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CIV 102

I. TITLE: World Civilizations and Cultures since 1500

II. CATALOG DESCRIPTION:  An interdisciplinary survey of the development of the modern world from 1500 to the present through examination of the environmental, social, economic, and political influences that led to the emergence of today's increasingly global civilization.

III. PURPOSE:  To provide a common learning experience for all MSU students that will ensure that they become broadly educated in their own culture and the cultures of others and gain an understanding of the origins and history of the world in which they live.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will build upon and expand the skills of self expression taught in freshman composition courses by utilizing those skills on required essay exams, a writing assignment(s) of 3-5 pages, and in oral discussion or presentations.
2. students will obtain a base of knowledge for HUM 211/212 and other general education courses by putting into historical context the humanities, social sciences, and sciences;
3. students will further develop critical thinking skills by applying social science concepts, illustrated with reference to significant historical figures and events, to the interpretation of diverse information and by considering chronologically and comparatively the political, social, economic, cultural, and environmental forces affecting the development of major civilizations, as well as their primary legacies; and
4. students will demonstrate a degree of cultural literacy consistent with a university education.

V. CONTENT OUTLINE:  The following historical model will be used to integrate the four major sections of the course:
After 1500 the North Atlantic (or western) nations achieved global political, economic, and cultural hegemony, which was disrupted in the 20th century by the emergence of totalitarian states from the world wars, resulting in the division of the world into capitalist and communist systems (the First and Second Worlds) competing for allies among the new nations created by decolonization (the 3rd world), ending with the collapse of Communism, renewed cultural and national diversity and greater economic integration.

Part One: The Emergence of the North Atlantic System
1. Muslim Empires and New Monarchies of Europe --  a comparative exploration of religion, culture, and economic innovation in traditional imperial states and in the newly emerging nation-states of Europe
2. European Expansion -- An examination of the factors that propelled Europeans to launch their voyages of discovery
3. East Asia: Bureaucratic Conservatism -- successful, technologically sophisticated, China turns inward but maintains relations with the west, while Japan eventually chooses isolation
4. Columbian Exchange -- a examination of the global demographic, biological, cultural, political, and economic effects of the European-American encounter

Part Two: Age of Revolution
5. Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment -- empiricism and the diversity of reason and rationality from absolutism and mercantilism to constitutionalism and capitalism
6. The American and French Revolutions: War and Nation-building -- America liberal republics and European monarchies within a new balance of power
7. Industrial Revolution, Mass Society, and Socialism -- the disintegration of traditional society and economy and the search for political rights and social justice
8. Nationalism and Colonialism -- the penetration of Africa and Asia and the establishment of formal and informal imperial hegemony

Part Three: Modernization, World War & Totalitarianism
9. Modernization in Latin America, East Asia, and Russia -- nations left behind by the rapid modernization of the Atlantic nations pursue economic development
10. World War I: Global Origins and Consequences -- an arms race and nationalist competition amid the decay and transformation of imperial structures leads to the First World War and world economic depression
11. Fascism and Communism: Totalitarianism and WWII -- the rise of militaristic, anti-democratic and anti-capitalist political orders leads to the Second World War

Part Four: Cold War to the New World (Dis)Order
12. Bi-Polar World: Superpowers and Their Allies --  the division of the world into capitalist and communist systems (the First and Second Worlds) and the resulting arms race linked to military-industrial complexes
13. Decolonization: Independence and National Liberation --  weakened by war, European nations are unable to hold their colonies as new Third World emerge in the midst of superpower competition and conflict
14. Secular States and Religious Fundamentalism -- focuses on the consequences of WWII in the Middle East, the rise of Israel and new Arab states, their subsequent conflicts, relations with the west, and the emergence of religious fundamentalism
15. After the Fall: The World Today -- the collapse of Communism, renewed cultural and national diversity, and the simultaneous process of greater economic integration

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
A. Instructors will:

1. use a common text and workbook;
2. require a minimum of approximately 200 pages of outside (non-textbook) reading which students will be asked to discuss in class or in written work;
3. require at least one three to five page paper (or the equivalent in shorter papers) typed on a computer word-processing program, clearly written, with proper spelling and grammar, and content that demonstrates critical thinking skills and ability to organize and present historical information and arguments;
4. give quizzes over the text and/or workbook;
5. give at least two formal, hour examinations (to include at least 50% essay questions) in addition to the final examination;
6. engage students actively in the learning process through discussion and interaction between the instructor and students and/or among the students themselves or in such varied class activities as case studies, role playing, or other appropriate activities;
7. test mastery of major concepts, events, individuals, and developments by a multiple-choice Common Final on which students must score 50% to pass the course and which will count 40% to 60% of the final exam grade.

1. performing satisfactorily on text or workbook quizzes by placing items in proper chronological and geographical settings and identifying distinguishing features of persons, ideas, or events;
2. demonstrating in essay exam questions acceptable analytical and interpretive skills by bringing together diverse information to describe and explain the causes and consequences of individual actions and/or related events and by comparing the differing factors affecting the development of different civilizations;
3. demonstrating in a written paper acceptable grammatical and language usage and sufficiently well developed critical thinking skills to develop a clear thesis based on accurate data and supported by relevant fact and logical inference;
4. communicating ideas clearly and logically both in written papers and oral discussion or presentations;
5. evidencing an acceptable level of cultural literacy relative to major events, individuals, and developments in world history by scoring at least 50% on a comprehensive Common Final examination.

VIII. RESOURCES: Supplemental educational videos shown on MSU channel 11 and on reserve in Waterfield Library.

IX. GRADING PROCEDURES:
1. Quizzes and exams (which test basic knowledge and ability to analyze cause and effect or comparative data) will constitute 60-80% of the course grade.
2. Written papers reflecting writing and critical thinking skills will count 15-30%.
3. Discussion, student presentations, or other activities requiring effective oral communication and an ability to support a position with accurate evidence and logical argument will count 5-25%.
4. A Common Final based on test items with which educated people should have some general familiarity and taken by all CIV students will comprise 40-60% of each instructor?s final exam grade; a score of 50% or better on the Common Final is required to pass the course.

X. ATTENDANCE POLICY:  Attendance is mandatory. Excess absences will adversely affect grades.

XI. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: the college policy (posted in all classrooms and printed in course workbook) is in effect.

XII. TEXTS:
William Duiker/Jackson Spielvogel, World History
Ken Wolf, CIV 102: World Civilizations to 1500: Student Guide.

XIII. PREREQUISITES:  None.

Last updated February 8, 2000. Designed and maintained by Kyosung Koo