From Antiquity to 16th Century Contours of World History 16W:167:001 (HIST:4107:0001) Class Time: 3:30 4:45 Tu Th Professor: Michael Andrew Žmolek Telephone: 335 2199 Email: michael zmolek@uiowa.edu DEO: Stephen Vlastos, History Department Chair Phone: (319) 335 2299 Classroom: 140 Schaeffer Hall (SH) Office: 274 Schaeffer Hall Office Hours: 3:00 4:30 W F (or by appointment) Office: 280 Schaffer Hall The study of World History is an extraordinary journey, one that should elicit fascination and enthusiasm for the subject. While a survey course such as this one encompasses such a vast array of history that it is not possible to become engaged in studying the full complexity of each of the civilizations we shall examine, it is also true that few courses offer the opportunity to think about human history in its broadest totality or to gain a broader perspective on the evolution of early human societies. Evaluation Classroom Attendance and Participation 10% Book Review 10% Essay 25% Mid Term Exam 25% Final Exam 30% Textbooks (available at the University Book Store: http://www.hawkshop.com/). Judge, Edward H. and John W. Langdon. 2011. Connections: A World History, Volume 1, 2nd Edition, ISBN 10: 0205835449 ISBN 13: 978 0205835447. Students Considering continuing this two part course by taking I may choose instead to purchase: Judge, Edward H. and John W. Langdon. 2011. Connections: A World History, Combined Volume, 2nd Edition, ISBN 10: 0205835503 ISBN 13: 978 0205835508. Supplemental Readings will be posted on ICON.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES In the past, interaction between civilizations was limited by deserts or cut off entirely by oceans. Today, different societies and civilizations are becoming increasingly interconnected through trade and ever improving communications technologies. Thanks to the emergence of the internet over the past two decades, a virtually limitless amount of historical data is available to each of us at the touch of a button. At the same time, the volume of new data from archaeological discovery concerning civilizations that were once obscure to us, such as the Maya or the Indus Valley Civilization, has also vastly increased. Becoming familiar with the contours of world history will provide you with the mental framework for organizing an otherwise overwhelming amount of data about dozens of major civilizations and thousands of smaller societies. As we move through time and space, you are encouraged to think of yourself as an explorer on a project of discovery. Because we will of necessity devote limited time to each society we discuss, this journey may seem like one involving multiple brief stops along the way. This should not deter you from thinking of this as a romantic journey, for if you find that a certain historical people catches your eye and fascinates you, you will have the opportunity to sustain that fascination throughout the course by making your newfound love the topic for your writing projects. As you develop ideas for your essay by exploring one or more specific societies more carefully, you may discover things that you would like to share with others in the classroom, where together, we may be able to put what you have brought to our attention in context by considering the differences and similarities of past societies from one another as well as from the society we live in today. By studying development and interaction between historical civilizations and the very meaning of the concept of civilization, this course will challenge students to develop critical thinking skills in terms of learning how to analyze, interpret and synthesize a variety of often complex data about very different societies, thereby also developing an appreciation for the methods and techniques of historical inquiry. This will include engaging in original texts from different historical societies to interrogate their meaning and articulating the result of these inquiries in written form. Upon completion of this course, you will have developed your own mental framework of the contours of world history and a working familiarity with the social, political, economic, technological, religious and intellectual contributions of most of the world s civilizations and cultures. This means that, going forward, you will be better prepared to make informed inferences and deductions about different societies by referring to their knowledge of world history rather than relying upon supposition. By the end of the course, you should have a general working knowledge of all the early societies and be ready to move on to I, which will deal with societies from the early modern period to the present. 2
EVALUATION Classroom Attendance and Participation You are expected to complete the assigned readings prior to arriving in class and be prepared to discuss the content. If given, pop quizzes will count toward your participation score. Your participation in this class by way of questions, comments and shared insights are a vital part of the learning experience. Book Review During the first half of the course, you will be expected to select a book relevant to the course and write a book report of at least three pages. Your textbook includes suggested titles and your instructor will provide additional suggestions. An A book report will be at least 4 pages in length. 3 Hour Essay During the second half of the course, you will produce a short essay on a topic relevant to the course. Students taking 3 credit hours will turn in an essay of at least 4 pages in length. The essay will cite no less than three scholarly sources, either journal articles or books. These three citations must be non internet citations; additional citations of internet sourced material may then be included. An A essay will be at least 5 pages in length. 4 Hour Essay Students taking 4 credit hours will produce an essay at least 7 pages in length with a minimum of 5 non internet citations. An A essay will be at least 8 pages in length. Formatting Written assignments will be typed using 12 point font, double spaced and on plain white 8.5 x 11 paper. Exams The Midterm Exam will cover Parts II IV of the course. The Final Exam will cover Parts V X of the course. Collaboration You are encouraged to collaborate with your fellow students in reviewing the reading material and discussing the course content. Exams and assignments, however, are an evaluation of how well you have comprehended and synthesized the course content as an individual. While you may discuss the essay questions you are given for take home assignments with your colleagues, you are expected to do the writing on written assignments by yourself. Grading Scale A+ = 98 100, A = 93 97, A = 90 92; B+ = 87 89, B = 83 86, B = 80 82; C+ = 77 79, C = 73 76, C = 70 72; D+ = 67 69, D = 63 66, D = 60 62; F = 59 or below. 3
COURSE OUTLINE This is a projected outline of the readings throughout the semester and may be altered or updated as necessary. I. Introduction Tue 8/27 Introduction to the World Civilizations Introductions. Overview of the syllabus and course expectations, discussion of the learning objectives and format of the course, discussion of the development of World History as a discipline. World Human Evolution: From Hunters and Gatherers to Agriculturalists CWH: Ch. 1, pp. 2 19: 'The Emergence of Human Societies' II. Hearths of Civilization [3500 1700 BCE] Thu 8/29 The Andes The Norte Chico Culture and Caral (3500 1800 BCE) CWH: Ch. 5, pp. 97 100: 'Origins and Arrival of the Amerinds' Indus Valley Harappan Civilization and the Early Vedic Period (3300 1300 BCE) CWH: Ch. 3, pp. 47 55: 'Societies and Beliefs of Early India' Tue 9/3 Mesopotamia Sumer, Akkadia and Old Babylon (3500 1700 BCE) CWH: Ch. 2, pp. 22 28: 'Early West Asian Societies' Thu 9/5 Egypt and Nubia Unification to Middle Kingdom (3500 1700 BCE) CWH: Ch. 2, pp. 32 39: 'Early Northeast African Societies' China Xia and Shang Dynasties (2852 1046 BCE) CWH: Ch. 4, pp. 72 78: 'The Origins of the Chinese Empire' III. The Expansion of States and Civilizations [1700 700 BCE] Tue 9/10 Greece Minoan Civilization and the Greek Dark Ages (1700 750 BCE) CWH: Ch. 7, pp. 140 144: 'Early Greece' 4
Phoenicians Merchants of the Mediterranean (2000 500 BCE) CWH: Ch. 2, pp. 39 40: 'The Phoenician Connection' Thu 9/12 Hittites Old, Middle and New Kingdoms (1750 1180 BCE) CWH: Ch. 2, pp. 28 30: 'Indo European Migrations' & 'The Hittite Connection' Assyria Rise and Fall of an Empire (2100 1180 BCE) CWH: Ch. 2, pp. 30 32: 'Later Mesopotamia: Assyrians and Chaldeans Tue 9/17 Egypt Hyksos, Kush, Libyan, Assyrian and Persian Occupiers (1700 332 BCE) Hand out: Book Review Assignment Africa African Societies (14,000 500 BCE) CWH: Ch. 13, pp. 271 277: 'Early African Societies' Hebrews The Emergence of Monotheism (1600 100 BCE) CWH: Ch. 2, pp. 40 43: 'The Israelites and Their God' Babylon Hittite, Kassite and Assyrian Occupiers (1700 605 BCE) Revisit: CWH: Ch. 2, pp. 30 32: 'Later Mesopotamia Thu 9/19 India Vedic to Maurya: Emergence of Hinduism and Buddhism (2000 185 BCE) CWH: Ch. 3, pp. 55 60: 'The Religions of India' and 'Post Vedic India' China Zhou Dynasty and the Warring States Period (1045 221 BCE) CWH: Ch. 4, pp. 78 84: 'State and Society During the Zhou Dynasty' and 'The Classical Age of Chinese Philosophy' Tue 9/24 Polynesia Wanderers in the Pacific (1500 BCE 500 CE) North America Amerinds of North America: Adena and Hopewell (1000 BCE 400 CE) CWH: Ch. 5, pp. 100 103: 'The Amerinds of North America Mesoamerica Olmecs and Pre Classic Mayans (1800 BCE 250 CE) CWH: Ch. 5, pp. 104 106: 'The Amerinds of Mesoamerica South America Chavín Culture (2000 BCE 200 BCE) CWH: Ch. 5, p. 112: South America: Societies of the Andes 5
IV. Classical Antiquity: The Rise and Fall of Empires in Eurasia [700 BCE 300 CE] Thu 9/26 Persia Median to Achaemenid Empires (678 336 BCE) CWH: Ch. 6, pp. 119 130: 'The Persian Connection' Classical Greece Birthplace of Democracy (750 338BCE) CWH: Ch. 7, pp. 144 155: 'Archaic Greece' and 'Classical Greece' Tue 10/1 Hellenistic Greece The Spread of Greek Knowledge and Culture (338 63 BCE) CWH: Ch. 7, pp. 155 161: 'The Empire of Alexander ' and 'Connections and Conflicts ' Thu 10/3 Rome Republic to Empire (509 BCE 313 CE) CWH: Ch. 8, pp. 164 177: 'The Romans Connect the Mediterranean ' Northern Europe Gaul and the Celts, Germania, Illyria, Dacia and the Slavs CWH: Ch. 9, pp. 187 191: 'Germanic Societies ' (800 BCE 9 CE) Tue 10/8 China Western and Eastern Han (221 BCE 208 CE) CWH: Ch. 4, pp. 84 93: 'Birth' and 'Growth of the Empire under the Han ' and ' the Silk Road' Classical India The Early Middle Kingdoms (185 BCE 320 CE) CWH: Ch. 3, pp. 60 64: 'India After Ashoka ' Tue 10/15 Thu 10/17 Review of Parts I IV Due: Book Review Mid Term Exam V. Rome s Three Heirs [300 1200 CE] Tue 10/22 Rome Christianity and the Transformation of the Roman World (313 476 CE) CWH: Ch. 8, pp. 177 183: Roman Religion... and From Golden Age Hand out: Essay Assignment Western Europe Collapse of Empire (476 1105 CE) CWH: Ch. 9, pp. 191 208: The Decline of the Western Roman Empire etc. Thu 10/24 Byzantium Continuation of Empire (284 1240 CE) CWH: Ch. 10, pp. 212 229: The Byzantine World 6
Ethiopia The Kingdom of Axum (100 960 CE) CWH: Ch. 13, pp. 285 287: 'Ethiopia's Christian Kingdom' Tue 10/29 Arabia The Rise of Islam (100 750 CE) CWH: Ch. 11, pp. 233 250: The Origins and Expansion of Islam Persia The Abbasid Caliphate (750 1258 CE) CWH: Ch. 12, pp. 253 262: Religion and Diversity VI. A Millenium of Turmoil and Splendor in South and East Asia [300 1200 CE] Thu 10/31 India Gupta Renaissance to the Arrival of Islam (320 1206 CE) CWH: Ch. 3, pp. 64 68: The Gupta Empire and Indian Society CWH: Ch. 12, pp. 262 264: The Islamic Impact on India Southeast Asia The Rise of Kingdoms: Funan, Cambodia and Srivijaya (0 1200 CE) CWH: Ch. 12, pp. 264 267: 'India's Influence on Southeast Asia' Tue 11/5 China The Cycle of Fragmentation and Unification (221 1271 CE) CWH: Ch.14, pp. 293 209: Age of Disunity ' and ' Age of Preeminence' Japan Yayoi to the Golden Age of Nara to Kamakura Feudalism (300 BCE 1333 CE) CWH: Ch. 14, pp. 312 314: 'The Emergence of Japan' Vietnam & Korea: The Influence of China (257 BCE 1225 CE) CWH: Ch. 14, pp. 309 312: 'Vietnam..' and 'Korea and the Chinese Impact' VII. Asia Under Mongol Rule and After [1200 1500 CE] Thu 11/7 Central Asia The Cataclysmic Invasions of the Turks and Mongols (1025 1368 CE) CWH: Ch. 15, pp. 319 341: 'Nomadic Conquests and Eurasian Connections' Southwest Asia Mamluk Egypt, Ottoman Turkey and Safavid Persia (1250 1517 CE) CWH: Ch. 17, pp. 370 383: Culture and Conflict Tue 11/12 India The Delhi Sultanate (1206 1526 CE) CWH: Ch. 17, pp. 384 390: 'The Mughal Empire' Southeast Asia Majapahit and the Rise of the Muslim Sultanates (1200 1511 CE) Thu 11/14 China Early Ming Dynasty (1368 1500 CE) 7
Japan Kemmu Restoration and Muromachi Period (1333 1573 CE) VIII. Pre Colonial States in Africa [900 1900 CE] Tue 11/19 East Africa Nubia & Abyssinia: Zagwe and Solomonid Dynasties (900 1974 CE) The Swahili Coast (Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique) CWH: Ch. 13, pp. 287 288: 'The City States of East Africa' (900 1900 CE) West Africa The Sudanic States: CWH: Ch. 13, pp. 277 285: 'Islamic Africa and Spain', 'Trade Across the Sahara' and 'West African Kingdoms' The Kanem Bornu Empire (Chad) Ghana or Wagadou Empire (Mauritania / Mali) Mali Empire of the Mandinka (Mauritania / Mali) Songhai Empire (Mauritania / Mali) Takrur Empire (Senegal) Wolof Empire (Senegal) The Hausa and Fulani Kingdoms (Niger / Nigeria) Yoruba and Benin (Nigeria) Akan States (Ghana / Côte d Ivoire) (700 1900 CE) (830 1235 CE) (1230 1340 CE) (1340 1591 CE) (800 1235 CE) (1360 1890 CE) (800 1800 CE) (1440 1807 CE) (1000 1957 CE) Central & Southern Bantu Migrations: Africa CWH: Ch. 13, pp. 288 290: 'The Bantu Connection' Kingdom of Kongo (Congo) Kingdom of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe) (1390 1857 CE) (1220 1450 CE) IX. Pre Colonial States in the Americas [600 1500 CE] Thu 11/21 North America Anasazi and Desert Peoples; Cahokia and the Moundbuilders(600 1500 CE) CWH: Ch. 5, p. 104: Mississippian Society Mesoamerica Classical Mayan Society, Teotihuacán and The Toltec (150 1200 CE) CWH: Ch. 5, pp. 107 111: The Maya of the Classic Period etc. The Aztecs CWH: Ch. 18, pp. 393 399: The Aztec Empire (1325 1519 CE) 8
South America Nazca, Moche, Tiahuanaco, Huari and Chimor (200 1300 CE) CWH: Ch. 5, pp. 112 115: Nazca, and Moche Societies etc. The Incas CWH: Ch. 18, pp. 399 403: The Inca Empire (1438 1525 CE) Tue 11/26 Thu 11/28 THANKSGIVING BREAK: NO CLASS THANKSGIVING BREAK: NO CLASS X. Europe: Dark Ages to World Exploration [1000 1600 CE] Tue 12/3 Europe Manorialism to Feudalism: The Middle Ages (1050 1350 CE) CWH: Ch. 16, pp. 345 355: 'The Resurgence of the Christian West' The Later Middle Ages: The Plague and the Renaissance (1300 1530 CE) CWH: Ch. 16, pp. 356 365: 'Fourteenth Century Challenges' and 'The European Renaissance' Thu 12/5 World European Expansion: Early Colonialism (1415 1500 CE) CWH: Ch. 19, pp. 417 427: 'Global Exploration and Global Empires' Americas The New World: Conquest of the Americas (1517 1675 CE) CWH: Ch. 18, pp. 404 412: The Arrival of the Spaniards etc. CWH: Ch. 19, pp. 427 437: The Spanish and Portuguese Empires etc. Due: Essays XI. Peering Ahead: Reformation to Industrial Revolution [1500 1850 CE] Tue 12/10 Europe Reformation, Counterreformation & the Thirty Years War (1517 1648 CE) CWH: Ch. 20, pp. 441 455: 'The West in an Age of Religious Conflict Mercantilism & Europe s Different Paths out of Feudalism (1648 1850 CE) CWH: Ch. 20, pp. 455 461: 'The Globalization of Western Christianity etc. Thu 12/12 Evaluations and Review of Parts V X Thu 12/19 FINAL EXAM 12:30 PM 2:30 PM, room 104 EPB 9
POLICIES & PROCEDURES Administrative Home The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the administrative home of this course and governs matters such as the add/drop deadlines, the second grade only option, and other related issues. Different colleges may have different policies. Questions may be addressed to 120 Schaeffer Hall, or see the CLAS Academic Policies Handbook at http://clas.uiowa.edu/students/handbook. Electronic Communication University policy specifies that students are responsible for all official correspondences sent to their University of Iowa e mail address (@uiowa.edu). Faculty and students should use this account for correspondences (Operations Manual, III.15.2, k.11). Accommodations for Disabilities A student seeking academic accommodations should first register with Student Disability Services and then meet privately with the course instructor to make particular arrangements. See www.uiowa.edu/~sds/ for more information. Academic Honesty All CLAS students or students taking classes offered by CLAS have, in essence, agreed to the College's Code of Academic Honesty: I pledge to do my own academic work and to excel to the best of my abilities, upholding the IOWA Challenge. I promise not to lie about my academic work, to cheat, or to steal the words or ideas of others; nor will I help fellow students to violate the Code of Academic Honesty. Any student committing academic misconduct is reported to the College and placed on disciplinary probation or may be suspended or expelled (CLAS Academic Policies Handbook). CLAS Final Examination Policies The final examination schedule for each class is announced by the Registrar generally by the tenth day of classes. Final exams are offered only during the official final examination period. No exams of any kind are allowed during the last week of classes. All students should plan on being at the UI through the final examination period. Once the Registrar has announced the date, time, and location of each final exam, the complete schedule will be published on the Registrar's web site and will be shared with instructors and students. It is the student's responsibility to know the date, time, and place of a final exam. 10
Making a Suggestion or a Complaint Students with a suggestion or complaint should first visit with the instructor (and the course supervisor), and then with the departmental DEO. Complaints must be made within six months of the incident (CLAS Academic Policies Handbook). Understanding Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment subverts the mission of the University and threatens the well being of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the UI community have a responsibility to uphold this mission and to contribute to a safe environment that enhances learning. Incidents of sexual harassment should be reported immediately. See the UI Comprehensive Guide on Sexual Harassment for assistance, definitions, and the full University policy. Reacting Safely to Severe Weather In severe weather, class members should seek appropriate shelter immediately, leaving the classroom if necessary. The class will continue if possible when the event is over. For more information on Hawk Alert and the siren warning system, visit the Department of Public Safety website. Student Resources: The Writing Center: www.uiowa.edu/~writingc/ helps all in the University community improve their writing, including attitudes and self confidence about writing. We also assist with reading. The Speaking Center: http://clas.uiowa.edu/rhetoric/for students/speaking center is available to help students who would like to work on any aspect of oral communication, including: effective classroom participation, delivering oral presentations, speech anxiety and much more. Tutor Iowa: http://tutor.uiowa.edu/ is an excellent resource to find academic assistance and mentoring for your University of Iowa courses. *These CLAS policy and procedural statements have been summarized from the web pages of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and The University of Iowa Operations Manual. 11