This competency-based course begins with a brief look at the dawn of civilization, followed by a study of the early societies of the Near East and Africa and the classical civilizations of India, China, Greece, and Rome. Students then undertake a concurrent geographic and chronological examination of social, cultural, and technological change from 500 A.D. to 1914 in both the Western and non-Western world, including a comparative study of Europe and Japan during the High Middle Ages and the influence of the European Renaissance, Reformation, and Scientific Revolution in our modern world. The course then focuses on a consideration of the impact of Enlightenment ideas on the rise of democratic ideals and explores the rise of nationalism into this century. The course seeks to foster and develop the skills of written expression, interpretation of graphic materials (especially the use and interpretation of maps), and critical thinking.

FREE