Western Civilization I
$50.00
Exploring the Great Ideas in History from Ancient Times to 1650
Course Description: This course is a survey of Western human history and explores simultaneously relevant Great Ideas in each chapter. It explores the social, political, religious, intellectual and artistic achievements from the earliest human civilizations to the age of exploration. Beginning with the ancient near east the course progresses chronologically through the classical period of the Greeks and Romans, the emergence and rise of the Christian faith, the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Reformation and concludes with a study of the age of discovery. The syntopical or synthesis based exploration of the Great Ideas makes this course much more than a study of the facts of thousands of years of history. Rather by tracing Great Ideas throughout it becomes a means to discover and revive intellectual traditions.
Release Date: Available
Format: Online Course
Description
Preface: Syntopical Course Guides and Open Educational Resources (OER)
- Pedagogical Approach: Where Great Works and Digital Delivery Meet in Conversation
- Syntopical Thinking: Great Conversations that Center around Great Ideas Found in Great Works www.thegreatideas.org
- The Paideia Approach and the Importance of Discussion and Experiential Learning
- How to Use This Syntopical Course Guide
- The Seven Syntopical Steps:
- Pre-Learning Reflection
- Syntopical Learning Great Idea
- Core Text Readings
- Online Research
- Project Based Learning: Socratic Discussion and Short Essay Assignments
- Post Learning Reflection
- Suggestions for Further Reading
Introduction: What is History?
Table of Contents
- THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST I
The First Humans (perhaps we could present a few theories)
The Emergence of Civilization (or we start here since this is history and the rest theory)
Civilization in Mesopotamia
Egyptian Civilization: “The Gift of the Nile”
- THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST II
The Hebrews
The Neighbors of the Israelites
The Assyrian Empire
The Neo-Babylonian Empire
The Persian Empire
- THE GREEKS
Early Greece
The Greeks in a Dark Age (c. 1100-750 BC)
The Greek City-States (750-500)
Classical Greece
- THE HELLENISTIC WORLD
Macedonia and the Conquests of Alexander
The Hellenistic Kingdoms
Hellenistic Society, Culture and Religion
- THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
The Founding of Rome
The Roman Republic (509-264)
Roman Expansion (264-133)
Roman Society, Culture and Religion
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Republic (133-31)
- THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Augustus (31-14)
The Early Empire (14-180)
Roman Society, Culture and Religion
Crises in the Third Century
The Rise of Christianity
- TRANSITION FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE MIDDLE AGES
The Late Roman Empire
The Germanic Kingdoms
The Christian Church
The Byzantine Empire
The Rise of Islam
- THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES, 750-1000
The Carolingians
Lords and Vassals
Byzantine Civilization
The Slavic Peoples
Islamic
- THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES
Feudalism
Life on the Manor
Trade and Cities
Society, Culture and Religion
- KINGDOMS AND CHURCH POWER
European Kingdoms, 1000-1300
The Recovery and Reform of the Catholic Church
Christianity and Medieval Civilization
The Crusades
- THE LATER MIDDLE AGES
The Black Death and Social Crisis
War and Political Instability
Society, Culture and Religion
- THE RENAISSANCE
The Italian Renaissance
Renaissance Society and Culture
The Italian States in the Renaissance
Intellectual Renaissance
Artistic Renaissance
The European State in the Renaissance
The Church in the Renaissance
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