HIST 23 - History of Western Civilization II

Transfer Status

CSU/UC

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course is a survey of the development of western culture and civilization from the Age of Absolutism to the present. The course also introduces students to the historical reasoning skills necessary to form their own understanding of the past and of contemporary society. (C-ID HIST 180).

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate the ability to interpret primary and secondary sources and to compose an argument which uses them, as appropriate, for support.
2. Analyze the concept of the West.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of Western Civilization through multiple analytical categories such as race, class, gender and ethnicity.
4. Analyze the development and impact of political ideological trends in the western world.
5. Analyze social and economic organization in the western world and explain its historical significance.
6. Explain the historical significance of major discoveries, inventions, and scientific achievements.
7. Explain the historical significance of cultural developments such as art, music, architecture, literature and religion.
8. Consider the relevancy and use of history in contemporary society.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Collaborative Group Work
2. Discussion
3. Guest Speakers
4. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
5. Lecture
6. Multimedia Presentations
7. Homework: A major part of that time will be spent reading both primary and secondary sources, including but not limited to monographs, articles, course readers, textbooks, literature and/or websites.

1. Exams/Tests
2. Quizzes
3. Research Projects
4. Oral Presentation
5. Written Assignments
6. Class Discussion
7. Evaluation methods will include 1) written essays and/or research projects and 2) essay exams.

Reading Assignments

1. Read the essay, "What We Mean by the West," by historian Willliam H. McNeill. Come to class prepared to discuss the origin of the concept of the West, how it was received in the United States and incorporated into curricula, and McNeill's ideas for how scholars, teachers, and students might proceed in their examination of western civilization.
2. Read the excerpt from Mary Wollstonecraft's "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman." Come to class prepared to discuss connections between the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and the birth of feminism.

Writing Assignments

1. In discussing the Atlantic revolutions, the authors of the text write that, "The American Revolution drew on ideas of the European Enlightenment. In turn, the success of that revolution in creating a modern republic deeply influenced French, Haitian, and Latin American revolutionaries. . . All of the revolutions shared the political goal of liberty, but their leaders applied the concept of political liberty differently in the United States, France, Haiti, Mexico, Venezuela, and other countries." From the American, French, Haitian, and Latin American Revolutions, pick two to compare. In a formal essay of 500-750 words, identify and explain 2-3 specific examples of connections, similarities and/or differences between the two revolutions that you selected. The essay will be graded for adherence to requirements, clarity of thought, organization, and use of specific and accurate details/examples from the text.
2. A historical fact is that the rate of birth outside of marriage rose across Europe in the first hundred years of the Industrial Revolution. Whether or not industrialization led to a sexual revolution, however, is a matter of debate among historians. Read the excerpts from "Female Emancipation, Birth Control, and Fertility in European History" and "Women's Work and European Fertility Patterns," considering the evidence offered by each to explain the cause of changing sexual behaviors. Did the Industrial Revolution lead to a sexual revolution? Respond in a formal essay of 500-750 words. The essay will be graded for adherence to requirements, clarity of thought, organization, and use of specific and accurate details/examples from the assigned materials.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Go to the "How to Use Primary Sources" page of the Primary Source Village website. Read through each page of the tutorial, examining the examples as you read. Then search online for a primary source on something specific that you encountered in this week's assigned reading. Write a full description of your primary source, following the steps outlined in the tutorial. Briefly describe how the primary source adds to your understanding of the topic. Provide a source citation for where you found the primary source, as well as citations for any other materials used to complete the assignment.
2. Go to the website for Professional and Continuing Education at California State University, Chico. Click on History from the menu, and browse the previously recorded History Forums. Select one that fits within the scope of Western Civilization II. (You may also find relevant offerings under Anthropology, Art History, Humanities, Philosophy, or Religious Studies.) Pick a presentation and view it in its entirety. Come to class ready to provide a 5-minute summary that includes the topic, name/position of the presenter, key takeaways, and anything that you find to be of particular interest.

Spielvogel, Jackson J. (2019). Western Civilization: A Brief History, Volume II since 1500. Cengage Learning, 10th. 978-0357026748.

Perry, Marvin. (2018). Sources of the Western Tradition Volume II: From the Renaissance to the Present. Cengage Learning, 10th. 978-1337397612.

Mayer, Milton. (2018). They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-1945. University of Chicago Press, Enlarged. 978-0226525839.

Other Learning Materials

OER such as Internet History Sourcebooks Project, Fordham University, https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/index.asp

History (Masters Required)