Western Civilization to 1715 43.105 Fall 2010 Professor Christopher Carlsmith.
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Transcript of Western Civilization to 1715 43.105 Fall 2010 Professor Christopher Carlsmith.
Today’s Agenda
• Introductions • Course Information
• Goals• Books• Syllabus & Course Description (Handouts)• Course Web site: http://faculty.uml.edu/ccarlsmith• Lecture Capture, Podcasts, and PDFs• Definitions
– Periodization, “Western”, “Civilization”
• Maps• Why Study W. Civ?
Introductions
• The course
• The professor
• The students• Please check today’s box on the attendance sheet
circulating through the classroom.
Course Goals
• To read critically, listen carefully, write persuasively, speak thoughtfully, and think clearly (all important job skills);
• To analyze a primary source;• To see connections b/w past and present;
• AIDS/Plague; Classical/Modern democracy; Art
• To learn about “Western Civilization, 3000-B.C.-1700 A.D.”
More Course Information• Books (in bookstore now and on Reserve soon)
• Tom Noble, Western Civilization {textbook}, 6th ed.• Merry Wiesner, Discovering the Western Past {sourcebook} 6th ed.• Judith Bennett, A Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock
• Assignments• 3 Map quizzes & 2 short written summaries• 2 Midterms (take-home OR in-class) & Final Exam• Participation, esp. on discussions of primary sources
• Syllabus & Course Description (handout and on course Website)
• “Code of Hammurabi” (in Wiesner)
• Map Terms & Map Quiz (on course website)
• MFA Trip on a weekday eve. in October (optional)• Course Web site: http://faculty.uml.edu/ccarlsmith• Lecture Capture and PDFs for our course• Arrival/Departure; Restrooms; Cell Phones
Contact
Prof. Carlsmith
Coburn Hall 108
Tel: (978) 934-4277
E-mail: [email protected]
Office Hours: MWF 12-1, M 2-3,
& happily by appt.
Course Web site: http://faculty.uml.edu/ccarlsmith/teaching/43.105
Periodization of European History
• Every society develops its own chronology and dating system (e.g., Chinese New Year, Jewish History, Muslim calendar**).
• In Western History, we use:• BC* (“Before Christ”) or BCE (“Before the Common Era”)• AD (“Anno Domini” = In Year of our Lord) or CE (“Common
Era”)
• *Invented ca. 525. AD by Dionysius Exiguus, to calculate dates of Easter Sunday, and birth of Christ; but he misdated Jesus’ birth by 4-6 years.
• **Our 2007 = Chinese Year of Boar or 4704-05; Jewish = 5767-68; Islamic = A.H. 1427-28 (Anno Hegira, = 622AD)
Periodization of European History
• Ancient (3000 BC – 600 BC)
• Classical (600 BC – 450 AD)
• Medieval (500 AD – 1400 AD)
• Early Modern (1400 AD -1800 AD)
• Modern (1800 AD – 1950 AD)
• Post-Modern (1950 – 20??)
What is “civilization”?• From “civis” = “citizen” or
member of a larger group.
• The cultural achievements of a specific group of people (e.g., “Mayan civilization”)
• “civilized” = refined, polite, opposite of barbaric.
• Complex Societies– Intensive agriculture– Urbanization– Division of labor– Social hierarchies– Government / State– Larger populations– Laws, Armies, “culture”
Band/Tribal Groups– Hunter/Gatherer– Nomadic villages– No specialization– Egalitarian– Family/clan leadership– Small populations
Bronze Age Empires of the Old World, 3500-1200: Origins of Civilization
(This lacks reference to Mesoamerican societies)
Which of the following is different between ‘East’ and ‘West’?
• Political forms
• Economic emphasis
• Religious vs. Secular authority
• Social Structures
• Intellectual achievements
• Artistic/Creative accomplishments
• Natural Resources
Today’s Agenda
• Introductions • Course Information
• Goals• Books• Syllabus & Course Description (Handouts)• Course Web site: http://faculty.uml.edu/ccarlsmith• Lecture Capture, Podcasts, and PDFs• Definitions
– Periodization, “Western”, “Civilization”
• Maps• Why Study W. Civ?
Today’s Agenda
• Introductions
• Course Information• Goals & Definitions
– Periodization, “Western”, “Civilization”
• Books• Syllabus & Course Description• Course Web site: http://faculty.uml.edu/ccarlsmith
• Maps
• Why Study Western Civ.?
Maps
• Geography is crucial to understanding history of the past.
• We’ll begin with maps of the Ancient World. – Look up terms tonight, on course website.– Review on Wed.; Map Quiz on Friday, 9/6.
For Friday
• Look up map terms
• Check course website, and review syllabus/course description/lecture notes
• Read assigned pages per syllabus