History 141: Western Civilization I

Instructor: William Mood

Email: wmood@faculty.ed.umuc.edu

 

Course Description

This course outlines the general historical development of European society from the days of Alexander the Great to 1715. It presents a basic framework of European historical development enabling you to examine the evolution of western political and social institutions, and to analyze the salient events that shaped nations over time. HISTORY 141 helps you answer many questions: Why was Caesar assassinated? What were the crusades? What is divine right monarchy? Yet, this course is also about people. It is about their lives, their ideas, and their struggles.

Download Syllabus

Textbooks

Chambers, Mortimer, Barbara Hanawalt, Theodore K. Rabb, Isser Woloch and Raymond Grew. The Western Experience. Vol. 1, 8th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2003.

Document Collections On-line

• Avalon Project: Major Documents Collection

• Early Modern Resources

• Norton Anthology of English Literature: Early 17th century

• OurDocuments.gov Teacher's Sourcebook

• The Glorious Revolution of 1688

• Virtual Library History : Early Modern History

Objectives

• Improve your understanding of Western society by tracing the evolution of key ideas over time.

• Develop your analytical skills and understanding of the study of history by reading primary sources and by writing a research paper.

• Evaluate internet sites and secondary resources relevant to the study of European society.

• Analyze historical debates about social change and the role of the church in Europe.

• Learn how to locate academic articles in the UMUC library databases.

Grading

• Class participation 15%

• Exam One 15%

• Exam Two 20%

• Final Exam 25%

• Writing Assignment: Diary (5 pages) or PowerPoint Presentation 25%

In your short essays, you should:
 

• Respond in 2-3 double spaced, typed pages. Refer to Writing Historical Essays: A Guide For Undergraduates (Matt Matsuda and John Gillis, Rutgers University) for general writing tips.

• Included a well developed main idea/thesis. See The Thesis: Constructing A Thesis (Patrick Rael, Bowdoin College).

• Support your main idea with evidence from the textbook or outside sources and include appropriate citations. Use quotations with care and carefully paraphrase the text (see Writing Center Handbook as well as summarizing and paraphrasing).

Assignments

Select a link Module 1: Investigating the Past Module 2: The World of Greece and Rome Module 3: Early Christianity Module 4: The Middle Ages-Islam Module 5: The Late Middle Ages Module 6: Women and The Inquisition Module 7: The Law Module 8: The Age of Exploration History 141 Homepage History 141 Home Web Casts

Webcasts

• Predictions of Future Climate Change (March 20, 2002)