History is an attempt to understand the stories of the past.  We must not ignore dates and facts, but interpretations define the way we view the world around us.


Course Information:

Course:

Western Civilizations I   (HYBRID)

Section:

Hist 101.01YL 

Semester:

Fall 2024

Date/time:

Wednesday = 11:10am-12:30pm

Location:

LHEC 312

Instructor:                                                                                                Questions:

Name:

John (Kinch) Kincheloe

                                 
What is this Course?

Email:

jkincheloe@nvcc.edu


What do I need to do?

Phone

(703)948-7571


How do I do assignments?

Office Location:

LC 328                               


What are the course rules?

   Website:

kinchteach.com


 What is a Hybrid Course?




Office Hours:  Listed on Home page (link)


Course Schedule:   WC1schedule




What is this Course?

Themes:

- Although often falsely depicted as a linear and inevitable march of increasingly complex cultures, Western Civilization can better be classified as an amalgamation of hundreds of different civilizations interacting and learning from one another.  This course examines numerous Western Civilizations to better comprehend how nomadic, agricultural, African, European, Middle Eastern, pagan, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian societies contributed to the development of present day Western Civilization.  In the process you just might gain a better understanding of the complexity of the various cultures in this age of increasing globalization.

 

 -The course focuses on two main themes: -Culture as a construction of Economic Maritime interaction
                                                                            
-Power as a creation of Religious manipulation.  
 

By the end of the semester you should:

-Develop your own understanding of “Modern Western Civilization” and how the numerous civilizations of the western world contributed to such a society.

-Organize your own ideas on the relationship of early civilizations to present day cultures throughout the Western World.

-Be able to devise original arguments about historical trends and events and prove them using both primary and secondary information.

 

Course Description and Objectives:  Stuff the college makes me include:

Course Description

Surveys the general history of the Western world from about 3000 BCE to 1600 CE and allows students to reach a basic understanding of the characteristic features of the Western world's early historical development in that span of time. Students will learn about some of the important political, economic, social, intellectual, cultural and religious changes that shaped the development of the West from earliest times.

Objectives

- Establish a chronology of historical events in the Western world before 1600 CE. 

- Explain the changing geopolitical structures of the Western world up until 1600 CE. 

- Define the importance of key individuals and developments in Western civilization before 1600 CE.

- Identify the social, economic and political forces at work in the evolution of early and medieval Western history.

- Recognize and describe the significance of some of the cultural achievements of ancient and medieval Western civilization.

- Analyze complex historical sources and materials and reach conclusions based on interpretations of those materials.


    NOTICE
        Lectures may contain disturbing content, including, but not limited to: violence, sexual assault, war crimes, genocide, mental or physical illnesses or disabilities, discrimination or         persecution on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and/or sexual orientation, etc. If you have been personally impacted by one or more of these topics and suffer from             PTSD, please email the professor if you would like prior notification of lectures containing discussions of the effecting topics. 

 

Recommended Co-requisites:

This is a writing intensive course so an introductory English course is highly recommended.

 

OER Course Materials:  

There are no books to purchase for this class.  All textbooks and monographs are free Open Online Resources linked below:
-Textbook (online)=                   - Open Textbook Library: Western Civilization 


                                                                                         (Alternative Google Doc/PDF based textbook format:  Click here)


-Additional online books =     Use any full text online or print version of these that you want.
                                                   
  - Epic of Gilgamesh                              
                                                      - The Vinland Sagas:     (The Greenlanders)                                  

-Additional online materials will be made available via the Course Schedule.

-Tip= Use nightlight or nightshift screen setting to make reading online easier.  (How to turn off Blue Light-click here)


Lecture Review Materials (links) 

                            -  Lecture Notes  
                     Course Slides (PDF):
                            -  Kinch class slides 1  (Ancient)
                            -  Kinch class slides 2  (Rome - Viking)
                            -  Kinch class slides 3  (Medieval)
                        


Fall 2024  His 101 Course Schedule (Hybrid)
note: This is ONLY A Reading GUIDE to help you plan your weeks with easy access to Readings.  All Assignments, Discussions, etc. are explained in Modules on Canvas.



 

 

Class Date

 

Topic:

Face-to-Face Meeting

 

Presentation schedule
&
MAJOR Assignments

Due date = refer to Canvas

 

Reading / Videos / Primary Sources

(to be completed before the class)

                     




Week 1



Intro, What is Civilization?


Introduction Assignment
Introduction Post

Read WC (Textbook) : Introduction  





Week 2



Mesopotamia
and the rise of Riverine civilizations






Read WC (Textbook)Ch. 1 & Ch. 2


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-Hymn to Aten 

-A Poem Attributed to Zoroaster




Week 3



The Nile
and the creation of Cultural stability


Group 1 - context


 

Read WC (Textbook):  Ch.  3   & Ch. 4


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

= Epic of Gilgamesh (book)

-Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6-8) 




Week 4


The Aegean
 
and the Hellenic Maritime Powers

1150-480 B.C.E




Group 2 - context


Paper 1 Due


 

Read WC (Textbook) Ch. 5  &  Ch. 6


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources




Week 5



The Eastern Mediterranean
and the Hellenistic World
359-200 B.C.E.


Group 3- context




Research Project Proposal Due

Read WC (Textbook): Ch. 7  



-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-On Men and Women, by Xenophon

-Hellenistic Epigrams about Women

-Women, by Semonides of Amorgos (Poem 7)


   

Week 6



The Western Mediterranean

and the Roman Republic
7
53B.C.E.–305 B.C.E.


Group 4 - context




Read WC (Textbook): Ch. 8



-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-Roman law, The Twelve Tables= 

-Polybius on the Roman Constitution 146 BCE
-The Roman Candidate




Week 7



The Roman Mediterranean
       
and the age of empire
                

27 B.C.E - 410 C.E.      


Group 5 - context




 

Read WC (Textbook)Ch. 9


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-Slavery in the Roman Republic

-Grandeur of Rome

-Luxury of the Rich in Rome


         
Midterm Exam
Review sheet




Week 8



The Rise of Monotheism

and the Jesus Cult    
0-350 C.E.





Group 6- context


Read WC (Textbook)Ch. 10  & Ch. 11


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-On the Resurrection, by Justin Martyr

-The Didache: The Twelve Apostles To The Nations

-The Gospel of Mary




Week 9



  Islam
and the Rise of a new Empire
610-1055

 



Group 1 - context

 Bibliography due

 

Read WC (Textbook):   Ch. 12


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD'S LAST SERMON  -SUNNAH excerpts

-THE KORAN: "THE WOMEN"




Week 10

                   
                   
North Sea Powers

                    and the Viking Age
                          400 - 1066


Group 2- context

 

Read WC (Textbook):  Ch. 13 


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read book:  -Saga of the Greenlanders




Week 11




Battle of the Mediterranean:

The Early Medieval age.
800-1347




Group 3 - context


 
==Paper 2 due==

Read WC (Textbook):   Vol. 2 -Ch. 1


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-Pope Innocent III.  -Summons to a Crusade 1215-

-Capture of Constantinople:  (Crusaders)
-Capture of Constantinople: (Defenders)




Week 12




Middle Ages:
Christian Church and Era of Crisis

309-1517


Group 4  - context




 

Read WC (Textbook):  Vol. 2 -Ch. 2


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-Pope Innocent III - Letters on Papal Policy-   

-Emperor Henry IV Concerning a Truce of God



Week 13




The Reformation

Group 5 - context

Research Project due

Read WC (Textbook):    Vol. 2 - Ch. 3 & Ch. 6 


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-Martin Luther: Letter to the Archbishop of Mainz, 1517
-Martin Luther: Address to the n Nobility...(1520)



Week 14


 

The Great Oceans
  
and Age of Discovery
1419 - 1610

 



Group 6 - context




Read WC (Textbook):    Vol. 2 - Ch. 5 


-Watch Lecture Videos

Read Primary Sources

-Columbus Letter to the King and Queen of Spain (1494)  
-Vasco da Gama, Round Africa to India (1497-1498)


Week 15

(EXAM WEEK)


Exam= Mon. Dec. 16, 10:00am

Final exam=
Review sheet







 

Note: The instructor has the right to alter or change the course schedule at any time as he/she deems appropriate.

 

What do I need to do?

Grading Policy:

All assignments are graded on a 100 point scale and averaged accordingly to the percentages listed below.

 Assessment

Percentage

 



Grading Scale

 

Participation /Group Presentations 

15

A

90-100

Discussion

25

B

80-89

 Argumentative Papers (2)

20

C

70-79

 Midterm & Final Exam   

 20

D

60-69

 Research Project   

 20

F

59 and below


Assessments:

o   Group Presentations
   
§  You will be assigned a group in Canvas in week 1 of the semester.         

                                o   Failure to appear will result in a “0” grade for this assignment.                                           
                                 
§ -Primary Document Context Presentation   

· During the semester your group will give 5 min. explanations to class providing researched context (not summary) for the weeks primary documents.

o   Briefly lay out for each document =
Who wrote it? / What  is the document? / 
Why did the write it?/ Who is the Audience?


             o Hybrid Discussions

§  Primary Document discussions will occur every week.

§  Discussion will be graded based on both quantity and quality of posts.

                   o   Participation
                               
§  Attendance
                                                It is each students responsibility to check in on "Qwickley."
 
                                                 
§  Participation
                                           
Grade assessed based on whether or not you talk/type chat on a regular bases.

 o   2- 3pg. argumentative papers

o   Utilizing readings from primary sources, books, and the textbook.

o   (All papers should be submitted via attachment on Canvas before the assigned due date and time.)

o   Midterm & Final                     
     §  Open Note (essay  and mapping based) exams completed during the exam weeks.


o  Research Project

                                §  Travel Log Research Project   Click here fore details

           

Extra Credit Assignments (due by the end of Week 13) =    Digital History Project- check it out here.

                   Take a look and talk to Kinch if you are interested. 


What is a Hybrid Course?

The class will typically consist of:

    -Story time  (10 min.)

    -Questions   (10 min.)
     -Context Lecture  (20 min.) -
    -Business of the week  (10 min.)

    -Skill session  (10 min.)

    -Presentation =Group context (5 min.)
    -Interactive lecture  (15 min.)

   

Hybrid Attendance Policy: 

This is a hybrid course whereas 50% of the coursework assignments are completed outside the virtual classroom.  Students are expected to work at least nine (9) hours a week to completed coursework expectations.  Students are required to log onto Canvas at least three times a week, to ensure awareness of assignment updates, coursework modifications and weekly announcements. 

Absences, Late arrival, and leaving early will affect a student’s grade due to the student not being able to participate in class/group discussions. Students missing more than 30 percent of the scheduled classes without an excused absence from the professor will receive ZERO points for the class participation grade. Class absence does not excuse a student from meeting assignment due dates


Minimum Technical Requirements and skills for Hybrid Course:

Course includes both classroom (Zoom)  and online meetings. A portion of this course is delivered virtually in lieu of traditional classroom hours.  Student must have access to a computer a reliable high-speed Internet connection.

-Students must have some version or equivalent of office, and have a basic working knowledge of Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

-Students must store course work on a cloud server such as Dropbox or Google Drive.  (A computer crash is not a valid excuse for late work.)
 

HYBRID ACTIVITY DETAILS:

Hybrid assignments are intended to take the place of in class learning, and should be thought of as an opportunity to engage with the material, not just basic HW.

  • Each week will contain:
    • Documents to read and Kinch videos to watch.
    • a Canvas discussion to take part.
  • All assignments are posted on Canvas, you will submit on Canvas, and you will receive feedback in the Canvas Grade book.

ZOOM Classes (for Virtual classes)

Once a week will meet on Zoom.  Attendance is mandatory and you are expected to take an active part in Discussion & Interactive Lecture.
-- You are required to turn on you Camera and your Microphone at all times while in class.

-- You will need to log on through Canvas directly to participate.


Electronic Devices (for On Campus Classes)

Laptops and tablets are encouraged in class, but surfing for non-subject related material during class will not be tolerated.  If seen you will be asked to explain the relevance of what is on your screen and you may be asked to leave the room.  You will be required to engage with your own or provided devices during class discussion.
**Screens under 7 in. are not valid in-class devices
 for this course. Phones should be stowed and silenced during class time. If the device is heard, I reserve the right to respond to the call or incoming message.

How do I do assignments?

Tree Preservation    This is a paperless course. 

- All additional readings, assignments, and course materials can be found in the schedule above.

-All assignments and quizzes need to be submitted in Canvas.

-All feedback will be given through Canvas.

-To access Canvas = Log in to “My NOVA”  https://nvcc.my.vccs.edu/jsp/home.jsp


Guidelines for Written Work 

Formatting: All Papers should be double spaced, using 12 point Calibri font, and one inch margins.  All papers must be word processed and submitted through Canvas as “doc,” “docx,” or “PDF”      E-mail submissions will not be accepted.  

Style and Grammar: You must present your arguments in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English.  Make sure to proofread and use spell-check. For information on writing papers for this class, make sure to read Kinch’s writing guide .  You also might want to consult the following handy websites:

o       NVCC Loudoun's Writing Center

o       Charlie Evans’ History Writing Center

Citations:  You MUST include a formal citation any time you refer to a specific passage in a text, even if you do not quote the text directly.  The required method for citing sources in this class is Chicago Style formatting for footnote citations.  According to this format, you “Insert Footnote” (under references) and enter the citation information as laid out in this link.


What are the course rules?

Late Assignments 

-Late papers will be accepted after the due date and time for half credit, as long as they are submitted before the final class period of the term.

-Discussion, Quizzes, Participation, and Presentation assignments will only be accepted during the week they are due.

-All assignments should be stored on a cloud server and submitted online.  Excuses such as “my dog ate my homework” and “my computer crashed” are no longer valid.

Exams and Make-Up Exams

For exam sessions, make-ups will not be given other than in the case of a genuine emergency with appropriate documentation (ie, emergency room documents, court summons, etc.)  Missing class due to "not feeling well," not being able to get a ride, having to work, and the like are not genuine emergencies.


Grading/Feedback

Presentation/Video will be given in person at the end of class, and the grade will be posted within a week. 

Papers and Exams will be graded and posted within two weeks of their due date, in order to give more detailed feedback.

Attendance Policy: 

Absences, Late arrival, and leaving early will affect a student’s grade due to the student not being able to participate in class/group discussions. Students missing more than thirty percent of the scheduled classes without an excused absence from the professor will receive ZERO points for the class participation grade. Class absence does not excuse a student from meeting assignment due dates


Academic Dishonesty: 

Academic Dishonesty will not be tolerated.

Students involved in dishonest academic activity will receive a grade of “0” on the activity during which dishonest act occurred and particularly flagrant or obviously intentional instances of cheating, AI usage or plagiarism will result in a grade of "F" for the course.  In addition the student will be reported to the Dean of Students for further disciplinary action.

**Please read the section titled Student Conduct, Rights, and Responsibilities:  F. Academic Dishonesty in the Student Handbook.

 

Academic dishonesty, as a general rule, involves one of the following acts:

         1.     Cheating on an examination or quiz; including the giving, receiving, or soliciting of information and the unauthorized use of notes or other materials.

         2.   Use of AI, NLP, and LLM to produce written content for essays, discussions and Exams (See below for clarification of use.) 

         3.  Plagiarism - This is the act of appropriating passages from the work of another individual, either word for word or in substance, and representing them as one’s own work. This includes any submission of written work other than one’s own.

-Please note that even copying a sentence or two from another source without citing it is enough to trigger a plagiarism penalty.  Likewise, changing a word here or there from content which you copy is plagiarism.  Your work should be entirely in your own words except for the passages which you quote and appropriately cite. All of your papers for the class will be checked for plagiarism and AI usage by SafeAssign software.

Be aware of the following:

- Internet-enabled devices, dictionaries and/or calculators are prohibited during testing.

- If you need to leave the room during testing, for whatever reason, your test will be collected immediately for grading without any additional time for more work on the test or quiz.

  

Use of AI Technology:

In this course tools such as Turnitin and ZeroGPT will be used to detect and flag instances of plagiarism and potential use of AI writing in your assignments.  Students must complete their own work and provide attribution when using the words or ideas from a source.  Unless otherwise explicitly instructed, students must not use AI writing and composition tools. If you are asked or required to use tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly, these must be cited in your submission. 
----Any suspected violations will need to be justified in an oral interview with the professor.

Appropriate Use

Inappropriate Use

Audio-to-text transcription tools

The use of AI programs to generate ideas and brainstorm

Spell check, grammar check, style check, and thesaurus tools

The use of AI to obtain answers on any assessment

Google Translate for individual words and phrases

Google Translate for entire sentences, paragraphs or assignments

Automatic citation or bibliography generators

Any application or tool that writes or rewrites entire sentences or paragraphs

Online tutoring services linked from the NOVA website

Any application or tool that writes a draft for you

Instructor/Student Communications Policy:

The primary means of communication outside the classroom between the Instructor and the student is via Canvas Announcements and e-mail. Students should check Canvas and their e-mail daily for any Instructor communications. Failure to do so is not an excuse for missed/late assignments or exams. The Instructor turn-around time to respond to e-mails is 24-to-48 hours Monday through Friday.

Instructors receive a significant number of e-mails from students over the course of the semester. To specifically identify the course in which the student is enrolled, all e-mail from the student must include the course and section number (e.g., ACC211-000) in the Subject of the e-mail.

 

I will email you at the email address on my class list which is your VCCS email address. If you do not check this address frequently, I would recommend you set it up for automatic forwarding to an email address you do check more frequently. When emailing the instructor, always send email from your VCCS email address.

 

Student Professionalism

Please be considerate. Disruptive behavior, on the ground and online, will not be tolerated.  Private conversations during lecture or class discussions, ringing mobile phones, texting, sleeping, or walking into class late or out of class early all distract and disturb your instructor and your classmates, and will count against your participation grade.  Repeated instances of rude behavior will result your removal from the classroom.  

--All students are considered adults and will conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. Please read the section titled Student Conduct, Rights, and Responsibilities:  B. Student Conduct in the Student Handbook.


College Policies =

Refer to the "College Policies" tab on CANVAS Course page for:

Academic Integrity Policy / Closing Information (weather) / Communication (e-mail) / Course Drop/Withdrawal Policy /        Disabilities and Accommodations / Emergency Preparedness / Financial Aid / Wellness and Mental Health

 

Financial Instability

Everyone was trouble at times, but there is help.  When struggling please reach out to me, a counselor, or click here: https://nvcc.singlestoptechnologies.com/

IT Helpdesk

The IT Help Desk provides first-level technical support to all faculty, staff and students of Northern Virginia Community College. Additional details and resources are located at http://www.nvcc.edu/ithd/.

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday:

8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Saturday:

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Phone:

703-426-4141

Email:

ithelpdesk@nvcc.edu

Emergencies

Procedures and items to be aware of (click here)

Anyone observing an emergency situation should contact the Campus Police Office or the dean of students.

Loudoun Campus

Campus Police:

703-450-2540

Dean of Students:

703-450-2512


------Note: The instructor has the right to alter or change the course and course schedule at any time as he deems appropriate.-------

contact: jkincheloe@nvcc.edu