History 1100
Extended Syllabus
Foundations of Western Civilization,
Ancient and Medieval
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Dr. Robert J. Mueller
Fall Semester 2015
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION A: General Course Information
1. Required Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Course Content & Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Course Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Discussion Grade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Quizzes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Writing Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. Grade Breakdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. Office Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9. Academic Dishonesty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10. Sexual Harassment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11. Students with Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12. Reading Assignments & Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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3-4
4
4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7
7
7-8
8
8-9
SECTION B: Advice for Writing
1. The Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Mueller’s Pet Peeves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Proper Footnoting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Plagiarism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11-15
16
17-18
19
SECTION C: Unit Outlines and Word Lists
Weeks 1 to 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-35
SECTION D: Maps
1. Suggestions for Map Identifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
1
History 1100 Extended Syllabus
Section A
General Course Information
2
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
HISTORY 1100: FOUNDATIONS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION:
ANCIENT TO MEDIEVAL
Fall Semester 2015
Thursdays, 5:15-7:45PM
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Bob Mueller
OFFICE: USU, Tooele Regional Campus – Office 180
OFFICE PHONE & VOICE MAIL: (435) 882-6611 ext. 3180
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 3:00-5:00PM and by appointment.
E-MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected] (This is the best way to get hold of me.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. REQUIRED READING:
McKay, Hill, Buckler, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks, Western Society: A Brief History,
(Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010).
[ISBN 978-0-312-68732-8]
The History 1100 Reader (found on Canvas under “Course Materials”)
2. COURSE CONTENT & OUTCOMES:
History 1100 is an introduction to the history of Western Civilization from the first appearance
of urban settlements on the Eurasian continent to the upheavals of famine, plague and war in the Late
Middle Ages. It covers the creation of a unique civilization -- one that combined traditions of the Near
East, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe -- from the birth of those traditions, through their
combination and to the beginning of their transportation to the Americas, Asia and Africa. This course
also emphasizes the examination of primary sources as a method of developing the important skill of
analysis. In discussion, in papers and on your quizzes, you will be asked to reach general conclusions
through careful use of specific evidence. The lectures, readings and discussions for each week will
concentrate on a particular society or societies designated in the syllabus, with an emphasis on
comparing political, religious and social institutions to those of societies previously examined. By
comparing and contrasting the same aspects of each society, you should be able to trace the
development and transformation of ideas and institutions which we have come to identify as
"Western," as well as to demonstrate a sound understanding of the fundamentally unique
characteristics of each society you study. There will be four main outcomes when you finish this
course:
1) You will become a stronger writer. I do not use midterms and finals to test how well you
understand the lectures and readings. Instead I ask you to write a series of three term papers and take
short quizzes. In Section B of this syllabus there is a detailed discussion about writing strong papers.
2) You will become a more critical thinker. The papers and terminology quizzes require you to
use and develop the skill of analysis. Analysis is the ability to reach into a mass of material and pull
out only what is relevant for a certain project or assignment. You will learn to have informed opinions
backed up by evidence.
3) You will understand important facts about the civilizations of the Ancient Near East, Greeks,
Romans and Europeans which will show why they are considered to be the foundation cultures of
western civilization.
4) You will understand how societies change over a period of time. Western customs, religion,
government, warfare, art and civil society changed dramatically between the time of the
Mesopotamians and that of the Europeans.
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3. COURSE ORGANIZATION:
This course is a mixture of lecture and discussion. It is vitally important that you have the
material assigned for the week done by our class meeting. Always bring your course reader, the
History 1100 Reader, to class each week, because I will lead a discussion of certain primary source
documents during the lecture. This is also a writing-intensive class; you will have to demonstrate the
analytical skills you practice in the discussions on your writing assignments and your terminology
quizzes.
Remember that this is an Interactive Video Conferencing (IVC) course. We handle discussion a
bit differently in such a class. I will ask questions of different sites during the lecture. Yes, this means I
will occasionally ask you to talk, but I’m such a fun (and humble) guy that this should always be a
distinct pleasure. If you are not at the site that is being questioned, please hold off answering unless I
throw open the question to the whole class. Don’t worry, I’ll give all sites the chance to participate.
Likewise, if you have a question during the lecture, I want you to ask it. But please wait for a pause in
my lecture (I stop a lot to sip my coffee) and then ask away. Always remember to announce the
following things when you address me or the class:
1) Your name
2) Your site
This way I can keep track of who is talking and it gives our video technology time to turn on and focus
on you. Yes, a camera will be on you when you speak in class. In this way I can see who is talking.
4. DISCUSSION GRADE:
Ten percent (10%) of your grade will be based on your participation in the discussions in
this class. That does not mean simply asking a question or two. I expect you to answer questions and
make substantive comments in our weekly discussions, most of which will be based on the readings we
do. I keep track of all the substantive comments you make on a control sheet, so make sure you clearly
state your name and site before you make your comment. That will give me time to find your name and
mark it. If you contribute regularly, you will earn a good discussion grade. If you do not contribute,
you could lower your overall grade by as much as an entire grade level (meaning that a B+ grade on
the rest of the course assignments could become a C+). The take-away message here is to take part in
the discussions. To be able to do this effectively you need to keep up on the readings, especially the
primary sources in the History 1100 Reader.
5. QUIZZES:
There are seven quizzes worth a total of 300 points (or 30% of your total grade): two map
quizzes and five terminology quizzes. Each map quiz is worth 25 points and each terminology quiz 50
points. The purpose of the quizzes is to see how well you are studying the course materials. I expect
you to rely on your memory alone when taking these quizzes. You may not use any books, class
notes or external websites when taking the quizzes. If you are found using any of these to assist you in
taking a quiz you will be guilty of cheating and could fail the course.
The two (2) map quizzes will be given in class. On each quiz I will give you a blank map of
Europe and the Mediterranean Sea and ask you to find ten locations. Why do I do this? It is because
maps are crucial to understanding the history of the ancient and medieval worlds. I want you to learn
the location of two kinds of places. First, you need to know basic geographical features (such as, major
rivers, mountains, islands, bodies of water and regions). Second, I want you to know how to locate
important kingdoms, cities, regions and other political units. Maps of these geographical features and
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places can be found in the textbook. A list of the possible locations I might ask on these quizzes is at
the end of this syllabus. Check the “Grade Breakdown” section of this syllabus for the dates of the map
quizzes.
The five (5) terminology quizzes will focus on important terms taken from the lecture
outlines/word lists in Section C of this syllabus. The quizzes are taken on Canvas and are each timed
for 15 minutes, so make sure you do your studying before the quiz. You may take the quizzes any time
over a particular one or two day period but you only get one chance to take the quiz. I will not grant
any extensions or do-overs for any reason. Please consult the “Grade Breakdown” section below for
the days on which each quiz may be taken. Quizzes are computerized and cannot be made up, so
please make sure you take them on the days they are available. Remember that quizzes are supposed to
be done from memory. Do not make use of any course materials or internet web sites when taking
the quizzes. And you may not cut and paste into the quiz answers which you may have written before
the quiz began.
6. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
There are three (3) term papers required for this course. Each of the papers will be worth 200
points (20% of your overall grade) and must be on the respective topics below. For each paper you will
be expected to write an essay of no less than 1500 words (about 5-6 full pages). You may write more
(to a maximum of 2250 words), but papers of less than 1500 words will adversely affect your grade. I
will expect formal footnotes for this paper. Please see “Proper Footnoting” on pages 17-18 of this
syllabus for more information on how to do footnotes correctly.
Make sure your papers are typed, double-spaced, have page numbers, and have 1"
margins all around. Use a 12 pitch font which will make it easy for me to read. Please write your
papers using the MSWord word processing program. This will make it easy to upload the paper into
Canvas. The Logan campus, USU regional campuses and USU education centers all have computer
labs loaded with this program. Do not use MSWorks, since my computer will not open papers written
with this program. Only submit papers which have a file suffix of “.doc” or “.docx” (the ones used by
MSWord). I cannot read files which end in “.rft” or “.odt” or any other suffix.
Please consult Section B of this extended syllabus which is called “Advice for Writing” before
writing your papers. It contains suggestions on how to write a strong essay and reveals the grammatical
and other errors I will penalize you for on your paper. Please consult “Mueller’s Pet Peeves” (on page
16) before you write each of your papers. It will give you an idea of the things I look for (or hate to
see) in a well-written paper.
Here is a hint. One of my biggest pet peeves is a poorly proofread paper. I grade off for errors
in spelling, punctuation and grammar -- and typos too. In this age of computers with spelling and
grammar checkers there is no excuse for a sloppy paper. Have a friend or family member proofread
your paper for you. They can often find errors that you might not see.
Finally, since these are such short papers please DO NOT include any long quotations
(meaning anything over one line across the paper in length). Never quote or cite from an introduction
to a document or from the textbook. I want to see how you make use of primary sources as evidence.
All of your papers should be submitted on Canvas. If you have problems posting your paper,
please contact the helpdesk. After I have read and graded your papers, please review the comments that
I will write on them in Canvas. I try to offer suggestions on how to improve your writing and analytical
skills. You can get your paper comments by reviewing your paper while in Canvas.
Please do not use any outside books, articles or websites for the papers. I expect you to
only make use of course materials. You may use the textbook and lectures for some background
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material for your argument, but you should concentrate on making extensive use of examples and short
quotations from the primary sources in the History 1100 Reader. The point of these papers is to see
how well you are able to use a limited set of sources as evidence for your views. The best papers will
make the most use of primary source evidence and they will receive the highest scores.
TOPIC for PAPER #1 (The Gods Paper): Using mainly documents from the first five weeks
readings from the History 1100 Reader as evidence, please compare and contrast the relationship
between human beings and the gods (or god) of the Mesopotamian, Hebrew and Greek civilizations.
Why do the gods (or god) interact with human beings? What expectations do the gods (or god) have
for humans? How do these cultures explain the existence of good and evil? Remember to show the
similarities and differences between the three civilizations.
DUE DATE: Saturday, October 03 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TOPIC for PAPER #2 (The Rise of Europe Paper): Using mainly documents from weeks six
through eleven show why European civilization was considered to be a blending of Roman, Germanic
and Christian cultures. What examples of each culture do you see in Carolingian society and the
feudal system of the High Middle Ages?
DUE DATE: Saturday, November 14 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TOPIC for PAPER #3 (Towns vs. Black Death Paper): Using mainly documents from weeks
twelve through fifteen, write an essay which answers the following question: which changed the lives
of Western Europeans more during the Middle Ages, the rise of towns or the Black Death? You will
have to talk about both to be convincing. Please be specific about what changed.
DUE DATE: Saturday, December 12 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
Remember, I would like you to use formal footnotes in all of the papers. Microsoft Word has a
footnoting feature which is very easy to learn. Please practice using it before you submit your first
paper. For more help on how to write the citations which appear in footnotes, please see Section B
(“Proper Footnoting”) for assistance.
7. GRADE BREAKDOWN:
Discussion
Map Quiz #1
Map Quiz #2
Terminology Quiz #1
Terminology Quiz #2
Terminology Quiz #3
Terminology Quiz #4
Terminology Quiz #5
Paper #1
Paper #2
Paper #3
100 pts
25 pts
25 pts
50 pts
50 pts
50 pts
50 pts
50 pts
200 pts
200 pts
200 pts
September 24 (in class)
December 03 (in class)
Take on Canvas on September 18 or 19
(Weeks 1-3)
Take on Canvas on October 09 or 10
(Weeks 4-6)
Take on Canvas on October 30 or 31
(Weeks 8-9)
Take on Canvas on November 20 or 21
(Weeks 10-12)
Take on Canvas on December 11 or 12
(Weeks 14-15)
Saturday, October 03 by midnight
(submitted on Canvas)
Saturday, November 14 by midnight (submitted on Canvas)
Saturday, December 12 by midnight (submitted on Canvas)
Your scores for the three papers and the final course grade will be calculated based as follows:
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Paper Scores
Course Grade
A+
194-200
none
A
186-193
930-1000 pts
A180-185
900-929
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------B+
174-179
870-899
B
166-173
830-869
B160-165
800-829
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------C+
154-159
770-799
C
146-153
730-769
C140-145
700-729
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------D+
134-139
670-699
D
126-133
630-669
D120-125
none
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------F
000-119
000-629
8. OFFICE HOURS:
The purpose of office hours is to provide you with the time to meet with or call me to discuss
any aspect of the course, whether it be advice on the papers or quizzes or questions about the readings
or my lectures. Please take advantage of my office hours by calling me, writing me by e-mail or
showing up in person. I work for you. And remember, you can always send me e-mails at any time
with your questions or comments. I can give you a quick response this way.
9. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
It is a sad commentary on our times but it must be said in advance, I expect you to do your own
work. Please read the section on plagiarism in Section B of this extended syllabus. You are
responsible for correctly citing your sources in your four papers. If you are caught cheating on a quiz
(using outside sources or websites) or turning in work which is not your own, you may fail the course.
You may also be reported to the Judicial Officer on the Logan campus of USU and may be expelled
from the university. Face it, it's just not worth the risk to your future.
10. SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual Harassment is defined by the Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission as any “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual nature.” If you feel you are a victim of sexual harassment, you may talk
to or file a complaint with the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office, located in Old Main,
room 161, or call the office at (435) 797-1266.
11. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The Americans with Disabilities Act states: “Reasonable accommodation will be provided for
all persons with disabilities in order to ensure equal participation within the program. If a student has
a disability that will likely require some accommodation by the instructor, the student must contact the
instructor and document the disability through the Disability Resource Center, preferably during the
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first week of the course. Any request for special consideration relating to attendance, pedagogy, taking
of examinations, etc., must be discussed with and approved by the instructor. In cooperation with the
Disability Resource Center, course materials can be provided in alternative format, large print, audio,
diskette, or Braille.”
12. LECTURES AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:
Listed below are the reading assignments for the course. Please have all the reading done
before our weekly class meeting. I will plan discussions based on this material.
WEEK ONE:
Sep 03
Introduction & Neolithic Revolution
Reading: None
WEEK TWO:
Sep 10
Mesopotamian Civilization
Reading: McKay, Chapter 1; Reader, Week Two Readings.
WEEK THREE:
Sep 17
Hebrews, Assyrians & Persians
Reading: McKay, Chapter 2; Reader, Week Three Readings.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #1 on September 18 and 19 (On Weeks 1- 3 terms)
WEEK FOUR:
Sep 24
Archaic Greece
Reading: McKay, Chapter 3 (pp. 38-50); Reader, Week Four Readings.
MAP QUIZ #1 in class.
WEEK FIVE:
Oct 01
Classical & Hellenistic Greece
Reading: McKay, Chapter 3 (pp.50-64) & Chapter 4; Reader, Week Five Readings.
PAPER #1 DUE Saturday, October 03 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
WEEK SIX:
Oct 08
Roman Republic
Reading: McKay, Chapter 5; Reader, Week Six Readings.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #2 on October 09 or 10 (On Weeks 4-6 terms)
WEEK SEVEN:
Oct 15
No Class. Friday Schedule for Fall Break.
Reading: None
WEEK EIGHT:
Oct 21
Roman Empire
Reading: McKay, Chapter 6; Reader, Week Eight Readings.
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WEEK NINE:
Oct 28
Rise of Christianity
Reading: McKay, Chapter 7 (pp. 134-149); Reader, Week Nine Readings.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #3 on October 30 or 31 (On Weeks 8-9 terms)
WEEK TEN:
Nov 05
Germanic Society & Carolingian Empire
Reading: McKay, pp. 149-160, and 171-191; Reader, Week Ten Readings.
WEEK ELEVEN:
Nov 12
High Middle Ages: Feudalism & Manorialism
Reading: McKay, pp.194-202, 221-228, 234-238); Reader, Week Eleven Readings.
PAPER #2 DUE Saturday, November 14 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
WEEK TWELVE:
Nov 19
High Middle Ages: Rise of Towns
Reading: McKay, Chapter 11; Reader, Week Eleven Readings.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #4 on November 20 or 21 (On Weeks 10-12 terms)
WEEK THIRTEEN:
Nov 26
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY – No class.
Reading: None.
WEEK FOURTEEN:
Dec 03
Late Middle Ages: The Black Death
Reading: McKay, Chapter 12 (pp.277-286); Reader, Week Thirteen Readings.
MAP QUIZ #2 in class.
WEEK FIFTEEN:
Dec 10
Late Middle Ages: The Hundred Years War
Reading: McKay, Chapter 12 (pp.287-305); Reader, Week Fifteen Readings.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #5 on December 11 or 12 (On Weeks 14-15 terms)
PAPER #3 DUE Saturday, December 12 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
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History 1100 Extended Syllabus
Section B
Advice for Writing
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Advice for Writing Good Essays
The Essay
An essay is a formal piece of writing that has some specific rules, just as haiku poetry has rules
as to the number of lines and syllables per line. If you do not follow the rules then you are not writing
an essay. The first thing to remember is that at its core an essay is an argument. It is supposed to
prove something. An essay is not just an excuse to repeat a lot of the stuff you’ve been reading in the
course materials or hearing in the lectures. A good essay is analytical, meaning it argues a point. You
should avoid writing a narrative, which merely retells a story. In the writing assignments, I’m not
testing your memory, but rather I’m seeing how well you are learning the skill of analysis.
Formal essays have a simple but definite three-part structure. First, they begin with an
introductory paragraph which introduces the reader to a problem or topic. It also tells the reader
exactly what the writer intends to prove. The second part is the body of the essay, where the writer
presents his or her evidence in an organized fashion. The final part of an essay is the conclusion. In a
conclusion the writer does not present any new evidence or interpretations of evidence. Instead he or
she sums up the argument they have just presented in the body.
To write a good essay you must be selective about what you discuss. Focus on the topic
question(s) which you were given. They are your roadmap to constructing a good argument. Make
sure you answer each of the questions and answer them fully. Do not go off on tangents and talk about
things not covered in the topic question(s). Bringing in irrelevant information detracts from the core of
your argument and distracts the reader. It does not earn you any extra points, so it just wastes your
(and your instructor’s) time. Make sure you know exactly what topic you are supposed to write on. A
good general rule of thumb is to read the topic question(s) three times in succession before you start
writing. Even if you think you know what the instructor wants after the first reading, make yourself
read them three times.
PART ONE: The Introductory Paragraph
As the term suggests the introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of your essay. Many
students have difficulties in composing an introductory paragraph, usually because they do not know
the purpose of the introduction to an essay. On this we should be clear. The purpose of the introduction
is tell the reader what you intend to prove in the essay. It explains briefly how you intend to answer the
topic question(s). It contains specific information. How do you write an introductory paragraph that is
both strong and effective? Let us examine this systematically.
Structure
There is no one way to construct an introductory paragraph. But let me suggest a simple twopart structure that will work for most history essays.
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1) Background: First, give a small amount of background information so the reader will
understand the context of the problem or issue you are exploring. How much you write will vary with
the complexity of the issue or questions with which you are dealing. If you are answering a question
on one topic, you may not need much background information. However, a longer series of questions
may call for more information. The key is to provide the minimum amount of background that your
reader will need to understand your argument. For example, if you are asked to explain why Lucretia,
the legendary ideal of Roman womanhood, was so important as a role model to early Romans, your
introduction might begin with a very short description of how the Romans of the 6th century B.C. were
ruled not by their own leaders but by Etruscan kings. You might also mention that Lucretia’s story
helps explain why the Romans overthrew the monarchy and instituted a new form of government
called the republic. This background material will make your core argument more understandable to
the reader.
2) Thesis: Second, tell the reader exactly what you intend to prove in the essay. This is delivered in
a thesis statement, a clear and concise declarative sentence (or set of sentences) which outlines the
general argument that will be made.
The Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is considered by many to be the single most important part of an essay.
Many students come to the university thinking they know how to write a thesis statement because they
follow a simple rule they learned in high school. That rule is to take any question asked and turn it into
a statement. For example, you are asked, “why was Lucretia considered such an important role model
to early Roman women?” The typical high school strategy would be to turn this question into a
statement like, “Lucretia was considered to be an important role model to early Roman women.” But
look at how weak a statement this is. It tells the reader nothing. The question asked you to explain why
Lucretia was a role model. Your reader is expecting you to give some specific reasons. For a thesis
statement to be effective you need to give some specific examples which help answer the question(s)
asked. These examples do not need to be long or drawn out or include anything from the actual
documents you intend to use as evidence – that is the purpose of the body of the essay. But you do
need to provide some short specific examples.
Another common mistake made by some students is to tell the reader what they will do in the
essay, instead of what they will prove. For example, they might include a statement which says, “In
this essay I will show why Lucretia was considered to be such an important role model for early
Roman women,” or “By examining documents from the sourcebook it will be shown why Lucretia was
a role model for Romans.” The problem with both of these statements is the same as the one
mentioned in the paragraph above; they do not say anything specific. You need to provide some actual
specific examples. Let’s look at some possible thesis statements and judge their strengths and
weaknesses.
Examples of Thesis Statements
1) Below Average Thesis. “Lucretia was seen as a role model because she was a good housewife
and because she killed herself after being violated by a man.” This is a below average thesis because it
is so vague. While it does give two reasons why Lucretia was a role model, it does not explain them or
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give any specific details. It begs more questions than it answers. Why was being a good housewife
important? What made her a good housewife? Why was her death significant?
2) Average Thesis. “Lucretia was seen as a role model because she let herself be raped to protect
her family honor. This led her husband and his friend to use her as a reason why the Romans should
overthrow the king.” This is an average thesis because it is limited and a bit vague. It gives one reason
why Lucretia was seen as a role model, but only one. It also does not include much detail for the reader
about why honor might be significant. Nothing at all is said about Lucretia’s importance as an example
of duty towards the family.
3) Above Average Thesis. “Lucretia became a role model for Roman women because of her
concern for duty and honor. She was hardworking in the home, weaving clothes and maintaining the
customs of hospitality. She was willing to die rather than let the king’s son sleep with her, and let him
violate her in order to prevent him from dishonoring her family.” This is a good thesis because it
provides two clear reasons, but it is still vague about the linkages between duty and hard work in the
home and between honor and the rape.
4) Excellent thesis. “The story of Lucretia, although a myth, gave the Romans a role model for
ideal female behavior. She showed the importance of duty to the family through her careful attention
to household management. She worked hard at weaving late into the night alongside her servants,
when the wives of other men were out partying. Lucretia also exemplified the importance of the
Roman virtue of honor by submitting herself to rape at the hands of the king’s son rather than see her
family dishonored. She also maintained her own honor by killing herself after the rape so her example
could not be used as an excuse by women of loose morals to justify their own infidelities.” This is an
excellent thesis because it offers two specific reasons why Lucretia was seen as a role model and
provides many specific details.
A strong, clear thesis is essential in any essay. It tells the reader exactly what you intend to
prove. Your reader will judge your entire essay by how well or how poorly you defend this thesis. The
defense of your thesis is done in the next section of your paper – the body.
PART TWO: The Body
The second part of an essay is the body, where you support the argument laid out in your thesis
by presenting evidence in an organized fashion. This is by far the longest part of the paper. Here you
methodically prove your thesis, not just by making general statements, but by presenting specific
evidence from various sources. What exactly do I mean by evidence? Well, if you make a statement
about a person, idea or event and do not back it up with some form of proof, then you are simply
expressing a personal opinion. It may be right or it may be wrong. Without evidence your reader
cannot tell the difference. And frankly, opinions are a dime a dozen in our world today -- just look at
the huge number of talk shows or news programs with pundits expressing their often contradictory
views. Any uninformed person can have an opinion. One purpose of a college essay is to help you
develop informed opinions. What makes an opinion informed? It is when it is based on an analysis of
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evidence. You perform this analysis in the body of the paper. How do you organize this section?
Again, there are many ways to do so, but let me offer some suggestions.
First, focus on the topic question(s) and let them guide the organization of your essay. Think
about what the instructor is asking you to prove. In most college courses there is not just one correct
answer to the topic question(s). There are often different approaches to the same question(s). For a
history essay most instructors want to see how well you use evidence to back up or support an
argument. There are two kinds of evidence.
a. Primary source evidence involves documents (letters, government papers, books, paintings
and illustrations, etc.) from the time you are studying. It is the strongest form of evidence because it
involves the thoughts, ideas and interpretations of people from the time you are studying.
b. Secondary source evidence includes the writings of people who came well after the time
you are studying. They are usually written by scholars who use primary source documents to form an
interpretation of people and events from the past. Textbooks are a good example of a secondary
source. So are the introductions to the documents found in most sourcebooks and document readers.
They are considered inferior to primary sources because they involve a certain degree of guesswork by
the scholar. Two different scholars can look at the exact same documents and sometimes reach widely
different interpretations of what they mean or how significant they are. That is why you should always
rely on primary sources first when you are arguing your thesis. Do not just rely on what some other
person has said. When grading your use of evidence I give most credit for your use of primary source
documents and very little for use of secondary sources, like the textbook or the introductions to
documents. For the essays required in this course secondary source information is considered so weak
that you should avoid making much use of it. And never, ever, for any reason, should secondary
sources be quoted in your papers.
Before you write the body of your paper it is a good idea to make an outline of the main points
of your argument. Consider the evidence you want to use to support these points. Remember to focus
on primary source evidence. Try to make the best use possible of your documents. Some students seem
to think that a document is only good for one specific example. This is not true. In fact, some
documents, especially lengthier ones, are filled with multiple examples which will support your
argument. Use them. This may be through presentation of direct quotations. If you do quote, keep your
quotations short. Do not include quotations over one line in length. They do not have to include a
whole sentence. You may quote just certain phrases or short sections of a sentence. When you quote
please remember that the quotation must be set off with quotation marks. You will sometimes
encounter specific examples that are too long to quote, in which case you need to briefly paraphrase
the example, meaning put it in your own words. Be careful in how you paraphrase. Just changing a few
words in a quotation is not paraphrasing. Most paraphrases sum up and condense a long example into a
sentence or two.
Every point you make in your argument should be supported by specific evidence. Look at the
documents in your sourcebook or weekly readings for examples which illustrate the point you are
trying to make. Be selective. Include strong examples which support your thesis. Don’t just include
paraphrases. If there is a short quotation (nothing over one line in length) from a document that really
expresses your point, put it in the essay. Very importantly, after you present your evidence, you must
cite your source for it. This is called giving a citation. It does not matter whether you are giving a
14
quotation or just paraphrasing an author’s ideas. If you use an idea which is not your own, then you
must cite where you got it from. There are three common forms of citation: a footnote (which appears
at the bottom of a page), an endnote (which appears at the end of the essay) or a parenthetical note
(which appears in parentheses directly after the evidence is presented). For this course I will ask you to
include footnotes in all of your papers. Students often ask me how many citations they should have in
a paper and if every paragraph has to have some citations. My answer is that I cannot say how many
you will need. It is completely dependent upon how much evidence you present. The more specific
examples you can show to support your argument, the more citations you will need. And since every
paragraph (except for your introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph) is supposed to be
presenting evidence, then each one must contain citations showing where your evidence comes from.
In this way a reader can check out your sources if they so choose. If you do not cite your sources, then
you are guilty of the academic crime of plagiarism, passing off someone else=s ideas as your own.
See the final page of this section on writing for a more detailed explanation of plagiarism.
As I suggested earlier, take the time to outline your argument. The best way to organize the
body of your essay is to use a wonderful device called the paragraph. Use a separate paragraph for
each main point you wish to make. This does not mean that every single idea should have its own
paragraph. Rather, all the ideas related to each main point should be organized in distinct paragraphs.
Remember to include primary source evidence to support your point. Don’t be afraid of paragraphs
which may be long, even a page in length. But avoid one and two sentence paragraphs. They usually
show sloppy thinking or demonstrate that you have not fully developed that particular point.
PART THREE: The Conclusion
The conclusion is usually the last paragraph of your essay. Its purpose is to remind the reader
of your thesis and how you proved it. You should not introduce any new evidence or information in
the conclusion. Use it to sum up your argument. Explain the main points of your thesis and remind the
reader briefly what your evidence for each point was. Because you are not introducing any new
evidence, it is very uncommon to find a footnote in the conclusion.
As I mentioned above, this is not the only way to write an essay. Rather it is just one model,
but one which has proven to be effective for many students. If you are unfamiliar with writing essays
for a history course, I very much suggest you make use of this model. It will help you write an essay
which is organized and focused on primary source evidence.
15
Mueller’s Pet Peeve’s
Before submitting your papers please proofread them. Use this checklist.
1) Make sure you have a strong thesis statement which says what you will prove in
the essay.
2) Make sure you have a conclusion which sums up your argument.
3) Make sure your sources are cited properly after using a quotation or a
paraphrase.
4) Do not use contractions.
5) Do not ask rhetorical questions.
6) Do not use colloquial phrases.
7) Beware of run-on sentences.
8) Beware of sentence fragments.
9) Spell out all numbers under 100.
10) No one or two sentence paragraphs.
11) Do not use quotations longer than one line across a page.
12) Never, ever quote from the textbook or the introduction to a document.
16
Proper Footnoting
First, let’s go over a little terminology. A footnote refers to a note in an essay or paper which
appears at the bottom of a page. An endnote is a note which appears at the end of a paper. Because
most word processing programs (such as Microsoft Word) make it easy to construct either kind of
notes, and since footnotes are far easier to follow when reading a paper, I will ask you to include
footnotes (and not endnotes) in your paper(s) for this class. Historians use a particular kind of
footnoting, popularized by the University of Chicago in its Chicago Manual of Style. It is sometimes
known as Turabian style, after Kate Turabian who wrote a famous book, A Manual for Writers of Term
Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, which condensed the original 900+ page book into a mere 300
pages. My goal is to further condense these rules down to just a few pages, including only the most
common rules for citation of sources.
There are two main kinds of footnotes:
1) Reference footnotes: These are used to identify one’s source for a quotation or idea used in a
paper or to make cross-references. These are the most common kind of footnotes expected of college
students.
2) Content footnotes: These are used to make less significant comments on the argument or on a
particular source which are seen as important but might detract from the main argument if left in the
text. They are also used to acknowledge individuals who have assisted the author in his or her
research. You do not need to include these kinds of footnotes in your papers for this course.
REFERENCE FOOTNOTES
The basic rules of reference footnoting are relatively simple. A reference footnote should be
used any time a writer uses a quotation from another author or a paraphrase (putting into one’s own
words) of an idea, concept or story from another writer. In essence, whenever you use the intellectual
property of someone else, either a quotation or a paraphrase, you should use a reference footnote
immediately after the quotation or idea. This is known as giving a citation or “citing one’s sources.”
There is a particular style for correctly giving a citation.
The first time you make use of a source in a footnote you should give a full citation. This
includes the author’s name, the title of the work, publication information and the page or pages on
which the quotation or information is to be found. Every time afterwards when you cite this source you
should give a short citation. This includes only the last name of the author and the page number, if
this is the only work of that author which you are using in your paper. If you are using two or more
works by the same author then you must distinguish between them by also including a short version of
the title. Let’s look at a few examples of proper citation for sources from books and articles.
EXAMPLE #1: (for a book with multiple authors)
Full citation:
John P. McKay, Bennett D. Hill, John Buckler, Clare Crowston & Merry Weisner-Hanks, Western
Society: A Brief History (Boston & New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010), 203.
17
Short citation:
McKay et al, 203.
[Nota bene: the term et al is short for the Latin phrase et alia, meaning “and others.”
EXAMPLE #2: (for a document by a known author in a document reader)
Full citation:
Plato, Meno in Robert J. Mueller, ed., The History 1100 Reader (Logan, UT: Utah State University,
2015), 40.
Short citation:
Mueller, 40.
EXAMPLE #3: (for an anonymous document in a document reader)
Full citation:
“The Law Code of Hammurabi,” Robert J. Mueller, ed., The History 1100 Reader (Logan, UT: Utah
State University, 2015), 16.
Short citation:
Mueller, 16.
[Nota bene: Each time you make use of a new document from the reader, you need to give a full
citation. After that you can give the short citation when you use that document.]
18
Plagiarism
One of the most common violations of academic honesty is plagiarism. Misunderstanding of
this subject is especially apparent among undergraduates. The following statement should help clarify
the matter.
A writer’s facts, ideas and phraseology should be regarded as his/her property. Any person who
uses a writer’s facts, ideas or phraseology without giving due credit is guilty of plagiarism.
Information may be put in a paper without a footnote or other form of citation only if it meets
all the following conditions:
1. It may be found in several books on the subject.
2. It is written in the words of the student.
3. It is not paraphrased from any particular source.
4. It therefore belongs to common knowledge.
Generally, if you write while looking at a source or even while looking at notes taken from a
source, a citation should be given. Whenever any idea is taken from a specific work, even when you
write the idea entirely in your own words, there must be a footnote giving credit to the author. Of
course, methods of documentation vary, and it is possible to cite a source in the text itself or in an
endnote instead of a footnote. The point is that you should give credit when due and that the credit be
given in a manner specified by the instructor.
You are entirely responsible for knowing and following the principles of paraphrasing. You
should never retain a sentence pattern and substitute synonyms for the original words nor retain the
original words and alter the sentence pattern. In other words, paraphrasing means changing both the
words and the sentence pattern. Frequently, a source should be cited even if no words are put in
quotation marks.
All direct quotations should be footnoted. Even when you use only one unusual or key word
from a passage, that word should be placed in quotation marks and cited. When using sources,
remember that the very act of using a book or an article should be considered as a pledge that the
material will be used according to the principles stated above.
19
History 1100 Extended Syllabus
Section C
Unit Outlines and Word Lists
20
Week #1: Neolithic Revolution
I. Introduction to the Course
II. Paleolithic Society
III. Neolithic Revolution
-------------------------------------------------------------lithos = stone
paleo = old
neo = new
Old Stone Age
hunter-gatherer society
homo sapiens
Neanderthal man
homo sapiens sapiens
Cro-Magnon man
culture
flint
Venus of Willendorf
fertility symbol
Lascaux, France
New Stone Age
systematic agriculture
planting season
harvest season
irrigation
pottery & garbage
city walls
civis = city
civilization
21
Week #2: Mesopotamian Civilization
I. Kingship & Priesthood
II. Sumerians
III. Akkadians
IV. Babylonians
V. The Hittites
Tigris & Euphrates
propitiate
Marduk vs. Tiamat
shrine/temple
priest/priestess
lugal
ziggurat
Uruk
cuneiform
Gilgamesh
The Great Flood
Utna-Pishtim (Noah)
nomads/nomadic
Agade
Sargon the Great
Hammurabi
stela
Shamash
seigniors
Asia Minor (Anatolia)
Hattusha
bronze (copper + tin)
ironworking
22
Week #3: The Hebrews, Assyrians & Persians
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Cooperation & Fall of Empires in 1200BC
The Region of Palestine
Hebrews & their History
Hebrew Religion
The Assyrians
The Persians
Battle of Kadesh
Sea Peoples
Philistines
Semite/Semitic
Phoenicians
Baal
Garden of Eden
Yahweh/Jehovah
covenant
Saul/David/Solomon
Jerusalem
Kingdom of Israel
Kingdom of Judah
prophet
The Babylonian Exile
King Tiglath-Pilezer
terrorism
Nineveh
Cyrus the Great
satrap/satrapy
23
Week #4: Archaic Greece
I. Minoan Civilization
II. Mycenaean Civilization
III. Archaic Greece
A. The polis (city-state)
IV. Sparta
V. Athens
Minos/Minotaur
Crete - Knossos
Zeus
The Iliad - Homer
Trojan War
Achilles
Agamemnon
Ionia
oikos = household
oikonomia = economy
phalanx
hoplon - hoplite
acropolis
agora
Messenia
helots
Lycurgus
debt slavery
Solon
land redistribution
Peisistratus
tyrant
Cleisthenes
demes => villages
24
Week #5: Classical & Hellenistic Greece
I. Persian Wars (499-479BC)
II. Peloponnesian War (431-404BC)
III. Athenian Culture
A. Drama & Philosophy
IV. Alexander the Great
V. Hellenistic World
King Darius
Socrates
Plato
Dialogue
Forms => archetypes
Aristotle
empirical evidence
Philip of Macedon
Battle of Issus
koine (common Greek)
Alexandria
megalopolis
Battle of Marathon (490BC)
King Xerxes
Battle of Salamis (480BC)
Delian League
Thucydides
Athenian Empire
Pericles of Athens
oratory/rhetoric
City Dionysia
chorus
sophist
25
Week #6: The Roman Republic
I. Early Roman Republic (509-133BC)
A. Struggle of the Orders
B. The Punic Wars
II. The Late Republic
A. Optimates vs. Populares
B. Gaius Marius
Myth of Lucretia
The Tarquins
consuls
patricians vs. plebians
Senate - senators
cursus honorum
praetor/quaestor/aedile
dictator
Twelve Tables
Plebeian Assembly
tribunes of the people
veto
paterfamilias
patrons & clients
full citizenship
partial citizenship
Carthage
Hannibal
Battle of Cannae
Scipio Africanus
Tiberius Gracchus
public land
latifundia
“great men”
extraordinary commands
L. Cornelius Sulla
26
27
Week #7
No Class.
Friday Schedule for Fall Break.
Enjoy your week off!
Week #8: The Roman Empire
I. Gaius Julius Caesar
II. Octavian and Imperial Reorganization
A. The Senate
B. Religion
C. Army
III. The Roman Emperors
IV. Crisis of the Third Century
A. Reforms of Diocletian
Pompey the Great
Crassus
First Triumvirate
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Gaul
Marcus Antonius
Battle of Actium (27BC)
sestertius
Princeps
Augustus
Pax Romana
Pontifex Maximus
legion/legionnaire
Praetorian Guard
Virgil -- The Aeneid
Emperor Claudius
Five Good Emperors
Commodus
dominus
Tetrarchy
augustus & caesar
28
Week #9: Rise of Christianity
I. Roman Religion
II. Rise of Christianity
A. The Teachings of Jesus
B. Constantine the Great
II. The Church in Late Antiquity
A. Organization & Petrine Theory
B. Heresy
C. Monasticism
mystery religions
afterlife/Heaven
Sermon on the Mount
parable
Celsus
Constantinople
Council of Nicaea (325)
The Bible
Arian heresy
The Trinity
bishop/archbishop
diocese/archdiocese
papa = pope
apostolic succession
martyrs/martyrdom
hermits
stylite
mono = one, alone
monks/monastery
Benedict of Nursia
The Rule
abbot
29
Week #10: Germanic Society
& Carolingian Empire
I. Germanic Society
II. Clovis and the Franks
III. Merovingian Mayors of the Palace
A. Charles Martel (“The Hammer”)
IV. Charlemagne (“Charles the Great”)
A. Carolingian Renaissance
gens
war leader/chief
comitatus = warband
oathbreaker
wergeld
Burgundian Code
solidus = silver piece
ordeal
seigneur -- manor
Battle of Tours (732)
heavy cavalry
stirrup/war saddle/bit
vassal
count
fealty
Aachen
gift-giving
Einhard
Charles the Bald
Louis the German
Oath of Strasbourg (842)
heathen
Danegeld
cloister
30
Week #11: High Middle Ages:
Feudalism & Manorialism
I. Invasions of Ninth & Tenth Centuries
II. Hierarchical Organization of Society
A. Clergy -------- Those Who Pray
B. Nobility ------ Those Who Fight
C. Peasantry ---- Those Who Work
III. Feudalism
A. land <—> military service
IV. Manorialism
V. Economic Take-Off of Eleventh Century
Vikings/Magyars/Saracens
motte and bailey castle
castellan
Holy Roman Emperor
homage ceremony
fief (Latin: feodum)
castellan
overlord = liege lord
primogeniture
relief = inheritance tax
serfs
free tenants
villein
cotter
labor service
bailiff
heavy wheeled plow
horse collar
three field system
legumes
31
Week #12: High Middle Ages:
The Rise of Towns
I. The Rise of Towns in Italy
II. The Rise of Towns in Northern Europe
A. Markets and fairs
III. The Organization of Towns
A. The guild system
triangular trade route
Mongol Empire
Marco Polo
barter
charter
royal charter
Exchequer
borough
burgher/burgess
shire reeve = sheriff
justices = judges
corporate identity
liberties
self-government
master craftsman
journeyman
apprentice
aldermen
mayor
money economy
moneychangers
letter of credit
banco = bench  bank
32
Week #13
No Class – Thankgiving Holiday.
33
Week #14: Late Middle Ages:
The Black Death
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Expansion at Maximum
The First Calamity: Famine
The Second Calamity: Plague
Consequences of the Calamities
A. Psychological Effects
B. Religious Effects
C. Social Effects
seed yields
monoculture
demesne land
lease of three lifetimes
leprosy - lepers
Trebizond
black rat
yersinia pestis
bubonic plague
pneumonic plague
carpe diem
Avignon
endemic
Dance of Death
memento mori
cadaver tombs
flagellant
Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales
The Great Schism
lay piety
gentry
gentleman/gentlewoman
Statute of Laborers (1351)
34
Week #15: Late Middle Ages
The Hundred Years War
I. The Third Calamity: Warfare
II. The Hundred Years War (1337-1453)
A. Causes of Conflict
B. The Course of the War
C. Changes in Weapons & Armies
III. Effect on England
A. Development of Parliament
IV. Effect on France
A. Development of Absolutism
King Edward III
Philip, Count of Valois
chivalry
tournament
Battle of Crecy (1346)
Battle of Poitiers (1356)
The Black Prince
Battle of Agincourt (1415)
King Henry V
Joan of Arc
ordinary revenue
extraordinary revenue
The Good Parliament
arquebus/arquebusier
cannon
standing army
regiment
colonel
gabelle = salt tax
taille = hearth tax
35
History 1100 Extended Syllabus
Section D
Map Section
36
SUGGESTIONS FOR HISTORY 1100 MAP IDENTIFICATIONS
SEAS
Adriatic Sea
Aegean Sea
Baltic Sea
Bay of Biscay
Black Sea
Caspian Sea
Netherlands
RIVERS
Persia
Danube River
Portugal
Elbe River
Scotland
Euphrates River
Spain
Nile River
Sumeria
Po River
Switzerland
Rhine River
Irish Sea
Mediterranean Sea
North Sea
Red Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea
ISLANDS
Corsica
Crete
Cyprus
Sardinia
Sicily
POLITICAL UNITS
Denmark
Egypt
England
France
Gaul
Greece
Holy Roman Empire
Seine River
Tigris River
CITIES
Aachen
Alexandria
MOUNTAINS
Athens
Alps Mtns.
Avignon
Balkan Mtns.
Carthage
Caucasus Mtns.
Constantinople (Istanbul)
Pyrenees Mtns.
Damascus
Taurus Mtns
Jerusalem
Knossos
SPECIAL REGIONS
London
Anatolia (Asia Minor)
Nineveh
Arabian Peninsula
Paris
Iberian Peninsula
Persepolis
Ionia
Rome
Flanders
Sparta
Palestine
Trebizond
Syria
Tunis
Uruk
Venice
Ireland
Macedonia
37