Syllabus for HIS-101-OL

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Western Civilization I is the first semester of a two-semester survey of the history of Western societies, institutions, and ideas, and the impact they have had on global culture over time. Starting with the emergence of a European civilization that was distinct from the classical world on whose foundations it was partly built, this course traces the major developments in the formation of Western Civilization to the final defeat of Napoleon in 1815.

Western Civilization I offers a broad overview of events that played an important role in shaping the development of western thought, culture, and tradition as we know them today. The course synthesizes various approaches to the telling of history by focusing on political as well as social events. Integrating such diverse disciplines as religion, government, and economics, it aims to provide a foundation of knowledge that will allow you to better understand the origins of social, political, and religious institutions of the present day.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing Western Civilization I, you should be able to discuss:

• The major contributions of the Greeks and Romans to Western Civilization



• The factors that led to the decline and fall of Rome.



• The emergence after the fall of Rome of a vibrant and distinct European culture centered north of the Mediterranean.



• The influence of Christianity on the development of Western Civilization and the power of the Roman Catholic Church.



• The Renaissance and the profound changes it brought about in Europe.



• The development of modern nations with strong central governments built on the foundations of feudal kingdoms in England, France and Spain.



• The reasons for the Reformation and the fundamental religious, social, and political changes brought about by this movement and the resulting 'Wars of Religion.'



• The economic, social, and political impact that the discovery of the New World had on Europe.



• The emergence of a global economy during the eighteenth century and the political and economic consequences.



• The policy of 'balance of power' practiced by European Powers in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.



• The struggle between kings who believed their power was absolute and granted by God, and representative bodies, such as parliament.



• The fundamental differences that separated West and East Europe.



• The Westernization of Russia under Peter the Great and the rise of Prussia as a major power.



• The fundamental and far-reaching changes that the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment set in motion starting during the seventeenth century.



• The "Democratic Revolution" that took place in Europe and the Americas during the late eighteenth- early nineteenth centuries.



• The causes and consequences of the American and French Revolutions.



• The rise and fall of Napoleon.

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COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete the work of the course. These materials are available from the textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Textbook

A History of the Modern World to 1815, 10th ed., by R. R. Palmer, Joel Colton, and Lloyd Kramer (McGraw Hill, 2007).

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COURSE STRUCTURE

Western Civilization I is a three-credit, online course consisting of six modules. Each module is built around one or more chapters in your textbook. At the end of each module, you will complete a written assignment. You are required to participate in three online discussions. You will take a proctored midterm examination and an unproctored online final examination.

For the course's assignment modules (study assignments, online discussions, and written assignments), go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.

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ONLINE PARTICIPATION

Western Civilization I has three (3) graded online discussions, each focusing on a different subject. There is also an ungraded but required discussion in Module 1 titled "Introductions." All class discussions take place on the class Discussion Board.

Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

For additional information on online discussions, see Online Discussions in the Online Student Handbook.

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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

Western Civilization I has six (6) written assignments. Each written assignment tests your comprehension of reading material assigned in the appropriate module and consists of short answer questions and essay questions. For each assignment you can choose any three (3) of the short answer questions and any two (2) of the essay questions to answer.

The short answer and essay questions in your assignments are designed to help you focus on the most important issues and themes presented in the module in which they appear. For that reason you will see a direct correlation between the questions in your written assignments and the modular learning objectives.

Please note that while you are not required to hand-in all of the questions in the written assignments, you should be able to answer any of them since there may be similar questions in your examinations.

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site, and read through the written assignment questions before you begin each lesson. Your answers to the assignment questions should be well developed and convey your understanding of the course materials. Formulate responses in your own words (do not merely copy answers from your reading materials), citing text materials where appropriate and in an appropriate manner.

Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.

Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.

When satisfied that your assignment represents your best work, submit it to your mentor by means of the

>>View/Complete Assignment