A HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION
Concurrent Enrollment CLC History 1406
Instructor: Daren D. Blanck, M.S.
Prerequisites: Overall GPA of 3.25 or 3.0 with teacher approval Credit: 1
Text: Western Civilization, Spielvogel, Jackson J.
Week 1 (Jan. 25-29)
Class Intro, The First Civilizations (Ch. 1)
Stone Age NOTES 1
Early Mesopotamian Civilizations NOTES 2
ESSAY Assignment 1
Hammurabi's Code READING
Ancient Egypt NOTES 3
Ugaritic ACTIVITY
Week 2 (Feb. 1-5) [GROUP A TUTORIAL]
Peoples and Empires (Ch. 2)
The Hebrews NOTES 4
Empires and Peoples of the Fertile Crescent NOTES 5
Ancient Near East Map Review Activity
Week 3 (Feb. 8-11)
Review, Test 1 - The Ancient Near East
The Civilization of the Greeks (Ch. 3)
Early Greek Culture NOTES 6
ESSAY Assignment 2
Week 4 (Feb. 16-19) [GROUP B TUTORIAL]
The Civilization of the Greeks (continued)
Athens and Sparta ACTIVITY
The Persian War NOTES 7
Classical Greece: The Age of Pericles and the Persian War NOTES 8
Week 5 (Feb. 22-26) [GROUP C TUTORIAL]
The Hellenistic World (Ch. 4)
The Empire of Alexander and the Hellenistic World NOTES 9
The Real Alexander READING
Greek Culture ACTIVITY
ESSAY Assignment 3
Week 6 (Mar. 1-5) [GROUP D TUTORIAL]
The Roman Republic (Ch. 5): GRP 3 9/28
The Roman Republic NOTES 10
The Twelve Tables HANDOUT
Selections from Plutarch OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
Week 7 (Mar. 8-12) [GROUP A TUTORIAL]
The Roman Empire (Ch. 6)
The Roman Empire (Part 1) NOTES 11
The Roman Empire (Part 2) NOTES 12
The Fall of Rome HANDOUT/ACTIVITY
Who's Who Roman REVIEW
Week 8 (Mar. 15-19) [GROUP B TUTORIAL]
Review, Test 2 - Greece and Rome
The Emergence of Medieval Civilization (Ch. 7)
Development of the Church NOTES 1
Halloween: A Haunted History NOTES
ESSAY Assignment 4
Week 9 (Mar. 22-26) [GROUP C TUTORIAL -- END OF QTR. 3]
The Early Middle Ages (Ch. 8)
The Rise of Islam NOTES
The Viking Age NOTES
The Name of the Rose: VIEWING GUIDE
ESSAY Assignment 5
Week 10 (Apr. 5-9) [GROUP D TUTORIAL]
The High Middle Ages (Ch. 9&10)
Feudalism NOTES
Medieval Cathedral NOTES
The Crusades as a Lens READING
The Crusades NOTES #1
The Crusades NOTES #2
Medieval Character Research and Presentations
ESSAY Assignment 6
Week 11 (Apr. 12-16) [GROUP A TUTORIAL]
The Late Middle Ages (Ch. 11)
100 Years' War NOTES
Black Plague NOTES
Essay Assignment 7
Review, Test 3 - The Medieval World
Week 12 (Apr. 19-23) [GROUP B TUTORIAL]
The Age of Renaissance (Ch. 12)
Renaissance Notes #1 (Setting the Stage)
Renaissance Philosophy and Education NOTES
ESSAY Assignment 8
Begin work on Renaissance Thinkers, Artists, and Writers Presentations (Due May 24)
Week 13 (Apr. 26-30) [GROUP C TUTORIAL]
The Age of Reformation (Ch. 13)
The Great Schism and Aftermath NOTES
Luther, Zwingli and the Anabaptists NOTES
Week 14 (May 3-7) [GROUP D TUTORIAL]
The Age of Reformation (Continued)
Calvin in Geneva and the Anglicans NOTES
The Catholic Counter Reformation NOTES
Week 15 (May 10-14)
Discovery and Crisis (Ch. 14)
Wars of Religion NOTES
Elizabeth I NOTES
Week 16 (May 17-20)
The Scientific Revolution (Ch. 16)
Essay Assignment 9
Week 17 (May 24-28)
Renaissance Thinkers, Artists, and Writers Presentations
Week 18 (June 1-3)
Review, Test 3 - The Renaissance and Reformation
Essays: 7 Essays @ 50 pts ea
As a student’s proficiency in history can best be measured by evaluating his/her writing, 10 essays will be assigned throughout the semester. Seven of these essays will be selected at random for full grading at 50 points each. The remaining three will count as "completed" for 5 points each. Students will not have the opportunity to choose which papers will be counted for "full grading" and which papers will count as "completed". All essays are due when assigned and are expected to be written to the same standard.
An essay turned in one day late is worth 1/2 credit. Essays will not be accepted after one day. Essays must be at least 3 pages in length, typed, double-spaced, 1” margins, 12-14 pt. font, and must contain at least 3 valid citations, one of which may be your text. See the Chicago Style Guide for more detail. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. No credit will be granted for essays found to contain plagiarized material. A student found to have plagiarized material in more than one essay will not receive credit for this class.
Projects: 150-250 pts
At least three projects will be assigned including two presentations and a visual arts project.
"Tutorial" Groups: 10 pts/session
You will be required to participate in a tutorial group three times, or approximately once every six weeks. You will be expected to defend an essay written during the previous two weeks. You will be expected to know and understand the material you have written about and respond to questions. You will also be expected to ask intelligent questions of your classmates during these sessions.
Tests: 4 Unit tests of 75-150 pts. ea.
There will be four unit tests as outlined above. These tests are difficult multiple choice, matching, and essay examinations that conform to MNSCU post-secondary examination standards. Each test might be considered a “Final Exam”. You will be expected to know and understand the reading material and notes taken in class for these tests. Studying will be required.
Positive Participation:
You will receive participation points by: 1) Coming to class prepared with a notebook, textbook, pen or pencil and any assigned work. 2) Coming to class on time, 3) Refraining from disruptive behavior, and 4) Participating in class activities and discussions.
Extra Credit: up to 100 pts
You may also contract for up to 50 extra credit points by completing a written analysis of a book relevant to the course material. If you choose this option you must receive pre-approval of the book you wish to read. A more extensive description of this option is available. This option may be used once. Other extra credit options may be considered but you may not earn more than 100 extra credit points. (see Motion Picture Critical Analysis Page)
Make-up Policy:
You may make up a test according to the standard PLHS make-up policy. Assigned essays for which you are responsible must be submitted the day you return unless other arrangements were made prior to your absence. It is your responsibility to obtain notes, handouts, and assignments for days you have missed.
Grades:
Your grades may be accessed at any time using your Skyward Student Access account. Get your password from the office and keep it for your use. I will print out progress reports periodically but not on demand.
Website:
A copy of this course syllabus is on my website at blanckd.yolasite.com/western-civilization.php Pdf versions of most course assignments and lecture notes are also here.
Need for Assistance
Special needs students are to self advocate by informing the instructor of their disability, necessary accommodations, and case manager name.
Syllabus Changes
This syllabus may be subject to change as the course progresses. Any changes will be announced.
