Syllabus

History 205: Contemporary History of Civilization

Fall 2010

Professor Edward Hanlon

Monday, Wednesday; Periods 2 & 3

Office 4321N; Phone 237-8851

Office Hours: Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30 & by appointment.

Course Description: History 205 is an introductory course in the history of civilization from the eighteenth century to the twentieth century. During the semester we will discover the roots of modern society in Europe, the Americas, and in Asia. We will see the periods of revolution worldwide, the rise of industrialization, imperialism, and colonialism. The class will also trace the roots of modern warfare; from the small, professional armies of the 18th century, to the mass armies of the 20th. We will attempt to discover whether war is natural or learned, why nations resort to it, and what can be done about it in the future.

Procedure:

• Lectures on major themes.
• Class discussion on the day's topic.
• Group work on selected subjects.
• Films on the central themes of the course.

Course Objectives:

• To provide an understanding of the roots and development of the modern world's values and morals.
• To increase knowledge and understanding of Modern History in general, and key historical events in particular.
• To increase student's ability to evaluate ideas and arguments critically, to weigh historical evidence, and to draw conclusions.
• To improve student's ability to communicate ideas and arguments concisely, accurately, and informatively orally and in writing.

Grading:

There will be a mid-term exam and a final. Additionally, quizzes will be given on a weekly basis.

There will be no make-up tests or quizzes given.

Midterm Examination . The midterm covers first portion of the course. I will provide you with more details later. In order to complete the midterm, you must have a good grasp of World geography. A firm grasp of geography is essential to understanding history. Be sure you are able to identify from a map all of the countries in Europe at any time during the 20th century. You can use any reputable atlas to learn this. Here are some web sites:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection

http://eduplace.com

Final Examination. The Final will be cumulative covering the entire course. I expect you to integrate information into cohesive arguments, and demonstrate that you have achieved the course objectives stated above. You must be familiar with geography in order to take the final exam.

Class Participation. You must contribute to the class discussions and remain engaged in lectures, films, and presentations. Do not simply sit in class and take notes. Those who sleep in class will receive a poor participation grade. In addition, I will use this portion to evaluate your contribution to the class at other times, your attendance, cooperation, and your dedication to excellence.

Attendance:

Attendance is Mandatory!  After four absences the professor will be obliged to lower the studentÂ’s final grade by one-third of a letter grade. For each absence after the fourth, the studentÂ’s grade will be lowered by one-third letter grade. Two latenessÂ’s equals one absence.

Text:

Craig, Graham, et al. The Heritage of World Civilizations. Volume II, 8th Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2008.

Readings

You must complete these! I cannot stress enough the importance of accomplishing the readings before class meets. In many instances, we will spend a   portion of the period discussing readings; you cannot participate effectively if you are not prepared. I will not permit those students who choose not to prepare for class to participate with those who do prepare (to benefit, so to speak, from work they have not done).

(1) In some instances, the course schedule tells you to scan a particular selection, or visit a particular web site. In these cases, I would like you to be aware of the content and the subject matter, but do not require you to read these as closely as you would your texts. In other instances, the reading schedule lists optional items. These are there for you to look at if you like.

(2) Bring your text to class with you each day they are assigned. I want you to have these available because I will often refer to portions of them and in some instances we will read from them. Bring the other books when there are readings assigned. For selections off the web, in some cases I've directed you to bring in a printed copy for reference.

(3) Plan you readings ahead. Work ahead and come to class prepared. Some days have a heavy reading load and others have a light load. The key is to stay current and not fall behind!

(4) If you anticipate or have trouble with the readings, either understanding them or keeping up with them, let me know so that I can work with you.

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Schedule

Final Exams:

Period 2: 10:15-12:15, December 20, 2010

Period 3: 10:15-12:15, December 15, 2010

Class Materials

Links

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