Issues in
WESTERN CIVILIZATION from 1789:

ENVIRONMENTS

History 102-1, Spring Semester, First Half, 2009
(2 Credits)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

What is this course? This course continues History 101 in that the former goes up to 1789 and this course begins with the modern era in the West and focuses especially on the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. However, whereas History 101 is a general historical survey of Western European society and culture, His102 sections treat the modern era topically.  A topical approach gives up breadth of coverage, but it allows for depth on the topic, given the limits of the course.  The topic for this section is "environments."

What will class meetings be like? The course will meet three times a week. In general, lectures will constitute much of in-class time each week. Additionally, however, significant time will be regularly taken in discussion of the readings, viewing films and documentaries, listening to music, and considering maps.

What will be expected in general of each student? The workload of the course reflects both liberal arts expectations in general and historical method in particular. Attendance at all class meetings is, of course, expected. Some 950 pp. of reading will be required. Writing will include a paper as well as brief discussion assignments. Discussion time will be provided for. Two in-class exams on course materials will be required.

COURSE OBJECTIVES (WHAT DIFFERENCE THIS COURSE SHOULD MAKE):

1. To become familiar with major aspects of the interconnection and interaction of natural and social environments during the course of the modern era in Western Europe, since Western society and culture have been the most or among the most important shapers of our own contemporary environments, natural and social.
2. To further develop skills in analytical reading, critical thinking and writing, and oral discussion through course assignments and activities, since such skills are key tools for learning how, with the Apostle Paul, to "take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5).
3. To further develop practice of historical method through attention to such issues as context, continuity and change, causation, moral judgment, and interpretation while engaged with course material, since historical method can be a tool for living "wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Mt. 10:16).
4. To provide tools and opportunity for beginning the integration of an understanding of Western historical development with a Christian perspective on faith and life, for "in [Christ] all things hold together" (Col. 1:17).

COURSE OUTLINE:

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1. Reading (or viewing, in assignment order):

• Various handouts and documents available on Synapse throughout the course.
• Equiano, Olaudah.  The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Written by Himself: With Related Documents.  2nd. ed.  Ed. Robert J. Allison.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007.  ISBN 0312442033
• Mintz, Sidney W.  Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History.  New York: Penguin Books, 1985.  ISBN 0140092331
• Amazing Grace.  DVD.  Directed by Michael Apted.  2006; Beverly Hills, CA: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2007.
• Freese, Barbara.  Coal: A Human History.  New York: Penguin Books, 2003.  ISBN 0142000981
• The Bicycle Thief.  DVD.  Directed by Vittorio de Sica.  1948; Chatsworth, CA: Image Entertainment, 1998.
• Merrill, Karen R.  The Oil Crisis of 1973-1974: A Brief History with Documents.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007.  ISBN-13 9780312409227

2. Assignments:

A. TWO IN-CLASS EXAMS on course material will constitute 60% of the course grade.

1. Two unit exams, each worth 30% of the course grade, will be given in class, #1 on Feb. 6 (Fri.) and #2 on Mar. 6 (Fri.).
2. Each exam will each consist of a long essay question and a short essay question.
3. For each exam, a study sheet will be distributed a week ahead of the exam.
4. On exam days, no textbooks or other course material should be used during the exam (on penalty of voiding the entire exam) except for one 8 ½ x 11 inch exam sheet of outlines and notes (typed or handwritten, both sides if necessary).  This exam sheet must be handed in with the exam blue book.
5. Blue books will be required for each exam.  (These are available in the NWC bookstore.)

B. A COMPARATIVE ESSAY on course material will constitute 25% of the course grade.

1. The essay question will ask you to reflect analytically on aspects of Amazing Grace and course readings assigned through Feb. 11.
2. The essay question will be distributed no later than Mon., Feb. 9.
3. The completed essay is due by midnight, Mon., Feb. 16.
4. The essay should be no less than 1250 words/5 pp. long and may be longer than 1750 words/7 pp.
5. Submit the paper as a Microsoft Word file (that is, .doc or .rtf; .docx files can sometimes pose problems for Turnitin) through Synapse (when in your Synapse account, click on the link to this course, then click on assignments, then click on the appropriate paper, then, in the drop box, search for your Word file, select it, and send it in; your paper will automatically be sent to Turnitin.com).  If you encounter trouble in submitting the paper through Synapse, consult with the folks in the Computer Center, especially Paul Beltman (belt@nwciowa.edu; he oversees Synapse).  A graded copy, with grading checklist attached, will be returned to you by e-mail attachment.
6. Also see section B.1. (below) and the Paper Grading Checklist (final page of syllabus) for general guidelines.

B.1. PRINCIPLES and ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS for PAPER

1.1 PRINCIPLES

1.  The papers are, in effect, take-home exams.  Whichever question you choose to answer, keep in mind that the reader will be looking for evidence in the paper that you have read assigned primary and secondary materials closely and thoughtfully.  Put another way, do the reading and show in your papers that you have done in it.

2.  The papers should be written as historically informed and contextualized arguments.  Whichever question you choose to answer, make a claim/propound a thesis.  A historically-informed claim has to persuasively and plausibly explain the relevant evidence from the past, not be contradicted or undermined by it.  A historically-contextualized argument has to argue a historically-informed claim in context: an awareness of the relevant past’s complex state of affairs (e.g., individuals, groups, ideas, customs, institutions, events, developments) and the dynamics of the past (i.e., the perennial movement of human affairs in which some things change relatively little and other things change significantly).  Make your claim clear to the reader early on in your paper, and remind the reader (and yourself) of your claim periodically, especially the more you complicate the claim.

3.  The papers are intended to be cumulative and comprehensive.  That is, the second paper should include historical material covered, in principle, by the first paper choices as well as newer material, and similarly, the third paper should include older as well as newer material.  This approach is to help you learn to think both in detail--what examples are best?--and also synthetically and developmentally--i.e., how might this connect to that and what does this suggest about historical change?  The papers can be thought of as analogous to a camera lens: the first paper zooms in for the closest view, the second zooms out a bit for a mid-range view, and the third zooms out the farthest for the widest view.

4.  The better your papers achieve principles #1, 2, and 3, the higher the grades will be for them.

  1.2 ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS: Each paper should

1. provide plentiful historical support from the reading, especially from relevant primary sources.
2. provide "when" as well as "who" and "why" in discussion and illustrative details.
3. be in your own words, except for clearly indicated and brief quotations (see the Course Miscellany section of the syllabus on academic dishonesty).
4. use " " when quoting, except for quotations that are three lines or longer, in which case the quotation should be set in block form (i.e., no quotation marks, single spaced, and indenting the left margin) like the following:

[W]e had not been long gone from the Tent before the natives again began to gather about it and one of them more daring then the rest push'd one of the Centinals down, snatched the Musquet out of his hand and made a push at him and then made off and with him all the rest, emmediatly upon this the officer order'd the party to fire and the Man who took the Musquet was shott dead before he had got far from the Tent but the Musquet was carried quite off ... . (Cook, Synapse reading, p. 35.)

5. note your sources in parentheses at the end of sentences or paragraphs in the following forms:

• (Mintz, p. 99)

• (Merrill, p. 118; Roberts, Synapse reader, pp. 27-28)

• (Freese, p. 103)

•  (Master and Commander DVD)

6. be typed and double spaced.
7. have a header on the first page containing essay title, student's name, e-address, word count (check under Microsoft menu Tools), and due date.
8. be submitted by the specified date (see late paper policy under Course Miscellany, #1).
9. be submitted as a Microsoft Word file (that is, .doc or .rtf; .docx files can sometimes pose problems for Turnitin) through Synapse (when in your Synapse account, click on the link to this course, then click on assignments, then click on the appropriate paper, then, in the drop box, search for your Word file, select it, and send it in; your paper will automatically be sent to Turnitin.com).  If you encounter trouble in submitting the paper through Synapse, consult with the folks in the Computer Center, especially Paul Beltman (belt@nwciowa.edu; he oversees Synapse).  A graded copy, with grading checklist attached, will be returned to you by e-mail attachment.
10. be able to be written with only the assigned reading and in-class material.  Careful reading and thought, not research, are the emphases in this introductory history course.  The only outside source that one should need to use is an English language dictionary (if you don't own a printed one, there are some fine links to online ones on the NWC Ramaker Library page).

   B.2. FACTORS IN EVALUATING EACH PAPER (the more each of the following factors is fulfilled, the better the paper):

1. Significant use of relevant assigned course reading, primary as well as secondary sources.

2. Addressing the entire question asked. (See grading sheet appended to this syllabus.)

3. Proposing a clear thesis or claim that is well-supported throughout the paper.

4. Thoughtfully analyzing and insightfully connecting various course materials in relation to the question and the thesis/claim. (See grading sheet appended to this syllabus.)

5. Meeting the formal specifications.

B.3. Samples of "A" papers from previous 102 classes have been deposited at the Writing Center, where a copy of this syllabus has also been deposited. If you need some aid, however, the Writing Center is a good place to visit.  Peer tutors are available there to help you.  I also am willing to review drafts of papers and provide feedback, so long as there are not too many, they are not given me the night before the final copy is due, and other obligations do not loom over me at the same time.

B.4. Rewriting papers for a better grade is not an option.  By this time, you all have had writing courses and His101, so a history essay should be less of a novelty for you to do. 

C. DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENTS and CLASS PARTICIPATION will constitute 15% of the course grade.

C.1. DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENTS (DAs) will constitute 12% of the course grade

1. An as-yet-to-be-determined number of discussion assignments (DAs) will be given on some aspect of the assigned reading or in-class material.
2. DAs will pose a problem or ask a question about the assigned reading or other class material.
3. DAs will sometimes be given one or more class sessions ahead; at other times assignments will be made in class for completion during class time.
4. DAs are due at the end of the class for/in which the DA was assigned.
5. Late DAs will not be accepted, unless the reason for lateness has to do with a legitimate, excusable conflict (e.g., approved field trip, illness, co-curricular activity, family emergency).
6. DAs may be handwritten, but they must be legible and be clearly labeled with the student's name, DA #, date, and RSC box # at the beginning of each assignment.
7. Unless specified otherwise, each DA is worth 3 points for accuracy, thoughtfulness in interaction with the assigned material, neatness, and meeting the above formal specifications.
8. The instructor's student assistant will grade the DAs.

C.2. CLASS PARTICIPATION will constitute 3% of the course grade

1. Class participation is a portion of the grade based on the instructor’s estimation of the integrity of each student’s engagement with the course material and the classroom environment.
2. Normally, regular attendance and the handing in of complete assignments when due will be taken as at least sufficient for fulfilling this part of the course grade.  If such fulfillment is of exceptional quality, this will be noted.
3. When appropriate, the instructor is prepared to be flexible with occasional student scheduling problems, but the instructor must be consulted.  “Exceptions” are not an entitlement.
4. Factors that could give the instructor pause about a student for this portion of the grade include (but are not limited to):

• frequent absences.
• frequent lateness in attending class or excuses for the failure to complete assignments or to complete them when due.
• frequent in-class indications that could give the impression that a student has done little to no work with the assigned materials.
• persistent in-class demeanor or behavior that could give the impression that a student has little respect for themselves, others, and the task(s) at hand.

COURSE MISCELLANY:

1. Late Written Assignments

1. All assignments are due as stated in the syllabus or announced in class.
2. They are to address the assignments current for this course, not an assignment from a previous version of this course, lest they be subject to the equivalent penalty for late papers (see #4 below).
3. Exceptions due to illness, approved field trips, regularly scheduled games or performances, or other reasons outside the control of the student can be made, but it is up to the student to petition the instructor for such legitimate extensions.
4. Papers: If a paper is handed in late up to a week after it was due and without a legitimate extension, it will normally receive a penalty of at least one full grade down from whatever score the work merits apart from the penalty.  If a paper is over a week late and without a legitimate extension, it will not be accepted.
5. Finals: Finals can only be rescheduled through application to the Registrar's Office; a Final Exam Change form is linked to the Registrar's Form webpage. Travel plans are not a legitimate reason for rescheduling finals.  All course material must be in to the instructor by the scheduled period; no materials will be accepted thereafter.
6. DAs: Late DAs will not be accepted, unless the reason for lateness has to do with a legitimate, excusable conflict (e.g., approved field trip, illness, co-curricular activity, emergency).

2. Academic Honesty

1. It is expected that all reading and written work done in and for the course will be done with integrity.  That is, reading and writing as assigned is to be done with honest single-mindedness by each student, without undue reliance on others to do the work and without deceit about the work's timeliness, authorship, and sources.  Integrity of this sort is not easy or convenient; it does not provide shortcuts or guarantee "As."  Yet it is the best path to growth in wisdom, and wisdom is the fruit of education most to be savored.
2. Academic dishonesty includes cheating and plagiarism, as defined in the Student and Faculty Handbooks.
3. Cheating in exams, plagiarizing in papers, and other forms of academic dishonesty, will, when duly determined, lead to a "0" score for the assignment involved and the filing of a report with the Academic Dean (VPAA), per the Student and Faculty Handbooks.

3. Grading

1. We the faculty of the History Department do not believe that "grade inflation" is good for you. Jesus admonishes us to "Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No'" (Mt. 5:37); in other words, let grades have integrity as indicators of knowledge and/or competence for a given assignment or course.
2. Therefore, an A=excellent or outstanding work; B=good work (more than adequate but not excellent); C=sufficient work (the assignment or the course’s requirements have been met, but not with any remarkable quality); D=insufficient work (does not fully meet the assignment); F=failing work.
3. Grades for assignments and for the course as a whole are based on a 100% scale, as follows:

A = 90-100

B = 80-89

C = 70-79

D = 60-69

F = 0-59

4. Within the 100% scale for letter grades, + and - will be given on the following scale (exceptions: no A+ or F + or F-):

+ = x7-x9

- = x0-x2

5. Remember--grades are NOT a measure of your personal worth; that is already established by God! Grades are measures of the quality of your work for a given assignment and/or course--nothing more and nothing less.

4. Advice for Doing Well in History Courses

A. READING

• This course is about texts and contexts of the Western past.  That is, this course is about attentively reading various primary and secondary texts and thinking about the settings--context--for the relevant pasts.  Thus, reading is central to this course.
• There are three important things you should do with the reading: Read it all; take notes on it so that you can use it; and draw on all of it that may be relevant for each course assignment.
• Reading for history courses is not so much about memorizing data, but about seeing the structure, the argument, and the supporting evidence in a reading, and to also think critically about context (e.g., authorship, audience, developments taking place, etc.).  Mark and take notes on these things as you read.  The time you take on making notes as you read will save you time later when you go back to look for material for your writing assignments.
• We will engage some of the reading in class, but, there is not enough in-class time to go over all the reading.  Pay attention to discussions.  What reading we do go over in class will have to provide you with models for how to deal with all that we cannot deal with directly.  If there is something in the reading you wish to ask about or discuss, please do not hesitate to raise your question or make your observation.

B. WRITING

• Writing is the primary method by which you will show me that you have read the assigned material and not only considered it thoughtfully, but also considered in-class discussions, films, and other materials.
• Since this is a history course, grammar, spelling, syntax, and other such things that might well be graded in a writing course are not the focus in your writing here.  Nonetheless, the better you are at writing a clearly worded, coherently ordered essay with an introduction, a thesis or claim, several main points (with supporting evidence from the reading and other course materials), and a summary conclusion, the better the historical substance of your writing will stand out.  For help with writing, please don't hesitate to see history tutors in the Writing/Academic Support Services Center (VP127).

C. THE PACE OF THE CLASS

• This course may seem "slow" in terms of assignments, but do not take the slowness for lack of rigor in how the main assignments will be graded.
• As the past itself took time, so this course about the past has to let some things unfold before there can be meaningful interaction with course material.  Writing about the reading means on has to do the reading before one can write about it.  And, the reading and writing are cumulative, that is, you will continue to draw up earlier reading in the latter part of the course.  One implication of this is that more than 50% of the course grade will come with assignments in the second half of the class.
• So, plan ahead!  All the major due dates are in the syllabus, and the reading assignments are there as well.  A good habit to cultivate is to read ahead, especially for materials that will be the focus of class discussion.

D. TIME IN AND OUT OF CLASS

• The old wisdom still stands: "you reap what you sow" (Gal. 6:7b).  Sooner or later, what one puts into something is usually directly related to what one receives, whether one is engaging in farming, music, sports, drama, or studying.
• As noted above, reading is central to this class--and reading takes time.  A rule of thumb for humanities courses (history, literature, philosophy, religion) is that spending 2 hours on the class in addition to every hour in class usually brings better fruit than spending less than that.  That is, for a 3-hour-a-week course, an average of 6 hours per week on the class is a reasonable goal if you wish to do well in the class.
• If you signed up for this course, I expect you to be in class.  I hope that you are interested in the course (or that I can awaken interest in you for the course), and that you will thus want to come.  I will try hard not to waste your time.  Apart from this, someone is paying lots of money for you to attend here, and presumably you (and whoever else is involved) are interested in getting your money's worth from your investment.  And, the less you are in class, the more you miss opportunities for understanding the course material: discussions; concepts explained; themes noted; issues to ponder; connections to make; additional material presented; explanations of assignments or other things; etc.  On the one hand, I do not formally take class attendance.  On the other hand, if you are often absent, I do tend to notice.  If you are absent a lot, and with no legitimate explanation, then when it comes time for me to total up your work for a course grade, I will have little to no reason to give you any benefit of the doubt.

E. STUDY ADVICE 

• Rule of thumb: If you wish to do well in history classes, generally plan on two hours of outside work for every in-class hour. Much reading and some writing is involved, and this takes time to do adequately, let alone well.
• Spirituality: Approach your studies with a prayerful attitude. Pray for discipline, for attentiveness, for discernment and understanding. Christ is Lord of all of life, so he is Lord of our learning. Give him the glory with the mind he has given you. We don't think of playing an instrument or playing basketball without practice; why would anyone think that glorifying God with our minds takes any less time--any less prayer and disciplined action?
• Reading: READ ATTENTIVELY AND INTELLIGENTLY. For history courses, the point of reading is to gain information AND to put that information within some context, or thesis, or pattern. Your goal in reading for a history course is to watch for all the cues the author gives you as to 1) what facts are more important than others and 2) how the facts are marshaled into larger patterns that "tell a story" or "make a point."
• Taking notes is always relevant—in and on your reading, on lectures, on discussions, on videos.  (If you have a photographic memory or already know all the material, then of course taking notes would be pointless . . .)
• Further Help: You should be able to handle this course with sufficient time and attention. After all, hundreds of other students have. However, if you run into problems, DON'T HESITATE TO ASK FOR HELP: me, my student assistant, folks in the Writing Center.