Western World In Modern Times

1650 2nd edition.

Wheeling, IL: Harland

Davidson, Inc., 2007

ISBN: 9780882952499

Official Course Description Europe and its global im-pact from the eighteenth century to the present. In-cludes revolutionary movements, the evolution of mass democracy, and the world wars of the twentieth century. Expanded Description: This one semester survey course will address the development of Western Society since the Enlight-enment and its influences upon western politics, eco-

nomics, and society to the twentieth century. Required Texts:

Spielvogel, Jackson J..

Western Civilizations:

Vol: II Since 1500 8th

Edition. New York:

Wadsworth-Cengage

Learning, 2014.

ISBN: 9781133607984

Schlesinger, Roger, In

the Wake of Columbus:

The Impact of the new

World on Europe, 1492-

Course Objectives:

1. To gain and develop an understanding of how the early West-ern World developed

2. To appreciate the past and understand how past events in-fluence current deci-sions of world lead-ers.

3. To develop research skills aiding students in their various ca-reers.

4. To think logically and critically about historical events and consequences.

5. To develop an under-standing of the dif-ferent civilizations that emerged and their legacy to the West.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Course Description (s) & Required Text:

enclose borrowed language in quo-

tation marks, and (3) failing to put

summaries and paraphrases in

your own words. (Hacker, p. 331)

The policy for plagiarism in this

class is simple. If you are caught, you fail the class.( Academic Integ-

rity Policy and Procedures:

8/26/2007)

Your research paper is a collabora-

tion between you and your re-

sources. To be fair and ethical, you

must acknowledge your debt to the

writers of those sources. If you do

not, you are guilty of plagiarism, a

serious academic offense. Three

different acts are considered pla-

giarism: (1) failing to cite quotations

and borrowed ideas, (2) failing to

Professor J. Michael Green

Email: [email protected]

HIST 1102 Western World In Modern Times Fall 2013

University of New Haven

Expected Outcomes

At the end of the class students should be able to : 1. Identify the major

western civilizations and their contribu-tions to modern western civilization.

2. Be able to logically assess the im-portance of the French Revolution,

the Enlightenment, Scien-tific Revolution, Napole-on, et al., and their social, political and economic systems.

3. Write a history paper us-

ing the proper citation method .

4. Learn to think critically about historical events and to assess historical facts.

5. Obtain an appreciation of the cultures that have led to the development of the West and how those cultures are relevant in the modern era.

Section no. Meeting Time Room

Section 9 MW 3:05-4:20 ECHL 209

Section 15 MW 9:25-10:40 ECHL 206

Section 7 MW 1:40-2:55 ECHL 209

Students should begin searching for a historical work to review as soon as possible. Students will include the title of their work on their Topic Sheet due on Feb 8/9. The work must be on a historical topic. Remember, a book review is not a book report. A book review does not merely recount the events of the book. Instead, it assess how well the author wrote the work, used his/her sources, and explained his topic. It is permitted to provide an opinion on the book, whether you liked it or not and why. Topic Sheet Due October 2

Paper Structure:

ALL assignments for this class must be typed in the following format: 1-inch margins for the left, right, bottom and top. The book review, topic sheet, and course paper must be typed double space in a Times or Courier font with a 12pt size. It is important to know that you must set your margins before typing your paper. In Microsoft Word, the default settings are not set at 1 inch. You must set them.

The Topic Sheet should be a one paragraph (3-4 sentences) de-scribing your historical book and why it is relevant to this course.

That also includes your name, date, and class section in the upper left corner. I will review these topic sheets and return them as soon as

possible with my approval. The purpose of this is to keep both the professor informed of what the student is writing and possibly make alternative suggestions.

In general, the book review book needs to be on a topic within the historical parameters of the class, from about 1600-1925. Works outside of this timeline may be permissible but permission from the instructor needs to be ob-tained first. For a book to be acceptable it must be a Nonfic-tion work. Histor ical fiction or other forms of literature are not apart of this assignment. A “real” historical work is required. This may include:

1. Monograph on a particular event.

2. Biography/Autobiography

of a person.

The Topic Sheet will include the following: (points will be assigned per grading section)

1. Name, date, class section in upper left corner

2. One paragraph on the topic the student wishes to study

3. The full citation of your book review book.

4. Hand in hard copy in class.

rude to your colleagues.

Recording devices are strictly prohibited in the classroom without the permission of the instructor. Permission must be obtained first. You may use your laptops to take notes. However, if the privilege is abused I will withdraw my permission. This is a privilege! Examples of abuse include, but are not limited to, the following: surfing the internet during lecture, instant messaging, doing class assignments for another class, and anything else the could be disruptive or destructive of the learning environment. Occasionally, internet use will be used in the course. Disclaimer:

This syllabus is intended as a guideline for successful com-pletion of the class. It is not intended to be a contract be-

tween the University of New Haven and the student nor between the class instructor and the student. The schedule or the material contained herein may be altered at any time as deemed necessary by the instructor

Cell Phones, Recording Devices, Laptop Use

All Cell Phones will be ren-dered Silent during the lec-ture session. Your phone may be on vibrate. If the phone rings, I answer the phone. Exceptions may be made with the permission of the instructor and under dire circumstances. Permission must be obtained first. I do understand that we all live complicated lives and that, occasionally, one must be contacted. If a student ob-tains a call and must answer it, leave the room to answer the call as quietly as possible to minimize disruption. Ex-amples of dire circumstances include, but are not limited to, death in the family (not your pet guinea pig), nuclear holo-caust or Armageddon (in which case a phone is totally unnecessary), childcare emergency, emergency that requires the students immedi-ate attention (not planning the next party, wedding, confir-mation, bar-mitzvah, ), etc. Answering a text message also falls within the above guidelines. Please do not be

Book Review Assignment, Writing Structure & Topic Sheet Due on October 2, 2013

HIST 1102 Western World In Modern Times

“Remember the

October 2 ,

Deadline!! Topic

Sheet is due in

class!

Fall 2013


The course papers are designed for students to go beyond the

boundaries of the textbook and

to further challenge students to

understand the intellectual

thought of some of the most influential writers of the period.

The Reflective Essay is to be

based upon assigned readings.

Readings will be scanned and placed on Blackboard for stu-

dents to download. 1-2 weeks

before class students will get

an assignment sheet from the professor containing sugges-

tions for students to focus up-

on.

Students will use the proper method of citing sources in

their paper using the MLA style. If another method is preferred,

students should ask the in-

structor.

The course paper and book

reviews are worth 30% of the

overall grade. Each paper will be 3 pages in length at a mini-mum. Students will use the writings and the text to frame their

essays. Note: I will not accept book review I I if book review I was not received.

Severe point reductions for:

1. Plagiarism—for failing to incorrectly cite sources or not citing them at all. This is plagiarism. See Plagiarism policy.

2. 25 points—for failure to have the required 1-inch margins for

the left, right and top. Some leeway is given for bottom mar-

gin. However, an attempt must be made to get as close to 1-

inch as possible for the bottom.

Book Review and Reflective Essay Submission.

Book Reviews and the Reflective Essay will be submit-

ted online. Further instructions will be provided by

the professor at the appropriate time.

The intention of this assignment remains to avoid

transporting paperwork on the part of the professor

and students.

Reflective Essay Paper (See Due Dates On Schedule)-No Extensions



A Concise Guide to Writing a Critical Book Re-view A critical book review requires that you identify, summarize and, most importantly, evaluate the ide-as and information the author has presented. A criti-cal book review is not a book report. Reports dis-cuss content, while reviews evaluate the book's strengths, weaknesses and validity through explana-tion, interpretation, and analysis. Critical reviews can be positive or negative, based on your assess-ment of the book. The following information provides some guide-lines only. Books reviews can vary in a number of ways, including length, scope, intended audience, and complexity.

What to include in a critical book review: Reviews generally provide: Full bibliographic information (author, title, edition, publisher, place of publication, year of publi-cation), often presented as a head-ing or introductory sentence. A brief description of the contents of the book. An assessment of the author’s au-thority / biases An evaluation of the strengths and

weaknesses of the book based on the purposes of the author, and using evidence to support the reviewer’s argument.

An overall assessment of the book. Suggested steps in writing a critical book review: Get to know the work by reading the book carefully

and by reading other opinions of the book (use the resources of the library to find other critical reviews). In getting to know the book, use all the information within the book itself. Look at the title page, is there a sub-title? Note when the book was first published. Is there a table of contents, or chapter headings? If so, use these as an orientation to the organization and con-tents of the book. If a bibliography is present, give it careful scrutiny to determine what may have contributed to the author's conclusions. Also consider the quality and veracity of these

sources. Always read the preface or introduc-tion for statements about the book's inten-tions and/or limita-tions. As you read, take notes and flag passages that you feel are illus-trative of the purpose, theme and style of the work. Note strengths as well as weaknesses, and use the questions below to guide your assessment.

Establish the thesis of your

review. Think about what the main point of your criticism will be. Consider the author's intention in writing the book and whether this was achieved.

Organize your notes into

an outline which incor-porates your thesis.

Write the review, including

the elements discussed above.

Edit and revise the review

before submitting it. Questions to consider when reading the book and writ-ing the review: Authority / Objectivity Who is the author? What are her or his particu-

lar credentials and ex-pertise in this area? What makes her or him an expert on this topic?

Audience Who is the intended audi-

ence of this book (academics, students,

the general public)? Is the book appropriate for its audience?

Scope / Purpose / Content What is the subject of the

work and the broad field and/or genre into which it fits?

What is the scope of the

work? Is this a compre-hensive overview or a detailed analysis?

What is the author's pur-

pose in writing this book? What has he or she set out to prove? What is the overarch-ing thesis of the book? How well has the au-thor met these goals? Does the author do what she or he has set out to do?

What are the main points

set out by the author? How does the author prove

the thesis and main points? What is the author’s methodology? What evidence does the author provide to support his or her argu-ment (sources, data, personal anecdotes, etc)? Is this evidence convincing?

Style How is the book struc-

tured? Is its develop-ment orderly and logi-cal?

What is the author’s writ-

ing style? Is it narrative

Book Review Guidelines


Book Review

Guidelines are to

help students Focus

on a particular

aspect of the Book

that they liked or

disliked.. Remember

its not a Report.

Fall 2013


or analytical? Is the prose readable and ap-propriate to its intend-ed audience?

Other points to consider How does this book com-

pare to other books on the same subject? Does it present a unique per-spective or new re-

search? Does the book have illus-

trations? A list of refer-ences or a bibliog-raphy? An index? Are there any other fea-tures? Are they effec-tive and useful?

Does the author suggest

areas for further re-

search or discussion? What, if anything, has been left out? Finally What is your final assessment? Would you buy this

book or recommend it to others? You must make a recommendation that complies with your assessment. Don’t recommend the book if you if you earlier stated you disliked the book.

Book Review Guidelines (cont’d)


Week/Lecture Assignments Other Assignment Approx. Chapter Week 1 (Aug 26-30)

Chapter 13

Week 2 (Sep 2-6)

Chapter 13/14

Week 3 (Sep 9-13)

Chapter 14

Week 4 (Sep 16-20)

Group 1 Chapter 15

Week 5 (Sep 23-27)

Book Review I—Schlesinger Book Chapter 15/16

Week 6 (Sep 30-Oct4)

Topic Sheet Due on Wednesday Oct 2: This is Student Choice.

Chapter 16

Week 7 (Oct 7-11)

Group 2 Midterm distributed Chapter 16

Week 8 (Oct 14-18)

Midterm due in class Chapter 17

Week 9 (Oct 21-25)

Chapter 17/ 18

Week 10 (Oct 28-Nov 1)

Book Review II Due Wednesday

Essay packet available online

Chapter 18/19

Week 11 (Nov 4-8)

Group 3 Chapter 19-20

Week 12 (Nov 11-15)

Chatper21-22

Week 13 (Nov 18-22)

Chapter 22-23

Week 14 (Nov 25-29) Thanks-giving week

Chapter 23-24

Week 15 (Dec 2-6) Last day of classes Dec. 5

Group 4 Final distributed

Reflective Essay due Wednesday.

Chapter 24-25

Week 16 (Dec 9-13) Finals Due (instructions forth-coming)

Chapter 26

Tentative Schedule: This is only tentative as time progresses and unfolds in the class events may need to be altered.

Fall 2013


Your grade will be broken down into three distinct areas:

1.Two Exams (50)% of grade, Midterm 25%, Final 25%): 500 points

There will be 2 take home exams. Do not let this relax your attention to this class or allow you to become overconfident. Each exam will have several questions of which the student must answer 2. The answer to each question will be a synthesis of information provided in the assigned text and in class notes. The average length for an answer to each question should be 3 pages, for an average of 6 pages for each exam. Further instructions will follow

2. Course paper (15% of grade) 150 points

Students will write 1 reflective essays based upon addition assigned writings. The readings will be uploaded to blackboard to allow students to download and read. About 1-2 weeks before the due dates on the Tentative Schedule, the professor will pass out a guideline sheet describing how the essay should look and 2-3 reflective questions that students will be asked to answer. Students will have to use the text and the readings to frame their essays. The rules of American Standard English will prevail. In short, YES, spelling and grammar count. As a philosopher once said “If you cannot say what you mean, you will never mean what you say.”

3. Participation, Book review, Weekly Discussion (35% of your grade): 350 points

The remainder of the grade breaks down as follows:

A. Two Book Reviews (200 points) will be assigned this semester . Students will read one book chosen by the professor and another non-fiction work of their own choosing.

B. Topic sheet for Book Review due on October 2(50 points).

C. Leading the Discussion on assigned week (100 points): Students will be broken down into groups of 4-6, They will be assigned a Chapter from the text to develop discussion questions. These students will then write 4-5 questions on a shared Google Doc for the group set up by the professor. On the assigned day this group will confer with the professor to decide upon a thematic question to address for a 45 minute discussion.


Grading and Assignments

The Disability Services and Resources Office is responsible for and committed to promoting educational equity for stu-dents with disabilities. Individuals requiring accommodation should initiate a request for services by contacting this office at 203-932-7199. Any accommodation must go through this office first.

Students With Disabilities

Late Assignments It is the policy for this class that assignments will not be ac-cepted late. However, if circumstances arise that legitimately prevent students from turning in an assignment, they must consult the professor via email or in person prior to the due date of the assignment to make arrangements.. Generally, if an assignment is to be accepted after the due date, consulta-tion with the professor will be required and a significant grade reduction will be in order.

Fall 2013


Formal Academic Writing Writing is like talking; however, students should not address the academic community in the same way that they would talk to their friends. Writing in a formal academic setting can be a struggle. Here are some general guidelines for learning to write formally, which can help your grades and prepare you for the professional world. Do…. √ Use Precise language and Effective Words Correct word usage: To achieve prop-

er diction, you need to use the word that has the exact denotation (definition) AND connotation (the secondary meaning of a word that can carry associations or feel-ings) that you are intending to express. Always use a dictionary with the thesau-rus! Ex.: firm= steady (positive); stub-born=unreasonable (negative) (A Writer’s Reference 151-65)

Precise words: Another common mis-take students make is using vague or in-formal words. Example: It was really awesome just how creepy the characters in “A Rose for Emily” were. Revised: Faulkner, through his use of tone and symbolism, creates mysterious and com-plex characters.

√ Present others’ arguments fairly and with an appropriate tone When presenting a position or argument

that you disagree with, be sure to de-scribe this argument accurately, without loaded or biased language. You should “[r]ecognize opposing views, . . . state them fairly (if you don’t, you do a disser-vice not only to the opposition but to your own position, because the percep-tive reader will not take you seriously), and be temperate in arguing your own position” (Current Issues & Enduring Questions 181). Your tone should also be one that is authoritative.

You should confidently state the strengths of your arguments using lan-guage that is neutral, not combative.

√ Use Active Rather than Passive Voice Writers should avoid passive voice because it is unclear who/what the actor is; if you are unsure about this, you should conduct fur-ther research in order to know more about

your topic. Passive voice: The law was passed in Oc-

tober 2007. (Who passed the law?) Active voice: Mayor Jones passed the law

in order to be re-elected in November. √ Say it, do not say that you will say it: Do not tell the audience what you are going to do or say in the paper; just say it! Faulty: In this paper, I w ill analyze the

arguments against handgun control. Revised: Arguments against handgun con-

trol are unconvincing because . . . √ Use concise language: Wordiness is often a sign that your thoughts need greater refinement; furthermore, wordiness can convey a pretentious tone or be confusing to the reader. See section W2 of A Writer’s Reference. Wordy: The reason why most people want

to travel is that they want to experience other cultures.

Concise: Most people want to travel to ex-perience other cultures.

Don’t Use…. Contractions Ex. You’re You are Can’t Can-not. Personal Pronouns (“I, we, our, you”) Personal pronouns should normally not be used in your pa-per; third person puts distance between the audi-ence and yourself, creating a more formal tone for the paper. Faulty: I believe that capital punishment

is wrong because . . . Revised: Capital punishment is wrong be-

cause . . . (The audience will assume this is what you believe)

“you” should only be used when you are ad-dressing the audience directly as in this handout. Ask yourself who you really mean. Replace “you” with “one,” “people,” or another specific label.

Inappropriate: In order to travel, you have to save hundreds of dollars for gasoline.

Revised: In order to travel, one has (or Americans have) to save hundreds of dollars for gasoline.

Language that is Biased or Racially or Sexually Offensive

Appropriate Language: Overview of Formal Writing for College



Avoid the generic “he” by using “he or

she”; if this becomes a burden, utilize the plural “they” instead.

Avoid labels that (intentionally or not) disparage the person or group you refer to.

Use names for racial, ethnic, and other groups that reflect the preferences of each group’s members.

Consult a writer’s manual for further terms to avoid.

Slang, Jargon, Clichés, and Conversational Language These are often too imprecise and infor-

mal for communicating effectively to the audience; write EXACTLY what you mean. “Stuff” and “things” are common exam-ples of vague language to revise.

Slang/Conversational Language: The story talks about a whole bunch of stuff that changes many things in the main character’s life. (What “stuff”? What “things” change in the character’s life?)

Clichés: Rebuilding New Orleans is easier said than done .

Pretentious Language/Euphemisms Words that are big, showy, or evasive should be replaced with more direct language. One form of pretentious writing is a euphemism, which is a presumably inoffensive word that a writer substitutes for a word deemed po-tentially offensive or too blunt (A Writer’s Reference 173). Pretentious: To perpetuate our en-

deavor of providing funds for our elderly citizens as we do at the present moment, we will face the exigency of enhanced contributions from all our citizens.

Revised: Citizens cannot continue to fund Social Security for the elderly unless we raise taxes.

Ambiguous references Be as specific as possible for the audience; in formal writing, students should avoid the phrase “in many ways” as well as “there is”and “it is” constructions. Faulty: I t is not fair that administra-

tors make all decisions that affect students in many ways.

Revised: Administrators make all decisions for the school, affecting students’ independence and finances.

Ambiguous: Parents and students waste time arguing. They should just give up some of their authority. (Who should give up their au-thority? Students or parents?)

Revised: Parents and students waste time arguing; parents should relinquish some au-thority.

Appropriate Language: Overview of Formal Writing for College



Western World In Modern Times

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Transcript of Western World In Modern Times