UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY; HIST 101: Western Civilization, Fall Term, 2008.
Important information:
- INSTRUCTOR: John Nicols
- OFFICE HOURS: Fr 12:00 to 14:30, and by appointment
- OFFICE: 385 McKenzie Hall
- TELEPHONE: 346.4817
- E-MAIL: nic@uoregon.edu
- OTHER COURSES IN ANCIENT HISTORY
- COURSE PAGE ON THE INTERNET (including links to lectures).
This course and other requirements:
- HIST 101 and General Education requirements: This course provides a broad and interdisciplinary introduction to European civilization and culture. In particular we will deal with changing interpretations of nature and its "causes", of the evolution of law, both human and natural, and of the relationship between the individual and the state. The student who completes this course will earn four credits toward the sixteen needed to meet the university's requirement in the Social Sciences (Group II).
- Complementary Courses in other Groups: In Group I: HUM 101, Introduction to the Humanities, covers similar themes and perspectives from the humanistic perspective; in Group III: ASTR 121, The Solar System, also addresses similar problems from the scientific perspective. Faculty from these two courses will be guest lectures this term.
- HIST 101 and the History major: The four credits earned in this course will be counted against the credits needed for the major. NB: Only graded credits may be used to satisfy the requirements of the History major.
- If you have any questions on these issues, please see me or go to the Academic Advising Office in Oregon Hall.
TEXTS:
- WH = Kagan, D., et al., THE WESTERN HERITAGE, Custom Edition for UO, Upper Saddle River, NJ (Pearson; 2005)
- DWP = M. Wiesner, et al.: DISCOVERING THE WESTERN PAST, Vol . 1, (To 1789), Boston, MA, (Houghton Mifflin, 5th Ed., 2004).
- SS = J. Nicols, SUPPLEMENTARY SOURCEBOOKS. In three segments; the first is available at the UO Bookstore.
EVALUATION AND GRADING
- 1st Midterm (Ancient Near East and Greece) =20%
- 2nd Midterm (Rome) =20%
- Final [includes the 3rd Midterm on Middle Ages and a comprehensive essay]=35%
- Section=25% (includes quizzes, essays and participation). Attendance is mandatory.
TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS (The student is expected to have completed the reading assignments
before the relevant lecture.)
First Week Section Meeting: Procedural arrangements, work loads, how to submit assignments.
M 9.29 Introduction: the major themes and requirements of the course.
W 10.1 The Ancient Near East (= ANE): Urbanization; Patterns in Political History; Law
· WH 1.1 (that is Part 1, Section 1 = pages 4-24)
F 10.3 Society and Religion in the Ancient Near East; the Interpretation of Nature.
· SS1 Excerpts from Genesis, Exodus, Amos and other documents from the ANE
· DWP Ch. 1
Second Week Section Meeting: Discussion of source materials and problems presented in the first week of class; the formulation of historical arguments and the use of evidence. Discussion of water and cities (DWP Ch 1).
M 10.6 Change and Innovation: Writing and Metallurgy. Ancient Near East: Synthesis.
· DWP Ch. 1
W 10.8 The Bronze Age in the Mediterranean (1800 - 750 B.C.). Myth and Early Greek History; Homer and Aristocratic Values
· WH 1.2
· SS1 Homer
F 10.10 The Structure of Greek Society and of the Polis
· WH 1.3 (to page 53)
· SS1 Selection of sources on Greek law
Third Week Section Meeting: Discussion of sources and problems presented in the second week; preparation for a short text analysis / essay due next week. Topic and guidelines will be distributed in section. Note the following:
- Please come to section this week with 'DWP' in hand, and having read Ch. 3 on Classical Athens.
- THERE WILL BE SHORT QUIZ ON CONCEPTS IN KAGAN WH PART I, SECTIONS 2 AND 3 (TO PAGE 53). AS ON THE MIDTERM, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO IDENTIFY AND GIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF TWO OF THREE ITEMS. NOTE, THE ITEMS WILL BE TAKEN FROM THE SECTIONS AND SUBSECTION HEADINGS AND ANYTHING THAT IS IN A BOLD TYPEFACE. BY "IDENTIFY" WE MEAN HERE EXPLAINING WHAT OR WHO THE ITEMS REFERS TO, WHERE (IF RELEVANT) A ROUGH SENSE OF WHEN AND MOST IMPORTANT WHY THE ITEM IS SIGNIFICANT HISTORICALLY.
M 10.13 The Classical Age of Greek History; the Rise of Athens
· DWP Ch. 3
W 10.15 Culture and the 'Intellectual Revolution'
· SS1 Intellectual Revolution: The PreSocratic Philosophers, Herodotus
F 10.17 The Peloponnesian War and the Decline of Greece
· WH 1.3 (pp 54-62)
· SS1 Thucydides
Fourth Week Section Meeting: Text analysis due. Discussion of sources and problem presented in third week; begin review for midterm examination.
M 10.20 Post Classical Greece. Alexander and the Hellenistic World
· SS1; Plato, Crito
· WH 1.3 (pp. 62-70)
W 10.22 Science, Law and Culture in the Greek World.
· SS1 Selections on Hellenistic Science
F 10.24 First Midterm Examination. Identifications (concepts, persons, monuments) plus short essay.
Fifth Week Section Meeting: Review midterm; discussions of sources from previous week.
M 10.27 Roman Institutions; Rome and Italy
· WH 1.4
· SS2 Documents from Republic: treaties, citizenship, elections, constitution
W 10.29 Reform and Civil War in the Late Republic
· SS2 Sallust; Vergil
F 10.31 Augustus and the New Order
· WH 1.5 (pp. 98-109)
· DWP 4
Sixth Week Section Meeting: Discussion of sources; how to construct an historical essay. Textual analysis of one document in this week’s readings will be due at the next section meeting.
M 11.3 Society, Culture and Economy of the Roman Empire
· Review WH pp. 104-109.
W 11.5 Urbanization, Law and Romanization
· SS2: "Roman Law" and "Tacitus"
F 11.7 Christianity
· WH 1.5 pp. 110-112; 118-120
· SS2: Excerpts from "Gospel of Luke", "Acts", and "Honors for Augustus"
Seventh Week Section Meeting: Discussion of sources assign in sixth week; textual analysis due. Review for second midterm examination.
M 11.10 The Later Roman Empire: Classical Culture, the Church, and the Problem of the "Fall"
· WH 1.5 pp. 113-118; 121
W 11.12 Roman Civilization: law, science and culture
· No assignment.
F 11.14 Second Midterm Examination (covering Roman history)
Eighth Week Section Meeting: Review of the midterm examination
M 11.17 Migrations and Barbarians; Byzantium (to ca. 750)
· WH 2.6
· SS3: Excerpts on barbarian migrations
W 11.19 The Structure of Medieval Europe: Church, State, Society
· WH 2.7
F 11.21 Charlemagne; feudalism
· DWP Ch. 6
· SS3: Excerpts on Early Middle Ages
Ninth Week Section Meeting: Review of sources presented in previous week.
M 11.24 Church and State in the High Middle Ages
· WH 2.8
· SS3: Excerpts on "church and state"
W 11.26 The Political and Economic Order in the High Middle Ages: Kingdoms, Regions.
· SS3: Excerpts on "politics and economics"
F 11.28 Thanksgiving Holiday
Tenth Week Section Meeting: Review of sources from previous week; preparation for the final examination.
M 12.1 Medieval Cities and the Crusades
· SS3: Excerpts on Islam and Crusades
W 12.3 Medieval Culture and Society: Scholasticism and Universities; Courtly Love; the 'Lower Orders’
· DWP Ch.7
F 12.5 The Middle Ages: law, science and culture. Slides. Review of course.
FINAL EXAMINATION: Thursday, 11 December 2008, 10:15 to 12:1