History 106
Syllabus
Instructor: Joseph Bell
Office: Pinon Faculty 2
Office hours are as follows:
Monday and Wednesday – 2:30 – 3:30
Tuesday and Thursday – 12:30 – 3:30
and by appointment
Contact info: joseph.bell@wnc.edu
General Course Information1
Name: European Civilization 1648 to Present
Discipline: History
Units (Credits): 3
Transfer Information: Courses with numbers 100 to 299: This course is designed to apply toward
a WNC degree and/or transfer to other schools within the Nevada System of Higher Education,
depending on the degree chosen and other courses completed. It may transfer to colleges and
universities outside Nevada. For information about how this course can transfer and apply to
your program of study, please contact a counselor.
Academic Division: Liberal Arts
Prerequisites: None
I.
II.
III.
1
General Course Outline
Covers Western civilization and history from the mid-17th century to the present.
Instructor’s description: This course is meant to provide the student with an overview
of Western Civilization from 1648 until the present. We will focus on the
achievements and interactions of past societies and how various cultures shaped their
world around them, and evolved as their environments, both political and natural
changed. We will not only explore major themes in Western History such as religion
and power, but also the meaning of art, architecture, common objects and tools, and
literature in historical study. This course will also help build the student’s historical
writing skills. These skills include analyzing information, critical thinking, and
forming cogent arguments. They will prove to be valuable assets to students of all
disciplines. The student will therefore be given short writing assignments meant to
facilitate critical thinking and foster appreciation for past cultures in their own
contexts.
Course Objectives:
a. Develop a mastery of knowledge of distinct historical events, ideas and concepts
of European civilization from the mid 17th century to the present.
b. Understand the forces leading to historical change and political, economic and
social transformations
c. Develop an appreciation of cultural, religious and racial diversity through the
study of major Europeans civilizations in the modern era
All general information and course outline materials may be found in the Western Nevada College catalogue
online at http://www.wnc.edu/academics/catalog/hist/101/.
IV.
d. Learn to express understanding of the above concepts through effective written
and oral communications
e. Engage in critical thinking through analysis of historical factual and conceptual
information
Course Linkage:
European Civilization: 1648 to the Present fulfills the general education mission of providing a
core of critical life skills and of promoting the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes
that will benefit students in their personal and professional endeavors. HIST 106 relates to
student learning outcomes in the areas of Communication, Analysis, Personal Development and
Community Commitment.
Required Texts
Kenneth L. Campbell, Western Civilization: A Global and Comparative Approach: Volume II:
Since 1600 (London: Routledge, 2012).
Requirements
1.
Attendance – Students must attend every class. The instructor is heartless when it
comes to attendance. Should you need to miss a class due to serious illness/bodily injury, it is
your responsibility to ascertain the class material covered during your absence from another
student.
2.
Respect in the classroom environment – Students, by nature, are here to learn. A
respectful environment is necessary for learning. Students must be civil to the instructor and to
one another. At certain times during the semester we may discuss sensitive and/or controversial
issues. It is especially necessary that students remain respectful at all times. Students who
engage in any questionable, inappropriate, or offensive behavior/language/attitudes will be asked
to leave, and may be subject to disciplinary action.
3.
Reading - A reading assignment is assigned for every class and must be
completed beforehand. Usually the reading will be from a section of your text book.
Occasionally, however, the instructor may assign supplemental reading from an article or
excerpt.
4.
Writing – There will be several outstandingly short essays assigned throughout
the semester mainly meant to hone your historical writing skills. All writing must follow the
exact directions given.
5.
Midterm – A midterm exam will be given in week 7. It will cover all material up
to week 7. It will consist of multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank, identification questions,
short answer and a short essay section. The midterm exam will be strenuous. The judicious
student will put proper care and attention into his/her preparation for the exam.
6.
Final exam – The final exam will fall on the last class. It will cover all material
from week 7 to the end of our study. It will consist of multiple choice, true/false, fill in the
blank, short answer and identification questions.
Assignments
Short Quizzes: These will be short quizzes given at the end of units in your book. The dates for
the quizzes are indicated in class schedule below. The questions will be drawn from the book so
that there should be no surprises. Each question will require a short answer of one (1) to three
(3) sentences. There will be ten questions for each quiz.
Short Essays: Periodically the professor will assign a brief essay (Don’t worry, they’re only one
page in length). The essay questions will be assigned on the first class day of one week. When
the essay is assigned, the Instructor will give the students a prompt with exact directions for the
essay. The essay will then be due on the first class day of the next week. These are meant as a
refresher for each unit, and as a way to give you some painless practice with essay writing. All
writing must strictly follow Chicago style citation and conventions. There will be five short
essays in total
Classroom Discussions: Periodically we will have a classroom discussion pertaining to a reading
article. Please come to class prepared, meaning that you have read the article, taken notes, and
generated questions. I will give plenty of warning before I assign an article. All students are
expected to participate, and will be graded accordingly. There will be four (4) discussions in
total.
Midterm: A midterm exam will be given in week 7. It will cover all material up to week 7. It
will consist of multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank, identification questions, and a short
essay section. Be sure to study well for the midterm as I delight in cruelty when it comes to
midterms.
Final Exam: The final exam will fall on the last class. It will cover all material from week 7 to
the end of our study. It will consist of multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank, and
identification questions. You will also receive a personalized essay question pertaining to your
critical essay.
Extra Credit: There will be no extra credit.
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Grading
Short Essays: 20%
Short Quizzes: 15%
Classroom discussions: 20%
Midterm Exam: 20%
Final Exam: 25%
Grades are assigned using this percentage scale:
94-100
A
90-93
A87-89
B+
84-86
B
80-83
B-
77-79
74-76
70-73
67-69
64-66
60-63
Under 60
C+
C
CD+
D
DF
Late Work and Make-Up Policy
Late work will not be accepted without a prearranged extension granted by the instructor, except
in extraordinary circumstances accompanied by documentation (i.e. doctor’s notes, police
reports, etc.) The instructor may or may not choose to grant an extension; there is no guarantee.
The same rule applies for make-up examinations.
Withdraws
It is the student’s responsibility to know and understand the withdraw policy for Western Nevada
College. Information pertaining thereto can be found at the Western Nevada College Policy
page and at the following web address http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/3-3-10.php. Please
note that students who receive an F for academic dishonesty may not withdraw from a course
with a W.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to know and uphold high standards of Academic integrity. Information
pertaining thereto may be found in the WNC course catalogue, at https:www.indiana.edu/~istd/,
or by doing a simple google search. The instructor will address any and all violations of
academic integrity with the strictest possible measures. Violations of academic integrity include
but are not limited to cheating and plagiarism. Students who engage in such activities shall
receive an F on the assignment. Depending on the severity of the infraction, the student may
also fail the course, receive disciplinary admonition and warning, disciplinary probation,
suspension from Western Nevada College for a definite period of time, or expulsion from
Western Nevada College. For more information about academic dishonesty please visit Western
Nevada College’s policy page at: http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/3-4-5.php.
Students with Disabilities
If you have a disability for which you will need accommodations, please contact the Disability
Support Services office as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations. Contact
Susan Trist (susan.trist@wnc.edu), Cedar 209-212.
Week
Week 1
Jan 25 28
Week 2
Feb 1 - 4
Topic
What to expect in
History 106.
How to write short
essays
The 17th century
The English Revolution,
Louis XIV, The scientific
Reading
Syllabus
Campbell: Chapter 1
Campbell: Chapter 2
Classroom Activities
Day 1: Introductions,
syllabus overview
Day 2: Writing an essay
Bring your book to class
Day 1: lecture
Day 2: lecture
Short Quiz Today
Week 3
Feb 8 - 11
revolution
The Early 18th century,
Enlightenment Europe
Campbell: Chapter 3
Day 1: lecture
The French Revolution
Napoleon
Campbell: Chapter 4
Day 2: lecture
Short Essay 1 assigned
Today
Day 1: lecture
The Mid-19th century
The industrial revolution
Campbell: Chapter 5
Day 1: lecture
Short Essay 2 assigned
today
Day 2: lecture
Week 6
Feb 29 –
Mar 3
The Mid-19th century
Imperialism
Campbell: Chapter 6
Day 1: Discussion Day
Week 7
Mar 7 10
The Late 19th Century
Nationalism and Elan
Campbell: Chapter 7
Day 2: lecture
Short Quiz today
Short Essay 2 Due Today
Day 1: Mid Term
Week 8
Mar 14 17
World War I
Campbell: Chapter 8
Day 2: lecture
Short Essay 3 Assigned
Today
Day 1: lecture
Spring
Break!
Mar 21 24
Relaxation and recovery
to prepare for the rest of
the semester
Week 9
Mar 28 31
The Inter-War years
Week 10
The rise of Totalitarian
Week 4
Feb 15 –
18
No
School
Monday
Presidents
Day
Week 5
Feb 22 25
Day 2: Discussion Day
Short Quiz today
Short Essay 1 due today
Day 2: lecture
Short Quiz Today
Short Essay 3 Due Today
Catch up if you’re behind, Day 1: plant out
or read ahead if you want tomatoes after all danger
to. . .
of frost.
Day 2: learn how to tie a
bowline, a square knot,
and a round turn and two
half hitches
Campbell: Chapter 9
Day 1: lecture
Short Essay 4 Assigned
Today
Day 2: lecture
Short Quiz Today
Campbell: Chapter 10
Day 1: Discussion Day
April 4 7
Week 11
April 11 14
governments: Fascism,
Nazism and Communism
World War II
Week 12
April 18 21
The Beginning of the
Cold War
Campbell: Chapter 12
Week 13
April 25 28
Week 14
May 2 - 5
The 1960s
Campbell: Chapter 13
Week 15
May 9 12
Week 16
Campbell: Chapter 11
Day 2: lecture
Short Essay 4 Due Today
Day 1: lecture
Day 2: lecture
Short Quiz Today
Day 1: Discussion Day
Short Essay 5 Assigned
Today
Day 2: lecture
Day 1: lecture
Day 2: lecture
The End of the Cold War
Campbell: Chapter 14
Day 1: lecture
Short Essay 5 Due Today
Day 2: lecture
1990 - now
Campbell: Chapter 15
Day 1: lecture
Day 2: lecture
Final Exams
Study
Final Exam
All information contained within this syllabus is considered tentative and is subject to change at
the instructor’s discretion