MASTER COURSE OUTLINE
Big Bend Community College
Date: March 2008
DEPT. HIST&
NO: 117
(Formerly: HIS 102)
COURSE TITLE: Western Civilization II
CIP Code:
Intent Code:
Program Code
54.0101
11
N/A
Distribution Desig.:
Social Science
Prepared By:
Christopher P. Riley
Credits:
Total Contact Hours Per Qtr.:
Lecture Hours Per Qtr.:
Lab Hours Per Qtr.:
Other Hours Per Qtr.:
5
55
55
Course Description:
From early modern Europe to the Napoleonic wars in the 19th century, this course
examines Western Civilization in transition: the Renaissance and Reformation;
commercial expansion into the Americas, Africa, and Asia; absolutism, science, the
Enlightenment, and Revolutions.
Prerequisites:
None
Texts: The Western Heritage, 7th Ed., by Donald Kagan, et al.
Other appropriate texts as assigned by the instructor.
Course Goals:
1) To introduce students to their cultural and historical past from western civilization
2) To assist students in understanding the development of ideas and institutions that
define modern civilization
3) To give students perspective to better understand the present
4) To introduce students to religious and philosophical debates that have shaped
western civilization
Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1) Identify and discuss the development of the major nation-states in Europe
2) Identify and describe the development of sovereignty
3) Define the significant terms used in telling the story of western civilization from
1500 to 1800
4) Discuss the impact of European discovery of the Americas
5) Describe the effects of the Reformation at all its various stages across western
Europe and the contrasting achievements of the Counter-Reformation as well
6) Identify the major scientists and their discoveries
7) Discuss the rise of absolutism and constitutionalism
8) Discuss the culture of Elizabethan England and compare it with France or Spain
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9) Discuss the philosophic arguments to come out of he French Enlightenment
10) Describe Napoleon’s rise, fall, and accomplishments
11) Discuss the reasons for, course of, and results of the Thirty Years War
12) Describe the divergence in the political evolution of Eastern and Western Europe
13) Describe the rise of nationalism
Course Content Outline:
I)
Renaissance
II)
Exploration and Discovery
III)
Reformation
IV)
Counter-Reformation
V)
The Age of Religious Wars
VI)
Absolutism
VII) Constitutionalism
VIII) The Scientific Revolution
IX)
Living in the 17th & 18th Centuries
X)
Growth of Mercantilism & Adam Smith
XI)
The Enlightenment in France
XII) The Enlightenment outside of France
XIII) The American Revolution & its Impact in Western Europe
XIV) French Revolution
XV) Napoleon’s rise & fall
Evaluation Methods/Grading Procedures:
Instructors may utilize a combination of the following:
1) A single one-hour midterm consisting of terms for identification and short and
long essay questions.
2) A two-hour final exam consisting of the same mix of questions as above.
3) Critical papers required, in which students must evaluate the arguments put
forward by the assigned authors and determine the historical relevance of their
varying attitudes.
4) Students will be required to meet with the instructor once during the term to
evaluate their performance with course materials.
Planned Teaching Methods/Learning Strategies:
X
__
__
__
Lecture
Laboratory
Supervised Clinical
Special Project
X
X
X
Small Group Discussion
Audiovisual
Individualized Instruction
Other (List)
____________________________________
Division Chair Approval
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