Department of History University of Manitoba HIST 1350 An Introduction to the History of Western Civilization to 1500 (3) Section A01 Fall 2009 Lectures: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 11:30-12:20 a.m. Room 312 Tier Building Instructor: Christopher Frank Email/Phone: frankc@ms.umanitoba.ca, 474-9715 Office: 456 Fletcher Argue Building Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 10:30-11:30 p.m., Tuesday 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Course Description: This course is intended to introduce students to the broad themes and issues in the history of the Western world from the earliest civilizations to the Renaissance. Through lectures, readings, and discussions students will examine historical changes in political, social, economic and cultural relationships and their role in shaping and informing the modern world. Students will also be introduced to the complexities of history and the relevance of historical understanding in explaining the modern world. Assignments will help students to develop critical thinking and analysis, research and writing skills. Texts: The readings assigned are an essential component of this course. Students are responsible on examinations for all material covered in the assigned readings as well as lectures. All of the required books are available at the University Student Bookstore. Required Books: Mark Kishlansky, Patrick Geary, P. O Brian, Civilization in the West, 7 th Edition (Longman, 2004), Volume A, to 1500 Mark Kishlansky, Editor, Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization, Volume I: to 1715. Homer, The Odyssey Evaluation and Assignments: 1 Library Assignment, due 23 October 2009, (5% of final grade) 2 in-class tests (20% of final grade): First test, 23 October 2009, (10% of final grade) Second test, 20 November 2009 (10% of final grade) 2 Essays (40% of final grade): 1-1500 word (approx 6 pgs) Primary Source Essay Assignment, (worth 20% of final grade), Due 9 November 2009. 1-1500 word (approx 6 pgs) Research Essay (worth 20% of final grade), Due 9 December 2009. 1 Final Examination held during University Exam Period (35% of final grade)
Students are expected to complete assignments on time, and extensions will be granted only in exceptional circumstances. Late papers will be deducted 2 points for every business day after the assigned deadline. The Voluntary Withdrawal Date for this course is 18 November 2009. 35% of your course mark will be provided before that date. In-class exams consist of short answer questions and an essay question. The Final exam will follow the model of earlier in-class exams. Content and format of the exams will be thoroughly discussed in class prior to the test. Students must complete two outside essays to fulfill the writing requirement. Students who wish to appeal a grade given for term work must do so within 10 working days after the grade for the term work has been made available to them. Uncollected term work will become the property of the Faculty of Arts and will be subject to confidential destruction. Grade Distribution: A+, 90-100%, Exceptional Work A, 80-89%, Excellent Work B+, 75-79%, Very Good B, 70-74%, Good C+, 65-69%, Satisfactory C, 60-64%, Adequate D, 50-59%, Marginal F, 49% and Below, Failing. Academic Honesty: The University of Manitoba takes a very serious view of academic misconduct, which includes cheating on examinations, plagiarism, misrepresentation, submitting purchased or borrowed papers, and/or submitting the same material in two different courses. Submitted work in this course should be done independently. Students should familiarize themselves with the University s policy on plagiarism and academic honesty found in the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar 2009-2010, page 29. The common penalty in Arts for plagiarism in a written assignment, test, or examination is F on the paper and F for the course. For the most serious acts of plagiarism, such as the purchase of an essay or cheating on a test or examination, the penalty can also include suspension for a period of up to five years from registration in courses taught in a particular department in Arts or from all courses taught in this Faculty. The Faculty also reserves the right to submit student work that is suspected of being plagiarized to Internet sites designed to detect plagiarism.
Lecture and Reading Schedule: 11 September 2009 Lectures: Introduction to the Course and Prehistory Readings: Begin reading The Odyssey. Week 1: Lectures: Ancient Mesopotamia 14-18 September Egyptian Civilization Israel and the Near East Readings: Kishlansky text, Chapter 1. Continue reading The Odyssey. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read excerpts: The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Creation Epic, and the Book of Genesis, The Code of Hammurabi, The Book of the Dead, The Book of Exodus and The Book of Isaiah (pgs. 1-15, 20-30) Week 2: Lectures: Minoan and Mycenaen Greece 21-25 September Homer and Hesiod Politics, Law, Justice and Social Life in the Greek Polis, 750-500 B.C.E. Readings: Kishlansky Text, Chapter 2. Continue The Odyssey. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read excerpts: Hesiod, Works and Days, Homer Iliad, and Sappho Poems. (pgs. 16-19, 24-38). Week 3: Lectures: Persian and Peloponnesian Wars 28 September- Poetry, Arts and Ideas in Classical Greece, 500-338 2 Ocotber B.C.E. Hellenistic Expansion Readings: Kishlansky Text, Chapter 3. Finish The Odyssey. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War, Xenophon, The Spartan Constitution, Plato Apology, The Republic, Politics, and Plutarch The Life of Alexander. (pgs. 39-71) Week 4: Lectures: Hellenistic Social, Cultural and Intellectual Life 5-9 October Etruscan Rome to the Roman Republic Life in the Early Republic Readings: Kishlansky text, Chapter 4. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: Polybius The Roman Constitution, and Cicero, The Trial of Aulus Cluentius Habitus, (pgs 72-80). Week 5: Lectures: Fall of the Republic and the Augustan Settlement 12-16 October Social and Cultural Life Under Pax Romana No Class on 12 October
Readings: Kishlansky text, Chapter 5. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: Virgil The Aeneid, Juvenal Satires, Plutarch Life of Cato the Elder, and Suetonius Life of Augustus. (pgs. 81-95). Week 6: Lectures: Paganism, Judaism and Christianity 19-23 October Decline of the Western Roman Empire First In-Class Test, 23 October, 10% of Course Mark Readings: Kishlansky text, Chapter 6. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: The Sermon on the Mount, St. Paul, Epistle to the Romans, Tacitus Germania, Eusebius In Praise of Constantine, Augustus of Hippo, The City of God (pgs. 96-116). Assignment: 23 October: Library Assignment Due, 5% of Course Grade. Week 7: Lectures: The Byzantine East 26-30 October Life in the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe Islam and Islamic Civilization Readings: Kishlansky text, Chapter 7. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: Justinian Code, Procopius Secret History, The Koran, Michael Psellus Chornographia, Ibn Al-Qalanisi The Damascus Chronicle, and Ibn Ishaq The Life of Muhammad. (pgs. 137-159). Week 8: Lectures: The Franks and Charlemagne 2-6 November Feudalism and the Social Order in the High Middle Ages Monasticism and Religious Thought in the High MiddleAges Readings: Kishlansky Text, Chapter 8. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: Gregory of Tours History of the Franks, Bede Ecclesiastical History of England, Einhard Life of Charlemagne, Feudal Documents, Bernard of Angers Miracles of St. Foy, and the Song of Roland. (pgs. 126-136, 160-168, 175-178). Week 9: Lectures: Cities and Trade in the High Middle Ages 9-13 November Social and Cultural Life in the High Middle Ages The Crusades Readings: Kishlansky Text, Chapter 9. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: Fulcher of Chartres The First Crusade and the Siege of Jerusalem, Magna Carta, St. Francis of Assisi Admonitions, Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica, Dante Divine Comedy, Catherine of Siena Letters, Christine de Pisan the Book of the City of Ladies, Margaret
Paston, Letters, Witchcraft Documents (pgs. 169-174, 179-214). Assignments: 9 November Primary Source Essay Assignment Due, Worth 10% of Course Mark Week 10: Lectures: Second In-Class Test, 20 November, 10% of 16-20 November Course Mark The Church and State in the High Middle Ages The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century, Part I Readings: Kishlansky Text, Chapter 10. Week 11: Lectures: The Crisis of the Fourteenth Centry, Part II 23-27 November The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century, Part III The Italian Renaissance Readings: Kishlansky Text, Chapter 11. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: Francesco Petrarcha Letters, Leon Battista Alberti On the Family, Giorgio Vasari The Life of Leonardo Da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince. (Pgs. 217-234) Week 12: Lectures: Italian Humanism 30 November- The European State and the Renaissance 4 December European Contact, Conquest and Empire Readings: Kishlansky, Chapter 12. Kishlansky Sourcebook: Christopher Columbus Letters from the First Voyage, Ludovico di Varthema Travels, Gomes de Zurara Chronicle of Guinea, Bartolome de Las Casas Apologetic History of the Indies, Bernal Diaz, The True History of the Conquest of New Spain, Juan Gonzalez de Mendoza, The History of the Great and Mightie Kingdom of China (pgs. 243-264) Week 13: Lectures: Northern/ Christian Humanism 7-9 December Review for Final exam Readings: Kishlansky Sourcebook: Read Excerpts: Desiderius Erasmus In Praise of Folly, Sir Thomas More, Utopia. (pgs. 235-242). Assignment: 9 December, Research Essay. 20% of Course Mark. Final Exam During University Exam Period, 10-23 December, worth 35% of Course Mark