Summer Session I (2007)
May 21, 2007 – June 29, 2007
Syllabus
Course: HI 151 World Civilizations I / Online (3 Units)
Instructor: Kris Matsumoto, MA, JD
Contact Information: E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: Phone: (808) 226-3022
Textbook: Philip J. Alder, World Civilizations, vol. 1 (to 1600), 4rd Edition, Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, 2006. (ISBN 0-534-59934-6)
Course Description and Objectives: A multicultural approach to studying the world's early civilizations, it examines their political, social, economic and cultural evolutions. It focuses on the lives, work and service of Confucius, the Buddha, Jesus Christ, Mohammed and other individuals who made meaningful impacts on the moral ethical development of humankind. Along with historical knowledge, the course emphasizes the development of reading, writing, speaking, cognitive and collaborative skills crucial to success in college and beyond. Offered every semester.
Class Format: The students will view instructor prepared PowerPoint presentations, read the assigned portions of the text and respond to Questions for Review and Discussion posted on the course website each week.
Student Responsibilities:
Ø It is important that you read this syllabus very carefully, and follow the guidelines for the assignments.
Ø College standards apply to all of the assignments.
Ø It is imperative that you read, review and digest the assigned course materials and restate the material in your own words for all assignments.
Ø Failure to restate the material in your own words constitutes plagiarism.
Ø Plagiarism is an ongoing problem in online classes: do not cut and paste responses to discussion questions, the research paper, presentation or any other assignment for this class.
Ø No credit (“0”) will be given for work that is plagiarized, and plagiarism may result in disciplinary action by the college.
Ø Plagiarism includes, among other things, direct quotes and paraphrased material without proper reference to the sources.
Ø Scores for work that is not submitted when due, i.e., late work, will be reduced by one letter grade, unless documentation from a supervisor or health care professional is provided.
This is an accelerated--not abbreviated—course. Traditional classes meet for fifteen (15) weeks per semester. In a summer session such as this one, the work load of one semester is covered in a period of six (6) weeks. In other words, we will cover more than two weeks of material each week.
Online classes like this one require discipline and diligence on the part of the student. Do not procrastinate: Make note of the deadlines and plan ahead; do not wait until the last minute to complete your assignments or to prepare for the final examination; you may find it a daunting task to catch up.
Course Evaluation: Student Work will be evaluated in the following manner:
1. Meaningful and timely participation in online discussions 25%
2. Presentation based on Research Paper (MS PowerPoint recommended; due in Week 5) 10%
3. 8 – 10 page Research Paper (due in Week 6 at the time of the Final Examination) 25%
4. Cumulative Proctored Final Examination (Comprehensive Essay) 40%
Calculation of Final Grades: Letter grades are given in all courses except those taken on a credit/no credit basis. Grades are calculated from the student's daily work, class participation, quizzes, tests, term papers, reports, and the final examination. They are interpreted as follows.
A Outstanding scholarship and an unusual degree of intellectual initiative.
B Superior work done in a consistent and intellectual manner.
C Average grade indicating a competent grasp of subject matter.
D Inferior work of the lowest passing grade, not satisfactory for fulfillment of prerequisite course work.
F Failed to grasp the minimum subject matter; no credit given.
P Satisfactory completion of course.
W Withdrawal before published deadline.
I Did not complete a small portion of the work or final examination due to circumstances beyond the student's control. The issuance of an 'I' grade is not automatic. Prior to reporting of grades a contract must be made between the student and the instructor for the completion of the course. Sufficient time should be allowed to permit completion of the work, evaluation, and reporting of the final grade within 90 days after the end of the semester or term. This limit may not be extended. If a new grade for the course is not submitted by the instructor prior to the deadline, the alternate grade indicated in the contract will be recorded.
Instructor PowerPoint Presentations: PowerPoint presentations will be posted weekly. Students are urged to view the presentations prior to reading the weekly reading assignments. The purpose of the presentations is to provide an overview of the material for the week and also to introduce important and relevant material not in the text. The presentations, reading assignments and discussions are equally important to help students to master the material and prepare for the comprehensive final examination at the end of the term.
Questions for Review and Discussion: The purpose of the weekly discussions is to ensure that students are reading and mastering the material in the text. In addition, the discussions provide an opportunity for interaction and allow the instructor to introduce important and relevant information that is not in the text. Timely participation in the weekly discussions is important to maximize learning and will help you to prepare for the final examination. If you fall behind, you will likely have difficulty catching up, and mass learning (cramming) seldom leads to permanent learning; moreover, late work may be penalized by a reduction in one letter grade. Guidelines for responding to discussions are posted in the “Discussions” section of the course website.
Student Presentation Requirements:
Ø Your presentation may be based on your research paper
Ø You should be working on your paper throughout the course and should be able to put together a presentation before the final version of your paper is prepared
Ø Microsoft PowerPoint is recommended. In the alternative, you can prepare something in word and include images like pictures, charts, graphs and/or maps
Ø The current versions of Microsoft PowerPoint are very easy to use, and there are free tutorials on the Internet
Ø It should summarize the main points of your paper in your own words in short sentences of phrases
Ø Avoid big chunks of undigested text
Ø Do not cut and paste text from web or other electronic sources; avoid plagiarism
Ø Including images will make your presentation more interesting for your colleagues
Ø Avoid fancy animation schemes that will increase the size of your file and prolong the time to download it
Ø Presentations are due at the end of Week 5
Ø Post your presentation in the Discussions section of the website under “Student Presentations”
Research Paper Requirements:
Ø Each student will submit one research paper at the end of Week 6 (at the time of the Final Examination)
Ø Please submit a hardcopy at the time you take the final examination AND send me an electronic version of your paper as a Microsoft Word document
Ø The paper must be at least 8 - 10 pages in length. (This is a minimum requirement.)
Ø This does not include cover pages, illustrations, pictures, lengthy quotations, endnotes or bibliographies.
Ø A formal outline identifying your thesis statement must be submitted with each paper.
Ø Each paper must be typed and double-spaced, and pages must be numbered.
Ø Margins--top, bottom, left and right--may not exceed one-inch.
Ø Font: Times New Roman 12; do not justify the text.
Ø You must consult and make reference to at least five (5) academic publications in the text of your paper; these include books and scholarly articles.
Ø It is recommended that you purchase and consult an English reference manual in order to conform the format of your paper to a system of uniform citation (e.g., Chicago Manual of Style, MLA or APA)
Ø Please be sure to restate the material you use in your own words. (Avoid plagiarism.)
Ø Please do not use children’s books or general encyclopedias (including Wikipidea and other online or electronic encyclopedias).
Ø Your research should be balanced. When possible, you should consult different types of materials (primary sources, secondary sources in the form of monographs, periodicals, etc.).
Ø Do not write your paper exclusively from one source; do not write your paper exclusively from Internet sources.
Ø Your paper should contain some critical analysis and should not be primarily a recitation of historical facts.
Ø Proof read your paper for grammatical and typographical errors, and make the necessary corrections before submission.
Ø Do not turn in a paper you prepared for another class or a paper prepared by someone else. See Chaminade University’s policies on Academic Honesty, Plagiarism and Writing Standards (Attached)
Ø Please see me if you would like me to review an outline or draft of your paper.
Ø Points will be deducted for failing to conform to the standards enumerated above.
Ø This is a college course and the appropriate standards apply to all work prepared for this class.
Final Examination Information and Instructions
Ø The format of the final examination is comprehensive essay. Evaluation will be based upon how well you organize your responses and the degree to which you support your statements with concrete historical data. Responses to each question should be two to three pages in length and should be organized into paragraphs and include an introduction and conclusion. Also, your essay should include some critical analysis and not be primarily a recitation of historical facts. It is recommended that you prepare an outline before you start to compose; an outline will help you to stay focused and organized.
Ø A final examination study guide—a condensed version of the course study guide—will be posted toward the end of the term.
Ø The examination is closed-book, closed notes. Please bring your own notebook paper and pens, and be sure to bring a picture I.D.
Information on Essay Writing for this Class: When writing for this class, whether you are responding to the essay questions on the examination or the composing your research paper, the following guidelines should be kept in mind:
Ø Start with an outline: it is like driving from San Diego to Cleveland, you need to have a general idea where you are going or which topics you will be discussing.
Ø Organization of the material you choose to include in your essay is as important as what you choose to include. Your essay should not be a fact-dump or a compilation of unorganized facts.
Ø Your essay should include an in introduction: a good essay will provide the reader with the historical context. For example, an essay on the Roman Republic will include an introduction to the political, cultural and geographical factors contributing to the formation of the republic.
Ø Back up your general statements with concrete factual data. The more specific the better. You are trying to prove to me that you have a command of the material.
Ø Express yourself in your own words. Do not include in any of your writing for this class material that is not restated in your own words. Direct quotes and paraphrased material must be referenced.
Ø Critical analysis of the facts is as important as the facts themselves; otherwise, what is the purpose of learning about history? We are focusing upon civilizations that made important contributions to world history. Discuss the historical significance of events and people where it is relevant to do so.
Ø Finally, your essays should include a conclusion. This is often a good place for concluding remarks and critical analysis, and often a good place to look forward to what was to come next.
Chaminade University’s Policies on Academic Honesty, Plagiarism and Writing Standards: The following are excerpts from the 2004-2005 Student Catalog, which is available in its entirety at http://www.chaminade.edu/catalog/. Please familiarize yourself with the Academic Honesty, Plagiarism and Writing Standards provisions provided below and be sure to adhere to the enumerated standards while preparing work for this class.
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is an essential aspect of all learning, scholarship, and research. It is one of the values regarded most highly by academic communities throughout the world. Violations of the principle of academic honesty are extremely serious and cannot be tolerated.
Students are responsible for promoting academic honesty at Chaminade by not participating in any act of dishonesty and by reporting any incidence of academic dishonesty to an instructor or to a university official. Academic dishonesty may include theft of records or examinations, alteration of grades, and plagiarism.
Questions of academic dishonesty in a particular class are first reviewed by the instructor, who must make a report with recommendations to the Chair of the Academic Division. Punishment for academic dishonesty will be determined by the instructor and the Chair of the Academic Division and may range from an 'F' grade for the work in question to an 'F' for the course to suspension or dismissal from the University.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the offering of work of another as one's own. Plagiarism is a serious offense and may include, but is not limited to, the following:
1. Complete or partial copying directly from a published or unpublished source without proper acknowledgment to the author. Minor changes in wording or syntax are not sufficient to avoid charges of plagiarism. Proper acknowledgment of the source of a text is always mandatory.
2. Paraphrasing the work of another without proper author acknowledgment.
3. Submitting as one's own original work (however freely given or purchased) the original exam, research paper, manuscript, report, computer file, or other assignment that has been prepared by another individual.
In the cases of alleged academic dishonesty (such as plagiarism, cheating, claiming work not done by the student, or lying) where a faculty member observes or discovers the dishonesty, the faculty members may choose to confront the student and handle the matter between the faculty member and the student, or the faculty member may choose to refer the incident to the Chair or Graduate Program Director. (If the Chair or the Director is the instructor in question, the concern should be directed to the Associate Provost; if the Associate Provost is the instructor in question, the concern should be directed to the Executive Vice
President and Provost.) If the faculty member chooses to confront the situation and it is not satisfactorily resolved between the faculty member and the student, the matter may then be referred or appealed to the Chair or Director.
In either case, the Chair or Graduate Program Director may choose to 1) resolve the matter through a meeting with both the student and the faculty member, or 2) refer the matter to the Executive Vice President and Provost. The findings, in either case, are final.
Writing Standards
All work submitted by Chaminade University students is expected to meet the following writing standards:
1. Written assignments should use correctly the grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure of Standard Written English.
2. Written assignments should develop ideas, themes, and main points coherently and concisely.
3. Written assignments should adopt modes and styles appropriate to their purpose and audience.
4. Written assignments should be clear, complete, and effective.
5. Written assignments containing material and ideas drawing upon sources should carefully analyze and synthesize that material. In addition, the sources of the borrowed material must be correctly acknowledged to avoid plagiarism.
Course Schedule, Reading Assignments and Study Guide
Note: View the weekly PowerPoint presentations and read the text; then complete the discussions. The final examination will be based on the study guide. The study guide is included so that you will know what material to focus on when you are reading. You DO NOT have to submit responses to the study guide to me. The final examination will be based on the study guide, and the items on the study guide will be reinforced by the weekly discussions, PowerPoint Presentations and reading assignments. An abbreviated (shortened) final examination study guide based on the course study guide will be posted later in the term.
Week 1: Paleolithic and Neolithic Periods, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, Small Kingdoms and Mighty Empires
Dates: May 21 – May 26
Reading Assignment: Chapters 1 - 4
Essay Questions:
- Discuss how the Neolithic period was different from the Paleolithic period that preceded it. Explain how the changes in the Neolithic era gave rise to the world’s first civilizations.
- Explain the role that geography played in the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. How were the two civilizations alike? How were they different?
- Describe the evolution of the Jewish faith and the early history of the ancient Hebrews through the Roman conquest of Palestine.
Key Words and Phrases:
Sumerians, Akkadians, Sargon, Old Babylonians, Amorites, Hammurabi, Epic of Gilgamesh, Menes (Narmer), Old Kingdom, Hyksos, Akhenaton, Ramses II, Phoenicia, covenant, Saul, David of Bethlehem, Solomon, Babylonian Captivity, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar II, Medes, Persians, Cyrus II, Darius I, Zarathustra (Zoroaster), Ahura Mazda, Ahriman
Week 2: Ancient India and Ancient China; Ancient Greece
Dates: May 27 – June 2
Reading Assignment: Chapters 5 - 8
Essay Questions:
- Describe the belief systems of the great religions of India, and explain how these religions continue to influence Indian society and the world in the present day.
- Discuss the origins of the great philosophical traditions of China. Explain how these ideas shaped the course of Chinese history, and discuss their continued relevance today.
- Explain how geography contributed to the rise and development of the polis. What were the limitations of the polis and how did they contribute to the downfall of ancient Greek civilization?
Key Words and Phrases:
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, Dravidians, Rigveda, karma, samsara, dharma, Hinduism, Brahman, Jainism, Mahavira, Siddhartha Gautama, Four Noble Truths, Eight-Fold Path, Era of the Warring States, Confucius, Analects, Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Legalism, Chin Shih Huang Ti, Hellenic Civilization, Minoans, Mycenae, Iliad, Odyssey, Troy, Heinrich Schliemann, Athens, Solon, Cleisthenes, Sparta, helots, Persian Wars, Pericles, Delian League, Peloponnesian War
Week 3: Alexander the Great, Roman Republic and Roman Empire
Dates: June 3 – June 9
Reading Assignment: Chapters 9 - 11
Essay Questions:
- Discuss the social and political issues that divided Roman society in the early republic and how they were ultimately resolved.
- Explain how territorial expansion created problems that ultimately resulted in the demise of Roman republican political institutions and the foundation of the empire.
- Discuss the factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. Although their state did not survive the 5th century, the Romans left a legacy that survives to the present day. Explain.
Key Words and Phrases:
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hellenistic, Phillip II, Alexander of Macedon, Ptolemy, Romulus and Remus, Etruscans, Plebians, Patricians, Struggle of the Orders, Punic Wars, Carthage, Hannibal, mare nostrum, Gaius Marius, civitas sine suffragio, First Triumverate, Gaius Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Second Triumverate, Mark Antony, Battle of Actium, Octavian, princeps civitatis, Augustus, Trajan, Diocletian, Constantine, Edict of Milan, Theodosius, Byzantium, Justinian
Week 4: Islam, Ming China and Traditional Japan
Dates: June 10 – June 16
Reading Assignment: Chapters 14 – 15, 17, 18 22, 28-29
Essay Questions:
- Describe the “tributary system” and the maritime voyages of Admiral Cheng Ho during the Ming dynasty. What do they reveal about China’s view of itself vis-à-vis other nations? How was this view different from that of the European powers?
- Describe the origins and belief system of the warrior caste in Japan and how they came to dominate Japanese society.
Key Words and Phrases:
Mohammad, Arabs, Muslims, Five Pillars, Qur’an, Ramadan, Haj, Ottoman Empire, Suleiman the Magnificent, Mongols, Genghis Khan, Kubilai Khan, Marco Polo, Ming Dynasty, Tributary System, Admiral Cheng Ho, Yamato, Shinto, Nara, Heian, Fujiwara, Kamakura bakufu, Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, Hojo Regency, Ashikaga Takauji
Week 5: Middle Ages and Renaissance, Presentation Due
June 17 – June 23
Reading Assignment: Chapters 11, 19-21
Essay Questions:
- Describe the life-style and values of the Germanic peoples, and explain the role they played in the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West.
- Who was Karl the Great (Charlemagne)? Explain his historical significance and the unraveling of his accomplishments following his death.
- Who was William the Conqueror? What was the historical significance of his conquest of England?
- Discuss the causes of the Hundred Years War. Trace the important events in the conflict, and explain the historical significance of its outcome.
- What was the Black Death? Describe the factors that accelerated its rapid spread throughout medieval Europe, and describe the impact he disease had on European society.
- What was the Renaissance? In what ways was it different from the medieval period which preceded it? Explain why many scholars regard the Renaissance as the beginning of the modern world.
Key Words and Phrases:
Wergeld (wehrgeld), Franks, Merovingians, Carolingians, Karl the Great (Charlemagne), Treaty of Verdun, feudalism, manorialism, Vikings, Magyars, Normandy, William the Conqueror, Battle of Hastings, Crusades, Henry V, Joan of Arc, Black Death, Petrarch, Secularism, Humanism
Week 6: Protestant Reformation and Age of Discovery; Final Examination, Research Paper Due
Dates: June 24 – June 29
Reading Assignment: Chapters 12, 23-26, 30
Essay Questions:
- What was the Reformation? Were the motivations for reform always religious? What were the consequences of religious reform for Western Europe?
- What was the “Age of Discovery”? What impact did “discovery” have upon the native peoples of the “New World?”
Key Words and Phrases:
Leif Erikson, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, Tenochtitlán, Atauhualpa, encomienda system, Martin Luther, Indulgences, sola fide, Gutenberg, John Calvin, Doctrine of Predestination, Puritans, Henry VIII, Holy Roman Empire, Catholic (Counter) Reformation, Council of Trent, Ignatius Loyola