History of Western Civilization I

by

Humanities

DUE BACK TO ME IN WORD.DOC FORMAT, TYPED AND DOUBLE-SPACED, PAGES SEQUENTIALLY NUMBERED, YOUR NAME ON EACH PAGE, AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS ON MONDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2018.

Part I Short Identifications (50%)

First, from each of the chapters you have read since the mid-term select and simply list the vocabulary terms (i.e. the most important concepts, technical terms, people or events) that you think every student of world history should know after reading that chapter. If you are using Spielvogel (chapters 7-16), select three from each chapter; if you are using Hanes (chapters 9-11 and 14-16), choose 5 from each chapter. This will give you a total of 30 vocabulary terms that will constitute your Master List. Next, from your Master List, select the top 10 most important vocabulary terms that you would want your students to remember if you were teaching this course, and for each one explain in paragraph form who or what it was, when, where, and why it was historically significant, and why it is so important that it belongs on your top ten list.

Part II Essays (50%)

Drawing on your assigned readings, class discussions, video documentaries, and any other appropriate sources, in concise, well-organized essays of no more than 10-12 typed double-spaced pages each, do TWO of the following essays, choosing ONE essay from EACH of the following pairs of questions.

  1. Explain the role of religion in the development of Western Civilization from the fall of Rome in 476 to the end of the religious wars in Europe in the 17th century. How did religious developments relate to the “insecurity index”? How did evolving relations between church and the various states affect both? How did cross-cultural contacts affect religious doctrines and policies – and vice versa? HINT: [Be sure to discuss not only developments within the late Roman Empire, Mediaeval Europe, and the Reformation but also the rise and influence of Islam where appropriate.] As usual, be EXPLICIT and provide SPECIFIC EXAMPLES to illustrate your arguments.

OR

  1. How did patterns of migration, invasion and cross-cultural interactions affect the evolution of Western Civilization from the fall of Rome in 476 to the beginning of European expansion overseas in the 16th century A.D.? Briefly explain the major political, social, economic, intellectual and cultural consequences of such interactions. [HINT: Be sure to deal with the various stages of European development chronologically, and paying attention to cause and effect relationships – for instance, how did Vikings, Magyars and Arabs affect the development of feudalism? How did on-going threats from Turks and Mongols affect intellectual and cultural developments in Europe as well as overseas exploration and expansion? Etc. As usual, be EXPLICIT and provide SPECIFIC EXAMPLES to illustrate your arguments.

AND

  1. How and why did Europeans begin to think differently about themselves and the world around them in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries than they had in the medieval period? What role did their interactions with other civilizations and peoples play in this transformation? What were the consequences intellectually, socially and politically? [Hint: Be sure to include discussions of the challenges of the 14th century, the developments of the Renaissance, and the Reformation.] As usual, be EXPLICIT and provide SPECIFIC EXAMPLES to illustrate your arguments.

OR

  1. How and why did Europeans begin to expand overseas in the 15th and 16th centuries? What were the consequences in Europe? What were the consequences overseas? How and why did European expansion in Asia differ from European expansion in the Americas? How and why did the different European countries establish different forms of colonial organization? [Hint: Be sure to include both internal developments and external pressures that led to overseas expansion.] As usual, be EXPLICIT and provide SPECIFIC EXAMPLES to illustrate your arguments.