I. General Information

1. Course Title:
World History I, From the Beginning to 1500

2. Course Prefix & Number:
HIST 1412

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course will examine the development of world civilizations from pre-history to 1500, and will compare the religion, politics, economy and culture of various world civilizations. Examples will be drawn from Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

Reading College Level CLC or Reading College Level

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Bemidji State University, HST 1304 World History I, 3 credits
MN State University - Moorhead, HST 104 World History I, 3 credits

2. Transfer - regional institutions with which this course has a written articulation agreement:

History Transfer Pathway Associate of Arts

III. Course Purpose

2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:

• Goal 5 – History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Goal 8 – Global Perspective

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate written communication skills	Successfully complete written assignments based on assigned reading and construct written answers to essay exam questions.
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Successfully complete objective and essay exam questions based on assigned reading and class lectures.
Discuss/compare characteristics of diverse cultures and environments	Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural differences between world civilizations through written assignments, discussion assignments and exams questions.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Demonstrate a broad understanding of World History from pre-history through 1500 (MnTC Goal 5);
• Make use of historical thinking (MnTC Goal 5);
• Analyze historical sources, distinguishing primary from secondary sources (MnTC Goal 5);
• Communicate effectively using historical evidence and methods (MnTC Goal 5);
• Analyze and understand the diversity of peoples within their distinctive historical contexts (MnTC Goal 8);
• Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, social, religious and linguistic differences of the societies which make up the world in which we live today and the complexities of their interactions (MnTC Goal 8);
• Describe and analyze political, economic, and cultural elements which influence relations of states and societies in their historical and contemporary dimensions (MnTC Goal 8);
• Employ the methods and data that historians and social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition. (MnTC Goal 5): and
• Trace the development of the world’s religious belief systems, their impact on the societies in which they emerged and their interactions with each other. 
  

 

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Foundations of Complex Societies:
• African origins
• Paleolithic societies
• Neolithic societies
• Agricultural transition 
2. Formation of first complex societies:
• Mesopotamian societies, early writing
• Hebrew/Jewish tradition
3. Early river civilizations:
• Egyptian civilization including religious belief systems
• Bantu migrations,
• Indo-European migrations,
• Indus valley societies and the Vedic religious tradition
4. Ancient China:
• Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties and social order
• Family and Patriarchy
• Early writing
5. Early societies of Mesoamerica:
• Olmec and Mayan societies
6. Rise and fall of the Persian Empires
• Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian and Sasanid empires
• Zoroastrian religion
• Classical Persian culture and economy
7. Unification of China:
• Confucius
• Dao
• Legalism
• Qin Dynasty
• Rise of Han China
8. Classical India:
• Jainism
• Hinduism  
• Buddhism
• caste system
• Mauryan Dynasty
9. Mediterranean societies:
• Greece: polis, Sparta, Athens, Philosophers and culture
• Hellenistic expansion
• Roman Empire
• Emergence of Christianity
10. Silk Roads and long distance trade:
• Spread of religion, trade, and disease
• Fall of Rome and Han China
11. Byzantium:
• Justinian
• Culture and economy
• Influence on Eastern Europe
• Tensions between Eastern and western Christian churches
12. Islamic Empires:
• Muhammad
• Early Caliphs
• Umayyad and Abbasid Dynasties
• Islamic cultural traditions
• Cultural exchanges and expansion
13. China:
• Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties
• Agricultural and economic development
• Buddhism
• Neo-Confucianism
• Chinese influence on the continent- Korea, Vietnam and Japan
14. India
• Introduction of Islam
• Hindu Kingdoms in southern India
• Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin
• Hinduism and Islam in India
• Growth of trade and Indian influence in SE Asia
15. Rise and fall of the Mongol Empires
• Turkish Migrations and Expansion
• Nomadic economy and society
• Chinggis Khan and Mongol expansion
• Decline of the Mongols
• Tamerlane
• Foundation of the Ottoman Empire
16. African states and societies
• Population growth
• Religion and society
• Islamic and Christian influences
• Trans-Sahara trade
• Indian ocean trade
• Islamic states in west Africa and East Africa
17. Western Europe in the Middle Ages
• Regional States and  Monarchies
• Holy Roman Empire
• Serfs, Manors and an agricultural economy
• Revival of towns and trade
• European Christianity
• Expansion of Europe: Crusades, Reconquest of Spain, Colonization in the Baltic
18. Societies of the Americas:
• Mesoamerica: Mexican society and religion
• South America: Incan society and religion
19. Impact of long distance trade and travel
• Missionary campaigns
• Crisis of the Bubonic plague
• Ming Dynasty in China
• Recovery in Europe: European Renaissance
• Exploration and colonization by
• China in the Indian Ocean
• Europe in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans