History 105: World History I
Dr. Allen Dieterich-Ward
Office: Horton Hall 304
ajdieterichward@ship.edu
Phone: 477-1192
Fall 2007
Section 09
Gilbert Hall 230
MWF 9:00-9:50
Office Hours: Monday 1:00-3:00
Thursday 3:00-5:00 Other times by appointment.
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World History I is an introduction to global history from about 400,000 B.C.E. to 1500 C.E. It
begins at the limits of our knowledge of human prehistory and ends at a time when contacts
between relatively discrete cultures were becoming more frequent and intense. Through
readings, writing assignments, and in-class discussion, you will gain a greater understanding of
the geography, social and political systems, and culture of a wide variety of the world’s peoples.
We will also focus on the myriad ways in which contact and exchange between cultures shaped
human development.
This course does not aim to cover the entire breadth of the world’s history comprehensively.
Instead, we will identify major patterns and themes that help explain why the world is at it is.
During each class session, we will focus on important case studies that highlight overarching
trends in global development. Your goal as a historian will be to analyze how these specific
examples relate to the larger patterns. An essential component of this project will be to compare
case studies from different geographical regions and times in order to make our conclusions
more meaningful.
Since this is one of your first college courses, World History I is designed to develop skills
essential for your success in college and beyond. You will enhance your ability to comprehend
and critique primary sources and historical writings. You will learn to construct well organized,
clear, and concise arguments supported by evidence. You will also learn how to convey these
arguments to others through writing assignments and in-class discussion.
Requirements
I expect you to be present and prepared for every class meeting and to participate actively in the
discussion. You must complete assigned readings on time and hand writing assignments in at the
beginning of class on the day they are due. You should also consult the course website
(Blackboard) routinely for graded assignments, readings, class updates, and general course
information.
Required Texts
Alfred Andrea and James Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History, vol. 1, 5th
ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005).
Jerry Bentley, Heather Streets and Herbert Ziegler, Traditions and Encounters: A Brief Global
History, vol. 1 (Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008).
Daniel C. Peterson, Mohammad: Prophet of God (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans Co., 2007).
Grading
 Class Participation: Online Journal, Class Discussion and Group Work (20%)
 Quizzes (4) 20%
 Paper (15%)
 Midterm Exam (20%)
 Final (25%)
Class Participation
I will base your class participation grade upon your comprehension of the material, oral
presentation, and writing skills.
Class Discussion
Class sessions will be divided between lectures, full-class interactions, and small group
discussions of the readings. I expect everyone to contribute regularly to class discussion and to
remain actively engaged. I do not expect everyone to speak in full-class discussion everyday,
but in order to receive a high participation grade you should aim to contribute something at least
once every other week.
Group Work
During the first week, you will divide into groups of approximately six members. Each time the
class does group work (generally on Wednesdays), one member of the group (facilitator) will
lead the discussion and another (recorder) will take notes for the group. Each group member will
sign the report and I will collect them at the end of each class. On the days marked “Group
Work” on the syllabus, I expect each member of the group to complete the assigned readings and
“Questions for Analysis” in The Human Record prior to class. If you are the facilitator for the
week, you should take extra care in your note-taking in order to better lead the group discussion.
I will collect individual answers/notes from everyone along with the group report at the end of
class. If you miss a discussion section or fail to complete the “Questions for Analysis” before
class, you will receive a zero for the project. At the end of the term, group members will
evaluate the contributions of each other (see form on Blackboard). The quality of the group
reports, student evaluations, and my observations of group discussion will determine individual
grades.
Online Journal
Each week you will have a number of primary sources assigned from The Human Record.
Choose one or more of the sources (preferably those that we will not be covering in group work)
that you find interesting and submit a short essay evaluating the source in the context of larger
course themes to the “Online Journal” section of Blackboard. Each submission should be 1-2
paragraphs, contain proper spelling, grammar and punctuation, and demonstrate a deep
engagement with the course themes and specific readings. You should not simply answer the
specific “Questions for Analysis,” though they may serve as the basis for your essay. You may
also choose to incorporate a response to a classmates’ essay into your own journal entry. I will
evaluate your online journals throughout the semester and they will also help prepare you for the
quizzes, midterm and final exam, each of which will contain identifications drawn from The
Human Record. Journal entries are due each week and should incorporate those sources
specified on the syllabus and Blackboard.
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Quizzes
You will demonstrate your comprehension of the material through four quizzes drawn from the
required readings. Each quiz will include terms drawn from lectures and readings as well as
primary source identifications from The Human Record. Quiz study guides are available on
Blackboard.
Paper
You will be required to complete one 3-page (minimum) paper. The purpose of the paper is to
further develop your analytical skills by focusing on a longer secondary source. I will post
specific instructions for the paper to Blackboard later in the semester.
Exams
The midterm and final exams are comprehensive and include short-answer terms, primary source
identifications and longer essays. You can expect that the essay questions will require you to
engage with the course themes in a way that synthesizes readings and lectures from multiple
weeks into coherent historical arguments. Study guides will be available for each exam on
Blackboard.
Note on Plagiarism
In this course you will work together both in and out of class as you complete group work
projects, study for exams, and work on your paper. However, plagiarism or the
“unacknowledged use of another writer’s own words or specific facts or propositions or
materials in your own writing” and other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and
may result in the failure of the course and/or other sanctions as outlined in the Shippensburg
University “Student Handbook,” pp. 18-21. To help prevent and identify plagiarism, you will
submit a copy of your paper to Turnitin.com
Attendance and Late Assignment Policies
Please do not miss class. If you do miss class, you are required to email me with a short
explanation and to complete all assignments in a timely fashion. Any absences above four will
result in a significantly lower class participation grade and excessive absences will result in the
failure of the course. I will deduct ½ letter grade per day for late papers and I will only allow
make-up quizzes and exams at my discretion.
Students with Disabilities
If you need additional assistance with any aspect of the class, please see me as soon as possible.
I will be more than happy to accommodate any reasonable request made well in advance of
assignment due dates.
COURSE OUTLINE
Aug. 27
Introduction to the History of the World
Aug. 29
Reading:
The Human Condition I: Paleolithic Society
T&E, vii—xxxi
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James Shreve, “The Greatest Journey,” National Geographic (March 2006).
Available from http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0603/feature2/?
Aug. 31
Reading:
The Human Condition II: The Agricultural Revolution
T&E, 5-8; HR, P1-P18
Sep. 3
Labor Day – No Class
Rise of Complex Societies
Sep. 5
On Becoming Human
Group Work: HR, 32-39 (7,8,9)
Sep. 7
Reading:
Mesopotamia
T&E, 8-17; HR 6-17
Sep. 10
Reading:
Hebrews, Phoenicians and Indo-Europeans
T&E, 17-23; HR, 51-60
Sep. 12
Origins of Monotheism
Group Work: HR 7-13 (1); HR 52-56 (12)
Sep. 14
Reading:
Egypt, Nubia and Kush
T&E, 26-37; HR,17-24
Sep. 17
Reading:
Quiz 1
Early Civilizations in Sub-Saharan Africa
T&E, 37-41
Sep. 19
Life and Death Along the Nile
Group Work: HR 18-22 (3)
Sep. 21
Reading:
Harrapan, Aryan and Vedic India
T&E, 43-51; HR 42-46 & 61-70
Sep. 24
Reading:
Early Chinese Dynasties
T&E, 51-61; HR 24-32
Sep. 26
Organizing Religion and Society
Group Work: HR 27-29 (5) & 67-70 (15)
Sep. 28
Reading:
Mesoamerica
T&E, 63-79; HR 397-403
Formation of Classical Societies
Oct. 1
China: Search for Unity
Reading:
T&E, 99-113; 85-99 & 145-149
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Oct. 3
Reading:
India: Quest for Salvation
T&E, 115-129; HR 70-76 & 155-159
Oct: 5
Women in Classical Society
Group Work: HR 145-149 (33) & 155-159 (35)
Quiz 2
Oct. 8
Fall Break –No Class
Oct. 10
Reading:
Persia: Origins of Empire
T&E, 83-97; HR 77-80
Oct. 12
Reading:
Greece: City and State
T&E, 131-144; 102-123
Oct. 15
Reading:
Rome: Rise of the Pax Romana
T&E, 144-151; HR 123-139
Oct. 17
Art and the Mediterranean World
Group Work: HR 119-122 (28) & 126-130 (29)
Long Distance Trade and World Religions
Oct. 19
The Silk Roads
Reading:
T&E, 157-165; HR 159-170
Oct. 22
Midterm Exam
Oct. 24
Reading:
Byzantium: Legacy of the Roman Empire
T&E, 168-173 & 177-185; HR 342-352
Peterson, Muhammad, Foreword, 1-5
Oct. 26
Reading:
Rise of Christianity
T&E, 151-153 & 185-193; HR 196-213
Oct. 29
Reading:
Quiz 3
Christianity and Early Medieval Europe
T&E, 249-263; HR 352-367
Oct. 31
Comparing Christianities
Group Work: HR 360-367 (85 & 86)
Nov. 2
Reading:
Muhammad and his World
T&E, 195-200
Peterson, Muhammad, pp. 6-64
Nov. 5
Creating Islam
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Group Work: Peterson, Muhammad, pp. 65-151
Nov. 7
Reading:
Dar' al Islam
T&E, 200-209
Peterson, Muhammad, pp. 152-180
Nov. 9
Reading:
Tang and Song Empires
T&E, 211-229; HR 308-310
Nov. 12
Reading:
The Indian Ocean Basin
T&E, 231-247; HR 324-336
Nov. 14
Writing Workshop
Peer Review Worksheet Due
Medieval Cross-Cultural Encounters
Nov. 16
Turkish and Mongol Empires
Reading:
T&E, 267-283; HR 429-436
Paper Due
Nov. 19
Reading:
Quiz 4
Medieval Europe
T&E, 301-309
Nov. 21 & 23 Thanksgiving Break – No Class
Nov. 26
Reading:
The Crusades
T&E, 309-315; HR 368-379
Nov. 28
Deciphering the Crusades
Group Work: HR 369-372 (87) & 376-379 (89)
Nov. 30
Reading:
Islamic Empires in Africa
T&E, 285-299; HR 257-259 & 387-390
Dec. 3
Reading:
Civilizations of the Americas
T&E, 317-333; HR 403-413
Dec. 5
Reading:
Technology, Travel and Tourism
T&E, 335-352; HR 437-440 & 457-461
Dec. 7
Kangnido Redux: The World at 1500
Group Work: HR 423-428 (98 & 99)
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