South Portland, Maine 04106 Title: World History Since 1500 Catalog Number: HIST 125 Credit Hours: 3 Total Contact Hours: 45 (Online) Instructor: Seth Rogoff Office: Online Office Hours: By video conference/telephone Email: srogoff@smccme.edu Course Syllabus Course Description: A continuation of World History I, this is an introductory survey covering the history of the global past from the 15th century through contemporary times, from the moment of European contact in the western hemisphere during the late 15th century through the modern global context. This course will also introduce the process of thinking historically: students will seek to understand the problems, events, and people of the global past under their own terms and in the broadest contexts. Students will examine important historical issues such as: How did the modern world evolve? How have institutions such as slavery, religion and capitalism shaped the global experience? What caused nations to emerge and how does nationalism affect individuals? Students will develop an appreciation of how our contemporary world emerged from and is shaped by these critical issues. Course Objectives: After completing this course you will be able to: 1. Identify important historical periods and events that took place throughout the world between 1500 and the present. 2. Interpret history as a complex interplay between local customs and traditions and worldwide economic and political structures. 3. Evaluate both primary historical documents and secondary sources within their historical context. 4. Write cogently and clearly about your interpretations of past events using both primary and secondary sources as evidence. 5. Understand the relationship between the contemporary world and the five hundred years that preceded the present in other words, you will understand how we got to where we are. Learning Outcomes Critical Thinking: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have: 1. Read and demonstrated understanding of complex ideas by identifying key concepts in the field of history. 3. Analyzed and evaluated research data to produce a well reasoned argument or position on an issue. 4. Synthesize data from multiple sources to create and support a solution. Global Citizenship: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Explain how social interactions are influenced by local, regional, national, and/or global cultures. 2. Explain historical and/or political developments affecting societies and nations. 1
Text, Tools and / or Supplies 1. The Human Record: Sources of Global History Vol. II Since 1500 Seventh Edition, eds. Andrea and Overfield (Houghton Mifflin, Boston) 2. Additional readings and materials will be posted as PDFs and links in the course content folders. Course Requirements Throughout the semester you will be participating in weekly online discussions and completing four reading exams. The reading exams will cover the materials from your course textbook called The Earth and its Peoples. Discussions will largely revolve around the texts found in your primary source reader called The Human Record. The Active participation is a large part of success in this class (40%). It is required that you participate ** every time** Discussion Board is listed on the syllabus. Failure to participate for two consecutive weeks could result in being dropped from the class unless you provide me with a compelling reason for your absence. If I don t see that you are participating before the end of the Add/Drop period, I will assume you are not an active student and will withdraw you from the class. Missing three weeks, unexcused, on the discussion board will result in automatic failure for the course. For a more complete set of discussion instructions, please refer to the appropriate documents in the Course Information Documents folder on the Blackboard homepage. Discussion board grades will be issued usually Monday or Tuesday each week. Exams will be graded automatically through Blackboard. All extensions and issues concerning make up work will be addressed on a case by case basis. It is your responsibility to contact me if you need an extension or want to make up work. Student Evaluation and Grading 1) Four Reading Exams 60% 2) Discussion Board 40% A 93 100 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 F Failure 2
Class Calendar August 31 September 6: Trends in World History from 1500 1800 I. Podcast: Surveying the World from a Historian s Perch II. Reading: a) Course Syllabus and All Documents in Course Information Folder b) Human Record pp. P1 P15. c) Daniel Defoe: Robinson Crusoe, Part I III. Assignment : Discussion Board September 7 13: The Atlantic World 1492 1776 I. Podcast : Sugar, Silver and Slaves: The Creation of the Atlantic World. II. Reading : a) Human Record pp. 1 16, 64 98, 183 188, 193 197; b) Daniel Defoe: Robinson Crusoe, Part I September 14 20: The World of the Indian Ocean from 1500 1800 I Podcast: Merchants of Spice: The Tale of Indian Ocean Trade. II. Reading : a) The Human Record pp. 7 10, 39 63, 193 197 September 21 27: Asian Empires from 1402 1800 I. Podcast: A Central Asian Drama: The Decline of the Nomads and the Rise of Asian Empires. II. Reading : a) The Human Record pp. 99 122, 205 226; b) Howard Norman, On the Poet s Trail. September 28 October 4: The Islamic World from 1453 1800 I. Podcast : Dreams of the Caliphate: Islam in the Age of Ottoman Dominance. II. Reading : a) The Human Record pp. 53 54, 198 204 III. Assignments : Reading Exam #1 (covers from August 31 September 27) October 5 11: Europe during the Reformation 1500 1648 I. Podcast : Unity Shattered: The Politics of Religion from 1517 1648. II. Reading : a) The Human Record pp. 16 35; b) Michel de Montaigne Of Cannibals; c) Erasmus, The Shipwreck October 12 18: Europe from the Reformation to the Age of Revolution 1631 1789 I. Podcast : An Age of Reason? Science, Politics and the Rise of the Bourgeoisie: Europe from 1631 until 1789. II. Reading : a) Galileo, Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany ( entire essay in PDF from in folder); b) Human Record, pp. 131 154. October 19 25: Russia and Japan from the Medieval World to Modernity I. Podcast : The Rise of an Empire and the Rise and Fall of a Shogunate: Russia and Japan from the Medieval World to Modernity II. Reading : NONE III. Assignments : Reading Exam #2 (covers September 28 October 18) October 26 November 1: Revolutions: French, American, Haitian and Industrial 1776 1848 I. Podcast: A Modern World Takes Shape: The Peculiar Outcomes of Revolutions II. Reading : a) Human Record 154 174; b) Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France ; c) Edmund Burke, On Conciliation with the Colonies ; d) Klemens von Metternich, Political Confessions of Faith; e) Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto (selections). 3
November 2 8: Latin American Independence and Nineteenth Century Africa I. Podcast : A Tale of Two Continents: Latin America and Africa in the Nineteenth Century II. Reading : a) The Human Record pp. 174 176, 275 302; b) Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, pp. 1 14 November 9 15: The Age of Imperialism: Africa, India, China and the West I. Podcast : From Trade Posts to Colonial Governments: Europe in Africa and Asia during the Age of Empire II. Reading : a) Joseph Conrad, The Heart of Darkness, pp. 14 36; b) Human Record, 303 328. November 16 22: Nationalism and World War: Europe and the World from 1848 1919 I. Podcast: The Belle Époque Turns Ugly: The World in the Era of Rising Nationalism and World War II. Reading : None III. Assignments : Reading Exam #3 (covers October 19 November 15) November 23 29: Democracy or Autocracy? Russia and the United States in the 19th Century I. Podcast : A Tumultuous Century: The United States and Russia from 1800 to 1900 II. Reading : None III. Assignments : No Assignment (Thanksgiving break) November 30 December 6: The World Between the World Wars (1919 1939) I. Podcast : The Contemporary World Takes Shape: An Age of Hopes and Horrors II. Reading : a) Mao Zedong, Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan, March 1924; b) Film: Leni Riefenstahl, Triumph of the Will; c) Mussolini, What is Fascism. III. Assignments : a) Study for Final Exam and make up missed work December 7 13: The Second World War and its Aftermath: World History 1939 Present I. Podcast : As History Turns into Current Events: Concluding Remarks about the Contemporary World II. Reading : No reading III. Assignments : Reading Test #4 (covers November 16 December 13) SEE STUDENT HANDBOOK FOR OTHER ACADEMIC POLICIES. End of Course Evaluation In order to gain access to final course grades, students must complete evaluations for each course attended at SMCC. Evaluations are submitted online and can be accessed through the student portal site. Students can access the course evaluation report beginning two weeks before the end of classes. The deadline for submission of evaluations occurs 24 hours after the last day of classes each semester. Instructors will announce when the online course evaluation is available. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): Southern Maine Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and employer. For more information, please call 207 741 5798. If you have a disabling condition and wish to request accommodations in order to have reasonable access to the programs and services offered by SMCC, you must register with the Disability Services Coordinator, Sandra Lynham, who can be reached at 741 5923. Further information about services for students with disabilities and the accommodation process is available upon request at this number. Course policies about online testing are modified to suit each individual s accommodations. SMCC Pay for Print Policy 4
In an effort to control the escalating cost of supplies and to encourage students to conserve resources, SMCC charges for printing. Students receive a $20 credit every semester. This credit resets for each semester and extra credit is not rolled over to the next semester. Per page costs are as follows: 8.5"x11" black and white: $0.10 per page 8.5"x11" color: $0.50 per page 8.5"x14" and 11"x17" black and white: $0.20 per page 8.5"x14" and 11"x17" color: $1.00 per page Duplex (two sided) pages are discounted 50% from the listed page costs. Students can monitor their remaining credit and number of pages printed by visiting the IT Help tab on MySMCC or by checking the Printing Information icon in the lower right corner of the screen while logged in to an SMCC computer. More information about the Pay for Print Policy is available on the IT Help tab on MySMCC. Add Drop Policy Students who drop a course during the one week add/drop period in the fall and spring semesters and the first three days of summer sessions receive a 100% refund of the tuition and associated fees for that course. Please note any course that meets for less than the traditional semester length, i.e., 15 weeks, has a pro rated add/drop period. There is no refund for non attendance. Withdrawal Policy A student may withdraw from a course only during the semester in which s/he is registered for that course. The withdrawal period is the second through twelfth week of the fall and spring semesters and the second through ninth week of twelve week summer courses. This period is pro rated for shorter length courses. To withdraw from a course, a student must complete and submit the appropriate course withdrawal form, available at the Enrollment Service Center (no phone calls, please). The designation W will appear on the transcript after a student has officially withdrawn. A course withdrawal is an uncompleted course and may adversely affect financial aid eligibility. Failure to attend or ceasing to attend class does not constitute withdrawal from the course. There is no refund associated with a withdrawal. Plagiarism Statement Adherence to ethical academic standards is obligatory. Cheating is a serious offense, whether it consists of taking credit for work done by another person or doing work for which another person will receive credit. Taking and using the ideas or writings of another person without clearly and fully crediting the source is plagiarism and violates the academic code as well as the Student Code of Conduct. If it is suspected that a student in any course in which s/he is enrolled has knowingly committed such a violation, the faculty member should refer the matter to the College s Disciplinary Officer and appropriate action will be taken under the Student Code of Conduct. Sanctions may include suspension from the course and a failing grade in the course. Students have the right to appeal these actions to the Disciplinary Committee under the terms outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. 5