Course Syllabus
HIS 266 World History from the Renaissance to the Age of Imperialism
3 Credit Hours, Fall 2009
CID 4666, HIS 266.02, TUTH, 9:30 - 10:50, AB4 303
CID 4670, HIS 266.03, TUTH, 2:00 - 3:20, AB4 303
Last Revised: October 8, 2009 (changes to syllabus are in red)
Dr. Tracy Steele
Office: AB4 461
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM; 12:15 PM to 2:00 PM, and 3:30 to 4:30 PM
Also by appointment
Office Phone: (936)294-1480 - Please leave a message on voice mail if I am not available.
Department Secretary's Office: (936)294-1475
FAX: 936-294-3938
E-MAIL ADDRESS: his_tls@shsu.edu
Students should activate their student e-mail accounts. Students will be notified via their student e-mail accounts of any last minute changes or announcements. Students must use their student e-mail address for security purposes, especially when enquiring regarding grades.
Web Address: http://www.shsu.edu/~his_tls/
Text
Bentley and Ziegler, Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past Volume II, 4th Edition 2008, Publisher: McGraw-Hill
ISBN-10: 0073330639
ISBN-13: 978-0073330631
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073406937/information_center_view0/
Course Objectives:
Student Goal: TO LEARN ABOUT HISTORY AND TO DO THE WORK NECESSARY TO EARN THE GRADE EACH STUDENT NEEDS, DESIRES OR WANTS!
Study Tips
I want all students to succeed in reaching their OBJECTIVES AND GOALS in this class. One of the reasons why I use this text is because it comes with numerous online study tools. This includes an online quiz for each chapter that will help students to check their comprehension of each chapter. Each test will reward students who utilize this online tool by including a few questions from the online quizzes. The online study tools also include chapter outlines and summaries.
In order to prepare for each class day, students should read the assigned chapter and then re-read the chapter after class in order to reinforce the material learned. Students should review their course notes each day.
The class day before each exam students will complete and submit to Dr. Steele in class the Student Reading Discussion Guides. They will serve as the basis for the class discussion and test review of the chapters.
Before each exam, students should on their own review all notes, assigned chapters, and online quizzes. Remember: questions will come from class notes (I will frequently make of point in class to note a topic that will definitely on the test), information only covered in the text (to make sure that you are doing the reading), and from the online quizzes.
Students who are having difficulty reading the text (which should be read in a different manner than recreational reading or a math text) should either talk to Dr. Steele or contact the Reading Center at Farrington Building, Suite 109, phone number: 294-3114.
VALUABLE TIP: If you are interested in cultivating study skills that will help with this and all your other courses, the SAM Center has all kinds of resources available as well as a capable staff ready to help you! Click on: <http://www.shsu.edu/~sam_www/>
The Sam Center is located in the new CHSS building, Room 170, phone number: 294-4444. In order to help you to reach your goal for this course, any student who fails the first test will automatically be referred to the Sam Center.
Students are encouraged to discuss problems with Dr. Steele!
Examinations
There will be five multiple choice examinations during the semester. Students will be required to bring their own Scantron 882 for the exams. All exams will be graded and grades will be posted to Blackboard as soon as possible. We will go over the exam at the start of the next class day. This is intended to help students to understand why a question may be wrong.
Please note the following in regard to examinations:
1. Students may not start the test after the first student has left the classroom! Don’t be late!
2. I will not drop an examination grade.
3. All make up tests will be essay examinations whether the absence was excused or not.
4. Make up tests MUST be completed before the next examination is given.
5. Test 5 is NOT cumulative.
Grade Percentages:
SRDG: 5%, Tuesday, September 15
Test #1: 15%, Thursday, September 17
SRDG: 5%, Tuesday, October 13
Test #2: 15%, Thursday, October 15
SRDG: 5%, Tuesday, November 3
Test #3: 15%, Thursday, November 5
SRDG: 5%, Thursday, November 19
Test #4: 15%, Tuesday, November 24
SRDG: 5%, Thursday, December 10
Test #5: 15%, According to Final Exam Schedule
Total: 100%
Student Reading Discussion Guides (SRDG):
Dates for Assignment:
September 15: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 23 & 24- 5%
October 8: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 25, 26 & 27 - 5%
November 3: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 28 and 29 -5%
November 19: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 30 and 31 - 5%
December 10: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 32 and 33 - 5%
Students must bring 2 copies of this assignment completed and typed to class and be on time! One copy will be turned in to Dr. Steele (at the start of class) and the second one the student should keep to write notes and comments on during the course of the discussion. Students must be present and participate in the class discussion to receive full credit. There will be 5 class days in which discussion guide assignments worth a maximum 5 points each. Together they comprise 25% of the student’s final grade. Each assignment is worth 5% of the student’s grade.
Students must download the template for these assignments from “Assignments” in Blackboard and type in the information. Hand written assignments will not be accepted.
Students may earn 5 points if the assignment is completed for all the chapters and the student demonstrates his or her mastery of the chapter content in the class discussion. I will keep track of all students who either ask or answer questions or make comments. Students will receive 3 points if the guide is incomplete (at least two-thirds done), but the students contributes to the class discussion. Students that complete half or less of the assignment even if they participate in the class discussion will receive 1 point. A student who attends class but does not turn in the assignment (even if he or she contributes to the discussion) will receive no points.
The purpose of this assignment is to guide students through the academic articles and primary documents in the text, and to facilitate class discussions, and to prepare students for the examinations.
Grading Scale:
Grades will be posted at Blackboard as soon as possible after each test.
A: 90-100
B: 80-89.5
C: 70-79.5
D: 60-69.5
F: 59.5 and below
Important Dates from the Academic Calendar
August 24, MONDAY. Daytime on-campus classes begin. Late Registration, process class schedule changes. Refer to the Schedule of Classes for details and deadlines. Monday Night (MN) classes begin (on-campus and off-campus).
August 31, MONDAY. Last day to register and to process schedule changes.
September 7, MONDAY. Labor Day. Holiday for students and faculty.
September 9, WEDNESDAY. Twelfth Class Day. Last day to drop with a "Q" and receive 100% refund.
September 9, WEDNESDAY. Degree applications to filed in Registrar's Office by students graduating in December.
November 24, TUESDAY. Thanksgiving holidays for students and faculty begin at 9:00 p.m. Residence halls close at 10:00 p.m. Last day to make all final copies of thesis/dissertation and submit to the NGL for binding. Last day to submit Route Sheet to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
November 25, 26, 27, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY. Thanksgiving holidays for students and faculty.
December 11, FRIDAY. Last Class Day. Last day to resign. Last day to drop Fall Semester courses without grade of F.
December 14, 15, 16, 17, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY. Final examinations (includes Monday Night (MN), Tuesday Night (TuN), Wednesday Night (WN) and Thursday Night (ThN) final examinations).
December 18, 19, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. TENTATIVE. Commencement, Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
December 21, MONDAY. 9:00 a.m. Deadline for filing grades with the Registrar's Office. Fall Semester Ends.
Course Description
This course is a survey of world history since the sixteenth century (1500s). Special attention is given to European expansion overseas, imperialism and colonization, the Industrial Revolution, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, nineteenth century nationalism and democracy, and the colonial rebellions in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. This course is recommended as the second half of a basic history course for all liberal arts majors.
This is primarily a lecture course, but we will engage in discussions as indicated in the syllabus when written assignments will be used as the foundation for preparing for examinations. Dr. Steele encourages students to engage and ask questions at any time. All exams will be multiple choice questions. Examination questions will be drawn from the online questions practice test bank but the majority will come from class lecture and the text.
- This course is recommended as a basic world history course for all liberal arts majors and minors because it provides an overview of major trends in world history since 1500.
- There are no prerequisites required for this course.
Course Outline
(Changes to the Course Outline will be announced in class, posted to Blackboard and students will also be notified by e-mail when possible.)
August 25: Introduction
August 27: Study Day to work on Student Chapter Reading Guide
September 1 and 3: Chapter 23. Transoceanic Encounters and Global Connections
September 8 and 10: Chapter 24. The Transformation of Europe
September 15: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 23 & 24
September 17: Test 1
September 22: Chapter 25. The New Worlds: The Americas and Oceania
September 24 and 29: Chapter 26: Africa and the Atlantic World (Film)
October 1 and 6: Chapter 27. Tradition and change in East Asia.
October 8: Dr. Pappas Guest Lecture
October 13 : Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 25, 26, & 27
October 15: Test 2
October 20 and 22: Chapter 28. The Islamic Empires
October 27, and 29: Chapter 29. Revolutions and National States in the Atlantic World
November 3: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 28 and 29
November 5: Test 3
November 10 and 12: Chapter 30. The Making of Industrial Society
November 17: Chapter 31. The Americas in the Age of Independence
November 19: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 30 and 31
November 24: Test 4
November 26: Thanksgiving Day Holiday
December 1 and 3: Chapter 32. Societies at Crossroads
December 8: Chapter 33. The Building of Global Empires
December 10: Discuss Student Reading Discussion Guides for chapters 32 and 33
Test 5 (Final Exam) As Scheduled
Attendance
It is the responsibility of each student to attend class, take notes, and participate in class discussions. Attendance will be taken at each class. Students who read, text message, sleep, or engage in other activities that are not germane the course will not receive attendance credit for that day. A student who engages in disruptive behavior which includes text messaging, talking, or sleeping may be asked to leave the class and, if this behavior continues, will not be allowed to return and will fail the course. Students who engage in disruptive behavior will be reported to the Dean of Students. Students do not have the right to interfere with another student’s educational experience. Remember: you do not have a right to attend university; it is a privilege.
Academic Dishonesty
Based on the Academic Policy Statement 810213 and the Faculty Handbook:
All students are expected to engage in all academic pursuits in a manner that is above reproach. Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in the academic experiences both in and out of the classroom. Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be subject to disciplinary action. The University and its official representatives may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of any form of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work which is to be submitted, plagiarism, collusion and the abuse of resource materials.
The exams in the course are Scantron. Students who have a text book, notes, cell phone, or computer on their desk (or have notes and/or a text book open near their desk) during an exam may be assumed to be cheating and will receive an F. Students may not engage in conversation during a test or look at another student’s Scantron. Any student caught engaged in such activity may be assumed to be cheating and will receive an F. Cheating on the Writing Assignment will result in a 0 for the assignment.
Cheating will not be tolerated in this course. Students who are caught cheating on a test, quiz, or any other assignment will receive an F for that assignment and will not be allowed to make up the assignment. If a student is caught cheating a second time, the student will receive an automatic F for the course.
What is considered cheating on written assignments? One, students turning in papers that have nearly identical wording with another student’s paper. In that case, the students will split the grade. Two, taking information from sources without attribution (giving credit to the source). In that case, the student will receive a zero. In regard to the Student Reading Discussion Guides, students need only provide the page number for information since the author and title of the text have already been provided in the heading of the assignment. If you cite from another source, such as the internet, you will need to provide the citation according to Chicago Style Quick Guide. See the following internet source for information on citations: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
Students caught cheating on any assignment may be reported to the Dean of Students. To read the Code of Student Conduct and Discipline, go to http://www.shsu.edu/students/StudentGuidelines2007_2008.pdf and scroll to page 29.
Classroom Rules of Conduct
Students will refrain from behavior in the classroom that intentionally or unintentionally disrupts the learning process and, thus, impedes the mission of the university. Cellular telephones and pagers must be turned off before class begins. Students are prohibited from eating in class, using tobacco products, making offensive remarks, reading newspapers, sleeping, talking at inappropriate times, text messaging, wearing inappropriate clothing, or engaging in any other form of distraction. Inappropriate behavior in the classroom shall result in a directive to leave class and will not receive credit for attendance that day. Students who are especially disruptive also will be reported to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action in accordance with university policy.
To read the Code of Student Conduct and Discipline, go to http://www.shsu.edu/students/StudentGuidelines2007_2008.pdf and scroll to page 29.
Visitors in the Classroom
Unannounced visitors to class must present a current, official SHSU identification card to be permitted into the classroom. They must not represent a disruption to the class by their attendance. If the visitor is not a registered student, it is at the instructor's discretion whether or not the visitor will be allowed to remain in the classroom.
This policy is not intended to discourage the occasional visiting of classes by responsible persons. Obviously, however, the visiting of a particular class should be occasional and not regular, and it should in no way constitute interference with registered members of the class or the educational process.
Americans with Disabilities Act
It is the policy of Sam Houston State University that individuals otherwise qualified shall not be excluded, solely by reason of their disability, from participation in any academic program of the university. Further, they shall not be denied the benefits of these programs nor shall they be subjected to discrimination. Students with disabilities that might affect their academic performance are expected to visit with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities located in the Counseling Center. They should then make arrangements with their individual instructors so that appropriate strategies can be considered and helpful procedures can be developed to ensure that participation and achievement opportunities are not impaired.
SHSU adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. If a student has a disability that may affect adversely his/her work in this class, then the student is encouraged to register with the SHSU Counseling Center and to talk with the instructor about how best to deal with the situation. All disclosures of disabilities will be kept strictly confidential. NOTE: no accommodation can be made until the student registers with the Counseling Center.
Religious Holidays
Section 51.911(b) of the Texas Education Code requires that an institution of higher education excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. A student whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence.
"Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code.
An institution of higher education shall excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. A student whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence. A student who plans to miss a class or required activity to observe a religious holy day should inform the professor in writing prior to planned absence.
Instructor Evaluations
Students may be asked to complete a course/instructor evaluation form toward the end of the semester.