The Premodern World
HIS 301F (Unique # 39235), AHC 310 (Unique # 33070)
Fall 2014
UTC 3.112
MWF 11am- 12pm
Instructor:
Dr. Jamie D. Aprile
E-mail: [email protected]
Office: Waggener Hall 217
Office phone: 471-8607
Office Hours: W 2-5pm, or by appointment
Teaching Assistant:
William Kramer
E-mail: [email protected]
Office: Belmont Hall 2.212N
Office Hours: Th 12-2pm, or by appointment
Course Overview:
The premodern world encompasses the span of human existence on Earth from the origins of
symbolic behavior around 30,000 years ago to the complex societies that lead up to the early
modern era of the 15th century CE. The boundaries of that range are to some extent arbitrary, as
are the divisions between cultures, places, and eras, so in this course we will take a comparative
and cross-cultural perspective to explore political, social, and cultural trends in a variety of
societies as we traverse time. While covering the content of the human past, we will also
investigate methods of historical study and analysis to discover how history is constructed from
both material remains and written sources.
This course carries the Global Cultures flag. Global Cultures courses are designed to increase
your familiarity with cultural groups outside the United States. You should therefore expect a
substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and
histories of at least one non-U.S. cultural group, past or present.
Format and Procedures:
This course will consist of three weekly lectures accompanied by readings from the course
textbook, supplementary readings, and primary sources. Attendance at lectures is required, and
you are expected to complete the readings before the class date for which they are assigned.
Weekly in-class discussions and small group activities will be conducted on days marked on the
schedule as “Working with evidence.” One score from these weekly activities will be dropped,
and they cannot be made up. Always bring a writing utensil and paper with you to class for
assignments. You may use your computer during class ONLY to take notes. If your computer
use distracts the instructor or your fellow students in any way, you will not be permitted to use it.
Outside of class, Canvas is the focal point for course work and interaction. Course information
will be distributed via Canvas and e-mail. Slides from the lectures will be posted as pdfs, but be
advised that they contain only a VERY BRIEF outline of the information from the lecture and
absolutely cannot substitute for attending class and taking detailed notes. Any online homework
assignments will also be hosted through Canvas.
Exams will consist of short answer essay questions. There will be a longer essay on the final
exam as well. Be advised that some material from the textbook may not be specifically
discussed in lecture, yet it still may appear on the exams.
REQUIRED: Bring a blank blue (do not put your name on it) to every exam. If you do not arrive
with a blue book in hand, you will not be admitted to the test and will receive a zero.
Class Etiquette:
You are expected to be courteous and to treat others as you would like to be treated. Turn off
your cell phones. During lectures do not read newspapers, eat, gchat, post on Facebook, surf the
internet, do your nails, talk, etc. You should not be multi-tasking during class. Arrive on time
and don’t pack up your belongings or leave until the end of class- coming and going in the
middle is rude and distracting to your instructor and classmates.
Scholastic dishonesty:
Scholastic dishonesty on any graded assignment will result in a zero on that assignment. A
second offense will result in an F in the class. Scholastic dishonesty includes any kind of
cheating on tests, quizzes, or assignments, including plagiarism or unauthorized collaboration. If
you are unsure about the exact definition, you should consult the online General Information
Catalogue, Appendix, Section 11-802:
http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/catalogs/gi04-05/app/appc11.html#11-802
Religious holidays:
Students may make up work missed for a religious holiday if they request a day off for the
holiday via e-mail at least fourteen days ahead of time. You may not request a make-up
assignment after the date of the holiday. Because some course activities are not announced in
advance, it is always better to notify the instructor of the holiday to ensure you will not miss an
assignment.
Students with special needs:
The University of Texas at Austin provides, upon request, appropriate academic
accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. If you expect that you will need
assistance, please notify the instructor during the first two weeks of class, or a soon as the need
arises. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students or look at the
information available online at:
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd
Emergency Preparedness:
The university has created guidelines and procedures to follow in the event of an emergency.
These include a variety of notification systems to keep you informed, including the campus siren
system (tested around noon on the first Wednesday of every month), the emergency web site,
and the campus text alerts system. Please consult the web pages provided by the Campus Safety
and Security Office for more information about how you can be prepared for any emergencies
that might arise.
http://www.utexas.edu/emergency/
www.utexas.edu/cellphonealert
http://www.utexas.edu/safety/preparedness/
General course policies:
There are NO make-up exams or assignments unless they are covered by the policies outlined
above. Online assignments have electronic deadlines that are not negotiable. Be sure you
submit your responses several minutes before the closing time to avoid technical errors. It is
your responsibility to ensure that your work has been turned in on time.
The course outline found on this syllabus provides a general plan for the semester, however it is
often the case that circumstances require us to change those plans. In the event of any changes to
the schedule, required reading assignments, or other information, announcements will be made
via e-mail and on Canvas. Exam dates are clearly posted in the schedule and are not negotiable.
Please refer to the official academic calendars provided by the Office of the Registrar for
information regarding add/drop deadlines and other important information:
http://registrar.utexas.edu/calendars/14-15/
Grades:
Grades will be comprised of three exams, in-class discussions and activities, and online
assignments. The final exam will be cumulative; however the material covered in it will be
weighted toward the last third of the course material. Grades will not be changed unless there is
an error in recording or calculation. Please notify the professor or your TA immediately if you
identify an error in grading. Grades will be posted on Canvas.
Grade Breakdown:
Midterm Exam 1- 25%
Midterm Exam 2- 25%
Final Exam- 30%
Weekly In-class activities- 15%
Online assignments- 5%
Grade scale:
A
93- 100%
A90- 92%
B+
87- 89%
B
83- 86%
B80- 82%
C+
C
CD+
D
DF
77- 79%
73- 76%
70- 72%
67- 69%
63- 66%
60- 62%
59% and below
Textbooks and Course Materials:
Textbooks:
Strayer, Robert W. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, Volume 1, 2nd ed.
Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013.
Additional readings, course materials, and announcements will be posted on Canvas during the
semester. Notifications for additional reading assignments will be distributed via Canvas and email.
All assigned readings are required. Chapter assignments in the textbook include any appendices
or additional readings that appear in the chapter.
E-mail:
Course messages will be sent out using Canvas. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are
receiving all instructional messages. Make sure you have a current address that you check
regularly registered with the university.
Please observe e-mail etiquette when using the services provided in Canvas. Restrict your
messages to course-specific topics. When contacting your instructors, proofread your messages
and treat them as formal letters of inquiry, not as text messages. Instructors receive enormous
volumes of e-mail, so please attempt to solve trivial matters on your own before contacting us.
Recording Policy
You may not record audio or video of lectures without submitting a written request and receiving
a written consent from the instructor. The instructor reserves the right to refuse requests if they
are not covered by the policies for students with disabilities.
Course Outline:
**This syllabus represents my current plans and objectives. As we go through the semester, those plans may need to
change to enhance the class learning opportunity. Such changes, communicated clearly, are not unusual and should
be expected.
8/27 (W)
8/29 (F)
9/1 (M)
9/3 (W)
9/5 (F)
9/8 (M)
9/10 (W)
9/12 (F)
9/15 (M)
9/17 (W)
9/19 (F)
9/22 (M)
9/24 (W)
9/26 (F)
9/29 (M)
10/1 (W)
10/3 (F)
10/6 (M)
10/8 (W)
10/10 (F)
10/13 (M)
10/15 (W)
Before “History,” there was a lot of history
Strayer, Prologue pp. xliii-l
The Palaeolithic
Strayer, Chapter 1
NO CLASS- Happy Labor Day!
The Neolithic
Strayer, Chapter 1
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 1: pp. 46-59
Early Civilizations
Strayer, Chapter 2
Early Civilizations
Strayer, Chapter 2
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 2: pp. 92-107
States and Empires
Strayer, Chapter 3
States and Empires
Strayer, Chapter 3
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 3: pp. 146-163
Culture and Religion
Strayer, Chapter 4
Culture and Religion
Strayer, Chapter 4
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 4: pp. 198-215
Review for Midterm 1
Midterm 1
Society and Inequality
Strayer, Chapter 5
Society and Inequality
Strayer, Chapter 5
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 5: pp. 243-259
Commonalities and Variations
Strayer, Chapter 6
Commonalities and Variations
Strayer, Chapter 6
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 6: pp. 292-305
10/17 (F)
10/20 (M)
10/22 (W)
10/24 (F)
10/27 (M)
10/29 (W)
10/31 (F)
11/3 (M)
11/5 (W)
11/7 (F)
11/10 (M)
11/12 (W)
11/14 (F)
11/17 (M)
11/19 (W)
11/21 (F)
11/24 (M)
11/26 (W)
11/28 (F)
12/1 (M)
12/3 (W)
12/5 (F)
Commerce and Culture
Strayer, Chapter 7
Commerce and Culture
Strayer, Chapter 7
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 7: pp. 344-363
China and the world
Strayer, Chapter 8
China and the world
Strayer, Chapter 8
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 8: pp.395-409
Review for midterm 2
Midterm 2
The Worlds of Islam
Strayer, Chapter 9
The Worlds of Islam
Strayer, Chapter 9
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 9: pp. 444-461
The Worlds of Christendom
Strayer, Chapter 10
The Worlds of Christendom
Strayer, Chapter 10
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 10: pp. 499-511
Pastoral People on the Global Stage
Strayer, Chapter 11
Pastoral People on the Global Stage
Strayer, Chapter 11
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 11: pp. 542-557
The Worlds of the 15th Century
Strayer, Chapter 12
NO CLASS- Happy Thanksgiving!!!
The Worlds of the 15th Century
Strayer, Chapter 12
Working with evidence
Strayer, Chapter 12: pp. 593-609
Conclusion and Comprehensive Review
FINAL EXAM
Check the official registrar exam schedule for date, time, and place.