History of the Modern World

History 3386.s501
Spring 2011
Mondays, 700-945pm
Jonsson 4.102
Three (3) Credit Hours

D. J. Weiland, Ph.D.
Office Number: JO5.712 (Hours: By appointment, M’s, 600-700pm?)
Contact Information: dweiland@collin.edu, (972) 881-5948

Textbooks - Required:
Bulliet, Earth & Its Peoples: Advantage Bks, Volume 1 (ISBN-10: 0495902268 /ISBN-13:
9780495902263)

This course traces the development of a global economy and society through a
set textbook Bulliet's The Earth and its Peoples and a series of weekly readings
available online on economy, technology and politics.
The first part of the course will identify some of the key aspects of the
rise of human civilization from its material bases and technological
accomplishments. We will study regional variations in economic activity, along
with the varying manifestations of culture, including politics, religion and
art/architecture. Accordingly, our attention will shift from the Near East and
Middle East to Southern Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
The second part of the course will begin with a look at early international
networks of communication and exchange. We will then see a shift in emphasis to an
examination of the rise and development of large, expansive states and empires. A
key facilitator connecting the far flung parts of the world was the world's first
"global religion", Islam. While the peoples of the Americas continued their own,
independent developments, Muslim, as well as Christian and Asian empires during
the "Middle Ages", continued to build on earlier accomplishments, albeit slowly.
With the rise of the Mongols after 1200 ce, new challenges brought decline for
some and opportunity for others. The subsequent recovery of Europe brought a rapid
series of changes that would propel it overseas from the end of the fourteenth
century.

COURSE EVALUATION
Your grade for the class will be based upon two take-home exams. Each exam will
consist of two to three essays from a list of five to seven topics, submitted
online at Turnitin.com. Cheating in any form will result in a letter grade of F
for the COURSE. Attendance is mandatory and will be recorded.

Grading Scale:

A+ 99.000-up D+ 67.000-69.999
A 94.000-98.999 D 64.000-66.999
A- 90.000-93.999 D- 60.000-63.999
B+ 87.000-89.999 F 0.000-59.999
B 84.000-86.999
B- 80.000-83.999
C+ 77.000-79.999
C 74.000-76.999
C- 70.000-73.999

Tentative Schedule
 Week One (24 Jan) – The Origins of Man and Civilization
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 01
Online reading
Week Two (31 Jan) – River Valley & "New" Civilizations
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 02-03
Online reading
Week Three (07 Feb) – Mediterranean & Middle East
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 04
Online reading
Week Four (14 Feb) – Greece & Iran
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 05
Online reading
Week Five (21 Feb) – Age of Empires: Rome & Han China
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 06
Online reading
Week Six (28 Feb) – India & Southeast Asia
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 07
Online reading
Take-home Exam 001 Due 29 Feb 1159pm – Weeks 1-6
Week Seven (07 Mar) – Networks of Communication & Exchange
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 08
Online reading
Week Eight (14 Mar) – Spring Break
No Class
Week Nine (21 Mar) – Sassanids & Islam
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 09
Online reading
Week Ten (28 Mar) – Christian Europe
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 10
Online reading
Week Eleven (04 Apr) – Inner & East Asia
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 11
Online reading
Week Twelve (11 Apr) – The Americas
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 12
Online reading
Week Thirteen (18 Apr) – The Mongols
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 13
Online reading
Week Fourteen (25 Apr) – Africa
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 14
Online reading
Week Fifteen (02 May) – Europe – Middle Ages & Exploration
Readings: Bulliet, et al., ch. 15-16
Online reading
Week Sixteen – Final Exam Week
Take-home Exam 002 Due 11 May, 1159pm – Weeks 7-15

Course Requirements:
1. Regular, on-time attendance is expected.
2. Students are expected to behave civilly and respectfully to their peers
and the professor.
 3. Cellular phones, pagers, and other electronic devices are to be turned
off prior to the commencement of class (BEFORE students enter the
classroom).
4. If a cellular phone, pager or other electronic device is activated (e.g.
rings, beeps, plays a tune, vibrates noisily) during class, the student
to whom the device belongs will be asked to leave the class.
5. No eating or smoking in the classroom.
6. Assignments turned in late will receive a deduction of 10% of the total
assignment value per day after grading.
7. Students are expected to have completed reading assignments before class
time.
8. Students are strongly encouraged to ask questions.
9. No act of academic dishonesty will be tolerated.
10. Extra Credit Policy - There will be no extra credit assignments given or
accepted. If students are concerned about their course grade, they
should consult with the instructor about improving their performance on
assigned course material.
11. The Instructor reserves the right to make any additions or
changes to course content, coursework, scheduling or rules
with proper written notice to the class.

Attendance Policy:
1.01 Students should attend every scheduled class meeting on time.
1.02 If a student should miss coursework (read: exams) for a legitimate
reason (e.g. medical, college business, or approval of the Division
Head), written documentation from the appropriate authority must be
submitted the next official class day following the absence.
1.03 Students are responsible for all course material whether they are in
class or absent. If a student misses class for ANY reason, they should
consult with other students in the class about missed material. The
instructor will not cover the material a second time.
1.04 A make-up test/exam or submission of a late essay or other coursework
is only allowed if the student has a legitimate reason for missing the
scheduled assignment. (See Item 1.2 above)
1.05 If a student fails to submit a legitimate excuse upon their return to
class, a make-up will not be allowed and no late work will be accepted.
1.06 No make-ups are allowed for pop quizzes or assignments. If a student
is absent the day of a pop quiz (e.g. unannounced test or other
assignment), they will receive a grade of zero (0) for the quiz or
assignment. There are no exceptions.
1.07 All coursework must be completed in the time allotted; The instructor
is not responsible for technical problems resulting in missed
deadlines.

See the current University Student Handbook for the last day to withdraw, and for
recognized Religious Holy Days.

Academic Ethics: The instructor may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a

student accused of scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is
not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work
material that is not one’s own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but is not
limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion,
use of annotated texts or teacher’s editions, and/or falsifying academic records.
Plagiarism is the use of an author’s words or ideas as if they were one’s own
without giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to
acknowledge a direct quotation.
Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized
manner during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in
advance, copying computer or Internet files, using someone else’s work for the
assignments as if it were one’s own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to
fulfill the requirements of a course.
Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of
scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to, providing a paper or project
to another student; providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating
answers to a classmate during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from
a test site, and allowing a classmate to copy answers.