Introduction to World History
History 1110/03—Spring 2011
Instructor: Dr. Jiayan Zhang
MW 11: 00am-12: 15pm SO #2034
Office: SO # 4110; Office hours: MW 10: 00am-11: 00am or by appointment
Phone: (770) 423-6340; E-mail: jzhang3@kennesaw.edu
Please read carefully and KEEP a copy, you are responsible for the contents.
Contact policy
Please do not leave message to my office phone, contact the Department of History and
Philosophy (770-423-6294) for emergency.
Prerequisite EGNL 1101 (with “C” or better).
Catalog course description
“An overview of world history which provides an introduction to the origin and development of
the world’s societies and their political, cultural, and economic traditions. The course uses a
global approach to world history.” (KSU Catalog course description)
Course objectives
As a part of the General Education Program at Kennesaw State University, the aim of this course
is to provide the students the basic knowledge of world history that is expected of an educated
person. We will look at the history of the human community from its earliest beginnings to the
present. This survey will help the students develop an appreciation of other people and other
cultures, and give a better understanding of why the world in which we live is the way it is.
Required readings
Edward H. Judge, and John W. Langdon. Connections: A World History. Vangobooks, 2009.
ISBN: 9780321107824
Classroom policies
1. Participation and attendance are mandatory, and completion of reading assignments is essential
for a success in the course. Students are required to arrive punctually for class meetings and remain
in the classroom until the class is dismissed. Students are responsible for any changes in schedules
announced in class even if they did not attend when the announcement was made.
2. Behavior properly; in an attempt to create an efficient learning environment, disruptive
behaviors will not be tolerated. Some examples of disruptive behaviors include arriving late and/or
leaving early, moving around and/or leaving the classroom, talking to your neighbors, reading
newspapers, and texting during lecture, etc. Failure to comply with these requests will not only
result in a penalty towards your grade, but may also result in your dismissal from the classroom.
3. An atmosphere of mutual trust is essential to the success of this course. Lively debates are
strongly encouraged. Students are required to respect each other’s opinions. Expressions of
intolerance are discouraged. Those who interfere with the opportunity of other students to learn
will be asked to leave, and this will affect their course grade negatively.
4. Outlines, notes, and recordings of this class are used for personal study only; no part of this
course may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, manual, or
mechanical (including note taking, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system)
for purposes of monetary gain without written permission from the instructor.
5. Laptop users: laptops are used for note-taking only, no computer game playing is allowed in
classroom; to avoid distracting other students, please sit in the back row.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELLPHONE.
In the case of borderline grades, the instructor reserves the right to adjust grades upward for good
class behaviors or downward for frequent violation of classroom policies and repeated absences.
Exams
There will be four exams: three midterms and one final. Each exam consists of multiple choices
and identification questions. Exams will cover both lectures and reading assignments, not all
materials covered in class can be found in the textbook.
All exams are non-cumulative. The final exam will only cover materials after midterm 3.
Everyone must take the final to pass the course.
NO EXTRA CREDITS.
Please keep all your returned exams through the semester.
Incomplete
Incompletes will only be given in cases of dire personal and family emergencies. In all cases, the
student must have satisfactorily (C average or higher) completed the course up to the last two
weeks of the semester.
Make-up policy
1. NO MAKE-UP EXAM (except for documented emergency or illness that is reported on or
before the exam day, makeup exams usually consist of ID questions only and should be done
within 1 week after missed exam).
2. A typed request for a make-up exam, which includes your name, telephone number, e-mail
address, and reason for missing the exam, written documentation and/or other evidence of
circumstance such as a doctor’s note, newspaper obituary, court receipt, etc., and a telephone
number for verification of your claim will be required by the instructor in order to consider your
request for a make-up exam. In the case of all documentation, students are required to bring both
the original and a photocopy for the instructor to keep. Failure to provide all necessary
documents will result in some form of penalty, including the refusal of a make-up exam. Students
are almost never allowed to make up more than one exam during a semester.
Points and Grade distribution
Points
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final
In total
90 points
90 points
100 points
120 points
400 points
Grade distribution
A = 400-360 points
B = 359-320 points
C = 319-280 points
D = 279-240 points
F = below 239 points
Grades represent what students get on exams, quizzes, and other assignments, and cannot be
negotiated because of special circumstances.
If you feel the need to question or discuss exam grade, submit a TYPED REQUEST along with
copy of your exam to the instructor who will then make an appointment to have more detailed
explanation. All questions must be submitted in writing (along with a xeroxed copy of your exam)
to the instructor on the next scheduled class day following the return of an exam. AFTER THE
NEXT SCHEDULED CLASS ALL ARGUMENTS WILL BE CONSIDERED CLOSED AND
THE INSTRUCTOR WILL NO LONGER BE WILLING TO DISCUSS MATTERS
RELATING TO PREVIOUS EXAM. Submitting request for review of your exam usually does
not result in change of your exam grade (since there are usually valid reasons for deduction of
some points as well as for fairness to other students) unless you submit a very strong argument.
After the final exam and course grade has been given, no extra work or retakes will be allowed.
Privacy and special considerations
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects confidentiality of educational
records. Grades will not be given over the phone, through a fellow student, or by e-mail in this
course.
Any student who is entitled to special assistance because of a disability must present the
appropriate form to the instructor. This should be done at the beginning of the term in order that
arrangements can be made in a timely manner to furnish the needed assistance.
Academic integrity:
“Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct,
as published in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs. Section II of the Student Code of
Conduct addresses the University’s policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding
plagiarism and cheating, unauthorized access to University materials,
misrepresentation/falsification of University records or academic work, malicious removal,
retention, or destruction of library materials, malicious/intentional misuse of computer facilities
and/or services, and misuse of student identification cards. Incidents of alleged academic
misconduct will be handled through the established procedures of the University Judiciary
Program, which includes either an “informal” resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a
grade adjustment, or a formal hearing procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of
Conduct's minimum one semester suspension requirement.” (KSU Faculty Handbook 3.18)
Cheating and Plagiarism
Cheating and plagiarism will result in an automatic failing class grade and will be referred to the
KSU judicial board.
Interpretation of and changes to this syllabus
The instructor reserves the absolute right to make pedagogically appropriate adjustments to this
syllabus. All questions on this syllabus shall be resolved by consulting the instructor. The
instructor reserves the right to change the Course Calendar, the dates of quizzes and exams, the
instructor’s office hours, and other components of this syllabus, as appropriate. Announcements
of such changes and/or amendments will be given in advance.
Course calendar: Lecture topics and reading assignments (subject to change)
All chapters, sections, and pages list below are from Edward H. Judge, and John W. Langdon.
Connections: A World History. Vangobooks, 2009
Date
1. 10
1. 12
1. 17
1. 19
Lecture topics
Introduction to the course
Understanding world history
Holiday, no class
Pre-history
1. 24
1. 26
1. 31
2. 2
Mesopotamia
Ancient Egyptian Civilization
Ancient Indian Civilization
Review for exam 1
Ancient Chinese Civilization
2. 7
2. 9
Exam 1, in class
Ancient Greek Civilization
2. 14
2. 16
Ancient Rome
From Jesus to Christ
2. 21
2. 23
Introduction to Buddhism
Introduction to Islam
Review for exam 2
Medieval East Asia
2. 28
Reading assignments (Chapters, sections, and pages)
Chap. 1: The Origins and Impact of Agriculture
(pp.10-16)
Chap. 2: Early West Asian Societies (pp.25-32)
Chap. 2: Early Northeast African Societies (pp.36-43)
Chap. 3: Vedic India: The Aryan Impact (pp.59-63)
Chap. 4: The Classic Age of Chinese Philosophy
(pp.89-94)
Chap. 7: The Arts and Philosophy in Classical Greece
(pp.166-170)
Chap. 8: The Birth of the Roman Empire (pp.193-198)
Chap. 8: Roman Religion & the Rise of Christianity
(pp.198-202)
Chap. 3: The Religions of India (pp.63-66)
Chap. 11: The Rise of Islam (pp.262-266)
Chap. 14: Highlights and Hallmarks of Chinese Society
(pp.338-342)
3. 2
Exam 2, in class
3. 7,9 Spring break, no class
3. 14
Last day to withdraw without academic penalty
3. 14 The Crusade
Chap. 16: Conflicts and Connections Between Europe
and Islam (pp.383-389)
3. 16 The Mongol Empire
Chap. 15: The Mongol Impact: Connections and
Consequences (pp.373-379)
3. 21 European Oversea Expansion
Chap. 19: The Iberian Impulse (pp.458-464)
3. 23 The Protestant Reformation and the Chap. 20: Roots of the Reformation (pp.483-485);
Scientific Revolution
Chap. 24: The Scientific Revolution (pp.592-595)
3. 28 Colonialism
Chap. 23: The Atlantic Slave Trade (pp.561-566)
3. 30 Industrial Revolution
Chap. 27: The Industrial Revolution in Britain
Review for exam 3
(pp.664-668)
4. 4
Exam 3, in class
4. 6
West met East
4. 11
New Imperialism
4. 13
4. 18
World War I
World War II
4. 20
4. 25
4. 27
5. 2
The Forgotten Holocaust
The Cold War
Globalization
Reflection and Review
Chap. 29: Instability and Endurance in China
(pp.728-736)
Chap. 30: The Age of Imperialism in Africa
(pp.771-778)
Chap. 31: The Path to War and Revolution (pp.783-789)
Chap. 33: East Asia and the Pacific, 1937-1942
(pp.856-859)
Chap. 33: Nazi Mass Murder (pp.863-866)
Chap. 34: Origins of the Cold War (pp.878-883)
Final exam: Monday, May 9, 9: 30am-11: 30am