HIS 111W - A Survey of Early Western Civilization

Credits: 3
Instructional Contact Hours: 3

Exploring the rise of civilization to the cultural Renaissances and religious Reformations of Europe, this course examines the origins and development of the concept and culture of the western world (primarily Europe and the Middle East) from its origins to 1600 CE. We will move from what today we call the Middle East, to Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the tumultuous world of the European Middle Ages. We will study significant events, cultural developments, and the “big ideas” that influenced western civilization, including Greco-Roman philosophy, the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths, and the humanism of the Italian and Northern Renaissances, as well as the stories of marginalized groups, such as women, minorities, and ordinary people. Credit may be earned in HIS 111W or HIS 111HW but not in both.

Prerequisite(s): High School GPA of 2.3 or higher or completion of or concurrent enrollment in any ENG course or a Guided Self-Placement recommendation of ENG 111A or higher
Corequisite(s): None
Lecture Hours: 45 Lab Hours: 0
Meets MTA Requirement: Humanities, Social Science
Pass/NoCredit: Yes

Outcomes and Objectives

1. Compose an effective narrative that analyzes the history of early Western Civilization in response to an analytical question.

Craft well-supported historical narratives, arguments, or reports of research findings in a variety of media.
Select from a range of media best suited to communicating a particular argument, narrative, or set of ideas.

2. Analyze various types of historical sources appropriate to the study of early Western Civilization.

A. Describe the differences between primary and secondary sources.

B. Analyze the perspective and context in which the historical source was created.

C. Describe the ways in which a given historical source may inform a historical narrative.

3. Evaluate conflicting historical interpretations within the context of early Western Civilization.

Identify and describe conflicting historical interpretations.
Analyze the evidence supporting conflicting historical interpretations.

4. Analyze the ways in which the history of early Western Civilization informs the current issues of the West and its relationship to the global culture.

Compare, contrast, and contextualize the political, cultural, and social history of early Western Civilization and the present.
Evaluate the way in which political, cultural, and social structures have marginalized certain groups throughout early Western Civilization, such as women, people of color, religious minorities, nondominant sexual identities, and others.

5. Analyze global interactions relevant to the traditional narrative of early Western Civilization.

Describe relevant global interactions taken in the past.
Evaluate the importance of relevant global interactions with early Western Civilization.

6. Use writing tasks to promote learning.

Analyze course content in written form.
Demonstrate knowledge of subject matter.
Explain the subject matter in a coherent writing style.