: the Case of Africa
February 18-22
Thursday and Friday: Bi-weekly Quiz 3 covering Weeks 5-6
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels, Chapters 37 and 38
Week 7 The Age of Imperialism: the Case of Asia
February 25-29
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels, Chapters 36 and 39
Week 8 Modern Science and the World in Ruins
March 3-7
Bi-weekly Quiz 4 covering Weeks 7-8
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapters 41 and 42
Week 9 Europe in the 20s and the Rise of Totalitarianism
March 10-14
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapters 43-44
Week 10 Fascist Totalitarianism and the Road to World War II
March 17-21
Thursday and Friday: Bi-weekly Quiz 5 covering weeks 9-10
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapters 45 and 47
Spring Break: March 22-30
Week 11 The Cold War Era
March 31-April 4
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapters 48 and 49
Week 12 East Asia in the Early Modern Era
April 7-11
Thursday and Friday: Bi-weekly Quiz 6 covering weeks 11-12
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapter 46 and 51
Week 13 Decolonization and Independence in Africa
April 14-18
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapters 50 and 52
Week 14 The Reemergence of the Muslim World and the New Millennium
April 21-24
Note: We shall observe Friday, April 25, as a reading day in preparation for final exams next week.
Reading assignment: Adler & Pouwels text, Chapters 54 and 56
Week 15 Final Exams
April 28-May 2
Final Exam covering Weeks 13-14 and comprehensive portion.
Bring 2 pencils and an eraser