East Tennessee State University
Department of History
HIST 1110 World History to 1500
Mr. Burgess
"To be ignorant of what occurred before you were
born is to remain always a child. For what
the worth of human life, unless it is woven into
the life of our ancestors by the records of history?"
-Marcus Tullius Cicero
Course Description: This course will deal with the development of civilization on a world scale from its
beginnings in pre-history to the fifteenth century of the modern era. Beginning with the Paleolithic period,
we will trace the development of organized agriculture, with its attendant technological advances, and
their effects on early civilizations, as well as the subsequent development of political, social, cultural, and
religious institutions. One of the primary purposes of this class is to try to help you understand that
nothing happens in a vacuum and that the modern world is simply the current stage in the long and
complex evolutions of humans and their societies.
Lectures: 2 per week. You will be able to review the weekly lectures/PowerPoint presentations on the
web:
Attendance: Attendance is not required as an aspect of your grade. However, this is difficult and
unfamiliar material. Failure to attend on a regular basis may materially affect your grade. There is
normally a direct relationship between consistency of attendance and grades. I do not mind if you are
occasionally late, but if you are late, please be quiet when coming in to the classroom.
Please take note: Because the University requires regular attendance taking, as it has an impact on
funding, we will be taking attendance, for the purpose of reporting your attendance or non-attendance to
the Registrar.
Examinations: a six week, twelve week and final exam will be given in this course. Examinations will be
primarily objective in style. This will require that you have a clear grasp of both the lecture material and
the reading assignments. You are responsible for both.
Grading: exams count 33% each. However, your final grade need not necessarily reflect a strict
numerical average of your individual grades. Grades will not be "curved": I refuse to penalize those who
study by lowering their grades so that slackers can pass. However, some credit may be given for
improvement over the course of the semester, if, in my professional judgment, it is warranted. No
extra-credit. I have an ethical problem with agreeing to have you do extra work, when all you need to
do is to concentrate on the basic work expected of everyone. Again, no extra credit. Please do not
embarrass us both by asking.
Class participation: Please do the reading assignments and participate in class discussions, as well as
you can, given the size of the class. Failure to do so will not hurt your grade, but participation may cause
you to be given the benefit of the doubt in computing your final average.
Class behavior: This is a large class. As a consequence, you may believe that you able to talk to your
neighbors and to be disruptive to a degree not possible in a smaller classroom. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Please, do not make the mistake of acting as if you do think this. No disruptive behavior
will be tolerated. If you make it difficult for your fellow students to be attentive, you are basically stealing
from them. If you make it difficult for me to lecture, you are doing the same thing, besides being rude
and redneck. If you are causing problems, I will point it out. If I have to do it a second time, you are out
of the class. If you find that you are unable to control your compulsive urge to be rude and disruptive,
please do not come to class.
Make up your mind prior to the beginning of my lecture whether or not you want to be in class that day.
If you do not, do not come in the first place or else leave before I begin. No hard feelings. If you don't
want to be here, I don't care what you are doing. If you stay, do not get up and walk out while I am
talking...unless you are actively throwing up on your neighbors or are being possessed by ghosts or
aliens.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that because you "paid for this class," you are entitled to do
whatever you want. That is the attitude of a five year old. There are a whole lot of people here who also
paid for this class, who are hard-working, decent people, parents (some single parents) with children and
others who have to work full time and spend a large portion of their income on tuition and books, and
you are not entitled to make it difficult for them. If you cannot act like an adult, then drop the class. We
have the forms available for you, and will be more than happy to supply you with one, if you find that
rudeness and thoughtlessness toward others often permeates your social behaviors.
Illness/Flu: If you are sick, don't come to class! If you have the flu, don't come to class! No one wants
to be around you and your snotty nose. No one will admire yours stick-to-itiveness; No one cares.
You all asked if you could have access to the PowerPoint Presentations. If that would be helpful to you
then, of course, I am happy to do so. Please bear in mind that I am working on some and they are not
there. The links are below.
Cell-phones, beepers, and assorted electronic devices: Turn off your cell-phones, beepers, and
other such devices, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF such as heart or insulin monitors. If I hear a cell-phone,
it=s mine. Unless you are a doctor, nurse, EMT, or a parent with a sick child, there is nothing which
cannot wait until the class is over. If you fall into one of the above categories, let me know now.
Office hours: 107 Rogers-Stout, T 2:30 to 3:30, W 2:45 to 3:45 or else by appointment
Telephone: (423) 439-6691
Email: Burgessw@etsu.edu
History Department Web Page: http://www.etsu.edu/cas/history/hist.htm
If there is any student in the class who has need for test-taking or note-taking
accommodation, please feel free to come and discuss this with me.
Book: You need to read the book. This is not high school. I will not repeat the book to you so that you
can pass some cockamamie No Brain Left Behind test at the end of the year.
Bentley and Ziegler. Traditions and Encounters
Reading assignments: You are responsible for the reading assignments. It is not my job to simply
recite the book to you. You are responsible for the basic information in the books; I am responsible for
explanation and elaboration on that information.
Depending on which edition of the book you have, the page numbers will vary slightly. The
Table of Contents of the book is most helpful in determining the precise pages in the
addition which you have.
1. Pre-History
Traditions, 8-28
2. Primary Phase Cultures: Mesopotamia and Egypt
Traditions, 32-54
3. Primary Phase Cultures: India and China
Traditions, 58-99
4. Primary Phase Cultures: the Americas and Oceania
Traditons, 103-124
5. Persia and the Early Hebrews
Traditions, 131-150
6. Classical India and China
Traditions, 153-175 , 177-197
7. Classical Greece
Traditions, 199-223
8. Rome: The Republic and the Empire
Traditions, 225-247
9. Cross-Cultural Exchanges: Europe and Asia: this will be part of other lectures
Traditions, 249-271
10. The Later Roman Empire: Byzantium
Traditions, 280-301
11. The Rise and Spread of Islam
Traditions, 303-325
12. Diffusion of Cultures: Japan, Polynesia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Traditions, 429-449
13. China: The Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties
Traditions, 328-352
14. Medieval Europe
Traditions, 379-400, 451-475
15. The Mongols and Tartars
Traditions, 407-426
16. The Americas, 1000-1500 A.D.: Post-Classical
Traditions, 447-491
Sorry: Quick and dirty list.
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Lecture One
Neolithic Revolution
Riverine Civilization
Mesopotamia
Egypt
Indus Valley
Early China
Classical India
Zoroastrians and Hebrews
Greece
Rome
Americas
Medieval Europe to Charlemange
Rise of Islam
There are a couple missing. I will work on finding them.