|Dr. Maritere López
||Office: Social Science Bldg. 120
|Office hours: T/Th 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
||Phone #: 278-6021
Course Description: The
aim of this course is to examine the nature and developments of world
to approximately 1500 C.E. We will concentrate on two broad themes: 1) man's
relationship to nature and the divine, that is, science and religion; and 2)
man's relationship to other men, in terms of political norms, social order, and
selective cross-cultural borrowing/rejection (acculturation). To investigate
these topics efficiently, the course is divided into six modules, each focusing
on two geographical areas explored in turn. For each module, we then turn our
attention to a bridge experience or theme, broadening our examination to
encompass the ways in which peoples across the globe interacted with, reacted
to, and learned from one another.
For Student Learning Outcomes, see pp. 6-7 below.
Required readings: All required books are available at the Kennel
William J and Jackson J. Spielvogel. World
History to 1500, 5th edition. United States:
Juan, trans. The Bhagavad-Gita. London,
New York: Penguin Books, 1976.
Note: Several additional required readings are available solely through our
BlackBoard site. These readings include:
Selections from The Epic of Gilgamesh. N.K. Sandars,
trans. New York: Penguin Books, 1972.
Selections from The Egyptian Book of the Dead.
Available at Internet Ancient History Sourcebook (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.html)
Selections from The Book of Genesis. Available at
Exploring Ancient World Cultures (http://eawc.evansville.edu/anthology/genesis.htm)
Selections from Confucius' Analects. Available at Internet East
Asian History Sourcebook (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/eastasia/eastasiasbook.html)
Foltz, Richard C. "Buddhism and
the Silk Road." In Religions of the Silk
Road: Overland Trade and Cultural Exchange from Antiquity to the Fifteenth
Century, 37-59. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1999.
Selections from Homer's The Odyssey. Robert Fagles, trans.
London, New York: Penguin Books, 1996.
Selections from Virgil's The Aeneid. Available at Internet
Ancient History Sourcebook (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.html)
Selections from Plutarch's Life of Alexander. Available at
Internet Ancient History Sourcebook (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.html)
Selections from Al-Bakari's Descriptions of Ghana. Available at
Boston University's Africa Studies Center website (http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/allmaterials.html#country-ghanakingdom)
Selections from Al-Umari's Description of Mansa Musa's 1324 Visit to
Cairo. Available at Boston University's African Studies Center website (http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/materials/handouts/k_o_mali.html)
Selections from The Q'uran.
Selections from Abû Ûthmân
al-Jâhiz's The Essays (Arab Muslim views on the Zanj, Black
Africans). Available at Internet Medieval History Sourcebook (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.html)
Selections from The New Testament.
Selections from The Song of Roland. Dorothy L. Sayers,
trans. New York: Penguin, 1957.
Selections from "A
Christian/Moslem Debate of the Twelfth Century." Available at The Internet
Medieval Sourcebook (www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html)
Alberti, Leon Battista. "Self-Portrait
of a Universal Man." In James B. Ross and Mary M. McLaughlin, eds. The Portable Renaissance Reader, 480-492.
New York: Penguin, 1953.
Selections from Christopher
Columbus's Journal of the First Voyage to
America. Available at Internet Medieval History Sourcebook (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.html)
Selections from Amerigo Vespucci's Letters. Available at Internet Modern
History Sourcebook (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1497vespucci-america.html)
Selections from The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the
Conquest of Mexico. Miguel Leon-Portilla, ed. And Lysander Kemp, trans.
Boston: Beacon Press: 1962.
I realize that many of you
are taking more than one class and are probably working as well. However,
enrolling in this course means that you and I have a contractual obligation to
one another: I am obligated to teach you to the best of my ability, to be
available during office hours, and to answer your questions whenever possible;
you are obligated to complete the readings and writing assignments in a timely
manner, and to participate actively in the process of learning. The course
policies were designed with this in mind, and include:
Specific instructions for
each assignment will be made available in class. However, general guidelines
are as follows:
in this course is absolutely critical, especially because class lectures are
not solely based on your textbook. Since all exams and paper assignments will
be based on my lectures and class discussions, missing class will surely lead
to a failing grade in the course. You are allowed only three (3) absences
without penalty. After that, your final grade will decrease by 50 points with every absence. For
example, if you miss five classes during the session and your cumulative grade
was an 840, you will receive a C (790) for your final grade.
participation is crucial to the success of this course. Therefore, you
are expected to 'chip in' as much as possible, both in discussion sessions and lectures. Note: coming to class is NOT enough. You
must have read and critically thought about the material, and must be willing
to participate in class discussion. Shyness is not an excuse; learning
to share your ideas is part of the exercise! Note: if you are not
prepared for class (i.e. if you have not done the readings or thought
critically about them), you will be asked to leave the room - and this will
count as an absence!
successfully does not mean knowing all the answers; it means engaging the
material to the best of your ability at
all times. You may, of course, answer questions either I or your
classmates pose. However, asking relevant questions, presenting pertinent arguments
that link the materials covered, and/or any other appropriate expression of
your engagement of the material counts towards participation.
active participation in the learning process is of such importance that
Participation counts for 200 points. Yes, it counts twice as much as any other
assignment! For specifics, see the Participation Rubric (available on
will have to take two online exams. These exams are meant to test your knowledge of basic historical facts
and debates. Since all other course assignments measure your analytical
understanding of the course's themes through written essays, these exams are
solely composed of multiple choice questions. However, please be aware that
the questions are not always simple and/or basic! Pay particular attention in
class to comparative data and historiographical considerations.
dates are noted in the Schedule (handed out separately).
exam will consist of twenty-five multiple choice questions. Each exam will account
for 100 points of your final grade. I will make a review sheet available on
BlackBoard in advance of each test date.
Exams are timed. You will have one hour to complete the multiple
choice and identifications. For each minute beyond the allotted sixty, you
will be penalized 5 points. You must complete the exam by the designated time,
after which the exam will be automatically removed. EXAMS NOT COMPLETED ON
TIME WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF ZERO.
part of your course requirements, you must also complete six short comparative
assignments. I will hand out separately specific instructions for each
assignment, but general guidelines are as follows:
1. As per the very descriptive title
of this section, your essays must be comparative.
This means that you must first analyze critically each assigned source
individually, and then evaluate it in the context of the other sources for the
2. Remember to think of the sources
in the context of our lectures and discussions. What sort of issues have we
been investigating? What sort of theme are we probing? Think of the ways in
which the sources reflect the myriad ways in which cultures and societies
interact with and learn from one another.
3. It is crucial to answer the
unspoken "So what?" What does the comparison of the sources tell us about each
of the cultures/societies studied, and what do they tell us about World History
4. All comparative assignments are to
be submitted in correct essay form, with an introduction and thesis, body, and
5. Essays should be 2-3 pages in
length, in 12 pt. font and with 1-inch margins. Give yourself sufficient time
and space to develop and prove your arguments. Don't cheat yourself for the
sake of saving a page of work!
6. To support your assertions about
the assigned readings, you must correctly quote from and annotate them. Remember:
when in doubt, annotate! For correct annotation style, see the Footnote "Cheat
Sheet" (available on BlackBoard)
information on assignment grading, see the Assignment Grading Rubric (also available
Please note: PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF ZERO FOR THE
ASSIGNMENT, AND SUCH INSTANCES WILL BE REPORTED TO THE UNIVERSITY. AS WITH
EVERYTHING ELSE, LATE PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF
Statues of the Buddha
Ancient Western Heroisms
African Trade Maps
Christian and Moslem Views
European and Aztec Views of Conquest
Total Possible Points
- 900 = A
899 - 800 = B
799 - 700 = C
699 - 600 = D
599 - 0 = F
papers and missed exams:
me reiterate: exams and comparative assignments must be completed/submitted on
time (as designated on the schedule below). I WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGNMENTS. Failure to complete an
assignment will result in a grade of zero for the assignment.
exception to the rule above is failure to complete an assignment due to a
serious and unavoidable cause, such as a documented medical condition or
family emergency. In such cases, I will assign you a new due-date.
will be available for consultation during regular office hours, as listed
above. Take advantage of this opportunity to ask questions, ask for
clarifications, or just to chat: using office hours will allow you to get a
better feel for the class and will give you the opportunity to make sure what I
expect from you and what you understand I expect from you are the same thing!
This class will follow
University guidelines as described in the University Catalog.
and plagiarism are serious offenses that could have extremely serious
consequences such as probation, suspension, or expulsion from the University.
At the very least, cheating in this
class will result in an immediate F for the assignment, and such cases will be
reported to the appropriate authorities.
defined in University's Policies webpage
(http://www-catalog.admin.csufresno.edu/current/policies.html), "cheating is
the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the
purpose of improving a grade or obtaining course credit. Typically, such acts
occur in relation to examinations. It is the intent of this definition that the
term cheating not be limited to examinations situations only, but that it
include any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an unearned
academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive means." Cheating includes, but
is not limited to, plagiarism. This is "a specific form of cheating that consists
of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by
misrepresenting the material so used as one's own work."
Using someone else's work without giving them credit (that is, annotating) is
plagiarism. This includes downloading
information from the Internet and presenting it as your own, as well as getting
someone else to write a paper or assignment for you.
identifying themselves to me and to the university, students with disabilities
will receive reasonable accommodation for learning and evaluation. For more
information, contact Services to Students with Disabilities in Madden Library
are expected to be respectful of the professor and your classmates. Pagers,
cellular phones, and personal stereo systems must be turned off and put away
prior to the beginning of class. Talking to your classmates while I am trying
to lecture is unacceptable. Reading the newspaper or any material not related
to class is also unacceptable. The use of any tobacco products is prohibited
by law, and smoking or chewing tobacco are not allowed in the classroom. If
you do not comply with the regulations above, you will be asked to leave the
room and will be held responsible for any material you might have missed. For
further information on what is considered disruptive behavior in the classroom,
see the University Policy on Disruptive Classroom Behavior (APM 419).
"At California State University, Fresno, computers and communications links to
remote resources are recognized as being integral to the education and research
experience. Every student is required to have his/her own computer or have
other personal access to a workstation (including a modem and a printer) with
all of the recommended software….In the curriculum and class assignments,
students are presumed to have 24 hour access to a computer workstation and the
necessary communications links to the University's information resources."
(From the University Catalog)
laws and fair use policies protect the rights of those who have produced the
material. The copy in this course has been provided for private study,
scholarship, or research. Other uses may require permission from the copyright
holder. The user of this work is responsible for adhering to copyright law of
the U.S. (Title 17, U.S. Code). To help you familiarize yourself with
copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its
copyright we page.
Campus course web sites contain material protected by copyrights held by the
instructor, other individuals or institutions. Such material is used for
educational purposes in accord with copyright law and/or with permission given
by the owners of the original material. You may download one copy of the
materials on any single computer for non-commercial, personal, or educational
purposes only, provided that you (1) do not modify it, (2) use it only for the
duration of this course, and (3) include both this notice and any copyright
notice originally included with the material. Beyond this use, no material
from the course web site may not be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded,
posted or transmitted or distributed in any way without the permission of the
original copyright holder. The instructor assumes no responsibility for
individuals who improperly use copyrighted material placed on the web site.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. General Education Fulfillment:
course fulfills the requirement for Area D, Social Science (D3), which aims to
help students analyze and understand the basic principles underlying human
social behavior. Students successfully completing courses in Area D3 will be
Apply the methodologies and analytical concepts necessary to evaluate society
today and promote more effective participation in the human community; and
Explain the influence of major social, cultural, economic and political forces
on societal behavior and institutions; or
Demonstrate an understanding of different cultures and ethnic diversity through
the use of comparative methods and cross-cultural perspectives.
2. Development of writing, communication
and critical thinking skills:
class fulfills the University's General Education Program by encouraging the
development of student's communication and writing skills and by fostering
disciplined thinking and sustained reflection on complex questions. Every
lower division general education course requires that students write and submit
formal essays of at least 2,000 words (approximately 7-8 double spaced typed
pages). According to university policy, this portion of your grade may be
distributed among several written assignments. This course will also challenge
you to conduct high-level discussions related to the discipline of history.
3. Historical literacy and knowledge in
the following broad subject areas:
the conclusion of this course students will be able to:
impact of physical geography on ancient civilizations, especially the use of
water and the potential for invasion (Content Domain for Subject Understanding
intellectual contributions, artistic forms, and traditions (including the
religious beliefs) of these civilizations (Content Domain for Subject Matter
patterns of trade and commerce that influenced these civilizations (Content
Domain for Subject Matter Understanding 1.1.3)
decline of the Western Roman Empire and the development of feudalism as a
social and economic system in Europe and Japan (Content Domain for Subject
Matter Understanding 1.2.2).
role of Christianity in medieval and early modern Europe, its expansion beyond
Europe (Content Domain for Subject Matter Understanding 1.2.5).
role of Islam and its impact on Arabia, Africa, Europe and Asia (Content Domain
for Subject Matter Understanding 1.2.6)
patterns of the early modern Age of Discovery
Thinking and Writing Skills:
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to
cultural, historical, economic and political characteristics of world regions,
including human features of the regions such as population, land use patterns
and settlement patterns (Content Domain for Subject Matter Understanding 4.5) .
interpret and evaluate research evidence in history and the social sciences
(Content Domain for Subject Matter Understanding 4.7).
primary and secondary sources, including written documents, narratives,
photographs, art and artifacts revealed through archeology (Content Domain for
Subject Matter Understanding 4.8).
textbooks and contrast differing points of view on historic and current events
in relation to confirmed research evidence (Content Domain for Subject Matter
discuss in the interpretation of historical and current events multiple causes
and effects (Content Domain for Subject Matter Understanding 4.10).
5. Specialized historical knowledge for
Liberal Studies Majors:
successfully completing the assigned readings, lectures, quizzes, examinations
and essays for this course, students will analyze and understand historical
subjects comprising nearly all of the specific sixth- and seventh-grade content
standards that are required knowledge for all history and social science
teachers in California's public schools. This will especially benefit student
participating in CSU Fresno's Liberal Studies Program. In order to avoid
needless repetition of the grade-specific standards, this syllabus will
indicate by number the content standards covered each week of the course in the
Tentative Course Schedule. Liberal Studies students may obtain the
grade-specific standards covered in this course by visiting the website of the
California Department of Education, which is available at
the links to the sixth-grade and eighth-grade content standards that are
referenced in this syllabus. You will not be able to understand the content
standard's numbering system without referencing the California Department of
the conclusion of this course students will have used a variety of word
processing programs, some kind of presentation software, Blackboard, and
Internet resources. Students should have a basic familiarity with the
operation of the programs as well as their uses in obtaining historical
California Department of Education Sixth and Seventh
Grade Content Standards
Duiker and Spielvogel, World History to 1400: Table of Contents
Correlated to Content Standards
Part I: The First
Civilizations and the Rise of Empires
1: The First Civilizations: The People of Western Asia and Egypt
Hunter-Gatherers of the Old Stone Age
Emergence of Civilization
Civilization: "The Gift of the Nile"
Centers of Civilization
Rise of New Empires
1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3
2: Ancient India
to the Emergence of Civilization in India
Civilization: A Fascinating Enigma
Arrival of the Aryans
the Wheel of Life: The Religious World of Ancient India
Rule of the Fishes: India after the Mauryas
Exuberant World of Indian Culture
1.2.2, 1.2.6, 1.1.2
3: China in Antiquity
Land and People of China
Dawn of Chinese Civilization: The Shang Dynasty
Rise of the Chinese Empire: The Qin and the Han
Life in Ancient China
World of Culture
4: The Civilization of the Greeks
Greeks in a Dark Age (c. 1100 – c. 750 B.C.E.)
World of the Greek City-States (c. 750 – c. 500 B.C.E.)
High Point of Greek Civilization: Classical Greece
Rise of Macedonia and the Conquests of Alexander
World of the Hellenistic Kingdoms
in the Hellenistic World
5: The Roman World
Emergence of Rome
Roman Conquest of the Mediterranean (264 – 133 B.C.E.)
Decline and Fall of the Roman Republic (133 – 31 B.C.E.)
Age of Augustus (31 B.C.E. – 14 C.E.)
Early Empire (14 – 180)
and Society in the Roman World
in the Roman World: The Rise of Christianity
Part II: New Patterns of
6: The New World
Civilization in Central America
First Civilizations on South America
Societies in the New World
7: The World of Islam
Rise of Islam
Teachings of Muhammad
Arab Empire and its Successors
8: Early Civilizations in Africa
Emergence of Civilization
Coming of Islam
Africa and the Indian Ocean Trade
Building in West Africa
and Stateless Societies in Southern Africa
of African Society
Beliefs in Traditional Africa
9: The Expansion of Civilization in Southern Asia
from the Mauryas to the Mughals
Golden Region: Early Southeast Asia
10: From the Tang to the Mongols: The Flowering of Traditional China
after the Han
Reunified: The Sui, the Tang, and the Song
in Central Asia: The Mongol Empire
Search of the Way (Buddhism and Daoism)
Apogee of Chinese Culture
1.2.1, 1.2.5, 1.2.6, 1.2.8
11: The East Asian Rimlands: Early Japan, Korea, and Vietnam
Land of the Rising Sun
The Smaller Dragon
12: The Making of Europe and the World of the Byzantine Empire, 500-1300
Transformation of the Roman World
World of Feudalism
Growth of European Kingdoms
World of the Peasants
New World of Trade and Cities
and Medieval Civilization
Intellectual and Artistic World of the High Middle Ages
Byzantine Empire and the Crusades
1.2.5, 1.2.6, 1.2.8
13: Crisis and Rebirth: Europe in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries
Time of Trouble: Black Death and Social Crisis
Instability and Political Renewal
Decline of the Church
and Characteristics of the Italian Renaissance
Changes in the Renaissance
Intellectual Renaissance in Italy
* I reserve the right to modify this syllabus. You will be notified of
all changes, and will be given notice with enough time to complete your
assignments as required. If you are absent from class, it is your
responsibility to check on announcements made while you were absent.